From eligibility to application for the EIC Accelerator: up to €2.5M grant plus up to €15M equity (blended finance) for deep-tech SMEs, plus every other EU grant you qualify for.
EIC Accelerator plus other EU grants, all with one application
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Eligibility check after you sign up
4 routes
Grants, family offices, angel investors & VCs
The EIC Accelerator offers up to €2.5M grant (UK companies: grant only) plus an optional EIC Fund equity investment up to €15M, for SMEs and solo founders at TRL 5 to 8 ready to scale.
The founder's guide
What Is the EIC Accelerator?
The EIC Accelerator is the European Innovation Council's flagship for deep-tech SMEs ready to scale (TRL 5–8). It offers blended finance: a grant of up to €2.5M for innovation activities, plus optional equity investment of up to €15M from the EIC Fund. It's one of the most prestigious, and most competitive, deep-tech awards in the world.
Unlike most EU programmes, single companies can apply, no consortium needed. UK companies can access the grant component (not the EIC Fund equity). With success rates around 3–5% and a live jury interview, preparation is everything. Our free check shows whether the Accelerator, and every other EU grant, fits your startup.
Who qualifies
EIC Accelerator Eligibility
The Accelerator is built for single SMEs (and solo founders) with a high-impact, market-creating innovation.
An SME or solo founder from an EU member state or Horizon Europe associated country (including the UK, grant-only).
A high-risk, high-impact innovation at TRL 5–8, with a validated prototype and a clear path to market and scale-up.
Market-creating potential, the EIC wants breakthroughs that open or reshape markets, not incremental products.
Need for the investment, evidence that the project is too risky to attract sufficient private funding on its own.
A founder's guide
The EIC Accelerator 3-Stage Process
Accelerator applications run in three stages. Each is a gate, prepare for the jury from day one.
Stage 1
Short Application
Submit a short application (form, pitch deck, and a short video) on the EIC portal, accepted continuously. If passed, you're invited to the full proposal. Run the free eligibility checker first to confirm the Accelerator and other EU grants fit you.
Stage 2
Full Proposal
Submit a full business plan against a fixed cut-off date. Remote expert evaluators score it on excellence, impact, and implementation, including your financing need and scale-up plan.
Stage 3
Jury Interview
Pitch to a jury of investors and entrepreneurs (in Brussels or remote). This is make-or-break, prepare extensively for hard commercial questions. The full timeline can run 6–12 months from first submission.
Done-for-you service
Don't want to write it yourself? We build the application for you.
The steps above are the do-it-yourself route. If you would rather hand it off, our grant specialists write, package and manage the whole application for you, working alongside you so the technical detail stays yours while we handle the process.
1ApplyTell us about your startup and the grant you are targeting. It takes a few minutes.
2Chat with a specialistA grant specialist checks your fit, confirms the right programme, and scopes the work with you.
3We build your applicationWe write the narrative, budget and supporting documents to the funder's exact scoring criteria.
4We guide every stageMany grants run in several rounds (assessment, interviews, sometimes multiple phases, then reporting). We handle each step and explain everything as we go.
Transparent, mostly success-based pricingA modest upfront fee to scope and start the work (not always tied to your metrics), plus a success fee based on the grant, the amount awarded, and your business. Every engagement is quoted individually.
Apply and we'll come back with a tailored budget for your specific grant.
Interactive Tool
Check Your EU Grant Eligibility in 30 Seconds
Every European programme is listed below by default. Tell us your stage and sector to narrow them to the EIC, Horizon Europe, and national programmes that match your startup. Getting matched is 100% free - no fee, no commission, no credit card.
Choose your stage and sector below to see which EU grants you may be eligible for
Want a definitive eligibility report? It's free.
This is a first-pass match based on stage, sector, and geography. Complete the application form and we'll automatically match you with the most relevant grants - including the one you're researching - cross-referencing your technology, IP, team, and traction against every active European programme. This matching service is completely free: no fee, no commission, no credit card required.
The strongest raises stack multiple non-dilutive programmes. Here are the other EU grants you can apply for, all matched in one free eligibility check.
Up to €2.5M as a grant for innovation activities, plus optional equity of up to €15M from the EIC Fund for scale-up, that's the "blended finance" model. UK companies can access the grant component only.
No, this is a key difference from most EU programmes. Single companies (and even solo founders) can apply. If you need partners, look at EIC Pathfinder or Eurostars instead.
Yes, for the grant component. As a Horizon Europe associated country, UK SMEs can win the EIC Accelerator grant (funded via UK guarantee arrangements), but cannot take the EIC Fund equity. Many UK deep-tech firms pursue it.
Very, success rates are typically around 3–5%, and there's a live jury interview. Strong, well-evidenced applications that clearly show market-creating impact and a credible scale-up plan stand out. Applying to complementary programmes in parallel is wise.
The Full Capital Stack
Grants Are Only Part of the Stack
EIC and Horizon Europe grants cover early-stage R&D, but most European startups need equity capital to scale. The strongest raises combine non-dilutive grants with angel or VC investment.
AngelsPartners is the only platform where a founder can access all three capital pathways in one place: grants (this page), debt financing, and 120,000+ equity investors.
Equity funding
European Angels & VCs
Search a database of angels, micro-VCs, and funds investing across Europe. Filter by country, sector, ticket size, and stage. Direct contact details included - no gatekeepers, no pay-to-pitch.
Venture debt, revenue-based financing, and startup loan programmes - without diluting your cap table. Our AI matches you to a curated lender network based on your revenue, traction, and geography.
