EIC Accelerator

About EIC Accelerator

The EIC Accelerator is part of Horizon Europe - EU's framework programme for innovation and research. The EIC Accelerator offers opportunities for start-ups and SMEs with breakthrough, market-creating innovations including radically new products, services, processes or business models. The EIC Accelerator helps you develop your deep-tech business concept into a market-ready product, service or process in line with your company’s growth strategy.

The Open Call

The EU has set aside €611.75 mil. For the Open call, which has no predefined thematic priorities. It is open to projects in all technologies and industries. However, projects should be based on scientific discovery and breakthrough technologies with a long timeframe for generating revenue.

The Challenge calls

Alongside the open call €523.49 mil. are dedicated to so called challenges within areas of strategic relevance. For 2023, seven specific challenges have been announced:

1. Novel biomarker-based assays to guide personalised cancer treatment:
   This challenge is specifically aimed at strategic technologies that improve the efficacy, safety and uptake of therapeutic approaches against refractory cancers, using novel comprehensive predictive, prognostic and companion diagnostic tests, in the context of precision oncology.
    
2. Aerosol and surface decontamination for pandemic management: 
   This challenge aims to support SMEs with technologies supporting normal social interaction in the presence of air- or surface-borne pathogens, thereby strengthening the EU’s industry preparedness and competitiveness in the area of pandemic safety technologies.
    
3. Energy storage:
   This Challenge supports innovations that contribute to the REPowerEU plan, aiming to transform the EU into a resource-efficient economy, ensuring Europe's energy independence from fossil fuels and promoting a fair energy transition.
    
4. New European Bauhaus and Architecture, Engineering and Construction digitalisation for decarbonization:
   Contributing to the European Commission’s “Fit for 55” aiming to reduce net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 55% by 2030, this challenge focusses on reducing embodied GHG emissions in the built environment.
    
5. Emerging semiconductor or quantum technology components:
   This Challenge contributes to the objectives of the EU’s Chips Act by supporting the development of critical technologies that have the potential to scale up and ensure the strategic autonomy of the EU.
    
6. Novel technologies for resilient agriculture:
   In support of the EU Soil Mission and the EU Green Deal, Farm to Fork strategy, Fit for 55 and REPowerEU policy actions, this Challenge will develop solutions contributing to the development of a sustainable agricultural and food production system.
    
7. Customer-driven, innovative space technologies and services:
   This challenge supports innovative space technologies that improve the competitiveness of the European space industry.

Possibilities with the EIC Accelerator

Eligible applications can receive funding between €0.5 mil. and €15 mil. The funding can be granted as:

• Blended finance, consisting of an equity investment component or convertible loan as well as a grant component. Max. equity is 25%.
• Investment only
• Grant only or Grant first of €2,5 mil.

Furthermore, the grant includes the EIC Business Acceleration Services (BAS) providing access to mentors and coaches, global partnerships with leading corporations, investors, distributors and clients and access to EICs peer community.

Requirements for applications

Applications are judged by three main criteria: Excellence, Impact and Implementation. Each criterion is specifically judged by the following indicators:

Excellence

• Breakthrough and market creating nature
• Timing
• Technological feasibility
• Intellectual property

Impact

• Scale up potential
• Broader impact
• Market fit and competitor analysis
• Commercialisation strategy
• Key partners

Implementation

• Team
• Milestones
• Risk level of the investment
• Risk mitigation

The application process

The application process consists of three stages: a short application, a full application and a face-to-face interview with the EIC jury.

The short application consists of filing in a proposal form, a pitch deck of up to 10 slides and a 3-minute video pitch presenting the core team members and their motivation for applying.

If the short application is successful, you are invited to submit the full application. Here you will have the possibility of using a mentor or coach from EIC Accelerator BAS.

If your full application is approved, you will be invited to a face-to-face interview with a panel of six members of the EIC jury.

Finally, if your project is approved by the jury panel, you will be invited to negotiate the grant.