EIC looks to boost deep tech startups with pre-accelerator
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The European Innovation Council (EIC) has launched a ‘pre-accelerator’ programme to help deep tech startups apply for its funding.
The complexity and overhead of EIC funding has been a criticism of the programme, and the pre-accelerator aims to provide 70% funding, up to €500,000, for start-ups and small companies to successfully apply for Accelerator funding, attract private investment, or access national and regional support mechanisms across Europe.
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This applies to technology that has been proven in the lab at technology level TRL4 and above, tapping into the Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe research programmes.
This is especially aimed at boosting companies from the 13 member states that do not have as much experience with deep tech funding by providing coaching and mentoring. The pre-accelerator will also provide access to the fast track of the EIC programme and give key access to the programme, which is another of the criticisms.
The call is a joint initiative between the European Innovation Council (EIC) and the Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area (WIDERA) programme and is funded with €20m under the WIDERA Work Programme 2025 for the next two years. The EU13 member states in WIDERA are Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia.
Companies can apply by 18 November 2025
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