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 startups are founded or co-founded by women.
• Women-led startups 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.

• Rocket up: We support women-led startups to enter a new European market with a solid strategy and local validation of the product and service, to maximize their growth and fundraising potential.
• Women2Invest: We help women with STEAM studies start their careers in venture investment by training them in the fundamentals of this profession and matching them with investors (venture capital, corporate venture capital or corporate venturing units) for internship opportunities We do this by helping women start their careers in venture investment and giving investors access to a pool of promising women that will add diversity to their investment teams.
• Women Leadership Programme (WLP):
  The initiative that supports, inspires, and empowers female innovators. This cohort will provide the selected entrepreneurs with a set of training and networking events, as well as business coaching and mentoring opportunities for career development.
• Women Investor Network (WIN): the place where female investors (both in venture capital and business angels) meet to learn and grow professionally, access investment opportunities in women-led startups and expand their network with the support of EIT, the largest innovation ecosystem in Europe.
• Data Room: A dedicated platform that collects and analyses updated data on women-led startups supported by EIT.

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.

Our 15-week EU-funded programme runs from May to December 2024.

 For more information contact: celeste.regla@eiturbanmobility.eu

•  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.

Applications are closed. For more information, please contact amparo.sanjose@eitfood.eu

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.

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

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. Applications are now open. Apply until 21 January 2024!