Open Horizons Project – Info Day Recap
On June 18th, the Open Horizons Project held its first Info Day – a welcome space for startup women founders to understand how they can join a program built to address one of Europe’s most persistent gaps: the funding and scaling gap between women-led startups and their men-led counterparts.
This wasn’t just an informational webinar. It was the first step in a journey meant to change the rules of engagement for women innovators in Europe’s deep-tech and digital sectors.
What is Open Horizons?
Open Horizons Project is funded by the European Union, supporting women-led startups in digital and deep-tech by enabling real collaboration with Europe’s leading corporates.
Three open calls will be launched. Across them, 39 startups will be selected, with 18 moving into a paid piloting stage. In the first round, 11 startups will be selected, and 5 will advance to piloting.
The consortium includes:
- PEDAL Consulting (Slovakia) – project coordinator
- InnovX (Romania) – top-rated EU accelerator
- Sploro (Spain) – cascade funding and gender-inclusive innovation
- Migros Ticaret (Türkiye) – retail and open innovation leader
Leadership Perspectives
Attendees heard directly from consortium leaders:
- Stano Laktis, Senior Project Manager at PEDAL Consulting
Stano Laktis, Pedal Consulting
- Marta Hernández, EU Project Manager at Sploro
Marta Hernández, Sploro
Anca Luca, InnovX
The Mission Behind the Program
Women-led startups receive significantly less funding. Open Horizons aims to change that by creating a structured, supportive ecosystem focused on:
- Capital
- Visibility
- Long-term corporate partnerships
Each selected startup receives a €55,000 paid pilot opportunity.
How the Program Works
- June 11 – August 21, 2025: Applications open
- Selection: Based on excellence, impact, and implementation
- Acceleration: Legal validation followed by support from consortium + corporate mentor
Program Phases
- 1-month inception: Work with InnovX to develop POC
- 5-month piloting: Startup + corporate implement solution together
Goal: 5 successful pilots by April 2026
What Kind of Challenges?
Startups address 17 corporate challenges from industries like:
- Energy & utilities
- Chemicals & materials
- Smart tech
- Sustainability
- Manufacturing
Real-world needs, real-world partners.
Why It Matters
This program was designed to support women entrepreneurs with strategic partnerships, funding, and human-centered innovation.
“Open Horizons isn’t just a project, it’s a partner in solving real-world challenges.” – Anca Luca
Ready to Apply?
📝 Deadline: August 21, 2025
📌 Check application details and guidelines here
🚀 Apply now – one of the 11 selected startups could be yours!
