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Women-led deep tech startups are invited to apply for Women TechEU, an EU-funded initiative designed to support early-stage companies led by women and help them grow into Europe’s future technology leaders. The 2026–2028 edition of Women TechEU will provide €12 million in equity-free funding to support 160 women-led deep tech startups across Europe. Each selected company will receive a €75,000 non-dilutive grant, complemented by a tailored business development programme including mentoring, coaching, training, expert guidance, investor and corporate matchmaking, and networking opportunities. The application process consists of two stages. Applicants must first complete the Eligibility Strand, a simplified eligibility check designed to confirm whether the company meets the programme’s participation requirements. Eligibility applications are accepted on a continuous basis, with weekly cut-off dates every Tuesday at 17:00 Brussels time. The Eligibility Strand remains open until 14 June 2027. Applicants that successfully pass the eligibility check will be invited to submit a Full Proposal. Four Full Proposal submission deadlines are scheduled between 2026 and 2027. Women TechEU also places a strong emphasis on addressing geographical disparities in Europe’s innovation ecosystem. Forty per cent of the budget available at each cut-off is reserved for applicants based in Horizon Europe Widening countries, including Lithuania. The programme is open to eligible women-led early-stage deep tech startups established in EU Member States and eligible Horizon Europe associated countries. Lithuanian women-led deep tech startups are encouraged to explore this opportunity and apply for financial and tailored business development support that can help accelerate their growth, strengthen investor readiness and expand their European networks. More information about the programme, eligibility requirements and application process is available on the official Women TechEU website: womentecheurope.eu.

The “Discover VILNIUS TECH” challenge, held during the first week of September, helped students discover the VILNIUS TECH digital badge system – nearly 800 new participants joined, and 10 of them won prizes provided by VILNIUS TECH. During the challenge, students unlocked eight digital badge programmes and discovered more than 200 extracurricular activities offered by the University. But the challenge is only the beginning: students can continue earning digital badges throughout their studies and use their certificates to showcase their skills and prepare for their careers. “The meetings held during Integration Week confirmed that students are interested in preparing for their careers from their very first year – learning how to prepare a strong CV, feel more confident in job interviews, and use digital badges and their certificates to present their competencies to employers,” says Assoc. Prof. Dr Ingrida Leščauskienė, Head of the VILNIUS TECH Digital Badge System. This year, students are also being introduced to the new career preparation digital badge programme “DISCOVER. GRAVITY”, developed within the framework of international Erasmus+ project “YOUTH 360”. Students will be able to earn digital badges by participating in career seminars led by professionals, the GRAVITY Career Day, and other career preparation activities. The winners are: Lukas Stankūnas (Faculty of Civil Engineering). Ernas Erlikas(Faculty of Electronics). Liepa Gustaitė (Faculty of Mechanics). Sofiya Eitminovich (Faculty of Fundamental Sciences). Yehor Kumeiko (Faculty of Mechanics). Aironas Šalkauskas (Faculty of Civil Engineering). Kotryna Simaitytė (Faculty of Mechanics). Rytis Stankevičius (Faculty of Electronics). Ugnius Tilvikas (Faculty of Mechanics). Ieva Vilimaitė (Antanas Gustaitis Aviation Institute). Congratulations to the winners! The selected winners will receive VILNIUS TECH merchandise – T-shirts and mugs. Prizes can be collected on 8–9 September at Saulėtekio Ave. 11, Central Building (S1), 3th floor, from 9:30–15:00. More information about the VILNIUS TECH digital badge system is available here.