European Innovation Council (EIC) pilot Accelerator

A proposed update to the European Innovation Council (EIC) Pilot Work Programme, under Horizon 2020 includes €350 million ‘green deal’ calls for game-changing, market-creating innovation contributing to the goals of The European Green Deal and the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. A draft document has been published ahead of the Work Progamme expected to be adopted in late March.

The 44 SMEs will share almost €182 million to develop and scale up their innovations. 21 beneficiaries have been awarded the new so-called “blended finance” support (grant and equity), with an estimated average equity support of €4.61 million per beneficiary. At the same time 63 proposals have been selected for EIC Pathfinder funding.

The European Commission wishes to recruit an additional EIC Programme Manager. He/she is expected to make a major contribution to achieving breakthroughs in strategic clean energy and environmental emerging technologies, in particular through the oversight and support to the management of a portfolio of research and/or innovation projects funded by the EIC. This is a new role, and is expected to be rolled out more extensively in the full implementation of the EIC as of 2021.

The European Innovation Council Accelerator pilot supports innovation that creates the markets of tomorrow and therefore has its part to play in bringing the European Green Deal to life. Here’s how the EIC supports innovators that deliver a climate-neutral circular economy on the ground, in a few numbers.

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak and given that the wellbeing of the EIC community is of the utmost importance to us, face-to-face events have been cancelled this month and replaced by an online format. Please note that all selected companies will have the opportunity to participate in this online session. Further details will be available soon.

On 8 April 2020 a limited number of EIC-backed up SMEs will have the chance to ePitch their innovative solutions in the fields of agriculture, food & nutrition. A limited number of EIC-backed up SMEs will have the chance to show their innovative solutions in agriculture and food & nutrition via an online tool to AgriTech Hub, BayWa r.e. Energy Ventures GmbH, Capagro, Céréa Partenaire and Coparion. Apply until 22 March 2020.

The European Innovation Council Business Acceleration Services and Evonik invite you to pitch your company solution and explore more business opportunities within the circular economy. On 14 and 15 May 2020, a hand-picked number of companies funded by the EIC will have the opportunity to pitch and present their business cases, ideas and exchange in One-to-One business meetings with Evonik representatives. Apply until 29 March 2020.

The European Innovation Council Business Acceleration Services and BBVA & Ferrovial invite you to apply for our joint EIC Corporate Day. BBVA, one of the leading financial institutions worldwide and Ferrovial, one of the world's leading developers of transport infrastructure and urban services, are looking for innovative SMEs in the areas of payment solutions, fintech, construction tech and mobility. Apply until 22 March 2020.

The European Innovation Council (EIC) Business Acceleration Services and Euronext invite you to apply for our joint EIC Investor Day, a specially designed service to pitch your business to top-tier European investors, explore new finance opportunities and learn more about going public. The event will happen on 6-7 May 2020 in Dublin. Apply here until 20 March 2020.

On 19-20 February 2020, companies supported under the European Innovation Council (EIC) had the opportunity to accelerate their business collaborating with AB InBev, the world’s leading brewer and one of Europe’s biggest food and drinks companies. AB InBev opened its doors to 32 SMEs to pitch and present their business cases at the group’s Global Innovation and Technology Center (GITEC) in its home city of Leuven, Belgium.

For the first time the European Innovation Council organised an Innovation Procurers Day, together with the German Association for Supply Chain Management, Procurement and Logistics (BME) and its members. During this day nine EIC-backed innovators had the exclusive chance to pitch to innovative procurers from the Pharma industry. The event took place in Dresden, Germany on 4 March 2020 as part of the 5th Pharma Supply Chain Congress (3-5 March 2020).