EIC Accelerator The Two Most Important Features for an SME Instrument Project (EIC Accelerator) Posted on October 12, 2019March 20, 2020 Here is some information on the EUs startup grant to help you find out if you can apply. I am always looking for two major things to quickly assess a companies success chances: Innovation & Traction. (1) Innovation The EU specifically funds high-risk and high-reward projects. This means that the… Read more
EIC Accelerator SME Instrument Phase 1 vs. Phase 2 (EIC Accelerator) Posted on October 12, 2019March 20, 2020 Since Phase 1 (€50,000) of the EUs start-up grant will be discontinued after September 2019 but Phase 2 (€2,500,000) will remain open, here is an overview of the main differences between the applications. While Phase 1 &2 proposals do follow almost the exact same template, there are important variations… Read more
EIC Accelerator How To Identify a High Quality SME Instrument Project (EIC Accelerator) Posted on October 12, 2019March 20, 2020 If you are considering to apply for the start-up grant by the EU, here is the most important information on how to identify a high-quality project: (1) Hardware products: More than 60% of all funded projects are related to hardware manufacturing, followed by subscription services at only 16%. This… Read more
Horizon 2020 What Types of Companies Have Received Funding? Posted on March 19, 2019March 18, 2020 In 2018, the EC has published an annual report which contained some helpful statistics. It actually answers quite a few questions that I frequently receive from companies, so here are the bullet points: Of all funded companies, 84% (Phase 2) and 95% (Phase 1) applied as single entities Most… Read more
Horizon 2020 Directly Applying for Phase 2 Posted on March 19, 2019March 18, 2020 I am talking to a lot of startups regarding EU funding and I frequently get asked if it is possible to apply to Phase 2 of the SME Instrument directly. The answer is: Yes. Technically you can but in reality, most startups do not have enough data (market, business… Read more
Horizon 2020 Do You Need Additional Investors? Posted on March 19, 2019March 18, 2020 Phase 1 is funded as a flat fee of €50,000 for the purpose of performing a feasibility study. Phase 2, while being flexible with €500,000 to €5,000,000 in funding, is also paid as 70% of the total projects costs. The reason for the remaining 30% is that the… Read more
Horizon 2020 What is the Timeline for the Application? Posted on March 19, 2019March 18, 2020 Since I am frequently asked about the specific timeline and duration for the EU’s SME Instrument funding, here is a brief overview of how long it takes to apply: Phase 1: – There are 4 deadlines per year for which applications can be submitted (usually February, May, September and… Read more
Horizon 2020 What is Phase 1 for and What Comes Next? Posted on August 29, 2017October 13, 2017 The purpose of Horizon 2020s SME Instrument Schemes Phase 1 is a feasibility study for the project (lasting around 6 months depending on the specific topic) and is financed with a flat rate of €50,000. The feasibility study entails the development of a business plan and assesses the viability of the… Read more
Horizon 2020 What Is the H2020 SME Instrument Phase 1 Funding? Posted on August 29, 2017May 23, 2020 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… Read more
Horizon 2020 How To Improve Your Chances of Getting Funded Posted on August 29, 2017May 23, 2020 To find out if your project is suitable for funding, please read What Types of Industries Receive Funding?. Three of the four evaluators that will review the proposal have a business background and only one will have a technical or scientific background. While it is impossible to know what the… Read more