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Find similar grantsEIC Accelerator 2026 - Short Proposal is sponsored by European Commission. Supports start-ups and SMEs with disruptive, deep-tech innovations, including AI safety solutions, offering both grant and equity investment components.
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EIC Accelerator - European Innovation Council - European Commission What for Develop and scaleup innovations Develop and scaleup innovations with the potential to create or disrupt markets (TRL 6-8). Patient capital principle. Who can apply Startups and SMEs Single start-ups and SMEs, individuals intending to launch a SME and small mid-caps (can apply for equity only).
What you get Grants and investments Grant component below EUR 2. 5 million. Up to € 10 million of equity investments, coaching & mentoring, networking.
What is the EIC Accelerator ?
The EIC Accelerator is a funding programme under Horizon Europe that offers support to start-ups and SMEs that: have a innovative, game changing product , service or business model that could create new markets or disrupt existing ones in Europe and even worldwide, have the ambition and commitment to scale up , are looking for substantial funding , but the risks involved are too high for private investors alone to invest Lump sum contribution below € 2.
5 million , for innovation activities (TRL 6-8), to be completed within 24 months. Grant only - for start-ups and SMEs with capacity to scale-up. To be provided only once during the implementation period of the Horizon Europe programme (2021-2027) To fill the gap for high - risk innovation to a stage where they can be fully financed by other investments.
€1 - €10 million . Higher amounts available in STEP ScaleUP . Blended finance: a grant component & direct equity or quasi-equity such as convertible loans.
Investment only: for companies looking to scale-up rapidly and don’t need a grant EIC Accelerator Challenges For projects that match any of the pre-defined topics of the EIC Accelerator Challenges. The overall budget in 2026 is €220 million. For projects that don't match the EIC Accelerator topics, the EIC Accelerator Open is open to proposals in any field of technology.
The overall budget for the EIC Accelerator Open in 2026 is €414 million . Access to a range of tailor-made Business Acceleration Services (BAS) for beneficiaries to leverage investments: Access to global partners Access to coaches, mentors, expertise and training Access to innovation ecosystem and peers Streamlined application process EIC Accelerator selection process comprises 3 steps.
Each step passed successfully give access to the next step: Submission of a full proposal Face to face interview with the EIC Jury This document presents the 2026 European Innovation Council (EIC) Work Programme funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. It sets out how the EIC will allocate its funding of for the year 2026 and has been prepared following the advice of the EIC Board.
Applicants from EU Member States and countries associated to the Horizon Europe programme: Single start-up or SME (including spin-outs) Small mid-caps (up to 499 employees) in need of rapid scale up of the TRL 9 activity. Mid-caps can apply for investment only. Natural persons or legal entities willing to set up an SMEs or a mid-cap.
Applicants from third countries: Applicants from third countries may relocate their company in order to become eligible. This must be done before submitting the full application (Step 2). Applicants from the United Kingdom can only apply for the "grant only" scheme Applicants may submit only one application to the EIC Accelerator.
Additional applications can be submitted after receiving the results of the original submission. The EIC welcomes applications from innovators in all EU Member States and countries associated to the Horizon Europe programme. It particularly welcomes applications from startups and SMEs with female CEOs.
How to apply for the EIC Accelerator? The application process consists of 4 steps: Write your short proposal Short proposals may be submitted at any time and will be batched for evaluation every first Tuesday of the month at 5pm Brussels time.
The proposal will be evaluated remotely by 4 EIC expert evaluators ; A short 12-page form where you must summarise your proposal and respond to a set of questions on your innovation, your potential market and your team; A pitch-deck of up to ten slides in PDF format; A video pitch of up to three minutes where the core members of your team (up to three people) should provide the motivation for your proposal.
You will normally receive feedback within approximately 4-6 weeks. If your application meets the basic criteria for EIC Accelerator funding, you will be invited to prepare a full proposal to submit to one of the periodic batching dates for Accelerator Open or Accelerator Challenge funding. Prepare your full proposal If your short proposal receives a GO, you can submit your full proposal to any of the 2026 batching dates.
Prepare your full proposal on Funding and Tenders portal. The full proposal consists of a 20 page form expanding on the short proposal template , pitch deck in PDF, implementation plan, financial information, Letters of Intent, FTO analysis & a 3 minutes video pitch. Proposals will be assessed in parallel by a technology expert and an evaluation panel of at least three experts.
Approximately 3-4 weeks after the batching date, you will have an interview with the technology expert online. After the interview the technology expert will submit a report to the evaluation panel who will review and will propose a final score and adopt a report. Based on the scoring of the evaluation panel, the top-ranked proposals corresponding to 2.
5 times the available grant budget will be invited to interview with an EIC Jury . You will receive the results of the full proposal remote stage within 8-9 weeks. Proposals will be batched for evaluation at 5pm Brussels time on the following dates: After each second batch, an interview session will be organised.
If you are invited to an interview with an EIC jury, you will receive more detailed information on the timing and format of the interview. You will receive the interview results within 2–3 weeks of the end of the interview week. The tentative dates of these interview sessions will be published on the EIC website.
Sign the grant component, start due diligence for investment component Grant only: you will sign the Grant Agreement and receive first pre-financing payment Blended finance: you can use the additional flexibility of the investment component and negotiate a raise of maximum € 2 million Relevant information of the project will be transmitted to the EIC Fund and the investment need will be assessed.
BAS will support you in search of other investors. Within 2-6 months the investment component will be decided. If the due diligence outcome concludes you are not mature for investment yet, you will start with the grant component.
