What Makes a Good Project? Posted on March 19, 2019March 18, 2020 By Stephan Segler, Ph.D. I am talking to a lot of startups who are at different stages in their development. When first discussing a project, I look for 2 main components to see if an application can be successful: (1) Is the project ahead of the competition and a leap from the current stage of the art? In other words: Can you name at least one thing that is unique about your project? (2) Is there a great market demand? It is very important that future users have a tangible reason to buy the product. Is it cheaper than current alternatives? Higher in quality? A unique feature? Horizon 2020 Phase 1 SME Instrument / EIC Accelerator SME Instrument Phase 1tip#02
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
Horizon 2020 Directly Applying for Phase 2 Posted on March 19, 2019March 18, 2020 I am talking to a lot of startups regarding EU funding and I frequently get asked if it is possible to apply to Phase 2 of the SME Instrument directly. The answer is: Yes. Technically you can but in reality, most startups do not have enough data (market, business… 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