Why did my EIC Accelerator project receive a Seal of Excellence (SOE) but no funding? A Why did my EIC Accelerator project receive a Seal of Excellence (SOE) but no funding? A Seal of Excellence (SOE) is obtained if a company passes Step 1 and Step 2 of the EIC Accelerator but is rejected in Step 3. If the applicant has been rejected for the first time in Step 3, they are able to re-apply to Step 2 or Step 3 in the following cut-offs. Applicants can likewise use the SOE to obtain funding from other sources.