Open Call for Mentors: be part of the EIC Women Leadership Programme!

To support the role of women in innovation and tech, the European Innovation Council (EIC), in partnership with the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), offers a skills enhancement and networking programme for women researchers and entrepreneurs, the EIC Women Leadership Programme (WLP). To this end, the EIC is looking for motivated and experienced entrepreneurs, investors, innovators and senior managers  to join the programme as mentors.

What’s in it for you as a mentor?  

• Contribute to bringing a positive change to the mentee’s life;  

• Be exposed to fresh perspectives, ideas and approaches;  

• Expand your professional network;  

• Play an active role in the EIC Community, Europe’s largest community of entrepreneurs and researchers;  

• Be at the forefront of increasing the role of women in innovation and tech;  

• Develop your personal leadership and mentoring styles.  

Note: Mentoring is provided pro-bono.

Who can become a mentor?  

If you are a change-maker and want to have a long-term impact on women’s participation in business within the tech and innovation ecosystem, join us as a mentor! 

We are looking for entrepreneurs, investors, innovators and senior managers who:  

• Have extensive managerial experience;  

• Have a wide and diverse professional network;  

• Have experience in dealing with multiple issues in a fast-paced growth environment. 

• Take a 360º approach to leadership and personal development;   

• Are sensitive to work-life balance topics;  

• Are willing to become a long-term trusted advisor;  

• Show empathy, integrity, credibility, diligence, independence and patience.  

How can you become a mentor?  

Apply to become a mentor in the WLP 6th cohort  

by filling out this application form by 1st September 2024 EOD. 

In the application form, we will ask questions about your professional background and motivation to become a mentor in the EIC WLP. In addition, you are asked to upload your CV in English, in pdf format and with a maximum length of 3 pages.  

What is the level of commitment?  

We ask mentors to dedicate 2 hours per month for a 6-month period, in order to establish and maintain a close relationship with their mentees. While the training sessions of the EIC Women in Leadership Programme are ongoing (8-weeks), we ask mentors to meet with their mentees on a bi-weekly basis. Once the training sessions have finished, meetings can take place once a month. Besides the direct commitment with their mentee, mentors will also be invited to participate in networking events to explore possible synergies with other mentors and/or mentees. 

Who are the mentees?   

The 6th cohort of the EIC WLP is specifically designed for women entrepreneurs, (co)founders and managers in C-suite positions who want to strengthen their leadership skills and expand their network. All participants are EIC or EIT beneficiaries.  

How does the matching process work?  

Validated mentors will be invited to join an online platform, where they can share their expertise and background, and express the added value they bring to the mentoring experience. Mentees will be able to search, scout and find the most suitable mentors for their needs and preferences. The EIC WLP team will support the matching process, by providing a set of potential matches to the mentees and organising networking opportunities to ensure the best choice is made.

When will the matching process take place?  

The matching of mentors and mentees will take place at the start of EIC WLP 6th cohort between 19th September and 9th October 2024.  

When and where will mentoring activities of the 6th cohort take place?  

All mentoring activities will take place online. Mentor – Mentee bi-weekly meetings will take place between October to November 2024. Together with your mentee, you will be able to schedule these meetings at a time that fit both your schedules. After the closing ceremony, mentors and mentees can decide to continue their bi-weekly meetings or change the frequency to monthly meetings (until April 2025).  

Important: Before applying as a mentor, please make sure you are available for the following events.  

Additional information about the EIC Women Leadership Programme 

Support to women innovators is among the cornerstones of the EIC efforts to the economic competitiveness of Europe. The wide recognition and traction with high potential startups, especially from underrepresented groups such as women innovators and those from less developed ecosystems, has thus been included among the six strategic goals that the EIC Board has identified for the period 2021-2027. 

Initiatives from the European Innovation Council are providing a positive outcome to change the status quo and the gender gap in research and business. EIC supported deep tech innovation and breakthrough technologies indicate that almost 25% of the EIC Accelerator funding under Horizon Europe was so far dedicated to women-led companies, with similar EIC average funding per project (€ 5.6 million and €5,8 million, respectively). Since 2021, EIC women-led companies have received €852 million. In addition, 30% of all researchers supported under the EIC Pathfinder are women. 

The EIC WLP aims to enhance skills and promote networking for women in the EIC Community. In doing so, the EIC seeks to increase the number of women-led companies created and succeeding in business, and increase diversity in innovation and tech.

About the EIC Business Acceleration Services 

This opportunity is brought to you by the EIC Business Acceleration Services. To explore other opportunities to connect with the largest corporates in Europe, keep an eye on our events page or subscribe to the EIC Business Acceleration Services Newsletter. 

Need help? 

For additional information, please refer to our helpdesk (please choose 'EIC Women Leadership Programme' as the subject).