Frequently Asked Questions

There is a learning curve, but if you're already familiar with Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, InDesign will be easier to pick up. The initial investment in learning InDesign can save time and frustration in the long run, especially with resubmissions.

A text thread in InDesign connects text boxes throughout the document, allowing text to flow seamlessly from one page to the next, similar to how text flows in Word. This feature is crucial for creating a continuous writing experience within InDesign's layout.

InDesign's collaboration features, such as commenting and tracked changes, are less prominent than in Word. It's best suited for individual writers or situations where one person is responsible for all edits to the master document.

While Word is commonly used, it can lead to formatting issues like objects jumping pages, persistent page breaks, and inconsistencies in line breaks across the document. These glitches can be especially problematic given the strict page and size limitations of the EIC Accelerator application.

While the content is most important, a well-designed and formatted proposal can improve readability and presentation. InDesign can help achieve a professional look, potentially giving your application a competitive edge, especially concerning file size and image quality.

InDesign shines when dealing with Document 2 (annexes), which often involves embedding numerous PDF files like CVs and support letters. Its superior handling of images and PDFs makes it ideal for managing these large, visually rich documents.

InDesign uses an artboard-type layout, similar to PowerPoint, where you place text boxes on the page before writing. While this may seem inconvenient initially, it provides greater control over text placement and formatting once a template is established.

Even if your business model requires multiple facilities, it can still be scalable. You need to demonstrate that the process of setting up these facilities is efficient and that the overall operation can grow significantly without a disproportionate increase in costs.

The specific type of business model is less important than its scalability and profitability. Focus on demonstrating how your chosen model can achieve significant growth and generate substantial profits, regardless of whether it's B2B, SaaS, or another type.

The EU expects a high return on investment, aiming for accumulated profits exceeding €10 million after market introduction, given typical investments above €1 million. This threshold is higher than what many businesses need, reflecting the EU's focus on disruptive innovations and new market creation.

For the EIC Accelerator, prioritize scalability and profitability. Evaluators look for business models that can grow significantly without a proportional increase in resources and that generate substantial profits. Consider how easily you can expand your operations and the revenue generated per customer or deployment.

While general profitability is important, the EIC Accelerator looks for projects with exceptional profitability and scalability potential. The EU wants to support projects that can generate a multi-fold return on their investment, exceeding typical business profitability.

Not necessarily. While automation is favored for scalability, a business model can still be profitable with some reliance on manual labor. The key is to demonstrate that the overall combination of scalability and profitability meets the EU's high standards for return on investment.

Show the relationship between your revenues and resource investments. Explain how scaling your operations increases profit margins and whether the relationship between profits and customer numbers is linear or exponential. Highlight any automation that reduces labor-intensive actions.

Profitability refers to the financial return generated by each sale or deployment of your product or service. The EIC Accelerator seeks projects where each individual deployment has a significant impact, contributing substantially to overall revenue and profit.

Consider how many product deployments or customers you need to reach a significant revenue target (e.g., €20 million annually). Determine if a single customer can cover your costs and support further technological development. Also, research the pricing of competing offerings.

The EU emphasizes scalability because they want to invest in projects with a high growth potential and wide-reaching impact. Your proposal needs to demonstrate how your business model can efficiently serve a large customer base, ideally with increasing profit margins as you scale.

The European Commission website is the best resource for information on EU policies and targets. Explore the websites of relevant Directorates-General to find specific policy documents and strategies. Stay updated on the latest EU initiatives and priorities.

Projects that actively undermine EU environmental targets, such as those promoting fossil fuels, will likely be deemed ineligible. The EU is committed to a green transition, so your innovation should contribute to sustainability and climate goals. Consider how your project can minimize environmental impact.

Yes, gender equality is a key consideration. The EU actively promotes gender equality, so projects that support opportunities for women are viewed favorably. Consider how your innovation can contribute to gender balance in your industry or field.

Yes, strong alignment is crucial. The EIC Accelerator prioritizes projects that support EU policies and targets. Projects that contradict these policies are unlikely to be funded, regardless of their technical merit. Make sure to clearly demonstrate how your project contributes to the EU's agenda.

Societal implications are very important. The EU places a strong emphasis on projects that address societal challenges like poverty, human rights, and ethical considerations. Your application should demonstrate a positive societal impact and avoid any potential negative consequences.

Be mindful of potential ethnic implications. The EU is committed to combating discrimination and promoting inclusivity. Ensure your project does not inadvertently disadvantage any ethnic group and consider how it can contribute to a more equitable society.

Research the key EU policies relevant to your industry and innovation area. The European Green Deal, the Digital Agenda, and the Sustainable Development Goals are good starting points. Tailor your application to demonstrate alignment with the most relevant policies.

