Frequently Asked Questions

While the 'Open Disruptive Innovation' topic (Topic 01) is highly competitive, it can still be worthwhile to apply if your project aligns well with its objectives. Just be aware that the competition is stiff, so your proposal needs to be exceptionally strong.

If your proposal is deemed high quality and meets the funding threshold, your chances of getting funded increase substantially. Success rates for high-quality proposals ranged from 28% to 100% in 2015, averaging around 70%, depending on the specific topic.

Making the funding threshold means that your proposal received a score high enough to be considered for funding. Even with a good score, your proposal might not be funded due to budget limitations and the competitiveness of the topic.

The topic you select is very important. Success rates vary significantly between topics due to differences in budget and the number of applicants. Choosing a less competitive topic with a reasonable budget can increase your chances of securing funding.

To improve your chances, focus on creating a high-quality proposal that clearly addresses the topic's objectives and demonstrates the potential impact of your project. Also, consider applying to less crowded topics with reasonable budgets, and seek feedback on your proposal before submitting it.

Based on 2015 data, the top three topics with the highest success rates were Low-Carbon and Efficient Energy (09), Agri-Culture, Food and Bio-Based Sectors (07), and Health, Well-Being and Ageing Well (06). These topics may be worth considering for your application.

Even proposals with high scores can be rejected due to limited funding. The competition is fierce, and only the highest-ranked proposals within the available budget for each topic receive funding. Consider reapplying to a different topic or improving your proposal based on feedback.

In 2015, the average success rate for all applications to the Horizon 2020 SME Instrument was around 9%. However, this number increases significantly when considering only high-quality proposals that met the funding threshold.

Yes, there's dedicated support for biotechnology SMEs. They are looking for projects that close the gap from lab to market, especially in industrial biotechnology and those using systems or synthetic biology. If you're in biotech, this is worth exploring.

Yes, the EU provides funding for small business innovation research in Transport and Smart Cities Mobility. They are looking for innovations that deliver sustainable and smarter mobility, better accessibility, and logistics for businesses and citizens. If your SME is focused on transport or smart city solutions, explore this opportunity.

'Blue Growth' refers to sustainable growth in the marine and maritime sectors. SMEs can get funding for innovative solutions in marine biotechnology, fisheries, aquaculture, and marine litter prevention. If your SME contributes to these areas, consider applying.

Yes, funding is available to accelerate the market introduction of ICT solutions for Health, Well-Being, and Ageing Well. The goal is to overcome gaps in exploiting promising research results and increase the availability of relevant ICT products and services. If you have a relevant ICT solution, this is a good option.

Yes, the EU provides funding to engage SMEs in space research and development. This includes areas like applications related to Galileo and Copernicus, spinning-in terrestrial solutions to space challenges, and developing critical technologies. Consider this if your work connects to space.

Yes, funding is available to accelerate the uptake of nanotechnologies, advanced materials, or advanced manufacturing. The goal is to create added value by combining research results with other elements, transferring results across sectors, and accelerating innovation to generate profit or other benefits.

Yes, the EU supports SMEs that stimulate innovation for a low carbon and efficient energy system. This includes reducing energy consumption, low-carbon electricity supply, alternative fuels, smart grids, and new energy technologies. If your SME is working on these issues, this funding is relevant.

Yes, the EU supports SMEs that develop innovative solutions for sustainable and competitive agriculture, forestry, agri-food, and bio-based sectors. This includes resource-efficient solutions for safe, healthy food, sustainable production systems, and low-carbon supply chains. If your SME is in this area, look into this funding.

Yes, there is support for innovative SMEs in the healthcare biotechnology sector. This includes clinical research for validating biomarkers and/or diagnostic medical devices, as well as cell technologies in medical applications. Check if your project aligns with these areas.

This funding focuses on companies with disruptive ICT concepts, products, and services. The goal is to support innovations that create new markets or disrupt existing ones by applying new rules, values, and models. Think of it as funding for groundbreaking ideas that change the game.

Your title should highlight the unique selling points of your product, clearly identify the product itself, and indicate the broader industry or European impact you expect to achieve. Use descriptive adjectives to showcase the product's key features.

Generally, it's best to avoid acronyms in the title unless they are extremely well-known and widely understood within the relevant industry. Clarity is key, and using full terms is usually preferable.

Prioritize the most impactful and differentiating USPs. You can use multiple adjectives to describe the product or combine several benefits into a single, concise phrase within the title.

Both are crucial, but the title is your first impression. If the abstract is a condensed proposal, the title is a condensed abstract. A strong title encourages evaluators to delve deeper into your proposal.

A good example is: "The first integrated Battery Management System for uninterrupted Operation to Increase European Renewables Penetration." This title clearly identifies the product, its benefits, and its impact.

While there's no strict length limit, aim for brevity and clarity. A title that's too long can become confusing. Focus on conveying the essential information in a concise and impactful manner.

Aim for a balance. While clarity and accuracy are paramount, a slightly catchy or memorable title can help your project stand out. Focus on conveying information effectively first, then consider making it more engaging.

