EIC Accelerator Open 2025

The EIC Accelerator Open 2025 is a competitive funding program under the Horizon Europe initiative aimed at supporting high-risk, high-impact innovations, particularly targeting startups and SMEs that are developing groundbreaking technologies. Eligible applicants include startups, SMEs, small mid-caps (up to 499 employees), individuals, and legal entities planning to establish an SME or mid-cap. Applicants from third countries can also qualify under specific conditions, although UK entities are restricted to grant-only applications.

The funding consists of grants up to €2.5 million and equity investments ranging from €0.5 million to €10 million, making it a blended financing opportunity. The overall budget for 2025 is €634 million, with the funding range per project being between €500,000 and €2.5 million for grants and up to €10 million in equity. There are no co-funding requirements, and single applicants can apply without needing to form a consortium.

The program is open to applicants from all EU Member States and Horizon Europe-associated countries, and it encourages innovations in various sectors, particularly emphasizing deep tech, semiconductors, and quantum technologies. Specific target project stages include commercialization and scale-up activities, focusing on technology readiness levels (TRL) 6 to 9.

The application process operates on an open call model with multiple cut-off dates, specifically the deadlines of 12 March 2025 and 1 October 2025. The application involves three main stages: a short proposal, a detailed full proposal, and an interview with the EIC Jury. The program has a competitive nature with a low success rate of approximately 5.8%, having selected 71 out of 1211 proposals in a recent round.

Support provided to beneficiaries includes not only financial resources but also non-monetary services such as coaching, mentorship, and access to networks aimed at enhancing business growth and innovation potential. Overall, the EIC Accelerator Open 2025 serves as a key instrument in fostering technological advancement and commercial success within the EU innovation landscape.

The Horizon Europe EIC Accelerator 2025 call, specifically the HORIZON-EIC-2025-ACCELERATOR-02-OPEN-01 topic, is a forthcoming funding opportunity under the Horizon Europe program. It falls under the HORIZON-EIC-ACC HORIZON EIC Accelerator type of action and utilizes the HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] model grant agreement. The call employs a multiple cut-off deadline model. The planned opening date for submissions is 26 November 2024, with deadline dates set for 12 March 2025 and 01 October 2025, both at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The total budget allocated to this topic and year (2025) is 634,000,000 EUR. The expected contribution per project ranges from 500,000 to 17,500,000 EUR. The indicative number of grants to be awarded is 15 for HORIZON-EIC-2025-ACCELERATOR-02-CHALLENGES-05, 15 for HORIZON-EIC-2025-ACCELERATOR-02-CHALLENGES-04, 15 for HORIZON-EIC-2025-ACCELERATOR-02-CHALLENGES-02, 65 for HORIZON-EIC-2025-ACCELERATOR-02-OPEN-01, 15 for HORIZON-EIC-2025-ACCELERATOR-02-CHALLENGES-03 and 15 for HORIZON-EIC-2025-ACCELERATOR-02-CHALLENGES-01.

General conditions for admissibility include proposal page limits and layout requirements as described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes, and Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System. Eligible countries are detailed in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, with specific provisions for non-EU/non-Associated Countries outlined in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide. Other eligible conditions are also described in Annex B. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria are described in Annex C.

Evaluation and award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are described in Annex D. Submission and evaluation processes are detailed in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual. The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is described in Annex F. The legal and financial setup of the grants is described in Annex G. Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

Application form templates are available in the Submission System, including standard application forms for HE RIA, IA, HE RIA IA Stage 1, HE CSA, HE CSA Stage 1, HE RI, HE PCP, HE PPI, HE COFUND, HE FPA, HE MSCA DN, HE MSCA PF, HE MSCA SE, HE MSCA COFUND, HE ERC STG, HE ERC COG, HE ERC ADG, HE ERC POC, HE ERC SYG, HE EIC PATHFINDER CHALLENGES, HE EIC PATHFINDER OPEN, and HE EIC TRANSITION.

Evaluation form templates, which will be adapted as necessary, include standard evaluation forms for HE RIA, IA, HE CSA, HE RIA, IA and CSA Stage 1, HE PCP PPI, HE COFUND, HE FPA, HE MSCA, HE EIC PATHFINDER CHALLENGES, HE EIC PATHFINDER OPEN, HE EIC TRANSITION, HE EIC Accelerator stage 1 - short proposal, and HE EIC Accelerator stage 2 - full proposal.

Guidance documents include the HE Programme Guide, HE MGA, HE Unit MGA, Lump Sum MGA, Operating Grants MGA, Framework Partnership Agreement FPA, Detailed budget table (HE LS), Information on financial support to third parties (HE), Information on clinical studies (HE), and Guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?".

Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2023–2025 (General Introduction, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, Research Infrastructures, Health, Culture, creativity and inclusive society, Civil Security for Society, Digital, Industry and Space, Climate, Energy and Mobility, Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment, European Innovation Ecosystems (EIE), Widening participation and strengthening the European Research Area, Missions, and General Annexes), HE Programme Guide, HE Framework Programme 2021/695, HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764, EU Financial Regulation 2018/1046, Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, EU Grants AGA Annotated Model Grant Agreement, Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions, and Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

The Funding & Tenders Portal allows LEARs, Account Administrators, and self-registrants to publish partner requests for open and forthcoming topics. The submission system is planned to open on the date stated on the topic header. Applicants are advised to carefully read all provisions before preparing their application and to consult the Online Manual for guidance on procedures from proposal submission to grant management. The Horizon Europe Programme Guide provides detailed guidance on the structure, budget, and political priorities of Horizon Europe. The Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ addresses frequently asked questions on proposal submission, evaluation, and grant management. The Research Enquiry Service can answer questions about European research and the EU Research Framework Programmes. National Contact Points (NCPs) offer guidance and practical assistance, and the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) provides advice to businesses, especially SMEs, on EU research funding. The IT Helpdesk assists with technical aspects of proposal submission, and the European IPR Helpdesk assists on intellectual property issues. CEN-CENELEC and ETSI Research Helpdesks advise on standardisation in project proposals. The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment outline the roles, responsibilities, and entitlements of researchers, employers, and funders. Partner Search tools help find partner organisations for proposals.

In summary, this Horizon Europe EIC Accelerator call aims to support innovative projects with high growth potential. It provides substantial funding, ranging from 500,000 to 17,500,000 EUR, to help companies scale up and bring their innovations to market. The call is structured with multiple cut-off dates to allow for flexibility in submission. Applicants must adhere to specific admissibility conditions, eligibility criteria, and evaluation processes, as detailed in the various annexes and guidance documents provided. The EIC Accelerator is a significant opportunity for companies seeking to accelerate their growth and impact within the European innovation ecosystem.

Eligible Applicant Types: While the specific eligible applicant types are not explicitly listed in the provided text, the mention of "Enterprise Europe Network – contact your EEN national contact for advice to businesses with special focus on SMEs" suggests that SMEs are definitely eligible. The presence of various standard application forms (HE RIA, IA, CSA, RI, PCP, PPI, COFUND, FPA, MSCA DN/PF/SE/COFUND, ERC STG/COG/ADG/POC/SYG, EIC PATHFINDER CHALLENGES/OPEN/TRANSITION) indicates a broad range of eligible applicants, including those involved in research, innovation, and coordination activities. Therefore, eligible applicant types likely include SMEs, research institutes, universities, and other organizations involved in research and innovation activities.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically a "HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS]". The call is part of the EIC Accelerator, which can provide blended finance (grant and equity).

Consortium Requirement: The text mentions "Partner Search help you find a partner organisation for your proposal" and "LEARs, Account Administrators or self-registrants can publish partner requests," suggesting that while single applicants might be possible, consortia are encouraged or may even be required for certain types of projects. The application forms also suggest different project types, some of which might necessitate a consortium.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The text states, "Eligible Countries described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide." This indicates that the geographic eligibility includes EU member states and associated countries. Some non-EU/non-associated countries may also be eligible if they have specific provisions.

Target Sector: The call is part of the EIC Accelerator, which targets deep tech and disruptive innovations across all sectors. The additional documents listed cover a wide array of sectors, including Health, Culture, creativity and inclusive society, Civil Security for Society, Digital, Industry and Space, Climate, Energy and Mobility, Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment, and European Innovation Ecosystems (EIE).

Mentioned Countries: The text mentions "EU" and "non-EU countries" and "non-Associated Countries".

Project Stage: The EIC Accelerator primarily targets projects at the commercialization and scale-up stages. The funding aims to bridge the gap between research and market deployment, supporting activities such as demonstration, piloting, and market entry.

Funding Amount: The budget overview indicates a contribution range of 500000 to 17500000 EUR.

Application Type: The application type is an open call with "multiple cut-off" dates. This means there are several deadlines throughout the year for submitting proposals.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a Lump Sum Grant.

Application Stages: The application process involves multiple stages, as indicated by "EIC Accelerator stage 1 - short proposal" and "EIC Accelerator stage 2 - full proposal" in the evaluation form templates.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned in the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement: Co-funding requirements are not explicitly mentioned in the provided text.

Summary: This opportunity is a call for proposals under the Horizon Europe program, specifically the EIC Accelerator, aimed at supporting SMEs and other organizations with breakthrough innovations. The call utilizes a lump sum grant mechanism and is open to applicants from EU member states, associated countries, and potentially some non-EU/non-associated countries. The EIC Accelerator supports projects at the commercialization and scale-up stages, providing funding between 500000 and 17500000 EUR. The application process involves multiple stages and has multiple cut-off dates throughout the year. The call targets a wide range of sectors, including health, digital, industry, space, climate, energy, mobility, food, bioeconomy, and more. Applicants are encouraged to consult the Horizon Europe Programme Guide and other resources for detailed information on eligibility criteria, application procedures, and evaluation criteria. Partner search tools are available to facilitate the formation of consortia, although single applicants may also be eligible. The funding is designed to help innovative companies bring their products and services to market and scale up their operations.