Strategic Support and Leaked EIC Accelerator Step 2 Statistics
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Grant Writing Over Project Quality
One topic that has come up in recent conversations with applicants is the importance of proposal writing over project quality.
Having read many evaluation reports, I can confidently say that, for the EIC Accelerator, the quality of the writing in Step 1 is far more important than the quality of the project.
A novel modular nuclear reactor or quantum computer, an obvious DeepTech case, will perform worse than a software tool if the latter has better writing and plays by the EIC rules.
I believe this is due to the strict evaluation criteria, which cause a homework-assignment-type scrutiny and discourage evaluators from reading between the lines.
The Drip Part 2: EIC Accelerator Step 2 Statistics
And here is the highly anticipated Part 2 of the massive EIC Accelerator statistics drop. The full article on the Step 2 statistics is now live.
Overall Dataset
Total Applications: 12,255
GO: 2,797 (22.8%)
NO-GO: 9,458 (77.2%)
Countries Represented: 51
Years in Dataset: 2021–2026
Year-by-Year Breakdown
2021: 1,905 apps, 356 GO, 1,549 NO-GO, 18.7% rate
2022: 3,197 apps, 690 GO, 2,507 NO-GO, 21.6% rate
2023: 2,701 apps, 659 GO, 2,042 NO-GO, 24.4% rate
2024: 2,177 apps, 779 GO, 1,398 NO-GO, 35.8% rate
2025: 1,884 apps, 273 GO, 1,611 NO-GO, 14.5% rate
2026: 391 apps, 40 GO, 351 NO-GO, 10.2% rate
Key Highlights
Italy Again: Once again, the success rates for Italian applicants are well below those of the leaders, at about half of the Netherlands' rate.
Germany leads: Despite a lower volume in Step 1, Germany took the lead in Step 2 submissions thanks to higher success rates.
Poland at 10%: I was surprised by the low success rates for Poland, since it does have a strong innovation ecosystem, yet only 10% of applicants managed to pass Step 2.
New Hurdles: The overall success rate in Step 2 has dropped in 2026, which directly reflects the new Step 2 interviews, where a single evaluator can make or break any project. Whether this will be a good thing for the EIC and its reputation as an unbiased institution remains to be seen. For now, there seems to be no averaging of individual opinions in the Step 2 evaluation process.
Country Success Rates (min. 5 applications, sorted by rate)
Armenia: 6 apps, 3 GO, 3 NO-GO, 50.0% rate
Netherlands: 813 apps, 244 GO, 569 NO-GO, 30.0% rate
Sweden: 736 apps, 213 GO, 523 NO-GO, 28.9% rate
France: 1,172 apps, 338 GO, 834 NO-GO, 28.8% rate
Denmark: 435 apps, 125 GO, 310 NO-GO, 28.7% rate
Belgium: 270 apps, 75 GO, 195 NO-GO, 27.8% rate
Norway: 383 apps, 102 GO, 281 NO-GO, 26.6% rate
Ireland: 350 apps, 91 GO, 259 NO-GO, 26.0% rate
Austria: 305 apps, 77 GO, 228 NO-GO, 25.2% rate
Finland: 492 apps, 123 GO, 369 NO-GO, 25.0% rate
Germany: 1,383 apps, 346 GO, 1,037 NO-GO, 25.0% rate
Spain: 1,026 apps, 244 GO, 782 NO-GO, 23.8% rate
Switzerland: 183 apps, 43 GO, 140 NO-GO, 23.5% rate
Estonia: 124 apps, 29 GO, 95 NO-GO, 23.4% rate
Iceland: 54 apps, 12 GO, 42 NO-GO, 22.2% rate
United Kingdom: 840 apps, 168 GO, 672 NO-GO, 20.0% rate
Czech Republic: 62 apps, 12 GO, 50 NO-GO, 19.4% rate
Israel: 1,284 apps, 246 GO, 1,038 NO-GO, 19.2% rate
Luxembourg: 69 apps, 13 GO, 56 NO-GO, 18.8% rate
