Startup Playbook: success through failure

Grants and Funding for Female Entrepreneurs in 2027: 23 Options in Europe, the UK, the US and Beyond

TL;DR: where can female entrepreneurs get funding in 2027?

In Europe, the two biggest open calls for women are Women TechEU (€75,000 plus coaching for deep-tech startups, next proposal deadline 14 January 2027) and the European Prize for Women Innovators (up to €100,000, closes 1 December 2026). Most national schemes for women in Europe are not grants but loans, guarantees or tax credits, such as ENISA in Spain, Invitalia's ON in Italy, Garantie Égalité Femmes in France and Micro Invest in Malta. Women-focused investors such as Auxxo, Angel Academe and Golden Seeds take pitches all year. Below are 23 options with the amount, who can apply, the next date and a status label: Open, Opens, or Closed for 2026.

👉 Find the EU grants that fit your startup
Search for funding for female entrepreneurs and you get lists that mix live calls with programmes that closed years ago. This guide is different in one way: every option below was checked on its own website on 15 October 2026. For each one you get the amount, who is eligible, the next deadline or "rolling", and the official source.
It covers more than grants. A grant is only one way to fund a business, and for most women founders it is not the fastest one. So the list also includes loans and guarantees made for women, tax credits, women-led angel networks, VC funds that back female founders and equity-free programmes. If you only want grants in Europe, our sister site has a shorter list of grants for female entrepreneurs in Europe.

Funding for Female Entrepreneurs: Deadlines at a Glance

Status labels: Open means you can apply now ("rolling" means there is no fixed deadline). Opens means the next round has a start date. Closed for 2026 means this year's round is over.
ProgrammeWhereWhat you getStatusNext date
Women TechEUEU + associated countries€75,000 grant + coachingOpenProposals 14 Jan 2027
European Prize for Women InnovatorsEU + Horizon Europe countries€20,000–€100,000 prizeOpenCloses 1 Dec 2026
EXIST-WomenGermanyStipend + €2,000 for costsOpen (rolling)Via your university
Visa She's Next RomaniaRomania6 grants, €10,000–€30,000OpenCloses 15 Nov 2026
PARP women-led SME grantsPolandSmaller grants (Norway/EEA Grants)Opens: date not announcedWatch PARP
ENISA Emprendedoras DigitalesSpainLoan €25,000–€1.5MOpen (rolling)No deadline
ON – Oltre Nuove imprese a tasso zeroItaly0% loan, projects up to €3MOpen (rolling)No deadline
Garantie Égalité FemmesFranceGuarantee on 80% of a bank loanOpen (rolling)No deadline
Micro InvestMaltaTax credit, +€20,000 for women-owned firmsOpens 1 Jan 20271 Jan 2027
EBRD Women in Business19 countriesLoans via partner banks + adviceOpen (rolling)No deadline
Auxxo Female Catalyst FundEuropePre-seed and seed equityOpen (rolling)Pitch any time
Going for GrowthIrelandFree peer programmeOpenCloses 27 Nov 2026
Innovate UK Women in InnovationUKUp to £75,000 + supportClosed for 2026Next round not announced
Angel AcademeUKAngel and EIS fund investmentOpen (rolling)Pitch any time
Investing Women AngelsUKAngel syndicate investmentOpen (rolling)Pitch any time
Amber GrantUS and Canada$15,000 monthly, $75,000 year-endOpenCut-off 31 Oct 2026
Tory Burch Foundation FellowsUSFellowship, coaching, education grantOpenCloses 17 Nov 2026
Golden SeedsUSAngel investmentOpen (rolling)Apply any time
AstiaGlobalVenture investmentOpen (rolling)Apply any time
Female Founders FundNot limited on its siteSeed investmentOpen (rolling)Pitch any time
UBS Project Female FounderGlobalFree 8-week acceleratorOpens March 2027March 2027
Cartier Women's InitiativeGlobalGrants up to $100,000Closed for 2026Next edition not announced
We-Fi81 countriesFinance through partner banksOpen (via partners)Through EBRD, IFC and others
Sources: each programme's official website, checked 15 October 2026. Dates change, so confirm on the programme page before you apply.

Which Type of Women Business Funding Fits You?

