EIC Accelerator

The EIC Accelerator supports top-class innovative entrepreneurs, specifically SMEs. It is one of the instruments of the European Innovation Council (EIC) Work Programme, part of Horizon Europe. On this page we summarise all programme information, including deadlines, requirements, different call types, and advice for your application. For deeper insights into how to successfully apply to this programme, download our EIC Accelerator guide.

On this page:

• What is the EIC Accelerator?
• EIC Accelerator programme 2026 requirements
• EIC Accelerator funding overview
• What does the EIC Accelerator programme consist of?
• The difference between EIC Accelerator Challenges and EIC Accelerator Open
• Who can apply for the EIC Accelerator?
• The EIC Accelerator application process
• When are the EIC Accelerator deadlines?
• EIC Accelerator complete guide
• Catalyze is an official partner of the EIC

What is the EIC Accelerator?

The EIC Accelerator, part of Horizon Europe, is a funding programme designed by the European Innovation Council to support (deep-tech) start-ups and SMEs that:

• Develop innovative, game-changing products, services, or business models with the potential to create new markets or disrupt existing ones in Europe and beyond.
• Demonstrate the ambition and commitment to scale up their business.
• Require significant funding to grow, but whose high level of risk makes it difficult to attract private investment alone.

EIC Accelerator Programme 2026 Requirements

This highly competitive programme helps you to develop your business concept further into a market-ready product, service or process aligned with your company’s growth strategy. Activities could, for example, include trials, prototyping, validation, demonstration and testing in real-world conditions, and market replication. If the activity concerns a primarily technological innovation, a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 5/6 or above is envisaged. The EIC Accelerator is focused on innovations that build on scientific discoveries or breakthrough technologies. Through the funding it will support innovators to attract the full investment amounts needed for scale up in a shorter timeframe. Work essential to your project may be subcontracted.

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 areas of emerging and strategic technologies.

EIC Accelerator Funding Overview

Subsidy:

• Grant: max. €2.5M
• Investment component: Between €0,5M and €15M
  • Applicants can choose to apply for a blend of grant and equity, grant only, grant first or equity only.

Total Budget available: €634M

Deadline: 3 stage application process

• Short proposal: apply anytime
• Full proposal: 7 January, 4 March, 6 May, 8 July, 2 September, 4 November 2026
• Interview rounds: They will be held approximately 8-9 weeks after the cut-off dates

Consortium: single SMEs and start-up (and individuals intending to establish a start-up/SME) established in EU Member State Countries.

What does the EIC Accelerator programme consist of?

Funding types

The EIC Accelerator consists of three types of funding, namely:

1. Grant only: These are one-time contributions with a maximum of €2.5 million. They are intended for projects with Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6-8 who are to be completed within 24 months.
2. Equity investment only: This type of funding is meant for high-risk innovation in order to bridge the gap until they can be fully financed by other parties. Typically from €500,000 up to €15 million. Bigger funding up until €30 million can be realised through the EIC STEP Scale Up scheme.
3. Blended finance: Combines grants and equity to reduce risk while enabling scale-up.

The difference between EIC Accelerator Challenges and EIC Accelerator Open

While applying for the EIC Accelerator programme your project will fall into one of two categories dependent on its scope and focus: Accelerator Challenges or Accelerator Open:

EIC Accelerator Challenges

Every year the EIC defines a set of challenges tackling priority areas of innovation. Projects that directly address these strategic EU priorities fall into this category. EIC Accelerator Challenges ensure that EU funding aligns with policy goals and societal needs. In 2026, the challenges are defined as follows:

• Advanced Materials for Renewable Energy and Energy Storage Systems
• Alternative Concepts and Key Enabling Technologies for Fusion Power Plants
• Biotech for Regenerating Agricultural Soils
• Boosting the European Critical Raw Materials value chain
• Deep Tech for Climate Adaptation

In 2026, the overall budget for EIC Accelerator Challenges is €220 million. For a concise summary of the Challenges, download our  EIC Accelerator guide or visit the EIC website.

EIC Accelerator Open

For projects that do not fit within the specific EIC Accelerator challenge areas, the EIC Accelerator Open is open to proposals from any field of technology. In 2026, the programme has an overall budget of €414 million.

Who can apply for the EIC Accelerator?

In order to be able to apply to the EIC Accelerator, applicants must originate from EU Member States and countries associated to the Horizon Europe programme:

• Single start-up or SME (including spin-outs)
• Small mid-caps (up to 499 employees)  in need of rapid scale up of the TRL 9 activity. Mid-caps can apply for investment only.
• Natural persons or legal entities willing to set up an SMEs or a mid-cap. 

