Presenting Customer Interest for a Successful EIC Accelerator Application (SME Instrument Phase 2) Posted on May 27, 2020October 9, 2020 By Stephan Segler, Ph.D. Next to outlining the innovative nature of a project, being able to demonstrate customer interest (i.e. traction) is a key factor for the success of an EIC Accelerator application. Like most other recommendations, this criteria is not an official requirement to be eligible for the financing but the evaluation checklist specifically asks if the applicant’s customers have demonstrated willingness-to-pay which makes it essential to address this point. It is possible to receive funding without demonstrating any traction but only if other evaluation criteria were to excel and compensate for the lacking criteria but this is an unlikely scenario. Traction does not necessarily mean revenues since material contributions, access to facilities or simple support letters can be just as valid depending on the industry. The central narrative should communicate that the innovation is not only better than the competing products but is also highly sought after. This also extends to a well-positioned value-chain with suppliers and logistics being in place to present a well-supported and thought-out project. If the following questions are answered with yes then the innovation is in a good commercial position: Are you already in contact with customers and have these expressed interest? Do you have active users or have received promising feedback? Can you obtain proof of interest, i.e. letters of support/intent, revenues or user statistics? Do you have a clear value chain, i.e. hardware suppliers, certification authorities or servers? This article was last modified on Oct 9, 2020 @ 11:18 These tips are not only useful for European startups, professional writers, consultants and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SME) but are generally recommended when writing a business plan or investor documents. Deadlines: Post-Horizon 2020, the EIC Accelerator accepts Step 1 submissions now while the deadlines for the full applications (Step 2) under Horizon Europe are: Step 1 (short proposal) open now Step 2 (business plan, closing 17:00 Brussels Time) 1st cut-off: - 2nd cut-off: - 3rd cut-off: - 4th cut-off: October 3rd 2024 Step 3 (interview) 1st cut-off: - 2nd cut-off: - 3rd cut-off: - 4th cut-off 2024: January 13th to 17th 2025 The Step 1 applications must be submitted weeks in advance of Step 2. The next EIC Accelerator cut-off for Step 2 (full proposal) can be found here. After Brexit, UK companies can still apply to the EIC Accelerator under Horizon Europe albeit with non-dilutive grant applications only - thereby excluding equity-financing. Contact: You can reach out to us via this contact form to work with a professional consultant. EU, UK & US Startups: Alternative financing options for EU, UK and US innovation startups are the EIC Pathfinder (combining Future and Emerging Technologies - FET Open & FET Proactive) with €4M per project, Thematic Priorities, European Innovation Partnerships (EIP), Innovate UK with £3M (for UK-companies only) as well as the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants with $1M (for US-companies only). Any more questions? View the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section. Want to see all articles? They can be found here. For Updates: Join this Newsletter! by Stephan Segler, PhDProfessional Grant Consultant at Segler Consulting General information on the EIC Accelerator template, professional grant writing and how to prepare a successful application can be found in the following articles: A Quick FTO Guide for EIC Accelerator Applicants in a Rush 2023 Budget Allocations for EIC Pathfinder, Transition and Accelerator Developing the Unique Selling Points (USP) for the EIC Accelerator Explaining the Resubmission Process for the EIC Accelerator A Short but Comprehensive Explanation of the EIC Accelerator EIC Accelerator Success Cases Deciding Between EIC Pathfinder, Transition and Accelerator A Winning Candidate for the EIC Accelerator EIC Accelerator Interview Preparation Process: Scripting the Pitch (Part 1) EIC Accelerator Horizon 2020 Phase 2 SME Instrument / EIC Accelerator EIC Accelerator financingEIC Accelerator successHardwareIndustries & CompaniesInvestorsSME Instrument Phase 2StatisticsWriting Tips
EIC Accelerator Changes in the EIC Accelerator during 2019 Posted on January 13, 2020October 14, 2020 Since 2019 has come to an end, here is a summary of the main changes that have occurred regarding the EUs startup grant – the EIC Accelerator: 1. Equity Finance: The most significant change was the discontinuation of Phase 1 (€50,000 grant financing) and the introduction of the new blended financing… Read More
Horizon 2020 Technical Writing Tips Posted on March 19, 2019March 18, 2020 When you write your proposal, you must make sure that your technology is well explained and that your explanation is not too superficial. This is difficult since the proposal has a page limit but the evaluator must see that you and your team have put a lot of development efforts… Read More
EIC Accelerator A Short but Comprehensive Explanation of the EIC Accelerator (2024 Update) Posted on January 21, 2023February 28, 2024 The EIC Accelerator blended financing (formerly SME Instrument Phase 2, grant and equity) by the European Commission (EC) and European Innovation Council (EIC) is a complex funding instrument for startups and Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SME). It is often supported by professional writers, freelancers or consultants since it can be… Read More