Who can participate?

The EIC Accelerator is aimed at companies with disruptive, high-risk innovations and the potential to create new markets or disrupt existing ones. The stage of development is very important in the EIC Accelerator: The innovation must have a technology readiness level (TRL) of at least 5 ("demonstrator is available"), when the application for funding is submitted.

The following entities are eligible to apply for the EIC Accelerator:

individual SMEs from an EU member state or from a country associated to Horizon Europe,
small mid-caps (up to 499 employees) from an EU member state or an associated country (only in exceptional cases and only for "blended finance"),
one or more natural persons (including individual entrepreneurs) or legal entities who wish to establish a company in the EU or an associated country or invest in an SME or small mid-cap and submit an application on its behalf.

In addition to these admission criteria, there are other factors that must be met for an application to be successful. These include a high-risk innovation with disruptive potential and a motivated team with complementary skills. More about the evaluation criteria here.

SME definition

In principle, "any entity, regardless of its legal form, that carries out an economic activity" is considered an enterprise. Self-employed persons, family businesses, partnerships and associations can be regarded as companies as long as they pursue a regular economic activity. The decisive factor for the definition of an enterprise is the economic activity and not the legal form.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are defined as companies that employ fewer than 250 people and either have an annual turnover of no more than EUR 50 million or an annual balance sheet total of no more than EUR 43 million. In the case of start-ups that do not yet have approved annual financial statements, only data from the current financial year can be provided.

The threshold values for the SME definition also refer to the key figures of companies with which they are associated. Accordingly, the definition distinguishes between independent, affiliated and partner companies. For more information, we recommend taking a look at the User guide to the SME definition.

Technology Readiness Level (TRL)

TRL 1 — Basic principles observed
TRL 2 — Technology concept formulated
TRL 3 — Experimental proof of concept
TRL 4 — Technology validated in a lab
TRL 5 — Technology validated in a relevant environment (industrially relevant environment in the case of key enabling technologies)
TRL 6 — Technology demonstrated in a relevant environment (industrially relevant environment in the case of key enabling technologies)
TRL 7 — System prototype demonstration in an operational environment
TRL 8 — System complete and qualified
TRL 9 — Actual system proven in an operational environment (competitive manufacturing in the case of key enabling technologies, or in space)

The "Technology Readiness Level" (TRL) describes the development stage of a technology, process or service. In order to receive funding from the EIC Accelerator, at least TRL 5 must be completed at the time of application. This means that the research must be (largely) completed, the technology must function in a relevant environment and a functional demonstrator must exist or is about to be fully developed.

The technical TRL classification can be transferred to other areas of application. In the field of information and communication technology (ICT), for example, a beta version must be within reach. Services must have passed initial deployment tests. That way, the European Commission wants to ensure that the transfer from research and development to market is guaranteed. Funding from the EIC Accelerator can cover development until right before market launch (TRL 9).

The thematic National Contact Points can help with questions about determining the TRL.