1. Procedural Questions
1.1 Who can apply to the EIC Accelerator?
Any for-profit SME registered in the EU or associated countries is eligible to apply. Companies must demonstrate “non-bankability” and contribute positively to the EU objectives (e.g. healthcare, green energy, climate action).
Please contact us if you are not sure or want to ask more about the criteria.
1.2. What Technology Readiness Level (TRL) is required?
The scope of the EIC Accelerator is from TRL 5/6 to TRL 9+. The grant will cover up to TRL 8, and equity will cover TRL 9 and onwards. You can apply at any TRL within that range. Note that all applications must present a workplan up to and including TRL 9+, even if you do not require equity.
1.3. What are the available funding options?
Grant funding: up to €2.5 million to carry out activities within TRL6 to TRL8. It covers innovation activities, including demonstration of the technology in the relevant environment, prototyping and system level demonstration, R&D and testing required to meet regulatory and standardization requirements, intellectual property management, and marketing approval.
Equity or quasi-equity investment: up to €10 million for market deployment and scale-up in the form of direct equity investments of convertible loans.
1.4. What are the different application types?
In 2025, applicants can submit three types of applications:
Grant-only applications: in case they aim to reach TRL 8 at the end of the project and continue further development without the EIC support. Applicants need to convince evaluators that they can commercialize the innovation without EIC equity.
Investment-only applications: when applicants have already achieved TRL8 and are looking for market deployment and scale-up capital.
Blended applications: it is the most common type and the default option. When applicants are at TRL6 and need capital for both technology development and market deployment.
1.5. Should I write my own application, or should I hire a consultant?
This can be a difficult question to answer, and there is a lot to consider. Companies should consider whether they can dedicate the time and talent to writing a lengthy proposal, whether they have the skills required, and whether they can afford a consultancy. They should consider the internal opportunity cost (can they afford to dedicate a team to spend 1-2 months preparing the application). They should also consider reaching out to a consultancy to assess the quality of their project and whether it is likely to be funded (these meetings are usually free of charge).
1.6. I am a company based in the UK, can I apply for the EIC Accelerator?
Applicants from the United Kingdom can apply for the Accelerator, but can only request and receive funding in the form of “grant only”.
1.7. How long does it take to receive the funding?
Grants can be paid within three months of submission, but this should not be relied on.
Equity can take up to one year to be paid.
1.8. Can two companies apply together?
No. The EIC Accelerator has been a single-applicant finance program for some time.
1.9. Can I resubmit a rejected proposal?
From January 1, 2024, applicants may submit up to 3 unsuccessful applications (i.e. your application can be rejected maximum 3 times), at any stage of the process (Short Proposal, Full Proposal remote or Interview) and for any form of support (Challenge, Open, Grant only, Blended finance, Equity only) up until the end of the programme under Horizon Europe (until the end of 2027). After the third rejection, you will not be able to submit again to the EIC Accelerator under the Horizon Europe Framework Programme.
If you are successful at the short proposal stage, this does not count within the limit of three applications. If you are successful at the remote evaluation stage of a full proposal but then unsuccessful at the interview phase, this counts as one unsuccessful application. For example:
- If you are successful at your first submission to the short proposal stage, you may apply up to three times at full proposal stage.
- If you are rejected one time at the short proposal stage, you may still apply two further times at the short proposal stage. If you are successful the second time at a short proposal you may then apply two times at full proposal stage.
- If you are rejected one time at full proposal (at either the remote evaluation or the jury interview), you may still submit up to two further times at the full proposal stage (unless you have been unsuccessful at the short proposal stage which will be counted as one of the three unsuccessful applications).
However, applications submitted before 2024 are not taken into account for the purpose of the 3 rejections limit (your counter restarts from zero as from 1 January 2024).new Stage 1 application.
1.10. What is the success rate of the EIC Accelerator?
The EIC Accelerator is a highly competitive programme and thus, success rates typically range from 4- 7%.
See our EIC Accelerator Guide for 2025 for further insights.
1.11. What is the application procedure?
The application process is divided into three steps:
Step 1, submission of a short proposal:
– Short proposals are batched and sent to evaluators the first Tuesday of every month in 2025. Feedback is then provided within four weeks.
-Applicants must fill in a 12-page form to summarize the proposal and respond to a set of questions about the innovation, the potential market, and the company 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 the team (a maximum of three people) should provide the motivation for the proposal. Feedback is provided within four weeks.
