Scaleups Promotion Open Call

EIT Urban Mobility's Scaleup Promotion Open Call (EITUM-BP26-28) provides cascade funding to a lead organisation to position European urban mobility scaleups at major events, connect them with investors and corporates, and provide structured support for access to European Innovation Council instruments during 2026–2028. The call offers a total budget of €415,000 with one project expected to be funded and a funding rate of 90 percent of eligible costs with minimum 10 percent co-funding. Eligible legal entities must be established in EU Member States or Horizon Europe associated countries and applications are submitted via the EIT Urban Mobility NetSuite platform with a single-stage deadline of 27 May 2026 at 17:00 CET. Selected projects should run from July 2026 to December 2028 and will be funded against approved deliverables and KPIs as defined in the Project Implementation Handbook.

What it funds

Purpose and scope

Grants to organisations that will deliver a Scaleup Promotion initiative (2026–2028) to position European urban mobility scaleups at major events, connect them with investors and corporates, and strengthen access to growth and funding (including support to EIC instruments).

Who can apply:Leading organisations with proven experience in international promotion and positioning of scaleups, investor engagement, high‑level visibility initiatives and ecosystem activation, especially in mobility, climate tech and impact‑driven innovation.

1. 1Call type: Single-stage open call (cascade funding under project EITUM-BP26-28)
2. 2Opening date: 27 March 2026
3. 3Deadline: 27 May 2026, 17:00 CET
4. 4Implementation period: July 2026 to December 2028 (tentative)

Applications must demonstrate sectoral expertise and past delivery of investor-facing events and international promotion for scaleups. Selection includes eligibility checks, panel hearings and signature of a subgrant agreement (results communicated June 2026). Apply via the EIT Urban Mobility NetSuite platform after registering on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Opportunity page ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Call details, documents and submission steps (Call Manual, KPIs, templates) are available on the official opportunity page and EIT Urban Mobility call page.

Key facts and administrative data

Opportunity title:Scaleups Promotion Open Call. Project acronym: EITUM-BP26-28. Full name of funded project: EIT Urban Mobility Business Plan 2026-2028. Grant agreement number: 101269525. Call type: Multi-Topic Open Call implementing cascade funding / subgranting under the EIT Urban Mobility business plan 2026-2028. Call opening date: 27 March 2026. Submission deadline: 27 May 2026 at 17:00 Brussels/CET time. Deadline model: single-stage. Total estimated EIT funding available for the call: €415,000. Expected implementation period for selected actions: July 2026 (tentative start) to December 2028 (tentative end).

Submission portal and mandatory registration steps:Applicants must register their organisation in the EU Funding & Tenders Portal to obtain a PIC (participant identification code), then register and submit via the EIT Urban Mobility NetSuite application platform as described in the Guidelines for Applicants and Section 7: Proposal submission process in the Call Manual EIT Urban Mobility Call Page.

Call purpose, objectives and scope

Purpose:The Scaleup Promotion initiative seeks proposals from organisations aligned with EIT Urban Mobility's mission to accelerate the transition to sustainable urban mobility by strategically positioning EIT Urban Mobility and European urban mobility scaleups at major events, connecting them with investors and large corporates, and strengthening scaleups' access to growth and funding opportunities, including European Innovation Council (EIC) instruments. The initiative is planned for implementation during 2026–2028.

Specific objectives and topics to be addressed:Proposals should deliver activities within one or more of the following objective areas: strategic positioning and stakeholder engagement at MOVE (London); strategic positioning and investor engagement at Slush (Helsinki); organisation and delivery of Mobility Startup Nexus (Barcelona); structured support to scaleups regarding European Innovation Council (EIC) instruments and opportunities. Proposals must show measurable connections between scaleups and investors/corporates and reinforce EIT Urban Mobility’s positioning as a leading platform for impact-driven urban mobility scaleups.

Who should apply and eligible applicant types

The call targets leading organisations with proven expertise in promotion and international positioning of scaleups, especially in mobility, climate tech and impact-driven innovation. Required capabilities include designing and delivering high-level visibility initiatives for scaleups, investor engagement formats, ecosystem activation, and provision of structured guidance on EIC opportunities.

