EIC Accelerator Identifying a Broad Vision for an EIC Accelerator Project (SME Instrument Phase 2) Posted on July 29, 2020October 9, 2020 The introduction is an important aspect of an EIC Accelerator (SME Instrument Phase 2) application and, even though it is not specifically mentioned in the template, it sets up much of the perceived project impact (see EIC Accelerator Writing: Providing the Missing Link). In general, the introduction should be as… Read more
EIC Accelerator Finding Updates and News for the EIC Accelerator (SME Instrument Phase 2) Posted on July 27, 2020February 19, 2023 The European Commission has a variety of channels where updates and news are published. For the EIC Accelerator (SME Instrument Phase 2), there is not a single, centralized source of information but a variety of fragmented channels which should be scanned periodically in order to remain up-to-date on recent developments…. Read more
EIC Accelerator How the EIC Accelerator Funds Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) (SME Instrument) Posted on June 8, 2020October 9, 2020 The Work Programme for the EIC Accelerator (SME Instrument Phase 2) clearly defines the type of innovation that is eligible for the financing and, outside of general considerations, outlines the exact stages a technology has to be in. These stages are classified through Technology Readiness Levels (TRL – see this… Read more
EIC Accelerator EIC Accelerator Interviews: Pitch Deck vs. Proposal Documents (SME Instrument) Posted on June 4, 2020October 9, 2020 The EIC Accelerator (SME Instrument) grant program follows a two-step evaluation process consisting of a written application (step 1) and an in-person interview (step 2). Each evaluation stage is equally important but, due to the differing mechanisms for scoring a respective project, the approach for preparing the individual parts of… Read more
EIC Accelerator EIC Accelerator Proposal Design: Helpful Resources and Graphics (SME Instrument) Posted on June 3, 2020October 9, 2020 1. Pictograms Pictograms can be very helpful in designing concept graphics and in increasing the general appeal of figures and images. Since a single project might have very specific needs regarding the type and look of the desired illustrations, a large database of pictograms is highly beneficial. The Noun Project… Read more
EIC Accelerator Pre-Requisites for an EIC Accelerator Application (SME Instrument Phase 2) Posted on May 30, 2020October 9, 2020 The applicant for the EIC Accelerator (SME Instrument Phase 2) financing is a registered company which will need to create an account on the EU’s Funding and Tenders Portal in order to receive a Participant Identification Code (PIC). Once registered, the company can apply for a variety of grants and… Read more
EIC Accelerator Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) for the EIC Accelerator (SME Instrument) Posted on May 28, 2020October 9, 2020 To apply for the EIC Accelerator (SME Instrument Phase 2) financing, your project will need to be at the prototype level which is defined as TRL6 (i.e. proof-of-concept) according to the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) classifications which are ranging from TRL1 (i.e. basic research or idea stage) to TRL9 (i.e…. Read more
EIC Accelerator Presenting Customer Interest for a Successful EIC Accelerator Application (SME Instrument Phase 2) Posted on May 27, 2020October 9, 2020 Next to outlining the innovative nature of a project, being able to demonstrate customer interest (i.e. traction) is a key factor for the success of an EIC Accelerator application. Like most other recommendations, this criteria is not an official requirement to be eligible for the financing but the evaluation checklist… Read more
EIC Accelerator The EIC Accelerator Budget: Grant vs. Blended Finance (Equity, SME Instrument) Posted on May 26, 2020October 9, 2020 The grant and the equity contribution for the EIC Accelerator are sourced from different funds (i.e. the EC and the EIC, respectively) which means that the budget is also separated into two components. The grant will need to be defined in a budget table in Part A of the administrative… Read more
EIC Accelerator Business Models for EIC Accelerator Applications (SME Instrument) Posted on May 24, 2020October 9, 2020 There are a great number of different business models available to choose from (i.e. marketplaces, product sales, SaaS, B2B, B2C, B2B2C, etc.) and the EU even lists business model innovations as a viable project type which can receive innovation financing. Still, some business models are better than others but it… Read more
EIC Accelerator Writing an EIC Accelerator Application: Microsoft Word vs. Adobe InDesign (SME Instrument Writing) Posted on May 23, 2020October 9, 2020 The EIC Accelerator application consists of the following major parts: Document 1 (Main proposal as PDF – 30 pages1 ≤ 10MB) Document 2 (Annexes as PDF – unlimited pages ≤ 10MB) Document 3 (Financial documents as PDF & XLS/ODS ≤ 10MB) Document 4 (Pitch deck as PDF – unlimited pages… Read more