What is the EIC Accelerator ?
The EIC Accelerator is a funding programme under Horizon Europe that offers support to start-ups and SMEs that:
- have a innovative, game changing product, service or business model that could create new markets or disrupt existing ones in Europe and even worldwide,
- have the ambition and commitment to scale up,
- are looking for substantial funding, but the risks involved are too high for private investors alone to invest
Applicants to EIC Accelerator can submit proposals through:
- EIC Accelerator Open, which has no predefined thematic priorities and is open to proposals in any field of technology or application
- EIC Accelerator Challenges in predefined thematic topics in areas of emerging and strategic technologies
EIC Accelerator Challenges
For projects that match any of the pre-defined topics of the EIC Accelerator Challenges. The overall budget in 2026 is €220 million.
EIC Accelerator Open
For projects that don't match the EIC Accelerator topics, the EIC Accelerator Open is open to proposals in any field of technology. The overall budget for the EIC Accelerator Open in 2026 is €414 million.
How do you apply?
The application process consists of a number of steps:
- Short proposals which may be submitted at any time and which will be evaluated remotely by EIC expert evaluators on a first come, first served basis;
- If successful, you will be invited to prepare a full proposal, where you will have access to support from EIC business coaches to develop your business plan;
- Full proposals will first be assessed remotely by EIC expert evaluators. If successful, you will be invited to an interview with an EIC jury as the final step in the selection process;
- If selected for (potential)funding, you will be invited to negotiate a grant agreement for the requested grant component (if you have applied for it) and the due diligence for the investment component (if you have applied
for it).
Submission of short proposals
Short proposals may be submitted at any time and which will be evaluated remotely by EIC expert evaluators on a first come, first served basis;
- A short form where you must summarise your proposal and respond to a set of questions on your innovation, your potential market and your team;
- A pitch-deck of up to ten slides in PDF format;
- A video pitch of up to three minutes where the core members of your team (up to three people) should provide the motivation for your proposal.
You will normally receive feedback within approximately 4-6 weeks. If your application meets the basic criteria for EIC Accelerator funding, you will be invited to prepare a full proposal to submit to one of the periodic cut-off dates for Accelerator Open or Accelerator Challenge funding.
Prepare your full proposal
If your short proposal receives a GO, you can submit your full proposal to any of the 2026 cut-offs.
Prepare your full proposal on Funding and Tenders portal. The full proposal consists of a full business plan, pitch deck in PDF & a 3 minutes video pitch. Proposals will be assessed remotely by three EIC expert evaluators. You will get the result in a 8-9 weeks.
Dates of the 2026 cut-offs
- 7/01/2026
- 04/03/2026
- 06/05/2026
- 08/07/2026
- 02/09/2026
- 04/11/2026
