What Is the H2020 SME Instrument Phase 1 Funding? Posted on August 29, 2017May 23, 2020 By Stephan Segler, Ph.D. The SME Instrument is a €3 billion funding scheme that is part of the largest EU research and innovation programme in of the EU called Horizon 2020 (€80 billion budget). By the end of 2020, 7500 Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SME) will have received funding over a period of 6 years. To find out if your company is eligible for funding, please read Can My Company Receive Funding from the EU?. The SME Instrument The SME Instrument is structured in 3 Phases: Phase 1 – The Feasibility Study (€50.000) Phase 1 is officially optional, but without it, the chances of success for Phase 2 are minimal. If a project cannot be approved for Phase 1, it is highly unlikely that it will succeed in Phase 2. The duration of this project is around 6 months and its purpose is assessing the technical, commercial and financial feasibility of the project. As a result, a Business Plan is fully developed and it will be outlined if the project is a suitable investment. Phase 2 – Innovation Development & Demonstration (€0.5 to 2.5 million) Phase 2 typically takes 1 to 2 years and its purpose is to bring the technology from the prototype level to commercial readiness. This will be the main development of the project and receives the highest amount of funding. Phase 3 – Support for Market Entry (non-financial) Phase 3 gives additional support through the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) which can give guidance and advice on project related topics. Horizon 2020 Phase 1 Phase 2 SME Instrument / EIC Accelerator EIC Accelerator successIndustries & CompaniesInvestorsSME Instrument Phase 1SME Instrument Phase 2TimelineWriting Tips
EIC Accelerator Changes in the EIC Accelerator during 2019 Posted on January 13, 2020October 14, 2020 Since 2019 has come to an end, here is a summary of the main changes that have occurred regarding the EUs startup grant – the EIC Accelerator: 1. Equity Finance: The most significant change was the discontinuation of Phase 1 (€50,000 grant financing) and the introduction of the new blended financing… Read More
EIC Accelerator How to Prepare an EIC Accelerator Resubmission Posted on April 13, 2023April 6, 2023 The EIC Accelerator funding (grant and equity, with blended financing option) by the European Commission (EC) and European Innovation Council (EIC) provides startups and Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SME) with detailed feedback for every stage of the evaluation process (see What is the EIC Accelerator). This feedback system is relatively… Read More
EIC Accelerator How the Future of the EIC Accelerator Could Look Like (SME Instrument) – Part 2 Posted on December 24, 2020December 18, 2020 This article is a continuation of Part 1 and presents a collection of areas that the EIC Accelerator might evolve towards in the future. The EIC Accelerator blended financing (formerly SME Instrument Phase 2, grant and equity financing) is a constantly evolving and growing funding arm of the European Innovation… Read More