Explicitly state which EU policies and targets your project supports. Provide concrete examples of how your innovation contributes to these goals. Use data and evidence to demonstrate the positive impact of your project on the EU's agenda.

Acknowledge and address any potential negative impacts transparently. Explain how you plan to mitigate these risks and maximize the positive societal benefits. A balanced and realistic assessment is crucial for demonstrating responsible innovation.

No, simply mentioning EU policies is not sufficient. You need to demonstrate a clear and direct link between your project and the achievement of specific policy objectives. Provide evidence and data to support your claims and show how your innovation contributes to tangible results.

Yes, including testimonials can be a powerful way to demonstrate customer interest. Short, impactful quotes highlighting the benefits of your innovation can add credibility and make your application more compelling.

Yes, you can still demonstrate customer interest without paying customers. Focus on gathering letters of intent, pilot program participation, or documented feedback from potential users. Highlight any non-monetary contributions or commitments.

Traction isn't limited to revenue. Material contributions, access to facilities, and even strong support letters can demonstrate customer interest. The key is showing your innovation is highly sought after and better than the competition.

A well-defined value chain, including suppliers and logistics, is crucial. It demonstrates that your project is well-supported and thoroughly planned, increasing confidence in its commercial viability.

Interest from research institutions or non-profits is valuable, especially if they are key early adopters or validation partners. Highlight their expertise and the credibility they bring to your project, emphasizing the potential for broader commercialization.

Even with a novel innovation, demonstrate customer interest by identifying the problem you're solving and showing how your solution is better than existing alternatives or the status quo. Gather feedback on your proposed solution and its potential impact.

Consider these questions: Are you in contact with interested customers? Do you have active users or positive feedback? Can you obtain proof of interest? Do you have a clear value chain? Answering 'yes' to these indicates a strong commercial position.

Acceptable proof includes letters of support or intent from potential customers, existing revenue figures, and user statistics demonstrating engagement with your product or service. Focus on providing concrete evidence of demand.

While not officially mandatory, demonstrating customer interest (traction) is highly recommended. The evaluation checklist specifically assesses willingness-to-pay, making it essential to address. Funding is possible without it, but unlikely unless other criteria significantly excel.

Letters of support should be specific and quantify the potential benefit of your innovation to the customer. Include details on how they plan to use your product or service and the positive impact it will have on their operations or market position.

Your project should generally be at TRL 6, which is the prototype level or proof-of-concept stage. This means you should have demonstrated the core innovation of your product or service, even if it's not fully developed or commercially available yet.

Yes, even if your company is profitable, you can still apply for funding if you have a key innovation at TRL 6 that needs further development. You can declare your current products as a prototype that needs to be transformed into your envisioned solution with the new innovation.

In this case, the TRL focuses on the algorithm itself. You should demonstrate the efficacy of the algorithm through testing, even if the user interface or full application scope is limited. Show how the algorithm solves a problem in a new way.

Ensure your innovation is directly linked to market impact, competitor differentiation, user needs, and value-for-money. Clearly demonstrate how the project enables the desired impact and why funding is essential to achieving that goal.

At TRL 6, a prototype means you've demonstrated the core functionality and feasibility of your innovation. It doesn't necessarily mean a fully functional, market-ready product, but rather a working model that proves your concept is viable.

Yes, you can still apply if you have a product, especially if you've identified a key innovation within that product that needs further development. The innovation itself should be at TRL 6, even if the rest of the product is more mature.

Funding between TRL 6 and TRL 8 generally supports activities related to further development, testing, and validation of your innovation. This could include refining your prototype, conducting pilot studies, or preparing for initial market entry, but not basic research.

TRL stands for Technology Readiness Level. It's a scale from 1 to 9 that indicates how mature a technology is. The EIC Accelerator typically funds projects between TRL 6 and TRL 8, so understanding TRL is crucial for determining your project's eligibility and readiness for funding.

Letters of support from existing customers can be valuable in demonstrating market interest and the potential impact of your innovation. They provide evidence that your innovation addresses a real need and has the potential for adoption.

Testing can be done in various ways, such as laboratory experiments, pilot programs with customers, simulations, or end-user surveys. The key is to provide clear evidence of the benefits of your innovation, like cost savings or improved performance.

A good company focuses on profit and feasibility, while a good grant application, especially for the EIC Accelerator, combines a great innovation with an even greater vision that demonstrates broad impact and aligns with EU goals.

The EU and investors look at the longevity of your project. Consider potential disruptions from regulations, alternative technologies, or changing user demands to ensure your project remains relevant and sustainable.

The four pillars are: an expanded vision for maximum impact, alignment with EU priorities, future-proof technology with no deal-breakers, and a realistic scaling plan with mitigation measures for potential challenges.