Frequently Asked Questions

A single knock-out round could reduce the number of applicants by 50%. A second round could further reduce it to around 25%. Variations, such as comparing three projects at once, could lead to even faster reductions.

The EIC Accelerator grant is highly competitive. Applicants feel compelled to maximize the available space in the proposal to present their project in the most comprehensive and compelling way possible, leading to dense and detailed applications.

A knock-out round involves comparing applications against each other and eliminating a portion of them based on relative merit. This approach aims to quickly narrow down the pool of applicants and reduce the workload on evaluators by focusing on comparative worth.

Be as specific and quantified as possible. The goal is to create a plan that can be tracked on a monthly or even weekly basis. Clearly define milestones, budgets, and KPIs that align with your work package deliverables and overall timeline.

It's common for startups to have a general vision without detailed work packages. This is a good starting point, but you'll need to refine it. Focus on defining specific tasks, quantifying costs, and creating a clear timeline to align with the EIC Accelerator's requirements.

While a business plan is helpful, the EIC Accelerator requires specific and quantified work packages. These packages provide a detailed breakdown of tasks, timelines, and budgets, demonstrating a clear execution strategy. Refine your existing plans to meet the EIC Accelerator's requirements.

Remember that work packages should be concrete, quantified, and traceable. They should align with the overall project scope and be consistent with other sections of your proposal. Focus on development tasks, not just feasibility assessments, and ensure a clear connection between tasks, timelines, and deliverables.

Work packages are essential for evaluators to assess the 'Implementation' criteria of your proposal. They demonstrate the credibility of your project and validate the development timeline. Clear work packages help evaluators understand how you'll achieve your goals and manage the funding effectively.

If your application was rejected with a low Implementation score, prioritize reviewing and editing your work packages. Ensure they are specific, quantified, and clearly linked to your project's goals and timeline. Strong work packages are essential for demonstrating a credible implementation plan.

Grant applications are competitive, and success isn't guaranteed. It's crucial to treat grant funding as part of a broader financing strategy that includes other sources. Relying solely on one grant leaves you vulnerable if the application is unsuccessful.

Yes, absolutely! The effort you put into preparing a grant application shouldn't be wasted. You can repurpose the documents as business plans for investors, marketing materials, social media content, and other pitching opportunities.

Grant programs vary in competitiveness, with some being highly selective. Understanding the success rate (successful applicants divided by total applicants) is essential to gauge your realistic chances. A lower success rate means you should consider the grant as an optional, not essential, funding source.

This article is Part 1 of a series. Look for Part 2 to continue learning about building a diverse grant strategy. Also, explore the linked articles within this post for more details on specific aspects like the EIC Accelerator and project assessment.

Public grants offer substantial financial support with a less stringent focus on commercial factors compared to private investors. They often align with specific policy objectives, making them accessible to various entities, including non-profits, for-profits, and early-stage companies. The availability of grant writing services also simplifies the application process.

The EIC Accelerator provides blended financing (grant and equity) up to €17.5M for single beneficiaries. It's ideal for innovation startups due to its online submission process and strong support system. However, meeting the eligibility criteria is crucial for a successful application.

While the blog post doesn't explicitly list alternatives in Part 1, it implies that private funding sources are essential. This could include venture capital, angel investors, loans, or revenue-based financing. Diversifying your funding sources is key.

Any grant with a success rate below 50% should be considered an optional part of your financial strategy. This means you should not depend on it as a primary source of funding and should explore other options.

Delays are common in grant processes. It's important to have alternative funding sources and a flexible financial plan. Don't rely on the grant money arriving at a specific time, as government processes can be slow.

A score in this range suggests the proposal is generally well-written but lacks specific details needed to pass the unofficial threshold. Focus on customizing detailed changes to your project, addressing common flaws found in proposals with similar scores.

A low Implementation score implies weaknesses in the work packages, further development stages, tasks, team, partners, timing, budget, or other concrete development steps. This could be due to a lack of clarity on how the grant financing will be used or inconsistencies within the application.

A low Impact score suggests that the proposal didn't adequately address commercial aspects like customer needs, market analysis, commercialization strategy, intellectual property, or regulatory considerations. It could also mean the European dimension of the project wasn't sufficiently emphasized.

A score below 12 indicates that extensive work is needed. You should re-evaluate the innovation of your project or seriously rework the proposal to improve its quality, clarity, design, quantifications, and explanations.

A low Excellence score usually means the evaluators didn't find the product or service sufficiently innovative. It could also indicate a lack of clarity regarding the Technology Readiness Level (TRL), the current stage of development, or how the offering compares to competitors.

The maximum score is 15, with the official threshold for success being above 13. However, an unofficial threshold of above 13.6 is often cited. Scores below 12 usually indicate significant issues with the project's innovation or the proposal's quality.

While specific flaws vary, common issues include neglecting customer needs, a weak commercialization strategy, unclear innovation, insufficient detail in work packages, and inconsistencies between different parts of the application. Addressing these areas can improve your score.