Applicants from third countries:

• Applicants from third countries may relocate their company in order to become eligible. This must be done before submitting the full application (Step 2).
• Applicants from the United Kingdom can only apply for the “grant only” scheme

The EIC Accelerator application process

The application process for the EIC Accelerator consists of four steps:

• Step 1: Write a short proposal consisting of a summary of the plans, a pitch deck and a video pitch. A response usually takes 4-6 weeks. If your application meets the basic criteria, you are invited to procede to step 2.
• Step 2: Write a full proposal consisting of a full business plan, pitch deck and video pitch. Proposals will be reviewed by three EIC experts, after which the results will be shared in 8-9 weeks. With a positive result you are eligible to procede to step 3.
• Step 3: Pitch your innovation to an EIC jury. This interview takes place approximately 4-5 weeks after step 2’s results. Interview results follow within 2-3 weeks.
• Step 4: Finalisation of funding. Depending on the type of funding you sign a grant agreement and/or negotiate the investment. A decision on the terms of a possible equity investment can take 2-6 months.

You may submit a short proposal at any time via the Funding & Tenders Portal. Applicants may submit only one application to the EIC Accelerator. Additional applications can be submitted after receiving the results of the original submission.

When are the EIC Accelerator deadlines?

If your short application is successful under the 2026 Work Programme, you may submit your full proposal to any of the cut-off dates in 2026. The cut-off dates in 2026 are 7 January, 4 March, 6 May, 8 July, 2 September, 4 November 2026.

EIC Accelerator guide

Download our free EIC Accelerator guide for applicants

Applying to EIC Accelerator is a strategic decision that should not be taken lightly. In a nutshell, you need a breakthrough innovation with the potential to create entirely new markets or revolutionise existing ones, a clear ambition to grow at international level, a demonstrated knowledge of your target market, and a convincing, detailed business and financing plan. It is crucial that you are ready to convince on each one of these aspects.

Download our comprehensive EIC Accelerator guide to access expert insights for you submission.

Catalyze is an official partner of the EIC

Catalyze is proud to be an official EIC Partner and member of the EIC Ecosystem Partnership and Co-investment Support programme. All EIC supported projects and companies get access to coaching, mentoring, partnering and other EIC Business Acceleration Services from partners as part of the programme.

Learn more about EIC Ecosystem Partnership and Co-investment Support programme.

EIC Accelerator Award Winning Success Stories

In the October 2024 funding round, more than 10% of all winners Europe-wide were supported by Catalyze; 8 of the 71 awarded projects. This round was the most competitive EIC Accelerator funding round yet, with 1,211 applicants, and 431 invited to jury interviews.

Read what our EIC awardees have to say.

About the European Innovation Council (EIC) Programme

The European Innovation Council (EIC), launched under the EU’s Horizon Europe programme, has a budget of €10.1 billion to support breakthrough innovations, covering the full journey from early research and proof of concept to technology transfer, funding, and scaling up start-ups and SMEs. Previously, the EIC pilot was tested and evaluated under Horizon 2020. The EIC aims at identifying and supporting breakthrough technologies and game-changing innovations with the potential to scale up internationally and become market leaders. 70% of the entire budget is ear-marked for SMEs, which shows the focus of EIC on supporting SMEs. There are 3 sub-programmes that form the basis of the EIC programme: EIC Pathfinder, EIC Transition and EIC Accelerator.

Learn more about the European Innovation Council 

About Catalyze

At Catalyze we commit ourselves to accelerate innovations that have a positive impact on the world. We are the driving force for innovations across the fields of Life Sciences and Sustainability. Our offering of strategic consulting services, funding consulting, project management and more, deliver impactful expertise for all development stages. With a proven track record and the highest quality and success rate in the industry, we aim to be the consulting partner of choice to drive the success of meaningful innovation projects.

Learn more

EIC Accelerator Grant FAQs

When is the EIC Accelerator deadline?

Both the Open and Challenge Calls share two deadlines in 2025. The first is 12 March 2025, then 1 October 2025. Short applications are welcome any time to the EIC Accelerator programme.

What is the budget for EIC Accelerator?

EIC Accelerator has a total indicative budget of €634 million in 2025, divided over the Open call (€384M) and five Challenge (€250M) calls. In addition, the new STEP Scale-up scheme has a budget of €300 million for 2025, which will grow each year through 2025-27. STEP will provide larger investments in companies aiming to bring strategic technologies to the EU market and avoid strategic dependencies.

How to write a winning grant for EIC Accelerator?

Applying to EIC Accelerator is a strategic decision that should not be taken lightly. In a nutshell, you need a breakthrough innovation with the potential to create entirely new markets or revolutionise existing ones, a clear ambition to grow at international level, a demonstrated knowledge of your target market, and a convincing, detailed business and financing plan. It is crucial that you are ready to convince on each one of these aspects.

Download our comprehensive EIC Accelerator guide to read more of our advice for applying to EIC Accelerator.

What is the subsidy for EIC Accelerator?

The maximum subsidy amount for winning EIC Accelerator proposals is €2.5M, for both Open and Challenge calls. In addition, applicants can receive between €0,5M and €10M in equity investment.

Who can apply for EIC Accelerator?

Applicants must be small- or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – especially start-ups, spin-outs and scale-ups, individuals intending to launch a start-up or SME, and in exceptional cases, small mid-caps (fewer than 500 employees) established in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe-associated country.

European Innovation Council Programmes