Before you pick a programme, pick a route. Grants and prizes cost you nothing but time, and they are the most competitive. Loans and guarantees are easier to get but must be repaid. Angels and VC funds give you more money and a network, in exchange for part of your company.
A simple rule: if you have no revenue yet, start with grants, prizes and equity-free programmes. If you have sales and need cash for stock or equipment, a loan or guarantee is often faster. If you are building something that must grow very fast, read our guide to venture capital for female entrepreneurs before you talk to a fund.

Grants and Prizes for Women Entrepreneurs Across the EU

These two are open to founders in all EU countries and in countries associated to Horizon Europe. Both are free to apply for, and neither takes equity.

1. Women TechEU: €75,000 for women-led deep-tech startups

Amount: €75,000 non-dilutive, plus mentoring and coaching · Who: early-stage deep-tech startups led by women in Europe · Status: Open; next full proposal deadline 14 January 2027
You apply in two steps. First you pass an eligibility check, with cut-offs every Tuesday at 17:00 until 15 June 2027. Then you send a full proposal by one of the next deadlines: 14 January, 1 April or 8 July 2027. Results come within eight weeks of each deadline. The 2026–2028 edition will fund 160 startups. Our sister site has a step-by-step guide to the 14 January 2027 Women TechEU deadline. Read the rules on the official programme page.

2. European Prize for Women Innovators: up to €100,000

Amount: €100,000, €70,000 and €50,000; Rising Innovators (under 35) €50,000, €30,000 and €20,000; EIT Women Leadership Award €50,000, €30,000 and €20,000 · Who: a woman founder or co-founder of a company registered before 1 January 2025 in the EU or a Horizon Europe country · Status: Open until 1 December 2026, 17:00 CET
You apply as a person, not as a company, and in one category only. The European Innovation Council and the EIT run the prize. It suits founders whose company already has some history and a clear story about impact. Check the criteria on the official programme page.
For more EU money that is open to everyone, not just women, see the European grants made for female-founded startups on mean.ceo and the full EU programme map on EU Startup Funding (grant-grants.com), which also has a free grant finder and grant writer.

National Business Grants for Women in Europe

True grants for women at national level are rare in Europe. These three are the ones we could confirm for 2026–2027.

3. EXIST-Women (Germany)

Amount: €2,000 for costs, plus an optional stipend of €1,000–€3,000 a month for up to 3 months and €150 per child · Who: women with an early business idea at a participating German university or research institute · Status: Open (rolling) through your university until 30 September 2027 · Official page: exist.de
EXIST-Women is a 12-month programme that mixes a small budget with coaching. You don't apply to the ministry directly: your university's start-up service applies with you and sets its own internal deadline. Ask them first.

4. Visa She's Next (Romania round open)

Amount: €90,000 in total: one €30,000 grant, two €15,000 and three €10,000 · Who: businesses at least 51% women-owned, trading for more than a year, in Romania · Status: Open until 15 November 2026 · Official page: visa.co.uk (search "She's Next")
She's Next runs separate rounds by country, including Ireland, the Nordics, Poland, Italy, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the Baltics. Several 2026 rounds have closed, such as Ireland (April) and the Baltics (March); Romania's, run with ING Bank Romania and Impact Hub Bucharest, is still open. Fifteen finalists get mentoring from January to May 2027. If you are in another She's Next country, watch for your 2027 round.

5. Grants for women-led SMEs in Poland (Norway and EEA Grants)

Amount: not yet published; part of the "Green Business and Innovation" programme, worth about PLN 276 million in total · Who: Polish SMEs where women are owners or co-owners and also manage the company · Status: Opens: date not announced · Official page: parp.gov.pl
PARP, Poland's enterprise agency, signed the programme agreement with Innovation Norway on 29 April 2026. It plans large grants for SMEs in general and smaller grants for women-owned and women-managed companies. No call date has been set, so this is one to watch, not one to apply for yet.

Loans, Guarantees and Tax Credits for Women-Owned Businesses

This is where most national "funds for women entrepreneurs" in Europe sit. They are not free money, but they come on better terms than an ordinary bank loan, and they are open all year.

6. ENISA Emprendedoras Digitales (Spain)

Amount: participatory loan of €25,000 to €1.5 million, no collateral · Who: tech and innovative companies led by women in Spain · Status: Open (rolling) · Official page: enisa.es
A participatory loan sits between debt and equity: ENISA does not take shares or a seat on your board, and you don't need collateral. Check the current interest terms with ENISA before you apply, because they depend on your rating.

