Differences between the EIC Accelerator and the Innosuisse SIP: Which Path to Choose?

Attention Swiss startups and researchers! You can now apply to Horizon Europe funding!

In January 2025, Switzerland became again an associated country to Horizon Europe. Since then Swiss organizations and researchers are fully eligible for Horizon Europe under the same terms as EU-based entities.

Therefore, if you are a Swiss founder, you can now decide whether to apply to the Innosuisse SIP (Startup Innovation Projects) or EIC Accelerator programmes. Or why not both?

Entrepreneurs in this situation must understand the main differences between these two programmes:

What is InnoSuisse SIP and the EIC Accelerator?

The InnoSuisse Startup Innovation Projects (SIP) and the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator are two funding programmes designed to support innovative startups and SMEs. While both aim to foster innovation and accelerate market entry, they have distinct features and target audiences.

Eligibility Criteria: differences

EIC Accelerator

• Open to startups and SMEs across Europe,
• No specific age limit for the company,
• Suitable for companies with innovative, game-changing products or services,
• Targets companies looking to scale up and create new markets or disrupt existing ones.

InnoSuisse SIP

• Open to Swiss startups that have not yet entered the market,
• Must be founded no more than 5 years ago (up to 10 years with justification),
• Less than 50 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees when applying,
• The startup must not have ready-developed products or services on the market (except for R&D and consulting services not core to their business model).

Funding Amount and Type: differences

EIC Accelerator

• Grant funding: Up to €2.5 million for innovation activities (TRL 5-8),
• Direct investment: Up to €10 million for market deployment (TRL 9),
• Offers blended finance options (grant + equity) or grant-only funding.

InnoSuisse SIP

• Covers up to 70% of direct project costs,
• Startups must contribute at least 30% of the costs themselves,
• Maximum project duration: 36 months.

Application Process: differences

EIC Accelerator

• Three-step application process:
  1. Short proposal submission (12-pages form, pitch deck, and video pitch),
  2. Full proposal (50 pages) and annexes,
  3. Face-to-face interview with an EIC jury in Brussels.

InnoSuisse SIP

• Applications submitted through the Innolink platform,
• Evaluation process includes:
  1. Preliminary formal assessment,
  2. Content assessment by three independent experts,
  3. Interview with the Innovation Council (if expert evaluation is positive).

Focus Areas: differences

EIC Accelerator

• Offers both “Open” funding and “Challenge” funding for specific strategic priorities,
• Challenges in 2025 include:

InnoSuisse SIP

• Applications must be submitted to one of five thematic groups:

Evaluation Criteria: differences

EIC Accelerator

• Innovativeness and market-creating potential,
• Scalability and growth potential,
• Risk level and need for substantial funding.

InnoSuisse SIP

• Innovation content,
• Potential for effective implementation,
• Expected value for the Swiss economy.

Geographical Focus: differences

EIC Accelerator

• Open to startups and SMEs across Europe (including Switzerland, the UK and all Horizon Europe associated countries),
• Focuses on creating new markets or disrupting existing ones in Europe and worldwide.

InnoSuisse SIP

• Exclusively for Swiss startups,
• Emphasis on impact on the Swiss economy and society.

Additional Support: differences

EIC Accelerator

• Provides access to coaching, mentoring, and other acceleration services.

InnoSuisse SIP

• No specific mention of additional support beyond funding.