EIC Accelerator Document Formatting Tips for the EIC Accelerator Grant pt.2 (SME Instrument Phase 2) Posted on June 11, 2020October 9, 2020 For part 1 of the EIC Accelerator grant formatting tips, please read this article. Hyper-links, cross-references and bookmarks It is recommended for a professional writer or consultant to use hyperlinks (i.e. for footnotes and for in-text references such as company names), cross-references (i.e. to sections in the same document) and… 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 Technology Readiness Levels and the EIC Accelerator (SME Instrument) Posted on June 5, 2020October 9, 2020 Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) are a useful way of classifying the current stage of an innovation or technology. They have originally been developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) many decades ago but have persisted as a popular tool used by institutions such as the European Commission (EC)… Read more
EIC Accelerator EIC Accelerator Writing: Providing the Missing Link (SME Instrument Phase 2) Posted on May 31, 2020October 9, 2020 The introduction of an EIC Accelerator (SME Instrument Phase 2) application is one of the most important sections and it is one on which I spend a disproportionate amount of time on. Outside of researching and understanding a certain innovative technology, understanding the context of the innovation in terms of… 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 EIC Accelerator (SME Instrument Phase 2) – Introduction and Blended Finance Posted on May 22, 2020October 9, 2020 Writing a successful EIC Accelerator (SME Instrument) application is always challenging due to the competitive nature of the grant and the 2 step evaluation process (i.e. written application and in-person interview). Success Rates Typical success rates range between 2% and 5% depending on the individual budget and the number of… Read more
EIC Accelerator Update: Proposal Template for the EIC Accelerator Green Deal Deadline (SME Instrument May 2020) Posted on April 16, 2020October 14, 2020 There has been an update on April 3rd (here) for the EIC Accelerator (SME Instrument) template which now gives applicants the opportunity to receive inquiries from potential investors, provided a Seal of Excellence (score of 13/15) has been received. In Annex 3 of the proposal, every applicant now has the… Read more