EQT Foundation invites applications for deeptech solutions addressing female-specific health challenges worldwide, with a focus on funding breakthrough scientific innovation. The grants will range from €25,000 to €100,000 and will be given to innovative researchers solving women’s health issues.  Accelerating the development of innovative diagnostics, treatments, and deeptech solutions to fill important gaps in female health, an area that has historically received little funding despite its enormous economic and societal impact is the program’s main goal.  In order to ensure that ideas from a variety of research ecosystems can help close the women’s health gap, the appeal is open to scientists from authorized institutions worldwide.

For a long time, medical research and financing have neglected women’s health, which has resulted in poor health outcomes, limited treatment options, and ongoing diagnostic delays.  Even though women make up more than half of the world’s population, barely 1% of healthcare innovation funding is allocated to illnesses unique to women.  Numerous illnesses, from autoimmune and cardiovascular conditions to gynecological and maternal health problems, are either poorly understood, misdiagnosed, or lack viable therapeutic alternatives.  In low-resource environments, where access to expert care and state-of-the-art medical solutions is still restricted, these difficulties are even more noticeable.

The Breakthrough Science grants program of the EQT Foundation is intended to support researchers developing solutions at the nexus of science and business.  It gives priority to studies centered on:

• Advanced diagnostics for diseases that manifest differently in women, such as autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular problems, and endometriosis
• Non-hormonal treatments for gynecological disorders, menopause, and menstrual health
• Deeptech solutions with a female focus that increases care’s effectiveness, affordability, and accessibility
• Novel approaches to maternal health that focus on both high- and low-resource healthcare settings for issues like pre-eclampsia and preterm birth

In addition to funding, the EQT Foundation offers access to EQT’s global network, which links researchers with business partners, helps with commercialization, and offers professional mentoring to assist bring these innovative ideas from the lab to the market.

The deadline for scientists to submit suggestions for the program is April 27, 2025, at 23:59 CET.  A panel of specialists will assess the applications, and those who are chosen will move on to a second interview with the EQT Foundation staff.  Early June 2025 will see the announcement of the final grant recipients.