European Innovation Council opened EIC Accelerator calls worth €1B to help start-ups and SMEs

EIC – European Innovation Council with a budget over €10 billion for 2021-2027 is following up on a pilot programme under Horizon 2020. The aim is to expand innovative start-ups and SMEs.

Ensuing step after announcement of funding opportunities the European Commission has opened the first EIC Accelerator calls with funding worth over €1 billion. Half of the funding are earmarked for European Green Deal and to the digital and health technologies.

Usually, projects which are under the bigger risk and need more time to fulfill the results are struggling to receive the financial support. Therefore, EIC Accelerator focuses on technological and scientific breakthroughs which need longer time frame before returns are generated as well as bigger funding. This together will help innovators to attract the full investment amounts.

Last but not least, the European Commission also opened the EIC Pathfinder programme, which is supporting daring ideas for new technologies. High risk, high gain, cutting-edge science – these concepts are more than welcome in EIC Pathfinder programme. For the full article click here.

Calls opened at this moment are:

EIC Pathfinder (deadline 19.5)
EIC Accelerator Open Call Challenge (deadline 9.6)
The European Capital of Innovation Awards (deadline 15.7.)
EU Prize for Women Innovators (deadline 30.6.)
Facing Societal Challenges Award (deadline 29.7.)
Innovation Procurement Strategy Award (deadline 29.7.)
Procurement Leadership Award (deadline 29.7.)

More information about calls are available HERE.