FOUNDS
EIC Accelerator

The odds are low, so we check first.

The EIC Accelerator backs start-ups and SMEs whose innovation could create new markets or disrupt existing ones, through a grant, equity or both. It turns most applicants down, so we test first whether you should apply. If so, we write the full proposal and rehearse the jury interview.

EIC Accelerator in numbers

Real money. Hard odds.

2.5
million euro: grants stay below this, plus up to EUR 10 million in equity
6.6
%
of full applications selected for funding at the October 2025 cut-off: 61 of 923
100
k
NOK 100,000 at most in PES support towards a Norwegian company's Step 2 proposal
How we work

Three steps, three different jobs.

Each step is assessed separately and needs a different kind of help. Since 1 January 2024, after three unsuccessful submissions of the same or an improved proposal by the same legal entity, at any stage (short proposal or full proposal) and for any form of support, an applicant may not apply again to the EIC Accelerator under Horizon Europe. So we qualify you first.

01

Step 1: Short proposal

A 12-page form, a pitch deck of up to ten slides and a video of up to three minutes, read remotely by four expert evaluators. You normally hear back in four to six weeks.
After qualification
02

Step 2: Full proposal

A 20-page form, essentially a business plan and an investment strategy, says the EIC Board. A senior adviser writes the parts that decide the score, and a second reader scores the draft.
We write
03

Step 3: Jury interview

Only the top-ranked full proposals reach the jury. You present for ten minutes at most and answer up to 35 minutes of questions, none set in advance. We rehearse with you, hard questions included.
You pitch
Terms

Terms that answer the EIC Board's warnings.

The EIC Board advises applicants to be careful with exclusivity clauses, IP rights and success fees in consultancy contracts. These are our terms, in writing, before you sign anything.

No cure, no pay
Only on signature

One of two ways to work with us; the other is a small fixed fee agreed upfront. With no cure, no pay, the fee is due only when the grant agreement is signed, never on a positive evaluation or an invitation to interview. It is never charged on the equity component, never paid in equity or IP, and always capped.

Exclusivity
Short and written

One programme, at most two submissions and 24 months, agreed in writing. The EIC Board says exclusivity is often limited to two to three years or two to three submissions, and that five submissions is not acceptable.

Frequently asked questions

Questions about the EIC Accelerator.

What does the EIC Accelerator offer?

A grant component below EUR 2.5 million for innovation activities at technology readiness levels 6 to 8, normally within 24 months, and up to EUR 10 million in equity investment from the EIC Fund. The EIC's programme page has the current terms.

Can a Norwegian company apply?

Yes. The EIC Accelerator is open to start-ups and SMEs from EU Member States and countries associated to Horizon Europe. Norway became associated in 2021. A single start-up or SME can apply on its own.

What are the odds, and why do you qualify us first?

Low. At the October 2025 cut-off, 61 of 923 full applications were selected, and 121 reached the jury interview. Short proposals that never reached Step 2 are not counted. Submissions are limited too, so we qualify you first: eligibility, substance, team, market and commercial fit.

Can a company from the UK, Switzerland or outside Europe apply?

UK and Swiss companies can apply; UK equity is conditional on an amended association agreement. A company outside Europe can submit the short proposal if it intends to establish an SME in an EU or associated country, and must prove it with the full proposal.

Do we need a consultant at all?

No. The EIC Board says success is achievable without one, and points to free help: National Contact Points, technology transfer offices and, once you pass Step 1, three days of remote coaching. We say so when free help is enough.

Is there support for the cost of the proposal?

For Norwegian SMEs, yes: the Research Council's PES scheme (project establishment support) pays up to NOK 100,000 towards a Step 2 proposal once you have been confirmed for Step 2. There is none for Step 1. Read the Research Council's PES terms.

What does Founds charge?

A free 20-minute funding review, then a written estimate. Our fees are small on purpose, so the funding goes to the innovation. You choose a small fixed fee agreed upfront, or no cure, no pay: a slightly higher fee, capped, due only when the grant agreement is signed. Norwegian companies see the net cost after PES.

What if we are not selected, and how often can we apply?

Above the thresholds but not funded, you receive a Seal of Excellence. After three unsuccessful submissions of the same or an improved proposal by the same legal entity, at any stage, an applicant may not apply again to the EIC Accelerator under Horizon Europe.
Sources

Programme figures checked against these sources on .

Find out if you should apply.

The funding review is free and takes 20 minutes. You get a straight answer on whether the EIC Accelerator is the right route, and if it is not, which one is.

Book a free reviewhi@founds.no