Frequently Asked Questions

For the main writing in Documents 1 and 2, stick to the template guidelines (e.g., Arial or similar at min. 11 pt). However, for headers, images, and especially the pitch deck, you have more creative freedom. Explore free fonts on websites like Google Fonts and Adobe Fonts to find options that fit your corporate identity or are visually appealing, such as Raleway, Quicksand, or Montserrat.

When you need to use company logos from websites, they are often in WebP or SVG formats that are difficult to use directly. Instead of taking screenshots, use an online converter like CloudConvert. These converters can quickly extract the image as a high-quality PNG or JPG file, which you can then easily implement in your proposal documents.

Websites like PixaBay and Unsplash offer thousands of royalty-free images at no cost under Creative Commons licenses. While Document 1 may not require many images, Document 2 (annexes) and Document 4 (pitch deck) can benefit from well-placed images. Use these images to visually structure your narrative or as backgrounds to create appealing effects.

FreePik and Vecteezy provide large databases of images, vector graphics, and illustrations. These can help make your application more appealing and give it a professional look. Vector designs are useful for headers, page margins, cover pages, and pitch decks. FreePik also offers device overlays for placing software screenshots within laptop or smartphone screens.

The Noun Project offers a vast database of pictograms that can be used under a Creative Commons or Royalty-Free license. You can find various types of pictograms to improve the quality of your images and graphics. If you use Adobe Illustrator, you can directly download and import these images as SVG or PNG files for greater control over colors and shapes.

While the blog post mentions Microsoft Word and Adobe InDesign, the choice depends on your needs. Microsoft Word is suitable for the main text, while Adobe InDesign offers more advanced design capabilities for the overall layout and graphics. Consider using Adobe Photoshop for image editing and enhancement, especially when working with screenshots and device overlays.

When using images, look for Creative Commons or Royalty-Free licenses. These licenses allow you to use the images without paying a fee, as long as you adhere to the terms of the license. This ensures that you are using the images legally and ethically in your EIC Accelerator proposal.

Applying directly to Phase 2 is harder because the application requires a substantial amount of data and preparation. This includes comprehensive market research, a well-developed business plan, and detailed financial forecasts, which many startups haven't fully developed yet.

Phase 1 funding provides the resources to conduct thorough market research, refine your business plan, and develop a robust strategy. This preparation is crucial for creating a compelling and successful Phase 2 application, increasing your chances of securing larger funding.

A strong Phase 2 application requires comprehensive data. This includes thorough market analysis, a detailed business plan, a well-defined strategy, realistic financial projections, and information about your user base or customer acquisition strategy.

Phase 1 provides financial support that can be used to gather the necessary data and refine your business plan. This preparation significantly strengthens your Phase 2 application. It allows you to build a solid foundation before seeking larger funding.

Your chances of securing Phase 2 funding are significantly higher if you've successfully completed Phase 1. In fact, the likelihood of receiving Phase 2 funding is about twice as high for those who have already gone through Phase 1.

There is no real downside to applying for Phase 1 first. It provides valuable funding and support for preparing a stronger Phase 2 application. It increases your chances of securing larger funding in the long run.

The main purpose of Phase 1 funding is to support feasibility studies and business plan development. It allows startups to explore the potential of their innovation and prepare a solid foundation for future growth and funding opportunities.

If you're considering EU funding, start by assessing your current data and business plan. Determine if you have enough information to support a direct Phase 2 application. If not, consider starting with Phase 1 to build a stronger foundation.

Yes, securing funding for Phase 1 is generally easier than for Phase 2. This is because Phase 1 focuses on feasibility studies and business plan development, requiring less extensive data and a smaller funding request.

Yes, technically you can apply directly for Phase 2. However, it's often challenging for startups. Most lack the extensive data required, such as detailed market analysis, a robust business plan, and solid financial projections, making a successful application difficult.

The acronym serves as a highly condensed summary of your project, giving readers a memorable indication of its core focus. Think of it as a micro-abstract that captures the essence of your proposal in a very short form. It should quickly convey what your project is about.

You can find examples of successful abstracts, titles, and acronyms in the Community Research and Development Information Service (CORDIS) database. Also, check the EIC Accelerator call page for relevant examples and inspiration.

Avoid acronyms that simply describe the industry. Instead, focus on highlighting the unique innovation or long-term vision of your project. This will make your proposal stand out and capture the reader's attention.

While you can create the acronym yourself, it's often beneficial to involve professional writers or consultants. They have experience in crafting concise and impactful acronyms that effectively summarize complex projects, ensuring it resonates with evaluators.

The acronym is limited to a maximum of 20 characters, including spaces. This constraint emphasizes the need to choose words that are concise and impactful, clearly representing the project's key aspects.

No, the acronym doesn't necessarily need to be a direct abbreviation of the title or use specific keywords. It's more important that it effectively communicates the project's core innovation or long-term vision. Focus on creating something memorable and relevant.

The acronym is important because it's often the first thing evaluators see and remember about your project. A well-chosen acronym can create a positive first impression and help your proposal stand out from the competition, increasing its memorability.

While technically possible, it's generally recommended to create a new acronym specifically for the project. This allows you to tailor the acronym to perfectly represent the project's unique aspects and avoid potential confusion with existing brands.

Prioritize the most innovative feature or central part of your technology when selecting an acronym. It should directly relate to either the long-term vision or the groundbreaking innovation that your project offers, making it instantly recognizable.

