My Proposal Has a High Score But Was Rejected, What Now? Posted on August 27, 2017March 20, 2019 By Stephan Segler, Ph.D. The Score All proposals above a threshold of 13 receive the “Seal of Excellence” and are eligible for funding. Unfortunately, the budget of the SME Topics is limited and the higher the number of applicants, the lower the chances to receive funding. Usually, proposals will get funded starting at a score of 13.5 – 14. Once your proposal has been evaluated (1-2 months after the submission deadline), you will receive: The Evaluation Report An evaluation report: This contained the mean evaluations of 4 different evaluators regarding all aspects of the proposal and grading “Impact”, “Excellence” and “Quality” as Very Good to Excellent (4.5 – 5) Good to Very Good (3.5 – 4.49) Fair to Good (2.5 – 3.49) Insufficient to Fair (1.5 – 2.49) Insufficient (0-1.49) The maximum score would be 3 x 5 = 15. The Good News You can resubmit the proposal indefinitely and improve it with every submission. Depending on the country you live in, you can use your “Seal of Excellence” and directly receive national funding (please read the conditions and deadlines carefully – calls might be closed or getting reinstated soon). This is currently possible in Sweden (VINNOVA), Cyprus (Research Promotion Foundation), Czech Republic (Technology agency), France (French Association of Innovative Clusters), Norway and Slovenia. Horizon 2020 Phase 1 SME Instrument / EIC Accelerator EIC Accelerator deadlineEIC Accelerator submissionIndustries & CompaniesInvestorsSME Instrument Phase 1TimelineWriting Tips
Horizon 2020 What Does “Prototype Stage” Mean? Posted on March 19, 2019March 18, 2020 If you already have a prototype (an App or a physical product) then it is important to have some quantifiable feedback. For example: (a) You have active users on your platform who have given you feedback regarding the effectiveness of your solution (lowered costs or other benefits – expressed in… Read More
EIC Accelerator Investigating EIC Accelerator Success Rates for Each Stage (SME Instrument) Posted on February 16, 2021February 15, 2021 The EIC Accelerator blended financing (formerly SME Instrument Phase 2, grant and equity financing) is undergoing a transformation in 2021 (read: Proposed Evaluation). The former 2-step process (application and pitch interview) which has been active for almost 4 years is gaining a third step (video pitch and mini-application) which can… Read More
EIC Accelerator Glitches on the EIC Accelerator’s AI Platform and Changes to the Work Programme (SME Instrument) Posted on April 22, 2021April 20, 2021 In 2021, the EIC Accelerator blended financing (formerly SME Instrument Phase 2, grant and equity) has been re-launched into its most sophisticated iteration yet. With a new AI Tool, a semi-automated evaluation process and a clear focus on disruptive projects, it has now opened its doors for Small- and Medium-Sized… Read More