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

This call is open for projects in all industries. Only requirement is that the project is centred around a breakthrough technology and is supported by a sound and strategic business plan aimed at commercialisation.

The Challenge calls

Alongside the open call the EIC Accelerator sets aside €495 mil. for so called challenges within areas of strategic relevance. For 2021 two specific challenges have been announced:

Strategic digital and health technologies. This challenge is specifically aimed at strategic technologies that aid Europe in maintaining its autonomy and avoid being dependent on other regions for these strategic technologies. This can be:

• High performance computing
• Edge computing
• Quantum technologies
• Cybersecurity
• Artificial intelligence
• Block-chain
• Cloud infrastructure technologies
• Technologies for the Internet of Things

As well as: 

• Digitally based health technologies

Green deal innovations for the economic recovery. This challenge is specifically aimed at breakthrough innovations that have a meaningful impact towards sustainable development and economic recovery from the Covid-19 crisis. This can be (but is not limited to):

• Renewable energy
• Deep renovation of buildings
• Low carbon industries
• Energy storage systems

Possibilities with the EIC Accelerator

Eligible applications can receive funding between €0.5 mil. and €17.5 mil. The funding can be granted as

• Blended finance, consisting of an equity investment or convertible loan as well as a grant. The grant is 0.5-2.5 mil and the investment is up to €15 mil. for max. 25% equity.
• Investment only
• Grant only. €0.5-2.5 mil.
• Grant first

Furthermore, the grant includes business acceleration services such as access to mentors and coaches, access to partnerships with leading global 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:

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

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 stage 1 short application consists of a 5-page 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 stage 1 is successful you are invited to submit a stage 2 full application. Here you will have the possibility of using a mentor or coach from EIC Accelerator services.

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