WOMEN LEADERSHIP PROGRAME / SUPERNOVAS

The EIC Women Leadership Programme supports, inspires, and empowers female innovators. This cohort will provide the selected entrepreneurs with a set of trainings and networking events, as well as business coaching and mentoring opportunities for career development.

Timeline

19 December 2023

Open call for Applications

21 January 2024

Application deadline

9 February 2024

Confirmation of participation

20 February 2024

Introductory workshop and mentor speed dating, online

5 March 2024

Kick-off meeting with selected participants, online

18-19 March 2024

EIC Summit – trainning and networking event, Brussels

March - May 2024

Trainning sessions and networking activities, online

May 2024

Closing ceremony, online

Women Leadership Programme in a nutshell

The programme is open to female researchers and entrepreneurs from the EIC Community and EIT female entrepreneurs.

Each cohort consists of both virtual and in-person training sessions, led by high-profile experienced trainers who challenge participants’ leadership approaches with inspiring case studies and use participatory approaches to encourage active engagement.

Participants benefit from individual coaching and personal mentoring. Through dedicated networking events, they also engage with peers and inspiring role models.

Why Women Leadership Programme?

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology is committed to build the presence of women in different roles within the entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem.

To further support this endeavour the EIT has launched Supernovas an EIT Community Programme that seeks to create a venture capital industry more gender-balanced, fuel the participation of women to deep-tech start and power women-led start-ups to enter new markets.

Within the initiative, EIT has partnered with the European Innovation Council (EIC) to create synergies between their powerful entrepreneurship communities and enhance the participation of EIT alumni in the EIC Women Leadership Programme.

How?

Trainings

Participants have access to training sessions on topics such as negotiation, pitching, leadership styles, marketing, and public speaking, that address the participants needs. The trainings take place during business days, with a duration of 2-3 hours each. Sessions are led by experts from the industry and are designed to be interactive, offering hands-on exercises and case studies to help participants put their leadership skills into practice.

Networking

Dedicated networking events take place throughout the programme to increase the participants’ network and heighten their visibility with key stakeholders in the European innovation ecosystem. During the training sessions, keynote speakers provide testimonials and facilitate networking moments. WLP fosters and promotes the exchange of experiences between its cohort participants and provides speed-dating activities with mentors.

Personal Mentoring and Business Coaching

The mentors, ranging from experienced CEOs and investors to serial entrepreneurs, are matched with participants based on career challenges faced
by the participant. Participants meet with their mentors on a regular basis to receive support on their career goals and challenges.

In addition, participants have the opportunity to work with an expert EIC business coach. These experts support participants with business related goals and challenges, such as identifying new business opportunities.

Alumni Group

Programme’s participants are included into an exclusive alumni group on the EIC Community Platform to maintain an active contact with fellow participants, network, share events and relevant news.

Who is it for?

EIC Women Leadership Programme’s recurring cohorts target female members of EIC and EIT beneficiaries, separately:

EIC and EIT female (co)founders and managers (CEOs, CTOs, CFOs, COOs, CCOs, etc.) who want to strengthen their skills and expand their network.

EIC female researchers involved in research projects aspiring to lead the transition of their research into businesses.

Startups

Highly innovative, scalable, and impactful companies.

Growth stage

Bootstrapped – Seed, Pre series A.

Female-led

With a female CEO in a leadign position.

European

Based in Horizon Europe associated countries.

Mobility, Food or Manufacturing Industries

Topics covered by EIT Urban Mobility, Food and Manufacturing.

The 4th WLP cohort, starting in February 2024, is specifically designed for female entrepreneurs -(co)founder and managers. Two more WLP cohorts will be launched in 2024, one for researchers and one for entrepreneurs.

Eligible candidates can apply to open calls launched on the EIC Community Platform.