Supernovas

SUPERNOVAS seeks to unleash the potential of women, in order to break barriers and increase female presence in the entrepreneurship, innovation and investment ecosystem.

Women are currently very underrepresented both in deep-tech
entrepreneurship and venture investment and these two facts reinforce each other:

•  Only 15% of deeptech start-ups are founded or co-founded by women.
• Women-led start-ups raise less funding that their male counterparts – across Europe, only 2% of venture capital goes to all-female teams and around 5% to mixed teams.
• Venture Capital lack gender diversity globally: 85% of investment committees are all-male and only 13% of VC partners are female.

We aim to help change this picture by building the next generation of women-led deep-tech ventures and upgrade women’s role in the investment ecosystem.

We deliver 4 activities:

• Rocket Up: International expansion programme for women-led ventures in Europe.
• Women2Invest: Programme to train and match women to early-stage careers in venture investment.
• EIC-EIC Leadership programme: Workshops and mentoring for female entrepreneurs for leadership skills enhancement.
• Women Investor Network (2023): European community of women investors strengthen the leverage of private funding for female-founded start-ups.

Please check the respective tabs for more info about the programmes.

Tabs of Women Investor Network and Data Room will be created soon. For any questions, contact: celeste.regla@eiturbanmobility.eu.

To achieve growth in Europe, start-ups must go through an internationalisation process. Each market launch requires a specific path according to its history, characteristics, needs and goals. That’s why in Rocket Up we provide a custom-made programme, mixing insightful & inspiring group sessions with hand-picked & exceptional mentors to help you achieve your objectives in your destination.

We want to boost your start-up and help you become the leader and role model of the future.

Applications are closed. 

If you are interested in participating in 2023, please express your interest through this form

Our 15-week EU-funded programme runs from September to December 2023.

•  An academic perspective on how to expand internationally
• Tailored made mentoring with hand-picked business and regional experts
• Access to respective KIC networks and other financial opportunities
• A network of female founders
• Organized mission to target region, providing you with contacts at your destination
• Visibility through EIT communication channels

Group sessions

Lessons on how to expand a company beyond its home borders with a structured perspective, valuable insights and examples, given by international expansion experts, and including online interaction and peer to peer learning.

1:1 mentoring

• Business mentor: Tailored business mentor for a broader business perspective, to work further what is learned in the group sessions
• Regional advisor: Profile selected in the European region where the venture prioritizes expansion, to obtain local market advice, relevant contacts and identify potential stakeholders.

Connection to EIT

An EIT KIC representative is assigned to explain possible further collaborations within the community.

• Know which market to expand to and why
• Defined go-to-market strategy and actionable to-do list
• Meeting the right stakeholders and potential new partners
• Grow a network with experts and mentors
• Connect with other female-led start-ups

We are looking for early and growth-stage start-ups looking to expand and scale their company into a new EU market.

• Start-ups: Highly innovative, scalable, and impactful companies
• Growth stage: Bootstrapped – Seed, Pre series A
• Female-led: With a woman in a leading position.
• European: Based in Horizon Europe associated countries.
• Mobility, Food or Manufacturing Industries:  Topics covered by EIT Urban Mobility, Food and Manufacturing.

Application for the programme will be available via an online application form from 24 April 2023 until 9 June 2023. There will be no extension of the deadline.

•  Call opens 24 April 2023
•  1st screening: evaluation of applications & call foe interviews by 26 June 2023
•  2nd screening: online interviews by 10-14 July 2023
•  Communication of results: 17 July 2023
•  Start date of the programme: the beginning of September 2023
•  Last online sessions: middle of December 2023

Held on 15 May 2023

THE CALL FOR THE 2023 COHORT IS OPEN! YOU CAN APPLY HERE.

Women2Invest is an access and training activity aimed at:

   1. Helping women start their careers in venture investment

   2. Giving investors access to a pool of promising women that will add diversity to their investment teams.

• Identifying and selecting a pool of participants with STEAM degrees interested in starting a career in venture investment (previous investment education or experience is not required).
• Training the participants in the fundamentals of venture investment to prepare them for an entry role in the industry
• Networking with seasoned investment professionals, other participants and Women2Invest alumnae
• Matching candidates with participating funds (VC or Corporate VC) looking to recruit candidates for a paid internship.

66 participants of 27 different nationalities participated in the 2022 Women2Invest edition and 23 funds recruited for internships. 25%+ of participants have already got jobs or internships during or after the programme, with many promising processes ongoing.

We look for participants meeting these criteria:

• STEAM graduates (undergraduate, masters of PhD)
• Passport from one of the 27 EU member states or one of the Horizon Europe Associated countries
• With genuine interest in the venture capital industry / investment in start-ups. No previous experience is required

You can check terms in more detail here

Interested in joining the 2023 cohort? You can apply here. The call will remain open until May 31st 2023

Which type of investors are we looking for?

Venture Capital funds, Corporate Venture Capital funds and Corporate Venturing units:

• Seeking new hires and committed to improve the gender-balance of their investment teams.
• Offering paid internships in investment related positions for at least 2 months (as long as funds identify suitable candidates within the pool).
• Committing to pay at least the minimum wage of their country.
• Agreeing to allow candidates to combine training and internship (if coinciding).

Investors, if you are interested in the 2023 cohort or future editions, register here or email Ana Alcaine (ana.alcaine @eitfood.eu). Fund onboarding is an ongoing process that will remain open through the year.

As part of our ongoing efforts in the field, 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.

The programme offers EIT community women access to a broad network, mentoring, coaching and training opportunities to take their managerial and leadership skills to the next level. Selected participants will be matched with mentor and experts to boost their potencial and expand the opportunities to engage with peers and key stakelholders for their development.

The services if the programme will be offered jointly by EIC and EIT and are open to women leading start-ups and research teams.