Step 2, preparing a full proposal:
Applications meeting the basic criteria for EIC Accelerator funding are invited to prepare a full proposal to submit to one of the periodic cutoff dates for Accelerator Open or Accelerator Challenge funding. Full Proposals should be 50 pages long at most and must clearly present the business and the innovation with a very high level of detail.
Step 3, pitching your innovation:
Applications meeting all of the criteria will be invited to face-to-face interviews with an EIC jury as the final step in the selection process. Interviews will take place in Brussels in 2025 The jury will ask questions related to the innovation, the company, and the team.
1.12. How important are the pitch deck and video?
It is impossible to know which document the evaluators read first. Therefore, it is essential to make sure all three documents are excellent.
1.13. What feedback can we expect for the short and long applications?
Companies receive detailed feedback for both applications, which includes many comments from the evaluators. It is essential to use the feedback from the Stage 1 application to prepare the Stage 2 application and to use all of the feedback when resubmitting.
1.14. How much time is needed to prepare an application?
Some analysis estimate that 300 hours of work are needed to prepare a full EIC Application. However, this is greatly dependant on the pre-existing documentation.
1.15. Is it possible to apply as a natural person?
Yes, you can apply for EIC Accelerator either as:
- A single start-up or SME (including spin-outs) established in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe (HE) Associated Country,
- A ‘Small mid-cap’ (up to 499 employees) established in an EU Member State or HE Associated Country, but only for investment-only or for “blended finance” in exceptional cases for rapid scale up purposes;
- One or more natural persons or legal entities willing to set up a SME.
1.16. Is it possible to apply from non-EU countries?
It is possible to apply to the Step 1 as a natural person from a non-EU and non-associated country. However, you will have to establish an entity in an associated country before submitting the full application (Step 2).
2. Proposal-Specific Questions
2.1. What does the EIC Accelerator full application look like?
The EIC Accelerator full application in 2025 consists of several documents. Applicants are required to submit a comprehensive business plan, a pitch deck in PDF format, a 3-minute video pitch and several annexes including a DMP (Data Management Plan), an FTO (Freedom-to-Operate) Analysis, a budget and a Financial file with projections
The full proposal is prepared and submitted through the European Union’s Funding & Tenders Portal, where all necessary documentation must be uploaded in accordance with the prescribed cut-off dates.
- The business plan should provide an in-depth overview of the innovation project, detailing its objectives, market potential, and the team’s expertise.
- The pitch deck serves as a visual summary of the project, emphasizing its unique value proposition and commercial viability.
- The video pitch allows the core team members to present their motivation and the essence of their proposal.
This full application package is designed to showcase the strength of the project and the company’s potential for scaling up high-impact innovations.
Applicants should ensure that all components of the full application are meticulously prepared, as they form the basis for the expert evaluation and potential invitation to the face-to-face interview with the EIC Jury.
2.2. What types of questions will be in each section of the full application?
The proposal contains two parts:
- Part A of the proposal is generated by the IT system. It is based on the information entered by participants within the submission system in the Funding & Tenders Portal. Participants can update the information in the submission system at any time before final submission of the proposal.
- Part B of the proposal is the narrative part that includes different sections covering the different evaluation criteria. Part B needs to be uploaded as a PDF document using the templates that can be downloaded in the submission system for the specific call or topic. The maximum page limit is 50 pages. The length indication for each heading is merely indicative (with the exception of the executive summary, which should not exceed 2 pages). At the time of submission, you can remove the sub-questions. Please keep the headings.
Within part B, there are several parts:
PART 1 – BUSINESS CASE
- COMPANY DESCRIPTION
- THE PROBLEM/MARKET OPPORTUNITY
- THE INNOVATION: SOLUTION/ PRODUCT OR SERVICES (USP)
- MARKET ANALYSIS AND COMPETITION ANALYSIS
- MARKETING AND SALES PLAN
- TEAM AND MANAGEMENT
- RISKS
- FINANCIAL PLAN
PART 2 – EIC SPECIFIC INFORMATION
- BROAD IMPACT
- IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
- HOW EU SUPPORT TAKES THE COMPANY TO THE NEXT VALUE POINT
- THE FUNDING REQUEST
2.3. How much detail should be included in the work packages and the budget?
Evaluators will study the work packages in detail, and your project manager will monitor them closely during your project (if you are funded). It is essential to include details of milestones and deliverables so the EIC can keep track of your project. The budget should contain specifics for every expense. For example, in personnel costs, which of your team will work on each task, and how are they suited to that job? In equipment costs, why are you choosing that manufacturer, and what are the alternatives?