7. ON – Oltre Nuove imprese a tasso zero (Italy)

Amount: zero-interest loan over 10 years for projects up to €1.5 million (companies up to 3 years old) or €3 million (3 to 5 years old) · Who: micro and small companies owned mostly by women of any age or by people aged 18 to 35 · Status: Open (rolling); applications are handled in order of arrival · Official page: invitalia.it
Until 30 June 2026, ON mixed a zero-interest loan with a grant. Since 1 July 2026 the grant part has run out and only the loan is available. A zero-interest loan over 10 years is still good value. Apply on Invitalia's online platform.

8. Garantie Égalité Femmes (France)

Amount: guarantee on up to 80% of a bank loan, capped at €50,000; loans of €5,000 or more over 2 to 7 years · Who: women creating or taking over a business, especially jobseekers or women in financial hardship · Status: Open (rolling) · Official page: franceactive.org
The guarantee makes the bank more willing to lend, and the bank cannot ask you for a personal guarantee on the loan. You apply through the France Active association in your region.

9. Micro Invest (Malta)

Amount: tax credit on eligible spending, capped at €65,000 over 3 years, plus €20,000 extra for female-owned businesses · Who: Maltese undertakings with 1 to 50 employees · Status: Opens 1 January 2027 under the 2026–2030 scheme · Official page: maltaenterprise.com
Micro Invest is not cash up front: you spend on eligible costs first, then claim part of it back as a tax credit. The €20,000 top-up for women-owned firms makes it one of the few women-specific schemes in Malta. Apply through Malta Enterprise's client portal.

10. EBRD Women in Business

Amount: loans through local partner banks, plus mentoring, training and advice · Who: women-led or women-owned SMEs with fewer than 250 staff in 19 countries, including Albania, Croatia, Serbia, Moldova, Türkiye, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Egypt and Morocco · Status: Open (rolling)
The EBRD lends to banks, which then lend to women entrepreneurs, and it shares the risk with them. You don't apply to the EBRD for a loan yourself: you check the criteria and contact the EBRD office in your country, which points you to a partner bank. Details on the official programme page.

Female Startup Funding From Investors and Equity-Free Programmes in Europe

If you want to grow fast, you will probably need investors at some point. These funds and programmes are built for women founders. For a longer list, see our top 20 female-led VC firms in Europe.

11. Auxxo Female Catalyst Fund (Europe)

Amount: pre-seed and seed investment; ticket size not published · Who: startups based in Europe with at least one female founder holding 20% of founder shares, any industry · Status: Open (rolling) · Official page: auxxo.de
Auxxo co-invests with other investors and also runs a co-founder matching platform. You pitch through a short form with your deck. It is a good first call if you are raising a first round in Europe.

12. Going for Growth (Ireland)

Amount: no money; a free six-month peer programme · Who: women owner-managers in Ireland trading for at least two years · Status: Open until 27 November 2026 for the January–June 2027 cycle · Official page: goingforgrowth.com
Small groups of women founders meet monthly with an experienced entrepreneur. It doesn't fund you, but it is free, takes no equity and is aimed at growth, which is what investors and banks want to see next.
Equity-free accelerators are another route. We keep a separate list of the best equity-free startup accelerators, and our sister site reviews entrepreneurship training programmes for women that come with money, such as EXIST-Women and Women TechEU.

UK Funding for Female Founders

13. Innovate UK Women in Innovation Awards

Amount: up to £75,000 plus 12 months of tailored support · Who: women founders of UK small businesses · Status: Closed for 2026; next round not announced · Official page: ukri.org
The 2026 round closed on 4 February 2026 and picked 61 winners. If you are in the UK, watch UKRI's news pages for the next round.

14. Angel Academe

Amount: angel and EIS fund investment; ticket size not published · Who: UK tech startups with female founders · Status: Open (rolling) · Official page: angelacademe.com
Angel Academe calls itself the UK's first EIS fund for female founders, and it invests alongside its own angel network. It has backed women founders since 2014 in fintech, clean tech, medtech, cyber security and more.

15. Investing Women Angels

Amount: angel investment; ticket size not published · Who: early-stage UK-based companies with a female founder or women in the senior team · Status: Open (rolling) · Official page: investingwomen.co.uk
A female-led angel syndicate incorporated in Scotland that backs businesses which aim to benefit people, society or the planet. If you are looking for female angel investors in the UK, this and Angel Academe are the two to start with. You apply through its pitch page.

