38 start

The European Innovation Council (EIC) has selected 38 innovative start-ups and SMEs to receive funding following its latest evaluation round. Out of 87 proposals that reached the interview stage, these companies were chosen for their transformative technologies and strong commercial promise, securing a mix of grant and equity support.  

The total proposed funding amount for grants to the selected companies is €90* million, with 84% of beneficiaries eligible for blended finance—a combination of grants and equity investment—while others secured either grant-only or equity-only support.     

The selected companies represent 16 EU and associated countries, with the highest number coming from France, United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden and Switzerland. 21% of the companies are led by women in key leadership roles such as CEO, CTO, or CSO.  

Below are a few examples of breakthrough technologies from among the recipients:  

The grant agreements for most selected companies are expected to be finalised within the next three months. Equity investments will follow based on each company’s individual development and funding strategy. Managed by the EIC Fund – the EU’s flagship deep-tech investment vehicle – the equity component often draws substantial additional capital from private investors, frequently leveraging the EIC’s contribution by a factor of three or more.   

A further 95 applications that were assessed above the threshold either at the remote stage or at the interview, but for which there was insufficient funding available, will be awarded a Seal of Excellence. In addition, all 12 companies that reached the threshold under the five EIC Accelerator challenges, regardless of whether they were eventually chosen for funding support, will receive a STEP Seal - a quality label that is granted to projects that contribute to at least one of the objectives of the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP). These recognitions will facilitate them access to complementary or alternative EU funding. 

The EIC Accelerator supports start-ups and small businesses with grant funding of up to €2.5 million, complemented by equity investments from the EIC Fund ranging between €1 million and €10 million. Higher amounts are available under the EIC STEP Scale-up scheme, which allows for equity support of up to €30 million.   

Beyond financial support, all funded projects gain access to Business Acceleration Services, connecting them with top-level experts, investors, corporates, and innovation ecosystem players.  

Applications to the EIC Accelerator can be submitted at any time. Submitted proposals are grouped into monthly batches, with evaluations starting in the first week of each month. Applicants receive the results of the short proposal assessment within 4 to 6 weeks from the start of the respective batch evaluation. If a proposal meets the EIC’s standards for excellence, impact, and high risk, companies are invited to submit a full proposal for evaluation. They are batched six times per year. Check the EIC website for exact dates.  

*This amount includes only the grant support. A further amount of €202 million is provisioned for potential equity investments.