Research and Innovation

The European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator Pilot will work with an extra €150 million to support game-changing innovations to tackle the coronavirus crisis. The additional budget, approved by the European Commission today, will fund the best start-ups and SMEs who applied under the March cut-off.

Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said:

"With the EIC, we aim to be flexible, adaptable and fast, just like the entrepreneurs we serve and support. This response to increase EIC Accelerator funding for coronavirus innovations in just a few weeks shows how fast we can act during times of urgency. It demonstrates our strong support for the top entrepreneurs and companies in their indispensable work in providing solutions against the coronavirus."

A total of 117 innovative solutions to tackle the coronavirus have been selected as winners of the European Innovation Council-led #EUvsVirus Hackathon. The solutions were selected by a jury and weighted according to impact potential (40%), technical complexity & novelty (20%), prototype completion (20%) and efficacy of business plan (20%).

Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said:

"The #EUvsVirus Hackathon brought together people in 141 countries and many different areas of expertise from across the EU and the world, united in their desire to offer their time, talent, and ideas to help find solutions to the coronavirus crisis. This was just the beginning. With the support of the European Innovation Council and all of the partners involved in the Hackathon, I look forward to the transformation of these fantastic ideas into reality for the betterment of all."