You can find examples of successful abstracts, titles, and acronyms in the Community Research and Development Information Service (CORDIS) database and on the EIC Accelerator call page. These resources offer valuable insights.

While there's no mandatory structure, a helpful template involves an introduction (e.g., "The first"), adjectives describing the product, a noun identifying the product, its unique selling points, and the broader impact. This provides a solid framework.

The project title serves as a concise tagline, quickly conveying the project's core offering and its intended impact. Think of it as a condensed version of your project's abstract, grabbing the evaluator's attention.

It means demonstrating how the problem your innovation addresses aligns with the EU's strategic goals, policies, and priorities. Show how solving this problem will contribute to the EU's overall objectives and benefit its citizens.

Avoid focusing on easily addressed aspects of the problem if they don't highlight the true impact of your innovation. Don't shy away from addressing the core challenges and demonstrating how your solution directly tackles them, even if it's more difficult to articulate.

You need to clearly show the gap between what the EU wants to achieve and what is currently preventing them from achieving it. Your innovation should be presented as the solution that bridges this gap, addressing a critical need and delivering significant benefits.

The narrative should take the reader on a logical journey, clearly demonstrating the problem your innovation addresses, the market demand for it, and why existing solutions are inadequate. It should also emphasize the importance of your innovation to the EU's goals.

The introduction is crucial for demonstrating the impact of your innovation. It should clearly articulate the problem your innovation solves and the positive changes it will bring about, aligning with the EU's priorities and needs. A weak introduction can significantly undermine your impact score.

Rewrite your introduction as many times as necessary until you are confident that it perfectly reflects the impact of your innovation. It's not uncommon to revise it multiple times to ensure it effectively sets up the rest of the proposal.

When proposals receive the same overall score, the EIC prioritizes them based on the impact criterion first, then the excellence criterion, and finally gender balance. This makes a strong impact section, driven by a compelling introduction, even more critical.

While there isn't a direct evaluation criterion specifically for the 'narrative' itself, the overall impression, plausibility, and impact of the project are all assessed. A well-crafted narrative significantly contributes to a positive evaluation across these areas.

Focus on highlighting the impact of your innovation and making the problem relevant to the EU. Ensure your introduction leads directly to your innovation, clearly demonstrating its value and potential to address a critical need.

The introduction sets the stage for the entire proposal. It establishes the context of your innovation, highlighting its impact, unique selling points, and relevance to EU priorities. A strong introduction creates a compelling narrative that connects all sections of your application.

Challenge Calls can be more attractive because they generally face less competition than Open Calls. This increased focus can improve the chances of a successful grant proposal, making them a preferred option for some applicants.

The EIC Accelerator offers funding through Open and Challenge Calls. Open Calls are broader in scope, while Challenge Calls target specific technological areas defined annually by the EIC. Both offer grants and equity, but Challenge Calls are often less competitive due to their focused nature.

MedTech/Healthcare dominates the EIC Accelerator Open Calls, representing a significant portion of funded companies. Biopharma is the second most funded industry. This reflects the high number of MedTech companies in the deep tech ecosystem.

Energy and MedTech/Healthcare are the most frequently funded industries within the EIC Accelerator Challenges. Other well-represented industries include Battery, Quantum technology, and Semiconductors, aligning with the EIC's focus areas.

MedTech is less represented in Challenge Calls because it already dominates the Open Calls. The EIC doesn't need to allocate additional Challenge budgets to MedTech since many general MedTech innovations are already funded through the Open Call.

Blended finance is also the most common funding type in EIC Accelerator Open Calls. There is a slightly increased interest in blended finance in Open Calls compared to Challenge Calls.

Blended finance (combining grant and equity) is the most popular funding type in EIC Accelerator Challenges, followed by grant-first funding. There's a slightly higher interest in grant-first support in Challenges compared to Open Calls, potentially reflecting the riskier nature of Challenge projects.

The EIC Accelerator Challenges change annually. Each new EIC Accelerator Work Programme outlines the specific technological Challenges for that year, including their budget allocations. This means a Challenge relevant in one submission round might not be available in the next.

The EIC Accelerator typically provides up to €2.5 million in grant funding and up to €15 million in equity financing per project. This applies to both Challenge and Open Calls, offering a total potential funding of €17.5 million.

The analysis used data from official EIC releases, downloadable databases from CORDIS, and the EIC Accelerator Data Hub. However, the EIC Accelerator Data Hub was found to contain inaccuracies, so the analysis primarily relied on CORDIS and official EIC data.

MedTech/Healthcare, Biopharma, and Energy are the leading industries funded by the EIC Accelerator. These sectors align with the program's focus on DeepTech and scientific advancements, representing over 50% of the total EIC Accelerator winners.

Due to the complexity of the EIC Accelerator application process, many companies use consultants to prepare their proposals. However, the cost of these services can be a barrier for startups in low-GDP countries, potentially impacting their chances of success.