New EU Calls, Humanoids and other EU Funding News

Here are some updates regarding grants and news on European innovation.

New Calls

If you follow keywords on Subsdy, you have likely already received notifications about new funding opportunities for innovative startups. Here are two of the newly published calls:

• EIC defence call: €10–30M in equity for defence startups. It's basically the EIC STEP Scale-Up for defence.

• Co-Creation Accelerator: Small €250K grants for TRL 4–5 deep-tech startups. Basically, the EIC Pre-Accelerator, but for everyone.

In total, there were over 200 new grants and tenders in June, and you can find a more comprehensive list on Subsdy.

Robotics and Autonomy

The German startup Neura Robotics was in the news recently for its $1.4 billion (yes, that's not a euro sign) funding round at a $7 billion valuation. I also worked recently with a startup that is building technology relevant to humanoid robots, and a thought came to me:

While the EU still has a chance to be a key player in robotics and humanoids, I believe it will fall behind, not because it lacks the technology or funding, but because the EU and its Member States will impose too much red tape to commercialize them.

Autonomous driving is a good example, as it represents a real-world case of replacing humans in real environments.

In this case, Europe is far behind when it comes to piloting and commercializing autonomous driving compared to the US and China.

The reason is the numerous EU and national regulations regarding privacy and safety, including the usual suspects, such as the GDPR and the AI Act.

Humanoid Robots

Compared to autonomous driving, humanoid robots (and general robotics) are the natural conclusion of the attempt to automate human life, because they can replace humans in almost any type of environment.

But this broader autonomy also comes with even more regulation, since it touches on privacy, safety, personal data, AI autonomy, security concerns, and even job displacement.

These are all topics that trigger a knee-jerk reaction from EU politicians and bureaucrats: regulation.

My prediction is that, while Europe has a strong market for foreign generative AI companies, the European humanoid and general robotics market will grow much more slowly than in other developed economies.

Pitch Decks

Claude Design has been out for a while, but I finally got around to testing it, and I highly recommend it for pitch decks, especially if you are starting from scratch and don't have a proper corporate identity or design yet.

For the EIC Accelerator, you can simply generate a very high-quality deck in just 5 minutes, provided you know the general target layout (see the Starter Pack) and have already completed the written proposal.

2-Factor Authentication

For about a week now, 2FA has been mandatory when submitting EU grants such as the EIC Accelerator. Unfortunately, the good old SMS 2FA has been deprecated, and they now only offer the more inconvenient mobile app and some other options.

To their credit, though, they do offer the option to add security keys, which is great, as it does not rely on apps and can integrate with your existing security habits.

EIC Accelerator Misinformation

One of the tricky things about content around the EIC Accelerator is that the information keeps changing.

There was a time when the EIC provided €15 million in equity funding to applicants, but that time is long gone. I do attempt to update old content when such fundamental changes happen, but perfect maintenance is impossible.

The result is that much of the content about the EIC Accelerator available today is plain misinformation, including much of the official content from the EIC, simply because it is outdated.

With AI, this problem has only intensified, as systems keep picking up incorrect information and presenting it as new content. That is a problem because it is literal misinformation, not simply outdated material.

I am following a newsletter from one of the many new AI platforms focused on the EIC Accelerator, and it still sends out incorrect information today, getting deadlines and funding amounts wrong.

It's never been this tough to be an applicant, especially when using AI to gather information.

Prepare Your Application

Need help with the EIC Accelerator or other grants? Here are some options:

• Starter Pack (lowest-risk entry via AI writer ChatEIC and content)
• Advisory (personalized guidance to help you write)
• Writing (complete end-to-end service, including writing and submission)
• Review (personal proposal review by an expert)

Other resources:

• Baibylon: Your AI Agent Inbox
• Subsdy (AI grant discovery)
• My Subsdy Profile
• Newsletter (share this newsletter with a colleague)
• Subscribe via Telegram (get updates in the Telegram channel)
• Contact me directly
• Flaxd: Strategic Startup Consulting

These tips are not only useful for European startups, professional writers, consultants and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SME) but are generally recommended when writing a business plan or investor documents.

Deadlines: Post-Horizon 2020, the EIC Accelerator accepts Step 1 submissions now while the deadlines for the full applications (Step 2) under Horizon Europe are listed below. The Step 1 applications must be submitted weeks in advance of Step 2. The next EIC Accelerator cut-off for Step 2 (full proposal) can be found here. After Brexit, UK companies can still apply to the EIC Accelerator under Horizon Europe albeit with non-dilutive grant applications only - thereby excluding equity-financing. Switzerland has resumed its participation in Horizon Europe and is now eligible for the EIC Accelerator.

Contact: You can reach out to us via this contact form to work with a professional consultant.

AI Grant Writer: ChatEIC is a fully automated EIC Accelerator grant proposal writer: Get it here.

