Call for applications: Emerging Tech Grants for women-led VR companies

This call targets companies focused on emerging tech and solving systemic problems facing the world. The grant is funded by Women Who Tech, a non-profit organisation building a culture and inclusive economy to accelerate women tech entrepreneurs and close the funding gap.

The organisation will award two equity-free grants: An Innovation Grant of $15 000 and an Impact Grant of $5 000. Finalists will also receive pitch coaching, mentorship and investor introductions.

Eligibility

• The startup must be based within Africa, Europe or North America.
• The product must be in beta or already launched to the public.
• The startup must incorporate technology into the product's approach, which allows the company to rapidly and massively scale in a manner that traditional, independent small businesses cannot. Please note that using tech (i.e. hosting a blog, selling products on your website, or using social media in your marketing) does not qualify as using tech to scale on a mass level nationally and globally.
• All ideas must be original work or an improvement upon an existing idea without infringements.

Note:

• A company cannot raise more than $5m from combined sources.
• Applications are also welcomed from transwomen, genderqueer women and non-binary people who identify as gender-nonconforming, female, and/or woman.

Rules and guidelines

• Agencies or consulting businesses are not eligible unless they have created a product that fits the eligibility criteria.
• Non-profits are eligible to apply as long as they meet all of the criteria and rules.
• The (co)founder applying for the grant must be a woman.
• All applications must be submitted in English, and all pitches must be given in English.
• No applicant may reach out to judges, sponsors, and/or partners in advance of the grant process advocating for their startup. Anyone who does will be disqualified. Reach out to the Women Who Tech team at [email protected] before applying if there are any conflicts of interest.
• Startups that have been awarded a grant through the Women Who Tech Startup Grants programme may not reapply.
• Finalists who were not awarded a grant and finalists of previous Women Startup challenges are eligible to apply.
• All grant finalists will be required to participate in the pitch series virtually.

How to apply

• Applications will only be accepted online through the application portal here.
• Applications will be accepted until 19 February.

View the original call here.