The Difference Between Innovation and Features (EIC Accelerator) Posted on January 17, 2020October 14, 2020 By Stephan Segler, Ph.D. Here are some tips regarding applications for the EU’s start-up grant (up to €2,500,000 via grant + €15,000,000 through equity financing). The central component for the grant application is the innovative nature of the project, meaning that it not only addresses customer needs and has a significant market impact but is based on a unique technology or approach. This is key since it can be easy to confuse ‘innovation’ with a ‘collection of features’ and try to convince through narratives such as: “We do what competitors do but better” “We have a wholesome approach that combines multiple existing features” A unique technology (patented or not) must be difficult to copy and cannot be a simple extension of other existing products. The proposal must present a clear narrative by introducing a major problem in the introduction which then ties into your product or service through its unique value proposition. Afterwards, it addresses your strategy to overcome market barriers and describes how your customers needs relate to your innovation. The overall narrative should communicate: “We are the only company who can address the problem and meet customer needs” EIC Accelerator Horizon 2020 Phase 2 SME Instrument / EIC Accelerator EIC Accelerator equityEIC Accelerator financingEIC Accelerator grantIndustries & CompaniesSME Instrument Phase 1tip#15Writing Tips
EIC Accelerator The Risk of Presenting all Risks in the High-Risk EIC Accelerator Program Posted on April 17, 2023March 30, 2023 High-Risk Businesses The EIC Accelerator grant financing (with blended equity option) by the European Commission (EC) awards up to €2.5 million in grant and €15 million in equity financing per project (€17.5 million total). It is targeting high-risk projects as defined in the EIC Work Programme and strongly advertised by the… Read More
EIC Accelerator Why it’s Important to Have a Diverse Grant Strategy (EIC Accelerator, SME Instrument) – Part 1 Posted on February 18, 2021February 15, 2021 Public grants are a popular avenue for Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SME) and startups since they often provide a simple application process to receive substantial financial support. One of the distinct benefits of grant funding is its often strong policy-focus while commercial and financial factors of the business tend to… 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