1. 1Eligible applicant types (based on call text): accelerators and incubators, scaleup promotion agencies, event organisers and conference platforms, investment intermediaries and investor networks, innovation intermediaries and corporates with proven event/scaleup positioning experience, research and higher education organisations with demonstrated outreach and market-facing promotion capacity, non-profit organisations and NGOs active in mobility/climate innovation, city/regional public authorities or agencies with a mission-aligned offer.
2. 2Implicitly eligible legal entities should be able to register as an organisation in the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (i.e. have/legal entity status to obtain a PIC).

Funding modality and consortium requirements

Funding type:grant via cascade funding (subgrants) allocated from EIT Urban Mobility to selected applicants. The call refers to subgrant agreements and the Financial Support Agreement (FSA) template is provided as reference in the call documentation.

Consortium requirement:The call documentation and submission steps describe registration and the award of subgrant agreements to applicant organisations. The call is structured as an open call for organisational applicants; it does not mandate a multi-partner consortium model in the published text. Applicants are expected to be legal entities able to sign subgrant agreements. If collaboration or subcontracting is foreseen, this must be detailed in the proposal and will be subject to standard eligibility and procurement rules in the FSA and Call Manual.

Geographic and thematic eligibility

Beneficiary scope (geographic eligibility):The call is implemented by EIT Urban Mobility, an EIT KIC under Horizon Europe; it targets European actors and scaleups. The text requires positioning European urban mobility scaleups and refers to major European events (MOVE London, Slush Helsinki, Mobility Startup Nexus Barcelona). Applicants must be organisations participating in or serving European innovation ecosystems. The call documentation requires registration in the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (PIC), which implies legal entities able to operate within the EU funding architecture.

Target sector:urban mobility, mobility innovation, climate tech, impact-driven innovation, investor engagement and scaleup promotion. Activities should connect mobility scaleups with investors, corporates, and EIC instruments.

Countries explicitly referenced:United Kingdom (MOVE London), Finland (Slush Helsinki), Spain (Mobility Startup Nexus — Barcelona). The call focuses on European scaleups and networks; submission via EU Funding & Tenders Portal implies engagement within the EU/associated research and innovation area.

Project stage, expected activities and maturity

Project stage:market-facing promotion, positioning and commercial growth support for scaleups. Activities suit scaleups at commercialization, validation and scale-up stages that seek visibility, investor connections and access to EIC funding routes. The initiative will implement event positioning, investor matchmaking, ecosystem activation, delivery of targeted events and structured EIC support for scaleups.

Funding details and financial conditions

Total estimated funding for the call:€415,000. The call text does not publish per-project or per-beneficiary maximum or average award amounts in the scraped excerpts; applicants should consult the Call Manual and the Financial Support Agreement (FSA) template included in the call documents for specific subgrant ceilings, eligible costs, payment schedules and co-funding rules.

Co-funding requirement:The public call excerpts provided do not explicitly state whether applicant co-funding is mandatory. The call provides a Financial Support Agreement template and Call Manual where co-funding rules, eligible costs and reporting obligations are specified; applicants must consult these documents for the definitive position on co-funding and cost eligibility.

Application and evaluation process

Application type:open call, single-stage submission. Submission method: register organisation in EU Funding & Tenders Portal (obtain PIC), then register and submit via EIT Urban Mobility NetSuite platform. Applicants must follow instructions in Section 7: Proposal submission process and the Guidelines for Applicants referenced in the Call Manual. Contact points for queries: impact.ventures@eiturbanmobility.eu for call content and topic questions; pmo@eiturbanmobility.eu for legal, financial and administrative procedures.

Number of application stages and evaluation flow:The published timeline indicates a three-stage flow for applicants: 1) admissibility and eligibility check, 2) remote evaluation and invitation to panel hearings, 3) panel hearings and portfolio selection leading to selection and contracting. This corresponds to three logical stages during evaluation and selection.

Success rates and selection chances

The call text does not publish success rates or the expected number of awards. Total funding is €415,000 but the number of subgrants and award sizes are not specified in the scraped excerpts. Applicants should review the Call Manual and selection criteria in the call documents for information about scoring, minimum thresholds and portfolio selection logic. No empirical success-rate data is provided in the call text.

Nature of support for beneficiaries

Selected beneficiaries will receive financial support in the form of EIT subgrants (monetary funding) to implement activities. The initiative also expects delivery of non-monetary value through networking, visibility, investor matchmaking, event delivery and structured support relating to EIC instruments. The call refers to subgrant contracts and the Financial Support Agreement (FSA) template as the legal/financial instrument.

