EIC Accelerator
The EIC Accelerator (previously named the SME Instrument) is the main funding mechanism within HorizonEurope, to support top-notch innovative SMEs, applying as a single applicant, and offers long-term support.
The EIC Accelerator provides funding for companies that are ready to bring their innovations to market. This funding instrument provides support for product development, regulation, market entry and scaling-up, and is designed for companies with a clear path to commercialization.
The EIC Accelerator program supports close-to-market activities, with the aim to boost breakthrough innovation with a market-creating potential. Highly innovative SMEs with a clear commercial ambition and a potential for high growth and internationalization are the prime target.
The EIC Accelerator pilot provides long-term, full-cycle business innovation support.
The EIC Accelerator grant activates two routes: EIC Accelerator Open and EIC ACCEELERATOR Challenges path
EIC Accelerator Open
The EIC Open Innovation path has no predefined thematic priorities and is open to any technological proposals.
EIC ACCEELERATOR Challenges path
The Accelerator Challenges path targets fields where start-ups and SMEs can deliver breakthrough technologies or game-changing solutions that significantly contribute to EU goals. In 2023, the EU chose to focus on the following objectives: REPowerEU, Food Security, Industrial technology roadmaps, the Health Emergency Response Authority (HERA) and some Horizon Europe missions.
EIC Accelerator Challenge:
- Novel biomarker-based assays to guide personalized cancer treatment
- Aerosol and surface decontamination for pandemic management
- Energy storage
- New European Bauhaus and Architecture, Engineering and Construction digitalization for decarbonization
- Fault-tolerant quantum computers hardware and real environment quantum sensors
- Semiconductor chips design
- Novel technologies for resilient agriculture
- Customer-driven, innovative space technologies and services
EIC Accelerator principals:
- Mono-beneficiary
- Participating countries
- Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs)
- Funding from € 0.5M to € 17.5M
- Blended model composed of €2.5M grant + €15M investment
- Grant – € 2.5M – Non dilutive, no royalty payment
- Investment – € 15M
- Funding rate – 70%
- Short application – ongoing
- Full application 2023 cut-off dates -22/02/2023, 07/06/2023, 04/10/2023
- Panel interview – by invitation
- High-growth-potential company
- Close-to-market R&D activities
- TRL > 5
- Project duration – up to 24 months
- Long term financial support
- Seal of Excellence
- No equity
- Mentoring & business support and guidance
- Major risk-sharing
- No intellectual property rights
- No royalty’s payment
- 3 steps submission process:
- Short application – initial filtering step
- Full application
- Panel interview