Empowering Women in Agrifood Ukraine (EWA 2026) from EIT Food

The EWA Advance Programme is part of the EIT Food initiative, the world’s largest food innovation community. It supports women entrepreneurs in the agrifood sector through training, mentorship, networking and funding access. The programme addresses the gender gap in the agrifood innovation sector.

It targets women-founded startups with innovative agrifood solutions that have already achieved market traction.

Up to 10 women entrepreneurs are selected and mentored by experts to strengthen investor readiness, corporate readiness and scaling potential.

The programme includes training sessions, mentoring, networking and a Demo Day where participants pitch their startups to investors and experts.

The programme is open to individual applicants who meet the defined eligibility and application requirements.

Applicant eligibility requirements

Each applicant must:

• identify as a woman;
• demonstrate interest and preliminary commitment to participate in programme activities, trainings and events;
• represent a legally incorporated company registered in a Horizon Europe eligible country in or after 2016;
• have developed an innovative agrifood product or solution;
• have a minimum Technology Readiness Level (TRL-4);
• have gathered investment (private or public) and/or have sales.

Target participant profile

The programme targets representatives of women-founded startups developing innovative agrifood solutions that have already achieved some level of market traction or sales results.

Applicants must:

• live and operate their startup in Horizon Europe eligible countries;
• participate as founders or official representatives of the business.

Application requirements

Each application must:

• be complete and include all mandatory documents;
• include a pitch deck;
• be fully written in English;
• be submitted on time via the MyEITFood Portal.

Participant obligations within the programme

To receive the Proof of Successful Completion, participants must:

• attend at least 80% of programme training activities;
• participate in the Matchmaking event, Masterclasses, and Demo Day;
• complete at least 80% of mentor–mentee sessions;
• prepare the Startup Readiness (Growth) Plan;
• provide required documentation and information on business progress;
• support programme monitoring activities, including surveys, mentoring feedback and business development progress reports;
• contribute to programme dissemination and comply with branding requirements.

The Proof of Successful Completion will only be issued if all minimum participation requirements are fulfilled.

Additional opportunity

Alumnae of other EIT Food initiatives (Seedbed, Team-Up, FAN, EWA) may benefit from a fast-track mechanism, under which an additional 0.5 point may be added during the evaluation stage.

Within the programme, selected participants (mentees) are eligible for financial support (Subgrant) to cover costs related to participation in the EWA Advance Programme.

The maximum financial support amounts to up to €1,200 (gross) per mentee.

Purpose of the funding:

• covering costs directly related to participation in programme activities;
• supporting attendance at events, meetings with mentors or investors;
• facilitating engagement with the European startup and innovation ecosystem.

Eligible costs:

• travel and subsistence expenses (up to €1,200), including:

  • transportation (train, flight, local transport);

  • accommodation during in-person programme activities, Demo Day events, or meetings with mentors and investors.

Payment mechanism:

• funding is provided as a lump sum;
• payments are made in instalments, depending on the completion of programme deliverables;
• if deliverables are not completed or only partially fulfilled, the payment may be proportionally reduced.

First instalment:

• €600 (50% of the lump sum) is paid as pre-financing after the Subgrant Agreement is signed.

Example of a deliverable:

• proof of attendance at a masterclass (attendance list signature or screenshot for online participation);
• allocated value — €600 (second instalment);
• delivery deadline — by 20 November 2026.

Prize funding (2nd round of the programme)

• During the Demo Day event, the programme will select the winners of a business competition.
• Two prizes will be awarded:

• • 1st place — €20,000 (gross)

  • 2nd place — €15,000 (gross)

Use of the prize funds:

• the prize must be used to accelerate business growth, including:

  • operational expenses;

  • production-related costs;

  • marketing and communication.

Winner’s obligations:

• the mentee must submit a progress report after 6 months on how the prize was spent;
• the report will be validated by an EIT Food contact point;
• supporting evidence may be requested and may be subject to audit.

In addition, the winner is expected within the following year to launch or improve a product or service on the market and/or raise investment.

Supported activities within the programme

Within the EWA Advance programme, participants gain access to training, mentoring, and networking activities aimed at strengthening agrifood startups.

Format and scope of activities

The programme provides approximately:

• 8 hours of training;
• around 16 hours of one-to-one mentoring;
• about 8 hours of networking opportunities.

Key programme activities include:

• 1 online Matchmaking session (minimum 90 minutes);
• 8 online trainings / expert sessions / fireside talks (minimum 60 minutes each);
• regular weekly mentoring touchpoints (minimum 60 minutes);
• 8 networking sessions (minimum 60 minutes each);
• 1 online Masterclass (minimum 90 minutes);
• 1 online Demo Day preparation session (minimum 60 minutes);
• 1 offline Demo Day event (1 day).

Training focus areas

Programme trainings address several key areas:

• Commercial readiness — strengthening go-to-market strategies, customer profiling, pricing validation, sales planning, and distribution strategies.
• Investment readiness — preparing founders to communicate financial strategy, build investor trust, and prepare for due diligence.
• Corporate readiness — preparing startups for cooperation with corporate partners, including procurement readiness, negotiation capabilities, and governance practices.
• Scaling-up — supporting business expansion through capital-efficient scaling, internationalisation pathways, leadership development, and operational growth strategies.

Participation features

• Individuals from outside RIS countries may join the programme; however, at least 7 out of 10 selected participants must come from RIS countries.
• Programme activities, mentoring, and training sessions are delivered in English.

Participants form a pan-European cohort of up to 10 women entrepreneurs, supported by experts and connected to the wider startup and innovation ecosystem.

Key timeline of the call:

• Call opening date: 18 February 2026.
• Application deadline: 26 April 2026, 23:59 CEST.