Application templates, required documents and supporting materials

Call documents listed in the call page include:Call Manual, List of KPIs (Call Manual Annex 1), Project Implementation Handbook, EIT Impact Framework (2022-2027) with codes, Financial Support Agreement (FSA) template, EIT Urban Mobility Strategic Agenda 2021-2027, Horizon Europe Annotated Grant Agreement, and other reference documents. Applicants must consult the Call Manual and Guidelines for Applicants for the specific proposal template structure, required attachments, budget format, KPI reporting requirements and contractual clauses.

1. 1Application documentation to prepare (as indicated): organisational registration (PIC), NetSuite registration, proposal form in NetSuite per call template, workplan and timetable for activities tied to events, detailed budget and justification, KPI targets aligned with Call Manual Annex 1, evidence of previous experience and track record in scaleup promotion and investor engagement, CVs of key personnel, letters of support or collaboration (if relevant), annexed Financial Support Agreement clauses acceptance.

Selection criteria and expected applicant requirements

The call requires demonstrable expertise and proven experience in:promotion and international positioning of scaleups in mobility and climate tech; designing and delivering high-level visibility initiatives; investor engagement formats; activating ecosystems to maximise opportunities for entrepreneurs. Proposals should outline measurable outputs and outcomes (KPIs), provide a clear plan for event positioning (MOVE, Slush, Mobility Startup Nexus), investor matchmaking and support to access EIC instruments, and show capacity to deliver during the 2026–2028 implementation period.

Contacts and further information

For call content and topic-related questions, contact impact.ventures@eiturbanmobility.eu. For legal, financial and administrative procedures, contact pmo@eiturbanmobility.eu. Applicants should consult the official call page and the Call Manual on EIT Urban Mobility website and submit via NetSuite after PIC registration. Official portal link is provided in the Call Manual and on the EIT Urban Mobility call page EIT Urban Mobility Call Page.

Summary and practical guidance

What this opportunity is about and how to approach it:The Scaleups Promotion Open Call invites organisations that can demonstrably promote, position and accelerate European urban mobility scaleups at major European events and with investor communities. The initiative aims to use targeted positioning at marquee events (MOVE London, Slush Helsinki, Mobility Startup Nexus Barcelona), design investor-engagement activities and provide structured support related to EIC funding opportunities, to increase scaleups’ access to growth capital and corporate partnerships during 2026–2028. Applicants should prepare a focused proposal describing the concrete activities they will deliver at the named events, measurable KPIs tied to investor connections and funding outcomes, a clear timeline covering July 2026–December 2028, a realistic budget justification consistent with the FSA and Call Manual, and evidence of prior success in similar international scaleup promotion and investor engagement programmes. Register early in the EU Funding & Tenders Portal to obtain a PIC and complete NetSuite registration to be able to submit before the single-stage deadline on 27 May 2026 (17:00 CET).

For portal registration and submission steps see the EU Funding & Tenders Portal guidance; applicants must obtain a PIC and follow NetSuite submission steps as described above ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Primary call and application instructions are published on the EIT Urban Mobility call page and the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Consult the Call Manual and Financial Support Agreement template available on the official call page for detailed eligibility, budget and contractual requirements EIT Urban Mobility Call Page.

Funding Opportunity Overview

The Scaleup Promotion Initiative Open Call is a cascade funding opportunity under the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Urban Mobility, part of Horizon Europe. The call seeks leading organisations with proven expertise in promoting and internationally positioning scaleups, particularly in urban mobility, climate tech and impact-driven innovation sectors. The initiative will run from 2026 to 2028 and aims to strategically position European urban mobility scaleups at major events, connect them with investors and corporates, and strengthen their access to growth and funding opportunities including European Innovation Council (EIC) instruments.

Key Dates and Deadlines

Funding Details

Total Budget Available:€415,000 for the entire call. One project is expected to be funded from this budget.

Funding Rate:90% of eligible project costs. Applicants must provide minimum 10% co-funding.

Maximum Funding per Project:€415,000 (the full call budget, as one project is expected to be selected).

Project Duration:Maximum 29 months from July/August 2026 to December 2028.

