European Innovation Council (EIC) Deadlines
EIC Accelerator Deadlines 2026The next EIC Accelerator deadline for Step 2 (the full proposal) is already set but Step 1 (the short proposal) must be prepared 70-90 days in advance to assure that the evaluation can proceed in time and Step 2 can be reached successfully. The deadline for Step 2 is only valid if Step 1 has been passed in the weeks beforehand. All cut-offs for the EIC Accelerator's Step 1, 2 and 3 are:
EIC Accelerator Step 1 Deadline
EIC Accelerator Step 2 Deadlines 2026
EIC Accelerator Step 3 Deadlines 2026
The EIC Accelerator grant and equity financing (formerly SME instrument Phase 2, with blended finance option) provides a springboard for startups and Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SME) who are developing a disruptive innovation and seek additional financial support to complete their R&D from the prototype stage to a complete, commercial product (read: Budget: Grant vs. Blended Finance).
With the EIC Accelerator quickly growing into a European instrument with strong mass appeal, a significant number of first-time grant applicants are wondering how to successfully craft a proposal since the official EIC Accelerator grant template is highly simplified and can be cryptic at times (read: Hiring a Consultant or Writing Internally?).
EIC STEP Scale-Up Deadlines 2026EIC Advanced Innovation Challenges DeadlinesStage 1: Solution Validation (2026)
Stage 2: Development & User Testing (2027)
EIC Pathfinder Deadlines 2026EIC Transition Deadlines 2026EIC Pre-Accelerator Deadlines 2025Need Professional Support?
Our team of grant specialists can help you navigate the EIC Accelerator application process with expert guidance and proposal writing support.