Selection and preparation phases:

• Evaluation and additional interviews: 27 April – 29 May 2026.
• Communication to selected participants: 30 May – 5 June 2026.
• Standstill period, onboarding and signing the agreement: 10 June – 30 August 2026.

• • this period allows for appeals, final administrative checks and compliance procedures;

  • the project cannot start before the end of this period.

Programme launch:

• Programme Kick-off and Matchmaking event: 1–4 September 2026.

Main stages of the EWA Advance Programme

The programme is structured into several consecutive phases:

• Application period: mid-February – mid-April 2026.
• Evaluation and selection of applicants: May 2026.
• Onboarding and preparation: end of May – mid-June 2026.
• Kick-off and matchmaking activities: beginning of September 2026.
• Mentoring and training, including masterclasses: September – December 2026.
• Pitching event (Demo Day): December 2026.

Applications must be submitted online via the MyEITFood Portal by completing the application form and uploading required documents.

Applications within the programme are assessed using quality criteria and a structured scoring system. The selection of mentees is based on both eligibility and the quality of the proposal.

Main application evaluation criteria

Each criterion is scored from 1 to 5 points, with an equal weight of 20%.

• Relevance
  Assesses how well the product or service addresses a clearly defined problem in the agrifood sector.
• Commercial and Market Impact
  Evaluates the potential route to market, scalability across Europe, and the contribution of the innovation to sustainability goals such as decarbonisation, circularity, or digital transformation.
• Innovation Potential
  Measures the degree of innovation and differentiation compared to existing technologies or market practices.
• Strategic Alignment
  Examines alignment with EIT Food and EWA strategic focus areas (Protein Diversification, Resilient Agriculture, Biotechnology).
• Programme Impact
  Assesses how programme activities and funding can contribute to the further development of the applicant’s business.

The maximum overall score based on quality criteria can reach up to 5.5 points.
The minimum threshold for selection is a weighted score of 2.5.

Additional point

• Up to 0.5 additional points may be awarded for EIT Food alumni through a fast-track mechanism.

Evaluation procedure

Applications are reviewed by at least one external evaluator and a representative of the organization or EIT Food.
The evaluation is conducted remotely via the MyEITFood Portal.

Applicants scoring between 2.5 and 4.0 points may be invited to an online interview as part of the final selection process.

Progress evaluation during the programme

The progress assessment within the programme consists of two components:

• Startup Readiness (Growth) Plan evaluation — 50%;
• Mentors’ evaluation — 50%.

These assessments consider:

• clarity in defining the problem and market need;
• maturity of the solution and value proposition;
• feasibility and scalability of the business model;
• market potential and traction;
• quality and strategic depth of the growth plan.

Pitch evaluation (Demo Day)

Mentees competing for the prize must deliver a business pitch during Demo Day:

• 4-minute pitch presentation;
• 5-minute Q&A session with the jury.

The pitch is evaluated by a jury of at least three independent experts.

Evaluation criteria include:

• clarity of the problem and market need;
• maturity and validation of the proposed solution;
• strength of the value proposition and competitive positioning;
• scalability of the business model and go-to-market strategy;
• leadership capacity and readiness to scale;
• explanation of how the prize will accelerate growth;
• the startup’s potential to generate economic, environmental, and social impact.

The maximum pitch score is 10 points.

Final selection of winners

The final result combines:

• 50% overall progress score, and
• 50% Demo Day pitch score.

The applicants with the highest total score will win the prize.

Scoring scale

The programme uses a five-level scoring scale:

• 1 — Poor: the criterion is inadequately addressed or has major weaknesses.
• 2 — Fair: the criterion is addressed broadly but significant weaknesses remain.
• 3 — Good: the criterion is addressed well, though some shortcomings exist.
• 4 — Very Good: the criterion is addressed very well with minor shortcomings.
• 5 — Excellent: the application successfully addresses all aspects of the criterion.

In case of a tie, winners are determined based on the combined scores of specific evaluation criteria.

• Оnline application form. 
• Startup pitch deck.

All funded activities under the programme are subject to continuous monitoring by EIT Food.

Monitoring aims to ensure proper implementation of activities and compliance with the Participant Consent Form.

Main reporting requirements:

• participants must provide information before and after programme activities;
• collected information may include:

• • satisfaction surveys;

  • mentoring feedback;

  • updates on business development progress.

Reporting on the use of prize funds

• Prize winners must submit a progress report on prize expenditure after 6 months.
• The report must be validated by an EIT Food contact point.

Monitoring of project implementation

• Programme activities may be subject to audit.
• EIT Food conducts ongoing monitoring to ensure the achievement of planned deliverables.
• Payments are triggered based on the completion of deliverables.

Additional reporting requirements

EIT Food may request:

• regular reports on actual costs incurred through the subgrant;
• reporting on deliverables and programme results;
• supporting documentation confirming activities and expenses.

The monitoring process may lead to adjustments to:

• the activity work plan;
• the project budget.

Participation in the programme requires compliance with specific legal provisions and the signing of formal agreements between participants and the programme organiser.

Legal framework

• Participants must comply with Horizon Europe rules and EU policies, including requirements related to integrity, avoidance of conflicts of interest, and the absence of bankruptcy, legal violations, or fraud.
• The programme operates under the EIT Food legal framework.

Agreements to be signed

• Selected participants will receive additional instructions regarding the signing of the Lumpsum Subgrant Agreement between the mentee and EIT Food.
• After the Demo Day, prize winners will receive instructions for completing the Prize Agreement with EIT Food.

Payment conditions

• Financial support is transferred in two instalments.
• Payments are released only after verification that the participant’s obligations have been fulfilled.
• Prize payments for pitching competition winners are made in a single instalment after the Demo Day selection process.

Payment method

• All payments are transferred to the mentee’s personal bank account.