EIC Accelerator: EIC Accelerator delivers flexible funding options including blended finance (€2.5M grant + €0.5M-€10M equity), grant-only (up to €2.5M), or equity-only arrangements for scale-up and market deployment of breakthrough innovations. The initiative targets SMEs, start-ups, and small mid-caps with up to 499 employees. Technology areas include Biotech, Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Energy, Quantum, Aerospace, Advanced Materials, and Semiconductors. Get Started

EIC Pathfinder: EIC Pathfinder delivers up to €3 million for Open calls and up to €4 million for Challenge-based calls to support early-stage research and development with proof-of-principle validation. The initiative requires research consortia with a minimum of 3 partners from 3 different countries, including universities, research organizations, and SMEs. Primary technology focus areas include Health/Medical, Quantum Technologies, AI, Environmental/Energy, and Advanced Materials. Get Started

EIC Transition: EIC Transition delivers up to €2.5 million in funding to overcome the 'valley of death' gap between laboratory research and market deployment, emphasizing technology maturation and validation. The initiative supports single legal entities or small consortia of 2-5 partners including SMEs, start-ups, spin-offs, and research organizations. Key technology domains include Health/Medical Technologies, Green/Environmental Innovation, Digital/Microelectronics, Quantum Technologies, and AI/Robotics. Get Started

EIC STEP Scale-Up: EIC STEP Scale-Up delivers significant equity investments of €10-30 million for established deep-tech companies prepared for hyper-growth and large-scale expansion. The initiative targets SMEs or small mid-caps with up to 499 employees who have obtained pre-commitment from qualified investors. Primary focus areas include Digital & Deep Tech (Semiconductors, AI, Quantum), Clean Technologies for Net-Zero objectives, and Biotechnologies. Get Started

EIC Pre-Accelerator: EIC Pre-Accelerator represents a pilot initiative delivering €300,000-€500,000 in funding for early-stage deep-tech development and preparation for the EIC Accelerator program. This program is exclusively accessible to single SMEs or small mid-caps from 'Widening countries' to foster regional innovation development. The initiative encompasses deep-tech innovations across physical, biological, and digital domains. Get Started

EIC Advanced Innovation Challenges: EIC Advanced Innovation Challenges represents a new pilot initiative delivering €300,000 (Stage 1) and up to €2.5 million (Stage 2) for breakthrough deep-tech innovations through ARPA-style staged funding mechanisms with integrated demand-side engagement. This initiative targets single entities or small consortia (2-3 partners) including SMEs, start-ups, and research organizations. Primary focus areas include Physical AI for autonomous robotics applications and New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) for animal-free biomedical testing, with TRL 4 entry requirements and demonstrated end-user commitment. Get Started

Eureka Network: The Eureka Network delivers various international collaborative R&D initiatives such as Network Projects, Clusters, Eurostars, Globalstars, and Innowwide, providing funding from €50K to €6.75M per project based on the specific initiative. This network emphasizes market-driven innovation and deep-tech advancement across multiple technology sectors including ICT/Digital, Industrial/Manufacturing, Bio/Medical Technologies, Energy/Environment, Quantum, AI, and Circular Economy. Eligible participants include SMEs, large enterprises, research organizations, universities, and startups, with Eurostars particularly focused on R&D-performing SMEs. Get Started

Eurostars: Eurostars represents a joint EU-Eureka initiative delivering €50K-€500K for international R&D collaboration specifically led by SMEs. The program adopts a bottom-up approach, accepting projects from all technology fields without predefined thematic restrictions. R&D-performing SMEs must lead the consortium and demonstrate significant R&D activities. Get Started

Innovation Partnership: Innovation Partnership enables collaborative innovation between public and private sectors with typical funding of €1-5 million per project. The initiative supports cross-sectoral strategic technologies through public-private partnerships and consortia. Projects concentrate on addressing societal challenges through collaborative innovation approaches. Get Started

Innovation Fund: The EU Innovation Fund delivers substantial funding of €7.5 million to €300 million for large-scale demonstration of innovative low-carbon technologies. The initiative targets clean energy, carbon capture, renewable energy, and energy storage technologies to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy. Eligible participants include large companies, consortia, and public entities capable of implementing large-scale demonstration projects. Get Started

Innovate UK: Innovate UK delivers various programs with funding ranging from £25K to £10M depending on the specific initiative, supporting business-led innovation, collaborative R&D, and knowledge transfer. The organization funds projects across all sectors with particular emphasis on emerging technologies and supports UK-based businesses, research organizations, and universities. Programs are designed to drive economic growth through innovation and technology commercialization. Get Started

Industrial Partnership: Industrial Partnership delivers €2-10 million in funding for industrial research and innovation partnerships focusing on manufacturing, industrial technologies, and digital transformation. The initiative supports industrial consortia and research organizations in developing collaborative solutions for industrial challenges. Projects aim to strengthen European industrial competitiveness through strategic partnerships. Get Started

LIFE Programme: The LIFE Programme delivers €1-10 million in funding for environmental protection, climate action, and nature conservation projects across the European Union. The initiative supports environmental technologies, climate adaptation strategies, and biodiversity conservation initiatives. Eligible participants include public authorities, private companies, NGOs, and research institutions working on environmental and climate challenges. Get Started

Neotec: Neotec represents a Spanish initiative delivering €250K-€1M in funding for technology-based business creation and development, supporting the growth of innovative Spanish SMEs and start-ups. The program covers all technology sectors and aims to strengthen Spain's technology ecosystem. Funding is specifically targeted at Spanish technology-based SMEs and start-ups to enhance their competitiveness and market presence. Get Started

Thematic Priorities: EU Thematic Priorities encompass various programs aligned with EU strategic priorities including green transition, digital transformation, health, and security initiatives. Funding amounts vary based on the specific program and call requirements, with projects designed to address key European challenges. Applicant eligibility varies by specific program and call, with different requirements for different thematic areas. Get Started

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