US Grants for Women With Small Businesses and Female Angel Investors

Most of the well-known business grants for women are American. They are smaller than the EU calls, but they come round more often.

16. Amber Grant (WomensNet)

Amount: $15,000 every month; monthly winners can win one of three $75,000 year-end grants · Who: women aged 18+ whose business is at least 50% women-owned and based in the US or Canada · Status: Open; next cut-off 31 October 2026, then monthly
There is a $15 application fee, which can be waived on request. One application keeps you in the running for every grant linked to your business, and winners are announced by the 21st of the following month. See the official programme page.

17. Tory Burch Foundation Fellows

Amount: a year of coaching, an education grant and a community of founders · Who: US businesses at least 51% women-owned with at least $75,000 a year in revenue; you must be 21+ and a US resident · Status: Open until 17 November 2026
Fellows are picked in May 2027. It is not cash for operations, but it is free, takes no equity and includes introductions to business leaders. Check the full rules on the official programme page.

18. Golden Seeds

Amount: angel investment; 275+ companies funded and $200 million invested so far · Who: early-stage, US-based women-led startups in most sectors · Status: Open (rolling)
Founded in 2004, Golden Seeds is a national angel network with more than 1,150 investors who back women-led startups. It runs information sessions and office hours for founders before you apply. If you are new to angels, read how to find and pitch angel investors as a woman founder first. Apply through the official programme page.

19. Astia

Amount: venture investment; $65 million+ under management and 180+ investments · Who: high-growth companies with women in leadership · Status: Open (rolling) · Official page: astia.org
Astia has 25 years of experience in Silicon Valley and a global network of more than 6,000 advisors. You apply online through its apply page.

20. Female Founders Fund

Amount: seed investment; cheque size not published · Who: women building category-defining businesses, with a focus on digital health, AI software, beauty, pet and deep tech · Status: Open (rolling) · Official page: femalefoundersfund.com
Female Founders Fund calls itself a leading source of institutional capital for women raising seed rounds, and it has invested in women founders since 2014. You submit your pitch through the form on its website.

Global Prizes and Funds for Women Entrepreneurs

21. UBS Project Female Founder

Amount: no money; a free 8-week accelerator · Who: Series A-stage startups at least 51% owned by women · Status: Opens March 2027 · Official page: ubs.com
This one is for founders preparing a bigger round, and it focuses on investor readiness. If you are raising in 2027, put March in your calendar.

22. Cartier Women's Initiative

Amount: grants of up to $100,000 per regional award, plus coaching · Who: women-run impact businesses with $50,000 to $5 million in revenue and 5 to 250 staff, in any country · Status: Closed for 2026; the 2027 edition closed on 16 June 2026 · Official page: cartierwomensinitiative.com
The award has nine regional categories, including Europe, plus a Science and Technology Pioneer Award. The next call has not been announced; the 2027 call opened in April 2026.

23. We-Fi, the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative

Amount: US$7.7 billion mobilised across 81 countries · Who: women-led SMEs, through partner banks and programmes · Status: Open, but only through partners · Official page: we-fi.org
We-Fi is hosted by the World Bank and does not take applications from founders. Its money reaches you through partners such as the EBRD and IFC, which is why EBRD Women in Business is the practical way in for many founders in Eastern Europe.
Asia: for programmes in Asia, see our list of top 20 grants for female entrepreneurs in Asia.

Closed or Changed in 2026: Skip These

Older lists still recommend these. Don't spend an afternoon on them:
  • Google for Startups Accelerator: Women Founders: we found no 2026 cohort, and the European pages are gone.
  • Invitalia ON grant part: since 1 July 2026 only the zero-interest loan is left.
  • Fondo Impresa Femminile (Italy): closed in 2022.
  • Enterprise Ireland's women-only Competitive Start Fund: it was equity, not a grant, and there has been no women-only call since 2021.
  • Hello Alice "Fund Her Future": closed on 22 September 2026.
  • Fearless Fund Strivers grant: closed for good after a 2024 settlement.

