What Is the H2020 SME Instrument Phase 1 Funding? Posted on August 29, 2017May 23, 2020 By Stephan Segler, Ph.D. The SME Instrument is a €3 billion funding scheme that is part of the largest EU research and innovation programme in of the EU called Horizon 2020 (€80 billion budget). By the end of 2020, 7500 Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SME) will have received funding over a period of 6 years. To find out if your company is eligible for funding, please read Can My Company Receive Funding from the EU?. The SME Instrument The SME Instrument is structured in 3 Phases: Phase 1 – The Feasibility Study (€50.000) Phase 1 is officially optional, but without it, the chances of success for Phase 2 are minimal. If a project cannot be approved for Phase 1, it is highly unlikely that it will succeed in Phase 2. The duration of this project is around 6 months and its purpose is assessing the technical, commercial and financial feasibility of the project. As a result, a Business Plan is fully developed and it will be outlined if the project is a suitable investment. Phase 2 – Innovation Development & Demonstration (€0.5 to 2.5 million) Phase 2 typically takes 1 to 2 years and its purpose is to bring the technology from the prototype level to commercial readiness. This will be the main development of the project and receives the highest amount of funding. Phase 3 – Support for Market Entry (non-financial) Phase 3 gives additional support through the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) which can give guidance and advice on project related topics. Horizon 2020 Phase 1 Phase 2 SME Instrument / EIC Accelerator EIC Accelerator successIndustries & CompaniesInvestorsSME Instrument Phase 1SME Instrument Phase 2TimelineWriting Tips
EIC Accelerator Document Formatting Tips for the EIC Accelerator Grant pt.1 (SME Instrument Phase 2) Posted on June 10, 2020October 9, 2020 For the EIC Accelerator Grant (SME Instrument Phase 2), the design of the text, headers and pages are an important factor in making an overall positive impression on the evaluators of the proposal. As such, a clean and easy-to-read structure should always be prioritized over an overloaded block of text… Read More
EIC Accelerator Go Fund Yourself: Are EIC Accelerator Equity Investments Necessary? (Presenting Grant+) Posted on June 12, 2024June 12, 2024 The EIC Accelerator funding (grant and equity, with blended financing option) has supported 563 innovators since 2021 and presents the flagship DeepTech funding program by the European Commission (EC) and European Innovation Council (EIC). It has grown into a popular funding option for startups and Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SME) as… Read More
EIC Accelerator Choosing an Acronym for the EIC Accelerator Grant (SME Instrument Phase 2) Posted on June 17, 2020October 9, 2020 The acronym of the EIC Accelerator grant (SME Instrument Phase 2 for European startups) can be viewed as an even more condensed version of the proposal which should give the reader a memorable indication of what the project is about. If the abstract (see: Abstract Guide) summarizes the proposal and… Read More