The Difference Between Innovation and Features (EIC Accelerator) Posted on January 17, 2020October 14, 2020 By Stephan Segler, Ph.D. Here are some tips regarding applications for the EU’s start-up grant (up to €2,500,000 via grant + €15,000,000 through equity financing). The central component for the grant application is the innovative nature of the project, meaning that it not only addresses customer needs and has a significant market impact but is based on a unique technology or approach. This is key since it can be easy to confuse ‘innovation’ with a ‘collection of features’ and try to convince through narratives such as: “We do what competitors do but better” “We have a wholesome approach that combines multiple existing features” A unique technology (patented or not) must be difficult to copy and cannot be a simple extension of other existing products. The proposal must present a clear narrative by introducing a major problem in the introduction which then ties into your product or service through its unique value proposition. Afterwards, it addresses your strategy to overcome market barriers and describes how your customers needs relate to your innovation. The overall narrative should communicate: “We are the only company who can address the problem and meet customer needs” EIC Accelerator Horizon 2020 Phase 2 SME Instrument / EIC Accelerator EIC Accelerator equityEIC Accelerator financingEIC Accelerator grantIndustries & CompaniesSME Instrument Phase 1tip#15Writing Tips
EIC Accelerator Assessing an EIC Accelerator Applicant for Innovation, Traction and the Team (SME Instrument) – Part 1 Posted on October 19, 2020February 19, 2023 When developing a project for an EIC Accelerator grant or equity application (formerly SME Instrument Phase 2), it is often useful for professional writers and consultants to look at certain key areas in order to obtain a fast overview of the project’s quality. There are many sub-criteria to be analyzed… Read More
EIC Accelerator Which Companies Should Not Apply to the EIC Accelerator (SME Instrument) – Part 1 Posted on December 17, 2020December 12, 2020 Many startups or Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SME) are interested in applying to the EIC Accelerator blended financing (formerly SME Instrument Phase 2, grant and equity financing) due to its single-beneficiary funding scheme. Before contacting a professional writer or consultant, it is often useful to first investigate which companies are… Read More
EIC Accelerator A Winning Candidate for the EIC Accelerator Posted on February 6, 2023February 19, 2023 The EIC Accelerator blended financing (formerly SME Instrument Phase 2, grant and equity) by the European Commission (EC) and European Innovation Council (EIC) funds European Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SME) and startups. The provided funding per project can reach €17.5 million in total (€2.5 million in grant and €15 million… Read More