EIC Accelerator is dedicated to: Start-ups and SMEs seeking to scale up high impact; innovations with the potential to create new markets or disrupt existing ones Innovations building on scientific discovery or technological breakthroughs (‘deep tech’); Innovations where significant funding is needed over a long timeframe and are too risky for private investors alone.
Who can apply?
Single company classified as SME (or “small mid-cap” – up to 500 employees – for investment component only) established in EU Member State (MS) or Associated Country (AC) One or more natural persons or legal entities – intending to establish an SME or a small mid-cap in a MS/AC by the time of signing the contract – intending to invest in an SME or small mid-cap in a MS/AC, who may submit the proposal on behalf of that SME or small mid-cap and who have a prior agreement with the company. Contract only with beneficiary company! – from a (non-AC) third country, intending to establish or relocate an SME to a MS or AC by the time of submitting a full application. Company most prove effective establishment. Union interest needs to be met.
EIC Accelerator Open 2025
EIC Accelerator Open has no predefined thematic priorities and is open to proposals in any field of technology or application.
The EIC Accelerator supports the later stages of technology development as well as scale up. The technology component of your innovation must therefore have been tested and validated in a laboratory or other relevant environment (e.g. at least Technology Readiness Level 6 or higher). The EIC Accelerator looks to support companies where the EIC support will act as a catalyst to crowd in other investors necessary for the scale up of the innovation.
The EIC Accelerator focuses on innovations building on scientific discovery or technological breakthroughs (‘deep tech’) and where significant funding is needed over a long timeframe before returns can be generated (‘patient capital’). Such innovations often struggle to attract financing because the risks and time period involved are too high. Funding and support from the EIC Accelerator is designed to enable such innovators to attract the full investment amounts needed for scale up in a shorter timeframe.
EIC Accelerator Challenges 2025
Indicative call budget:€ 250 million
Each challenge: € 50 million
EIC Accelerator Challenges 2025:
Acceleration of advanced materials development and upscaling along the value chain
This challenge focuses on scaling SMEs belonging to the whole value chain of advanced materials and addressing one or more of these four key application areas: energy, mobility, electronics, construction. The expected outcomes are to strengthen the European value chain of advanced materials in the energy, mobility, electronics, and construction application areas. Enable a more diversified, digitally driven, and risk-aware configuration of the European advanced materials value chain and associated processes and technologies. Accelerate market uptake of advanced materials in the energy, mobility, electronics, and construction industrial sectors. Address the EU’s industrial dependency on imports of resources, such as CRMs, for the energy, mobility, electronics, and construction sectors.
Biotechnology driven low emission food and feed production systems
This challenge aims to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and the wider environmental footprint of the food production system that requires further action on several fronts. The expected outcomes are to support one (or more) of the following areas in the field of biotechnology like scaling breakthroughs in biopesticides, bio-stimulants, fertilizers of microbial origin, support to precision crop and livestock farming, support to biotechnological innovations for ruminant methane mitigation and for food production.
GenAI4EU: Creating European Champions in Generative AI
This challenge aims to support start-ups and SMEs committed to bringing transformative AI-driven solutions to market, to safeguard human autonomy and enhance human expertise thus providing significant added value to decision-making processes, services or industrial workflows. The expected outcomes are the creation of leading European companies in generative AI, advancing AI-driven innovation across industries, in order to strengthen Europe’s technological sovereignty in this field.
Innovative in-space servicing, operations, robotics and technologies for resilient EU space infrastructure
This challenge aims to support companies developing cost-effective, scalable and resilient solutions to service and/or augment satellite capabilities, perform in-orbit refuelling, contribute to space debris reduction, and protect EU space infrastructure. The expected outcomes are to reinforce European space capabilities, to improve space asset resilience, and to establish cutting-edge robotic technologies for space operations.
Breakthrough innovations for future mobility
This challenge aims to support cost-effective and scalable deep tech breakthroughs that will help deliver reductions in mobility-related emissions. The expected outcome is to develop market-ready innovations that will contribute to more sustainable, efficient, and connected transport solutions for Europe, fostering the adoption of next-generation mobility systems for the reduction of carbon emissions across the transportation sector.