Pamplona, November 22, 2023 — Sploro, innovation consultancy based in Spain, together
with TechUkraine, the Startup Wise Guys accelerator and Business Angels Europe have
launched EmpoWomen program.

This project, funded by the European Union through its Horizon Europe Research and
Innovation program, seeks to overcome the obstacles faced by women in the field of R&D&I to
improve equality in deep tech entrepreneurship.

Despite consistent growth in the business world, women remain substantially underrepresented
as entrepreneurs, particularly in Europe. In the deep tech sector, currently valued at €700
billion, women account for only 10% of patent applications, and less than 15% of startups are
founded or co-founded by women.

EmpoWomen offers a unique program for scaling up women-led companies with the objective
to create an exclusive support program for female founders and entrepreneurs leading deep
tech startups from widening-area countries* to grow into tomorrow’s female tech leaders and put
women at the forefront of deep tech in the world.

The initiative EmpoWomen is a 2-year program (2024-2025) which consists of a unique
acceleration and mentoring program, and includes non-repayable funding totaling
1.125 million euros, prizes and services to 25 women-led deep-tech companies selected
through a competitive process from European emerging markets and the outermost
regions and Associated EU countries.*

Sploro, TechUkraine, Business Angels Europe and Startup Wise Guys, all together with 8
startup associations will run this innovative program which will be the first to support deep tech
women-led companies. The selected women-led businesses will each have access to a 6-
month program consisting of a dedicated acceleration and investment readiness support service
by SWG, webinars and events, together with specialist training and mentoring from Business
Angels, combined with Demo days and direct connections with both Angel Investors and VCs,
offering the potential to access investment.

Pre-registration: https://bit.ly/EmpoWOMEN

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*
Widening Countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia,
Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia.
Outermost regions: Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Réunion, Martinique, Mayotte and Saint-Martin (France), Canary Islands (Spain), Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Réunion, Martinique,
Mayotte and Saint-Martin (France).
Associated countries: Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Faroe Islands, North
Macedonia, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine.