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
EIC Accelerator EIC Accelerator DeepDive: Analyzing the Industries, Countries and Funding Types of EIC Accelerator Winners (2021-2024) Posted on June 6, 2024June 8, 2024 The EIC Accelerator funding (grant and equity, with blended financing option) by the European Innovation Council (EIC) and European Commission (EC) has supported 563 companies between 2021 and 2024 in a variety of different industries. It is a key program for DeepTech entrepreneurs in the EU and countries associated with… Read More
EIC Accelerator Deciding Between EIC Pathfinder, Transition and Accelerator Posted on January 27, 2023February 19, 2023 The EIC Accelerator funding (grant and equity, with blended financing option) by the European Innovation Council (EIC) and European Commission (EC) is one of the multiple programs available to Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SME) and startups. It awards up to €2.5 million in grant and €15 million in equity financing… Read More
EIC Accelerator How to Prepare for an EIC Accelerator Pitch Interview (SME Instrument Phase 2) – Part 1 Posted on December 21, 2020February 19, 2023 The pitch interviews for the EIC Accelerator blended financing (formerly SME Instrument Phase 2, grant and equity financing) have been introduced quite recently but they are expected to remain a pillar of the evaluation process moving forward (read: Pitch vs. Proposal). With the jury consisting of mostly Venture Capitalists (VC)… Read More