What is being financed?

The EIC Accelerator provides SMEs with support and funding for innovation and market entry activities. "Business Acceleration Services" provide access to experts, companies, investors and other stakeholders in the innovation ecosystem.

Grant component

The grant component reimburses 70% of the eligible costs. The remaining 30% must be co-financed by the applicants. Eligible costs include, for example, personnel costs, equipment costs and travel expenses.
From 2024, funding will take the form of lump sum grants.
The maximum grant amount is EUR 2.5 million.
Project duration is generally up to 24 months.
The grant component is intended for innovation activities such as development, demonstration and prototyping, activities related to regulatory requirements and securing intellectual property as well as market preparation activities (up to and including TRL 8).
It can also be used for subcontracting.
In exceptional cases, small mid-caps can apply for a grant component together with an investment component for rapid scaling. Small mid-cap companies are companies that do not qualify as SMEs according to the SME definition but have fewer than 500 employees.

Investment component

The investment component takes the form of direct equity or quasi-equity such as convertible loans. The amount of the investment is between EUR 0.5 million and EUR 15 million.
The equity investment is up to 25% of the voting shares of the company.
Following a successful application, the EIC Fund will consider whether the investment is needed immediately or as the project progresses.
Investment by the EIC Fund is open to private and public co-investors; the applicant may already have existing investors. The EIC Fund aims to ensure that the co-investors' cover at least 50% of the respective round.
The term is usually 7 to 10 years, max. 15 years.
The investment component is intended to finance the market launch and scale-up. However, it can also be used for innovation activities.
Details in the EIC Fund Investment Guidelines

Special case: Grant component without investment ("grant only")

Applicants must prove that they have (or will have) sufficient financial resources to finance market entry and scaling up of their innovation and therefore do not need the investment component.
Applicants who have already successfully applied for “grant only” are not eligible to apply again.

Special case: Investment component without grant ("investment only")

SMEs and start-ups that have already received "grant only" support can apply for an investment component. The project supported with "Grant only" must be completed.

In addition: Business Acceleration Services

In addition, funded SMEs and start-ups as well as holders of the Seal of Excellence (SoE) receive access to a range of EIC Business Acceleration Services (BAS):

Access to coaches, mentors and trainings,
Access to global partners (companies, investors, distributors, customers),
Access to the EIC European Innovation Ecosystem.

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What is being financed?