The EIC Accelerator is the European Commission's programme for startups and SMEs with high-risk, high-potential technology that is validated but not yet on the market. It offers a grant below 2.5 million euro for TRL 6-8 activities and, if requested, an equity or quasi-equity investment of 1 to 10 million euro. The process has three stages: short proposal, full proposal, jury interview. It is not a call for early ideas: if you do not yet have a validated prototype, it is probably not the right time.
In short
- Grant: a lump sum below 2.5 million euro for innovation activities at TRL 6-8, to be completed within 24 months.
- Investment: 1 to 10 million euro in direct equity or quasi-equity, combined with the grant (blended finance).
- Who: single startups and SMEs, including spin-outs, and people planning to set up an SME; small mid-caps with up to 499 employees for investment only.
- Process: short proposal at any time, full proposal on fixed dates, EIC jury interview.
- 2026 dates for full proposals: 7 January, 4 March, 6 May, 8 July, 2 September, 4 November.
What it funds, concretely
According to the official EIC page:
- Grant component: a lump sum below 2.5 million euro for innovation activities at TRL 6-8, to be completed within 24 months. Grant-only applicants can receive it once during Horizon Europe (2021-2027).
- Investment component: 1 to 10 million euro in direct equity or quasi-equity, such as convertible loans. Higher amounts are possible through STEP Scale-up.
- Services: coaching, mentoring, networking and Business Acceleration Services.
There are two channels with separate 2026 budgets: Accelerator Open, for any technology field, with 414 million euro, and Accelerator Challenges, on predefined topics, with 220 million euro.
Who can apply
- Single startups and SMEs, including spin-outs.
- Small mid-caps with up to 499 employees, for the investment component only.
- Individuals or legal entities planning to set up an SME or mid-cap.
- Applicants from EU Member States and Horizon Europe associated countries. Third-country applicants must relocate before stage 2.
You can have only one application at a time to the EIC Accelerator; you can submit a new one after receiving results.
The stages
Stage 1: short proposal
Submitted at any time and evaluated in monthly batches by four remote experts. It includes a 12-page form, a 10-slide pitch deck and a video of up to 3 minutes. Feedback arrives in about 4-6 weeks.
Stage 2: full proposal
If the short proposal passes, you prepare the full proposal: a 20-page form, pitch deck, implementation plan, financial information, letters of intent, freedom-to-operate (FTO) analysis and a 3-minute video. It is assessed by a technology expert and a panel of at least three experts, with an online interview about 3-4 weeks after the batching date. Results arrive in 8-9 weeks. The best proposals, equal to 2.5 times the available grant budget, are invited to the jury interview.
Stage 3: jury interview
Held after every second batch. Results arrive 2-3 weeks after interview week.
Stage 4: signing and due diligence
Grant-only applicants sign the Grant Agreement. Blended-finance applicants can negotiate an increase of up to 2 million euro; the investment decision takes 2 to 6 months.
Proposals scoring at least 13 out of 15 at remote evaluation but not invited to interview, or not recommended by the jury, receive a Seal of Excellence.
The 2026 dates and what they mean today
The 2026 full-proposal batching dates are 7 January, 4 March, 6 May, 8 July, 2 September and 4 November, at 17:00 Brussels time. At the time of writing, the only date left in 2026 is 4 November, usable only by those who already have an approved short proposal. If you are starting now, the realistic timing is 2027: check the EIC page for the dates once published.
Other routes in
The EIC page also lists direct routes to stage 2:
- Fast Track, for results of Horizon Europe or Horizon 2020 projects;
- Plug-In, for startups coming from certified national or regional programmes.
If you have already taken part in a European project or a certified programme, check whether one of these applies to you.
How to tell if it is the right time
- TRL: is the technology at least a prototype validated in a relevant environment? The grant covers TRL 6-8 activities.
- Risk and ambition: is the project risky and ambitious enough that it would struggle to attract private capital on its own?
- Writing capacity: do you have people who can spend weeks on the form, deck and video?
- Investment: are you ready for an equity component with a European public investor on your cap table?
- Freedom to operate: do you have an FTO analysis, or can you get one?
What to do now
- Read the official EIC Accelerator page and the 2026 Work Programme.
- Assess your technology's TRL honestly.
- Draft a short proposal: 12 pages, 10 slides, a 3-minute video.
- Check whether you have access to Fast Track or Plug-In.
- Plan internal resources: the full proposal needs financials, letters of intent and an FTO.
- If you want feedback on your application, get in touch.
Sources
EIC rules and dates are updated every year: always check the official page and the current Work Programme before applying.
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