The European Union-funded WE-RISE initiative supports women-led startups developing solutions in the areas of green and digital transformation. The project is coordinated by Fast Track Ventures (Portugal), in partnership with G-Force (Slovakia), Bpifrance (France), Toro Ventures (Spain) and Saulėtekio Tech Park (Lithuania).
WE-RISE offers tailor-made funding, mentoring and visibility in the European innovation ecosystem. The project is providing a total of €1.2 million in funding, helping startups scale up their innovations and strengthen their role in building a sustainable European future.
The first open call for WE-RISE was launched in March 2025 and attracted a huge response, with 267 applications from 43 countries. This clearly demonstrated the high demand for support for female innovators in GreenTech, AgriTech and ClimateTech. Out of all the applications, 20 startups were selected to join the programme. More than 60% of the selected teams are from developing countries, underlining WE-RISE’s commitment to inclusive and sustainable innovation development in Europe.
During the first phase, startups focused on building a solid foundation for growth through training, workshops, and one-on-one consultations. With the help of assigned mentors, they developed Strategic Action Plans (SAPs) that outlined clear steps for business and market development. Each participant received a starting grant of 5,000 euros for networking, partnerships, and business development activities.
“The mentoring was the most valuable part of the program – it helped improve communication and clarify strategic goals,” says Aygen Savaş Alkan, co-founder and CEO of Kybele’s Garden. María Mateo Iborra, co-founder and CEO of IBISA, adds: “The workshop gave my team new perspectives, especially for those who are just starting out on the path of startups or attracting investment.”
After the first phase, 10 startups entered the second phase of the program. Each of them was awarded a grant of 50,000 euros for further development and growth of their solutions. Over the next four months, the startups will implement their SAP plans, participate in targeted mentoring sessions, search for investors and collaborate with key market players.
Many program participants emphasize that WE-RISE helped them strengthen their structure, self-confidence and formulate a clearer long-term strategy. As Seda Köksal Yeğin, Co-Founder and CTO of Ion Membranes, summarized:
“WE-RISE was a turning point for us – our company’s history can be clearly divided into a pre-WE-RISE and post-WE-RISE period. It was a milestone that changed our direction.”
Building on the success of the first call, WE-RISE launched its second call on December 4, 2025. This is another opportunity for female-led deep tech startups to benefit from mentorship, financial support and international collaboration. Applications are open until February 12, 2026, and those interested in learning more are invited to attend an information seminar on January 29.
More information about the invitation: https://www.we-rise.eu/open-call-2
Source: prepared based on information from Saulėtekis Tech Park
https://ssmtp.lt/news/12-mln-euru-moterims-inovatorems-we-rise-skelbia-antraji-kvietima-giliuju-technologiju-startuoliams/