While the acronym itself doesn't need to be in capital letters, it's recommended to capitalize it within the proposal to make it stand out. Using bold formatting and your proposal's main color can also help highlight the acronym throughout the text.

The abstract should convey the sense of a high-impact innovation that addresses an urgent need. It should also demonstrate that the applicant is competent and capable of fully exploiting the business opportunity presented by the project.

Include information that demonstrates your project's momentum and potential. This could include the number of customers, customer inquiries, active users, or access to key resources relevant to your business model, with a focus on the European market.

The first part, taking up about two-thirds of the space, should follow a narrative structure. Start by outlining the problem your project addresses, then highlight the current insufficiencies in addressing that problem. Finally, introduce your innovation and its key features as the solution.

The abstract should be concise and limited to a maximum of 2,000 characters, including spaces. This requires careful consideration of each word to ensure you convey the essential information effectively within the character limit.

Avoid including any confidential or proprietary information that could compromise your company's competitive advantage. It's also wise to refrain from providing concrete revenue projections or specific financial data, as this information could be associated with your company indefinitely.

The EIC Accelerator abstract serves as a public summary of your project, outlining its key aspects without revealing confidential information. It's published on the CORDIS website if your proposal is successful, making it a crucial element for public understanding and dissemination of your project's goals and impact.

Because the abstract is made public, ensure all figures, metrics, and facts are well-researched and accurate. This is crucial as the information could be associated with your company indefinitely, impacting your reputation and credibility.

The second part, using the remaining one-third of the space, should focus on your team, company, pilot customers, and the expected market impact. Highlight your team's competence and ability to execute the project, and mention any relevant industry changes, job creation, or social issues your project addresses.

No, there isn't a specific template to follow. However, a good rule of thumb is to dedicate approximately two-thirds of the abstract to the problem, insufficiencies, and innovation, and the remaining one-third to the team and market impact.

You can find examples of successful abstracts from funded projects on the results page of the Community Research and Development Information Service (CORDIS) database. Reviewing these examples can provide valuable insights into effective abstract writing.

ChatGPT is unlikely to generate useful Freedom To Operate (FTO) analyses or financials from scratch. However, it can assist in creating templates for documents like Data Management Plans (DMPs) or Letters of Intent (LOIs). Provide specific instructions and keywords to guide the chatbot in generating relevant templates.

ChatGPT can be useful for generating initial structures for different sections of your proposal. Provide it with a topic and ask it to segment it into sub-levels. While the initial output may require editing, it can provide a good starting point, especially for inexperienced writers. Experiment with different structures and variations to find the best fit for your project.

Provide clear instructions on how the answer should be structured, such as including a list of selling points or quantifiable metrics. Use placeholders for numbers and specific details that you can fill in later. Consider preparing a general text describing your technology, commercial strategy, and team, then ask ChatGPT to convert it into an answer to a specific question.

One major concern is plagiarism. While the text is AI-generated, it's based on existing datasets, which may contain proprietary information. This means there's a risk of unintentionally including copyrighted material in your proposal. Always review and edit the output carefully to ensure originality.

The process involves assessment, structuring, and writing. First, assess if your project is a good fit for the EIC Accelerator. Then, structure your proposal according to the EIC's template. Finally, write and prepare all the necessary texts and annexes, ensuring consistency across all sections.

The EIC Accelerator provides funding (grant and equity) to SMEs and startups. The application process has been revamped from a 30-page PDF to a comprehensive online platform. While the total funding per project remains at €17.5 million, the process is now more compartmentalized and standardized. The 'EIC AI Platform' seems to be more about back-end assessment for evaluators rather than AI assistance for applicants.

No, the assessment process is currently too complex and nuanced to be fully automated. The EIC Accelerator's scope is both broad and narrow, and the selection criteria can be inconsistent. The assessment is multifaceted, making it difficult for AI to accurately and consistently select winning projects.

ChatGPT can potentially assist with structuring and brainstorming ideas for your application. It can generate text based on your input, which could save time. However, it requires detailed and specific instructions to produce relevant and high-quality output. Extensive editing and customization are usually necessary, so it's not a complete time-saving solution at this stage.

ChatGPT tends to closely follow the input, often producing vague and uncreative text. It may struggle to understand the specific requirements of the EIC Accelerator. The input required to generate useful output can be almost as long as the output itself, reducing the time-saving benefits. The chatbot also tends to summarize the entire input instead of focusing on answering the specific question.

Yes, ChatGPT can be a useful tool, especially for structuring and brainstorming. However, it's not a magic bullet. It requires significant effort in crafting detailed inputs and extensively editing the outputs. Use it as an aid to your writing process, not as a replacement for your own expertise and critical thinking.

While low- to middle-income countries are generally eligible for Horizon Europe funding, they are typically not eligible for mono-beneficiary programs like the EIC Accelerator. However, they can participate in consortium projects within other EIC and Horizon Europe programs under specific conditions. Check the program guidelines for details.

Yes, Switzerland is associated with Horizon Europe, including the EIC Accelerator, starting in 2025. This allows Swiss startups and SMEs to apply for both grant and equity funding, similar to EU member states and other associated countries.

Associated countries are non-EU countries that participate in Horizon Europe, including the EIC Accelerator, through specific agreements. This allows their startups and SMEs to apply for funding under the same conditions as EU member states. Examples include Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Israel, Norway, and Ukraine.