'Non-bankability' is a key criterion because the EIC Accelerator aims to fund projects that cannot secure financing from other sources. You need to demonstrate that your project is high-risk and requires further de-risking, making it unattractive to traditional investors.

If your technological developments don't directly address the problem, they won't be viewed as essential, and your grant proposal's evaluation score will likely be low. Ensure a clear and direct connection between the problem and your solution.

Showcase any existing traction, such as pilot customers, validations, and Letters of Intent (LOI). This demonstrates that there's real-world interest in your product or service and helps to mitigate the perception of it being a new and unproven technology.

Position the EIC Accelerator as the ideal solution for financing your innovation project. Explain how the EIC's support is crucial for solving the EU problem you're addressing and how it will act as a springboard to achieve commercialization.

In this section, highlight the necessity of the work packages, the implementation plan, and the desired outcome of your project. Explain how the EIC Accelerator's funding will be used and why it's a crucial step in realizing your project's development.

'Scaling' refers to the potential for your project to achieve global reach and become a future EU unicorn startup. You should explain why your project has the capacity to scale and quantify its potential impact on the environment, industry, and the EU.

The 'Technology' section should clearly present your innovative solution and explain how it directly addresses the problem you've identified. Highlight the unique selling points (USPs) of your technology and demonstrate that it's a 'must-have' solution, not just a 'nice-to-have'.

This guide offers a more general approach to structuring the 'Technology' section, focusing on why the EIC Accelerator is needed instead of private investment. It prioritizes EU-specific narratives and omits some key sections to provide a clearer perspective on arguing for EIC support.

Reach out to multiple consultancies that specialize in EIC Accelerator grant writing. Many offer free initial assessments to evaluate your project's potential and provide feedback on its innovativeness and alignment with the program's criteria. This can help you make an informed decision.

Review your past success in securing similar grants and funding. Evaluate your team's experience in writing business plans and commercial strategies. Seek feedback from investors and stakeholders on your existing materials to identify areas for improvement.

Your team should possess strong writing, editing, and business planning skills. Experience in securing research grants, crafting commercial strategies, and incorporating feedback from investors is also crucial. Be realistic about your team's capabilities and seek external feedback if needed.

Consider the consultancy fees versus the opportunity cost of internal team members spending time on the application. Evaluate the potential impact on product development and core business activities. Explore different consultancy options and their pricing structures to find a solution that fits your budget.

If budget is a major constraint, carefully weigh the costs of internal preparation against the potential benefits of external expertise. Explore consultancies offering flexible payment plans or success-based fees. Remember that a well-prepared application can significantly increase your chances of securing funding.

Potentially, yes. Because gender identity is defined as a 'deeply felt experience' without time limitations, there's a possibility that some male CEOs might designate themselves as non-binary to gain an advantage, especially if the status of non-binary becomes equivalent to that of a female applicant.

When the beneficial treatment of female CEO's was announced, it was also made clear that the respective person would have to be in the CEO position for a longer timeframe and not be elected CEO just for the purpose of the EIC Accelerator submission.

It's speculated that a CEO might dismiss critical jury questions about gender identity by stating, 'I would prefer not to discuss my gender identity.' This could potentially be used to avoid scrutiny or gain an advantage in the evaluation process.

The newest Horizon Europe grant proposal template now requires applicants to select their gender from the options of male, female, and non-binary. Previously, the 'undisclosed' option was available, which was effectively treated as male during the evaluation process.

The EIC Accelerator blended financing is a competitive funding program by the European Commission that provides both grant and equity funding to startups and SMEs. It aims to support innovative projects that address societal challenges and meet sustainability targets, with a strong emphasis on gender equity.

Yes, the special advantage for women, along with coaching support, might be shorter-lived than anticipated. The inclusion of non-binary gender options and potential political pressures could reshape the playing field and affect the enforcement of gender equity targets.

Gender equity targets have significantly benefited female entrepreneurs by increasing their funding rates from under 5% to 35% or higher. This gives female CEOs a slight advantage in the competitive EIC Accelerator application process, potentially making the difference between acceptance and rejection.

The European Commission defines gender identity as each person’s deeply felt internal and individual experience of their own gender, whether as a man, a woman or non-binary, which may or may not correspond to the sex assigned at birth.

Excellent female entrepreneurs should seize the opportunity to apply to the EIC Accelerator now while high funding rates of 35% are still enforced. Political pressure might eventually lead to changes in the program's gender equity policies.

Address your company's hiring practices, gender treatment policies, and the potential impact of your project on gender equality. Research and discuss any repercussions of your technology on gender differences to strengthen your application.

No, having a female CEO doesn't guarantee funding. While it provides an advantage, your proposal still needs to be a high-quality business proposal with a strong evaluation score. The policy simply increases the chances of receiving an interview invitation.

Yes, reapplying is a good idea. The threshold for interview invitations is lower for female CEOs, potentially giving your application a better chance of success in future cut-offs. Make sure your proposal is professionally written and of high quality.