Payment Conditions:Payments are made based on approval of deliverables and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) as defined in the Project Implementation Handbook.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible Applicants:Legal entities established in EU Member States or Horizon Europe-associated countries. Both mono-participant and multi-participant proposals are allowed. Consortia must include 2-4 independent legal entities from at least two eligible countries. Single applicants must demonstrate a strong European network. Additional restrictions apply regarding EU sanctions and specific country exclusions.

Submission Format:Single-stage submission process. Applications must be submitted through the EIT Urban Mobility NetSuite platform.

Core Requirements and Evaluation Criteria

Applicants must demonstrate strong expertise and proven experience in the promotion and international positioning of scaleups. Experience in designing and delivering high-level visibility initiatives for scaleups, investor engagement formats and activating ecosystems to maximise opportunities for entrepreneurs is essential.

Applicants must demonstrate their ability to:

• Strategically position scaleups at major European and international mobility, innovation and investment events
• Facilitate meaningful and measurable connections between scaleups and private and public investors
• Design and deliver events focused on connecting scaleups with investors and corporations
• Provide structured support to scaleups in relation to European Innovation Council (EIC) instruments and opportunities
• Strengthen EIT Urban Mobility's positioning as Europe's leading platform for impact-driven urban mobility scaleups and investment

Call Objectives and Topics

Proposals must address one or more of the following four strategic objectives:

1. 1Strategic positioning and stakeholders engagement at MOVE London - positioning European urban mobility scaleups at this major international event and engaging key stakeholders
2. 2Strategic positioning and investors engagement at Slush Helsinki - positioning scaleups at this leading innovation and investment conference with focus on investor connections
3. 3Organisation and delivery of Mobility Startup Nexus in Barcelona - organising and delivering a dedicated event to connect mobility scaleups with ecosystem actors
4. 4Support to EIC instruments and opportunities - providing structured support to scaleups in accessing and leveraging European Innovation Council funding and support mechanisms

Sector and Domain Focus

The call focuses on urban mobility, mobility, climate tech and impact-driven innovation sectors. Scaleups promoted through this initiative should align with EIT Urban Mobility's mission to accelerate the transition to sustainable urban mobility.

Application Process

Applicants must follow a three-step registration and submission process:

1. 1Register your organisation in the EU Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal to obtain a nine-digit Participant Identification Code (PIC number). Verify if your organisation already has a PIC number on the EU Portal.
2. 2Register in NetSuite, the EIT Urban Mobility application tool.
3. 3Access the EIT Urban Mobility NetSuite platform and find the call under Call for Proposals menu. Follow the steps explained in Section 7 of the Proposal Submission Process and the Guidelines for Applicants.

Key Documents and Resources

Applicants should consult the following documents available on the call page:

• Call Manual with detailed guidelines
• List of KPIs (Call Manual Annex 1)
• Project Implementation Handbook
• EIT Impact Framework (2022-2027) with codes
• Financial Support Agreement (FSA) template
• EIT Urban Mobility Strategic Agenda 2021-2027
• Horizon Europe Annotated Grant Agreement

Support and Contact Information

EIT Urban Mobility provides support to applicants through two contact points:

• impact.ventures@eiturbanmobility.eu - for call content and topic-related questions
• pmo@eiturbanmobility.eu - for legal, financial and administrative procedures

An information session was held on 17 April 2026. A recording of the session is available for interested applicants.

Strategic Context

This call is part of the broader EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy launched in May 2025, which aims to make Europe the leading destination for starting and growing technology-driven companies. The strategy addresses critical gaps in Europe's innovation financing landscape and includes complementary initiatives such as the Scaleup Europe Fund (a €5 billion fund combining €1 billion of public capital from Horizon Europe with €4 billion from private investors) and the expanded European Innovation Council. ¹

Important Considerations for Applicants

Applicants should note that this is a highly competitive call with limited funding. Only one project is expected to be funded from the €415,000 budget. Proposals must demonstrate not only expertise in scaleup promotion but also concrete capacity to deliver measurable results across the specified objectives. Strong European networks and proven track records in similar initiatives are essential for competitive proposals. The 90% funding rate with 10% co-funding requirement means applicants must secure matching funds. Project implementation must commence by July 2026 and conclude by December 2028, requiring careful planning and resource allocation over the 29-month period.

Footnotes

1. 1The Scaleup Europe Fund is designed to bridge the financing gap for deep tech scaleups in strategic sectors including clean energy and artificial intelligence, with the fund expected to begin first investments in Spring 2026.