About us
The EIC Women Leadership Programme is a leadership development and networking programme for EIC-backed women researchers and entrepreneurs.
The programme is designed as a comprehensive leadership journey, combining practical leadership training, individual mentoring, business coaching, and networking. It supports you in developing your leadership capabilities, strengthening their confidence and strategic thinking, and building meaningful connections across the European innovation ecosystem.
For EIC awardees
As a participant, you get:
- Personal mentoring: individual support and guidance from experienced leaders and entrepreneurs, helping participants reflect on their leadership challenges, navigate key decisions, and develop their leadership potential.
- Leadership trainings: practical and interactive sessions focused on key leadership skills, including strategic thinking, decision-making, communication, influence, visibility, and leading in complex environments.
- Business coaching: dedicated coaching sessions supporting participants in refining their value propositions, improving investor pitches, accelerating market entry, and developing leadership strategies.
- Networking: opportunities to connect with peers, role models, mentors, investors, C-level leaders, and key stakeholders across the European innovation ecosystem, exchange experiences, and build a strong and trusted professional network.
For mentors and experts
Contributing to the EIC Women Leadership Programme gives mentors and experts the opportunity to work directly with some of Europe’s most promising women researchers, entrepreneurs and deep-tech leaders. It offers a chance to share expertise, expand connections across a high-level European network, gain exposure to emerging technologies and innovative ideas, and contribute to the growth of the next generation of women-led innovation in Europe. Mentors also receive formal recognition for their contribution and dedicated preparation and guidance to support a high-quality mentoring experience. Participation can also increase their visibility within the EIC Community, showcasing their expertise and strengthening their professional profile across the European innovation ecosystem.
Our impact
Check our latest stories featuring alumnae of the EIC Women Leadership Programme to discover our impact:
Discover more about our impact with our infographic.
Discover our offer
As a participant, you can benefit from a tailored leadership development programme shaped by a needs assessment at the beginning of your journey with us. The programme’s tailored path combines personalised mentoring, interactive training sessions, individual coaching and networking opportunities.
Personal mentoring
As a participant, you benefit from individual mentoring throughout the programme.
Mentors are selected from across the European innovation ecosystem and include CEO-level leaders, experienced entrepreneurs, investors and senior executives. You will be matched with mentors based on your individual leadership goals, challenges and development needs.
Mentoring provides a trusted space for reflection, strategic thinking and experience-sharing, helping you navigate key leadership and career challenges and strengthen their leadership capabilities.
Leadership trainings
You will gain access to a series of online training sessions focusing on personal leadership, team leadership and company leadership, tailored to the needs identified at the beginning of the programme.
The training programme combines interactive live sessions with self-paced learning materials, allowing you to prepare in advance and continue learning at their own pace.
Sessions are designed to be practical and engaging, incorporating real-life case studies, applied exercises and discussions.You will also have the chance to engage in small study groups and peer-learning activities, encouraging the exchange of experiences and mutual support throughout the programme.
Business coaching
In addition to mentoring and training, you have the chance to work with EIC Business Coaches, who provide individual support on business-related topics such as identifying new opportunities, refining strategies and strengthening market positioning.
Coaching helps you translate their learning and ideas into concrete actions and supports them in addressing specific business and innovation challenges.
Networking
Dedicated networking sessions and events take place throughout the programme, strengthening your connections across the European innovation ecosystem.
These sessions provide opportunities to connect with mentors, investors, entrepreneurs, C-suite executives, fellow innovators and other key stakeholders, while increasing your visibility within the ecosystem.
The networking programme is designed to:
- Build strong peer connections within the cohort
- Facilitate meaningful interactions with mentors, experts and role models
- Connect you with investors and key stakeholders
- Encourage collaboration and knowledge exchange
- Build long-term professional relationships across the European innovation ecosystem
Together, mentoring, training, coaching and networking provide you with a comprehensive leadership development experience, supporting yor leadership journey, professional growth and innovation ambitions.
Need more information? Check the EIC Women Leadership Programme Frequently asked questions.
How to join
Applications for the 2026 cohorts of the EIC Women Leadership Programme are now closed.
If you are interested in joining a future edition, we invite you to express your interest for the 2027 cohorts by completing this form, and keep an eye on the EIC Community Platform’s open calls page to be the first to learn about new opportunities.
The next cohort is expected to start in early 2027, with the official call for applications opening towards the end of 2026. By submitting your expression of interest, you will be among the first to receive updates and be notified when applications open.
Eligibility
The EIC Women Leadership Programme offers recurring cohorts for researchers and entrepreneurs in the EIC Community. The Entrepreneurial cohort is also open to a limited number of EIT-backed entrepreneurs.
Two types of cohorts are organised:
- Entrepreneurial cohort: The entrepreneurial cohort is aimed at experienced women leaders, including co-founders, women in C-suite positions, and second-line managers, seeking to enhance their leadership capabilities, broaden their professional networks, and scale their innovative ventures. Eligible participants may come from: EIC Accelerator, EIC Transition, EIC Pathfinder, Women TechEU, EU Women Innovators Prize, EIT.
- Researcher cohort: The researcher cohort supports women researchers who aim to transform their research initiatives into successful businesses while strengthening their leadership and entrepreneurial capabilities. Eligible participants may come from EIC Pathfinder, EIC Transition, EIC Accelerator.
Network: join the alumnae community
Completing the programme is not the end of the journey — it is the beginning of a lasting connection with the EIC Women Leadership Programme’s community.
Participants who successfully complete the programme are invited to join an exclusive LinkedIn Alumnae Community, providing a dedicated space to stay connected with fellow alumnae, exchange experiences and insights, and continue expanding their professional networks.
As members of the Alumnae Community, they are also invited to exclusive alumni gatherings and receive relevant updates, as well as access to unique opportunities for continued engagement within and beyond the programme. These may include opportunities to contribute as speakers, share their expertise, participate in events, and showcase their ventures through pitching opportunities.
The Alumnae Community offers a space to stay connected, share knowledge, create new collaborations and continue growing together long after the programme ends.
Implementing service providers
The EIC Women Leadership Programme is implemented by Venture Connections, specialised service providers supporting programme delivery and participant engagement.
Get in touch
If you have any questions, please contact us through the EIC Community’s contact page by choosing the 'EIC Women Leadership Programme' category.
EIC support to women innovators
Supporting women innovators is one of the cornerstones of the European Innovation Council’s (EIC) efforts to strengthen Europe’s economic resilience and global competitiveness. Recognising the untapped potential of women innovators and other underrepresented groups, including innovators from less developed ecosystems, the EIC Board has identified inclusion and support for underrepresented talent as one of its six strategic goals for the 2021–2027 period.
EIC initiatives are helping to challenge the status quo and reduce the gender gap in research and business. Medical technologies account for the largest share of women-led companies selected for support under the EIC Accelerator and the health sector more broadly accounts for over 50% of companies. In 2025, 30% of companies supported by the EIC Accelerator were women-led, with a female CEO, CTO or CSO. Women coordinate 26% of projects supported under the EIC Pathfinder and 23% of EIC Transition projects.
The EIC is taking active steps to promote and strengthen the role of women entrepreneurs and researchers. These actions include prioritising women CEOs invited to EIC Accelerator interviews, as well as dedicated initiatives designed to support women at different stages of their innovation journey.
Alongside the EIC Women Leadership Programme, these initiatives include Women TechEU, which supports early-stage deep-tech start-ups founded and led by women, and the European Prize for Women Innovators, an annual award recognising women across Europe whose groundbreaking innovations are creating positive change for people and the planet.