Portugal: 193 apps, 36 GO, 157 NO-GO, 18.7% rate
Lithuania: 73 apps, 12 GO, 61 NO-GO, 16.4% rate
Italy: 845 apps, 136 GO, 709 NO-GO, 16.1% rate
Bulgaria: 96 apps, 15 GO, 81 NO-GO, 15.6% rate
Slovakia: 44 apps, 6 GO, 38 NO-GO, 13.6% rate
Croatia: 25 apps, 3 GO, 22 NO-GO, 12.0% rate
Hungary: 114 apps, 12 GO, 102 NO-GO, 10.5% rate
Poland: 339 apps, 35 GO, 304 NO-GO, 10.3% rate
Latvia: 51 apps, 5 GO, 46 NO-GO, 9.8% rate
Slovenia: 62 apps, 6 GO, 56 NO-GO, 9.7% rate
Greece: 91 apps, 8 GO, 83 NO-GO, 8.8% rate
Romania: 68 apps, 5 GO, 63 NO-GO, 7.4% rate
Türkiye: 126 apps, 9 GO, 117 NO-GO, 7.1% rate
Ukraine: 30 apps, 2 GO, 28 NO-GO, 6.7% rate
Serbia: 19 apps, 1 GO, 18 NO-GO, 5.3% rate
Cyprus: 38 apps, 1 GO, 37 NO-GO, 2.6% rate
Malta: 18 apps, 0 GO, 18 NO-GO, 0.0% rate
Montenegro: 5 apps, 0 GO, 5 NO-GO, 0.0% rate
Tunisia: 9 apps, 0 GO, 9 NO-GO, 0.0% rate
Application Volume: Top 20 Countries
Germany: 1,383 apps, 11.3% share of total, 25.0% success rate
Israel: 1,284 apps, 10.5% share of total, 19.2% success rate
France: 1,172 apps, 9.6% share of total, 28.8% success rate
Spain: 1,026 apps, 8.4% share of total, 23.8% success rate
Italy: 845 apps, 6.9% share of total, 16.1% success rate
United Kingdom: 840 apps, 6.9% share of total, 20.0% success rate
Netherlands: 813 apps, 6.6% share of total, 30.0% success rate
Sweden: 736 apps, 6.0% share of total, 28.9% success rate
Finland: 492 apps, 4.0% share of total, 25.0% success rate
Denmark: 435 apps, 3.5% share of total, 28.7% success rate
Norway: 383 apps, 3.1% share of total, 26.6% success rate
Ireland: 350 apps, 2.9% share of total, 26.0% success rate
Poland: 339 apps, 2.8% share of total, 10.3% success rate
Austria: 305 apps, 2.5% share of total, 25.2% success rate
Belgium: 270 apps, 2.2% share of total, 27.8% success rate
Portugal: 193 apps, 1.6% share of total, 18.7% success rate
Switzerland: 183 apps, 1.5% share of total, 23.5% success rate
Türkiye: 126 apps, 1.0% share of total, 7.1% success rate
Estonia: 124 apps, 1.0% share of total, 23.4% success rate
Hungary: 114 apps, 0.9% share of total, 10.5% success rate
Sector Analysis
Health: 3,881 apps, 995 GO, 2,886 NO-GO, 25.6% rate
ICT: 1,879 apps, 330 GO, 1,549 NO-GO, 17.6% rate
Engineering and Tech: 1,577 apps, 411 GO, 1,166 NO-GO, 26.1% rate
Energy: 1,069 apps, 250 GO, 819 NO-GO, 23.4% rate
Biotechnology: 757 apps, 189 GO, 568 NO-GO, 25.0% rate
Env. Sciences: 639 apps, 158 GO, 481 NO-GO, 24.7% rate
Transport and Mobility: 546 apps, 81 GO, 465 NO-GO, 14.8% rate
Agriculture: 497 apps, 128 GO, 369 NO-GO, 25.8% rate
Construction: 311 apps, 58 GO, 253 NO-GO, 18.6% rate
Food and Beverages: 265 apps, 54 GO, 211 NO-GO, 20.4% rate
Consumer Products: 258 apps, 36 GO, 222 NO-GO, 14.0% rate
Space: 216 apps, 57 GO, 159 NO-GO, 26.4% rate
Security: 169 apps, 25 GO, 144 NO-GO, 14.8% rate
Education and Culture: 138 apps, 17 GO, 121 NO-GO, 12.3% rate
Public Sector Innov.: 52 apps, 8 GO, 44 NO-GO, 15.4% rate
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)
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- Contact me directly
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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.
EIC Accelerator Step 1 Deadline 2025
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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