How to Get Funding as a Female Founder: 5 Steps

  1. Match your stage. Idea stage: EXIST-Women, Women TechEU (if deep tech) and equity-free programmes. First sales: Amber Grant, She's Next, loans and guarantees. Growing fast: angel networks and VC funds.
  2. Check the country and ownership rules first. Many programmes need 50% or 51% women ownership, or a woman in a named role. Read the rules before you write a word.
  3. Have a short plan ready. Almost every form asks the same things: problem, customer, market, money needed and what it buys. A free business plan generator gives you customer profiles, positioning and marketing ideas to start from.
  4. Show proof, even small. Ten customer interviews, a waiting list or first invoices beat a long vision statement. Our female founder funding statistics show how wide the gap still is, so strong proof matters.
  5. Apply to two routes at once. A grant and a loan, or a prize and an angel network. Most rejections we see are applications that were never sent.
Build the business first, then the application gets easier

Fe/male Switch is a women-first startup game for first-time founders: you validate your business idea and build your first business with AI co-founder tools, without risking your savings. The page also has a free business idea generator and a business name generator. If you want to learn the basics first, the Free Startup School teaches you how to build a startup without technical skills, initial funding or quitting your job.

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Conclusion: Pick Two Deadlines and One Rolling Option

Funding for female entrepreneurs is real, but it is spread thin across grants, prizes, loans and investors, and much of what older lists recommend has closed. For this quarter, pick two dated calls, for example the European Prize for Women Innovators (1 December 2026) and Women TechEU (14 January 2027), and one rolling option, such as a loan scheme in your country or a women-focused angel network. If you want other women founders to read your application before you send it, our comparison of online communities for female entrepreneurs shows where to find them. If you want to pitch investors in Europe, our templates for cold emails that get investor meetings will save you time. And if you are still at the idea stage, the startup game at femaleswitch.app lets you practise before you apply.

FAQ: Grants and Funding for Female Entrepreneurs

What funding is available for female entrepreneurs in Europe?

For 2027, the main EU options are Women TechEU (€75,000 for women-led deep-tech startups, with proposal deadlines in January, April and July 2027) and the European Prize for Women Innovators (up to €100,000; the current call closes on 1 December 2026). National options are mostly loans, guarantees or tax credits: ENISA in Spain, Invitalia's ON in Italy, Garantie Égalité Femmes in France and Micro Invest in Malta. Women-focused investors such as Auxxo also take pitches all year.

Are there business grants for women with no repayment?

Yes. Women TechEU, the European Prize for Women Innovators, EXIST-Women in Germany, Visa She's Next and the Amber Grant in the US and Canada are grants or prizes you don't repay. They are competitive, so apply to more than one.

What grants are there for women with small businesses?

In the US and Canada, the Amber Grant gives $15,000 every month to a women-owned business. In Romania, She's Next offers grants of €10,000 to €30,000 until 15 November 2026. In the UK, the Innovate UK Women in Innovation Awards (up to £75,000) are closed for 2026, with no new round announced yet.

Where can I find female angel investors?

Start with women-led angel networks: Golden Seeds in the US, Angel Academe and Investing Women Angels in the UK, and Auxxo for pre-seed and seed rounds in Europe. Our guide to funding gap solutions for female founders in Europe covers more ways to close the equity gap.

Is there a women entrepreneurs fund I can apply to directly?

Funds like Auxxo, Angel Academe, Golden Seeds and Female Founders Fund take pitches directly. The biggest fund, We-Fi, hosted by the World Bank, does not: its money reaches founders through partners such as the EBRD's Women in Business programme.

When is the next Women TechEU deadline?

The next full proposal deadlines are 14 January, 1 April and 8 July 2027. You must pass an eligibility check first; cut-offs are every Tuesday at 17:00, and the last one is 15 June 2027.

Are there loans for women entrepreneurs in Europe?

Yes. ENISA Emprendedoras Digitales in Spain lends €25,000 to €1.5 million, Invitalia's ON in Italy offers zero-interest loans for women-owned companies, and EBRD Women in Business lends through partner banks in 19 countries. In France, Garantie Égalité Femmes guarantees up to 80% of a bank loan.

Do I need a registered company to get funding?

Usually yes. Most grants, loans and investors need a registered company, and some need a trading history: She's Next asks for more than a year, Going for Growth for two. EXIST-Women in Germany is an exception and supports women with only an idea.

Is the Cartier Women's Initiative open?

No. The 2027 edition closed on 16 June 2026, and the next call has not been announced. It offers grants of up to $100,000 to women-run impact businesses with $50,000 to $5 million in revenue.

How do I improve my chances of getting a grant as a woman founder?

Check eligibility first, answer the selection criteria in the funder's own words, show early proof such as customer interviews or first sales, and submit well before the deadline. Applying to two or three programmes at once also raises your odds.

About the Author

Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
2026-10-15 18:31 funding