Early-stage refers to the phase of start-up development generally preceding the rapid growth phase. For the purpose of the Women TechEU topic, we consider the following criteria to define an early-stage start-up:   • start-ups that have been established and operating for not more than 8 years from submission of application date,   • start-ups that have raised limited funding (up to 1 million EUR in equity at submission date),   • before reaching high fidelity MVP (Minimum Viable Product). This means before reaching TRL7.   These criteria are part of the eligibility check and are grounds for exclusion. Applicants must comply with all the eligibility checks.