The case will be re-examined within defined milestones. Applications that reach the minimum threshold of 13/15 at the remote evaluation stage but are not invited to interview as well as the proposals which are not recommended selected for funding by the EIC jury will be awarded a Seal of Excellence (and STEP seal if applying to the Challenges) to help them secure funding from other sources.
EIC Accelerator guide for applicants This guide aims to assist potential applicants to the EIC Accelerator Annexes for the EIC Accelerator full proposal (WP2026) These annexes give the opportunity to applicants who received a GO for Short proposal (Step 1) to familiarise themselves with the required information to prepare their full application.
Apply for the EIC Accelerator The Fast Track scheme allows specific treatment of proposals that result from existing Horizon Europe or Horizon 2020 projects. Such projects can submit projects directly to the full application stage of the EIC Accelerator subject to a review of the ongoing project.
The Plug-In scheme is equivalent to the Fast Track, except that it applies to proposals that result from existing national or regional programmes. So far, 50 programmes have been certified for the scheme. The network of National Contact Points (NCPs) is the main structure to provide guidance, practical information and assistance on all aspects of participation in Horizon Europe.
Find your National Contact Point Find answers to questions frequently asked by applicants about types of funding, eligibility, submission of proposals and much more Check the frequently asked questions All EIC supported projects and companies get access to coaching, mentoring, partnering and other EIC Business Acceleration Services (BAS).
EIC Pre-Accelerator supports 70 early-stage deep tech companies from countries with lower innovation performance In total, the selected companies will receive around €32. 5 million in EU funding, with up to €500,000 awarded per company.
Congratulations to Axelera AI, securing more than €200 million funding on global commercial growth Axelera AI has been supported by the EIC since 2023, first under the EIC Accelerator, then under the EIC STEP Scale Up call. 61 start-ups and SMEs secure EIC support in latest round of the EIC Accelerator 61 innovative start-ups and SMEs to receive funding following EIC Accelerator latest evaluation round.
High interest in first EIC Pre-Accelerator call underscores relevance of new instrument Strong level of participation demonstrates the growing momentum of deep-tech innovation across widening countries, as well as the demand for targeted support to help early-stage companies scale and compete at European and global levels.
EIC Board welcomes the 2026 work programme The Board endorses the 2026 work programme as the pivotal milestone in advancing Europe's deep-tech and scale-up ambitions. Strong interest in EIC Accelerator funding with 923 companies applying for the final 2025 cut-off The European Innovation Council received 923 full applications from start-ups and SMEs for the EIC Accelerator 1 October 2025 cut-off.
Business Angels and Deep Tech Teams – ESIL’s annual event
Key questions and narrative sections extracted from the solicitation.
Innovation description
Potential market
Team background
Scoring criteria used to review proposals for this grant.
Based on current listing details, eligibility includes: Start-ups and SMEs in EU member states. Applicants should confirm final requirements in the official notice before submission.
Current published award information indicates €2,500,000 - €10,000,000 Always verify allowable costs, matching requirements, and funding caps directly in the sponsor documentation.
The current target date is rolling deadlines or periodic funding windows. Build your timeline backwards from this date to cover registrations, approvals, attachments, and final submission checks.
Federal grant success rates typically range from 10-30%, varying by agency and program. Build a strong proposal with clear objectives, measurable outcomes, and a well-justified budget to improve your chances.
Requirements vary by sponsor, but typically include a project narrative, budget justification, organizational capability statement, and key personnel CVs. Check the official notice for the complete list of required attachments.
Yes — AI tools like Granted can help research funders, draft proposal sections, and check compliance. However, always review and customize AI-generated content to reflect your organization's unique strengths and the specific requirements of the solicitation.
Review timelines vary by funder. Federal agencies typically take 3-6 months from submission to award notification. Foundation grants may be faster, often 1-3 months. Check the program's timeline in the official solicitation for specific dates.
Many federal programs offer multi-year funding or allow competitive renewals. Check the official solicitation for continuation and renewal policies. Non-competing continuation applications are common for multi-year awards.
The purpose of this FOA is to provide funding for up to four (4) Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) that will provide entrepreneurial development services to Native American communities, focusing on supplying services to socially and economically disadvantaged entrepreneurs in locations that are outside of the geographical areas of existing SBA resources. Eligible applicants must be Tribal Colleges and Universities as defined in the Higher Education Act HEA 316 (U.S.C. 1059c). Funding Opportunity Number: SB-GC7J-23-002. Assistance Listing: 59.007. Funding Instrument: G. Category: BC,ED. Award Amount: Up to $250K per award.
The purpose of this FOA is to provide funding for up to two (2) private, non-profit organizations that will provide entrepreneurial development services to women, with an emphasis on socially and economically disadvantaged entrepreneurs in locations that are outside of the geographical areas of existing WBCs for the District of Columbia (DC) and the State of Oregon. There will be one award for each location. Eligible applicants must be private, non-profit organizations with 501(c) tax exempt status from the U.S. Treasury’s Internal Revenue Service and must provide services to the District of Columbia (DC) and State of Oregon. Funding Opportunity Number: SB-OEDWB-23-002. Assistance Listing: 59.043. Funding Instrument: G. Category: BC,CD,RD. Award Amount: $75K – $150K per award.
Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs Phase I is sponsored by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The USDA SBIR/STTR programs support small businesses in creating innovative, disruptive technologies with commercial potential or societal benefit, including projects dealing with agriculturally-related manufacturing and alternative and renewable energy technologies. Specialty tubing could be relevant for agricultural equipment or renewable energy systems.