2.4. Do I need to hire a patent attorney to carry out the Freedom to Operate analysis (FTO)?
If you do not have an FTO, you can upload a two-page document explaining why and providing as much information as possible on the issue. However, it is highly recommended to upload an FTO, and some evaluators will not seriously consider applications without one.
Some companies have the know-how to complete a patent search themselves. While the evaluators may accept an unofficial patent search, hiring a patent attorney to complete a thorough FTO is generally better.
In cases where the FTO is not relevant (e.g. software), you can upload a simple statement.
2.5. How do I prepare a competition analysis if my product is completely unique with no competition?
No product is 100% competition-free. It may be that the competition is so far behind in technology that you will easily outcompete them, but you must still include an analysis. The competition analysis should also cover other companies working in the sector, even if they do not have a solution perfectly suited to the problem you are solving.
3. Project execution
3.1. What will be the workload for reporting?
Reporting has been greatly simplified for EIC Accelerator projects. The technical reports are defined in the Work Packages that you submit within your application. Apart from those, there are two major financial reports to hand in: the interim report after year 1 and the final report after project end. A financial audit is carried out at the end of the project as well.
3.2. Will we be able to protect our IP (Intellectual Property)?
Absolutely, and it is highly recommended. The grant/equity holder is not forced to disclose any IP asset and confidentiality is ensured along the whole process.
4. Success criteria & miscellaneous
4.1. What is the most important success criteria?
There are three success criteria for the EIC Accelerator:
- Excellence: innovations must be excellent; the product, process or service must be disruptive, and it must have the potential to change the dynamic of the market and address a societal challenge. The added value of the idea must be explained to show why it is viable and better than existing solutions. It is essential to demonstrate that the innovation has reached at least TRL 5/6. IP protection is essential and must be explained in detail.
- Impact: Evidence that projects will generate revenues, create jobs and can scale-up the company. Market conditions and the evolution of the competition must also be explained. Applicants must provide concrete and realistic figures on the market size, the market share, and the sales price. Show the projection of sales volume, turnover and number of jobs created in the coming years. It is essential to provide a commercialisation plan. Projects must have a European or international dimension.
- Level of risk, implementation, and need for Union Support: Evaluators examine the nature and level of risk of the investment in the innovation. They determine whether European market actors are unwilling to commit the full amount alone, and if there is evidence that market actors would be willing to invest, either alongside the EIC or at a later stage. The credibility of the team and of the work plan will be assessed as well.
4.2. How do I prepare for the interview?
Preparing for the interview is key. The EIC arranges a limited number of interviews which translates to a usual success rate of 30-50% for the companies that are invited. Therefore, the EIC interview is a unique opportunity to receive a significant funding injection. The typical duration of the interview is 40 minutes including 10 minutes (maximum) of presentation supported by the pitch pdf document submitted with your full proposal and 30 minutes of questions and answers to clarify aspects of the proposal. There are no pre-defined questions and we have observed that the type and breadth of questions may vary considerable. While some interview verse mostly about the technology, others are focused on the business-side of the project. Typically, both commercial and technology-related questions are posed to the candidates. A maximum of 3 representatives are allowed. We recommend all applicants to divide the presentation and the answers among at least 2 key members of the company. Although not a formal requirement, it is understood that the CEO and other key roles must be present.
4.3. Can software projects be funded?
Absolutely. The EIC does not define which type of technologies (eg. software or hardware) the innovations must implement. Software is a fundamental component of many innovation projects and software startups can be perfect candidates for the EIC Accelerator as long as they comply with the official requirements and success criteria.
4.4. Can clinical studies be funded?
Clinical studies are a typical part of health-focused EIC Accelerator projects and are usually considered to be TRL-6 activities. Pre-clinical studies are required in order to justify the right TRL for a medtech innovation.
4.5. How to finance larger innovation projects?
In some sectors, innovation activites -until market entry- may require longer timeframes and greater funding resources than those provided by the EIC Accelerator (2 years; 2.5M€). Medtech or cleantech innovations are typical examples. In these cases, a subset of activities can be founded by the EIC Grant (2.5 M€) while the EIC Equity investment and other funding sources can be used to complement the EIC Grant.
You can obtain further information through our free EIC Accelerator crash course (free videos).
