Up to 50 women entrepreneurs from countries with modest to moderate innovation rates will be able to participate, during 6 months, in an educational programme tailored for female-specific challenges regarding entrepreneurship. 

Even though there are more women (52%) than men in Europe, female entrepreneurs represent only a third of the self-employed in the EU. Due to some different factors (such as reconciling business and family) entrepreneurship is currently a less attractive option for women than for men. This is worse when we move to rural areas and agrifood businesses according to the latest statistics published by the European Statiscal Office. 

The programme, which will be developed from July to December and will be entirely free, includes tailor-made online and face-to-face training (the final details will depend on the evolution of the Covid-19 health crisis). In addition, mentoring will be offered by female experts in business and agrifood as well as by other successful entrepreneurs. It will include both women that have an idea to materialize, and those who have already created a startup and are taking their first steps.

The EWA programme also incorporates a remarkable financing section which will give access to prizes up to 10,000 euros at the end of the process and will also facilitate the link to other EIT Food programmes with access to finance.

> Women entrepreneurs in the agri-food sector in the RIS (Regional Innovation Scoreboard) regions are eligible.

> With a view to keep growing in future editions, EWA 2020 will be run in Czech Republic, Portugal, Romania, Spain and Turkey.

> Applications open until the 15th of June. More information here.