EIC Accelerator (SME Instrument), phase II

The EIC Accelerator (SME Instrument) is part of the European Innovation Council (EIC) pilot that supports top-class innovators, entrepreneurs, small companies and scientists with funding opportunities and acceleration services.

The EIC Accelerator (SME Instrument) is designed for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMES) with radically new ideas underpinned by a business plan for rolling out marketable innovation solutions and with ambitions to scale up.

EIC Accelerator (SME Instrument) – Phase 2

Phase 2 helps you develop your business concept further into a market-ready product, service or process aligned with your company’s growth strategy. Activities could, for example, include trials, prototyping, validation, demonstration and testing in real-world conditions, and market replication. If the activity concerns a primarily technological innovation, a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 6-8 is envisaged for projects requesting grants only.

Projects will receive between € 0.5 and € 2.5 million in the form of grants.

Projects should normally take 12 to 24 months to complete, but could be longer in exceptional and well-justified cases.

How to apply?

Applicants will first have to submit a paper-based proposal of their project that will be evaluated remotely by four independent experts. For Phase 2, there is an additional step where a selected number of proposals will be invited to Brussels to pitch in front of a Jury. For more information have a look at how proposals are evaluated.

To apply you are invited to register and submit your proposal on the Horizon 2020 Funding &Tenders Portal.

Before applying, please read the full details about submissions, eligibility and admissibility criteria and the evaluation procedure in the Guidelines for Applicants and the 2018-2020 Work Programme on the Horizon 2020 Funding and Tenders Portal.

It is advised to get in touch with your Enterprise Europe Network regional office and have a look at the tips for applicants.