EIC ACCELERATOR
Win the EIC Accelerator,
with help from someone who scored it.
Up to 2.5 million euros in non-dilutive grant, plus equity. I'm a certified EU Expert Evaluator who has assessed 3,700+ proposals from inside the panel, and I write yours from inside the same rubric.
The EIC Accelerator is the most ambitious non-dilutive instrument in Europe: up to 2.5 million euros in grant plus optional equity, with no obligation to give up control to a VC. It is also one of the hardest to win, with most full applications rejected and the majority of those rejections caused by the impact narrative, not the technology.
I have sat on the other side of that table. As a certified EU Expert Evaluator I have scored more than 3,700 proposals for the European Commission, so I know exactly how the rubric is applied, where points quietly disappear, and what makes a jury lean in. I bring that to your application from day one.
For most projects I work on a success-fee basis: a modest fixed fee, plus a fee that is only paid if you are awarded. Your incentive and mine are the same, getting your project funded.
Fit & Eligibility Assessment
An honest read on whether your project can compete, mapped to the right 2026 cut-off and challenge. No false hope, no wasted months.
Full Proposal Writing
End-to-end writing of the 20-page Step 2 proposal, impact narrative, business case and budget, scored against the real rubric before you submit.
Jury Interview Prep
Mock interviews that simulate the EIC jury and the difficult questions they ask under pressure. Step 3 is where funding is won or lost.
01 / Process
How we win it together
Fit assessment and cut-off planning
We start with a hard look at your project against the EIC criteria and the five 2026 challenges. If it is not ready, I tell you, and we map what would make it competitive. If it is, we pick the right cut-off from the six available in 2026.
Step 1: short application
The 3-minute video, the 10-slide deck and the short proposal. We build a narrative that survives both the AI pre-screen and the expert panel, and sets up the full application that follows.
Step 2: the 20-page full proposal
Now just 20 pages, every word counts. I write the excellence, impact and implementation sections from inside the scorecard, then run a real scoring simulation so you see your weak points before an evaluator does.
Step 3: jury interview
A 10-minute pitch and 35 minutes of questions decide everything. We run mock interviews with the kind of sceptical, unscripted questions the jury actually asks. This is the phase most teams under-prepare, and the one that pays off most.
The commercial model
Work with a success-fee EIC consultant whose incentives match yours.
Most founders looking for help want one thing: someone who only wins when they win. For the majority of EIC Accelerator engagements I work on a hybrid model, a modest fixed fee for the strategic and writing work, plus a success fee paid only if your project is awarded. It keeps your upfront cost low and puts my skin in the game. We agree the exact terms in writing before any work starts.
RELATED EU INSTRUMENTS I WORK WITH
The EIC Accelerator is rarely the only option. If it is not the right fit, I will point you to the instrument that is. See the full EU funding advisory.
02 / Fit
Who this is for
3,700+
proposals scored
as a certified EU evaluator
€17.5M
max package per project
2.5M grant + up to 15M equity
6
cut-offs in 2026
up from two a year
Free Tool
Score your project before
you spend three months writing it.
Get the EIC Accelerator Self-Scoring Checklist: 23 questions across Excellence, Impact and Implementation, the same logic a certified EU evaluator applies to your proposal, turned into a tool you can answer honestly today.
Go deeper
EIC Accelerator Interview (Step 3): how the jury scores you
9 min read · EU Funding
EIC Accelerator 2026 challenges: how they work and which one fits
8 min read · EU Funding
EIC Accelerator 2026: what changed, and what it means for you
8 min read · EU Funding
EIC Accelerator: the complete guide (written by an evaluator)
10 min read · EU Funding
EIC Accelerator vs Horizon Europe: which one is right for your startup?
10 min read · EU Funding
Why most EU funding applications fail (and how to fix yours)
9 min read · EU Funding
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Do you work on a success-fee basis for the EIC Accelerator?
Yes. For most engagements I work on a hybrid model: a modest fixed fee that covers the strategic and writing work, plus a success fee that is only paid if your project is awarded funding. This aligns my incentives with yours and keeps the upfront cost low. The exact split depends on the stage you start from and how much of the proposal already exists. We agree it in writing before any work begins.
What is the EIC Accelerator and how much funding does it offer?
The EIC Accelerator is the European Innovation Council's flagship instrument for startups and SMEs with high-risk, high-impact innovation. It offers a non-dilutive grant of up to 2.5 million euros, plus optional equity investment from the EIC Fund of typically up to 15 million euros, for a combined package of up to 17.5 million per project. The grant does not require private co-financing to access.
What changed in the EIC Accelerator for 2026?
Three things matter most. First, there are now six full-proposal cut-off dates per year instead of two (7 January, 4 March, 6 May, 8 July, 2 September and 4 November 2026), with continuous submission. Second, the full proposal has been reduced from 50 to 20 pages, so every sentence carries more weight. Third, five thematic challenges drive part of the budget: advanced materials, fusion energy, biotechnology, critical raw materials and climate adaptation. The total EIC Accelerator budget for 2026 is around 634 million euros.
What is the EIC Accelerator success rate?
Historically between 5 and 10 percent of full applications are funded, but the cumulative odds across all three steps are often below 5 percent. The important nuance: most rejections are not about the quality of the technology. They are about a weak impact narrative, an indefensible market case, or a team that does not convince the jury. This is exactly where evaluator-side experience changes the outcome.
Why does working with a former evaluator make a difference?
As a certified EU Expert Evaluator I have scored more than 3,700 proposals for the European Commission. I know how the rubric is actually applied, which sections evaluators read first, where points are quietly lost, and what makes a jury lean in during the interview. I write your proposal from inside that scorecard, not from a template. That is a different starting point from an agency that has only ever submitted applications.
When should I start preparing my EIC Accelerator application?
A competitive full application needs 8 to 16 weeks of real work. With six cut-offs a year you have more entry points, but the worst mistake is starting six weeks before a deadline and submitting something rushed. Book a call as soon as you are considering the instrument, so we can map the right cut-off and whether your project is ready to compete for it.
Also available
Broader picture
All EU Funding
The EIC Accelerator is one instrument among many. Horizon Europe, Eurostars, ERDF and national programmes may fit your stage better. See the full advisory.
Explore EU funding →Often paired with this
Venture Building
A grant de-risks the build, but only if the business model is sound. Many founders build the fundable venture first, then win the EIC with it.
Explore Venture Building →Thinking about the EIC Accelerator?
Let's find out, in 30 minutes, whether your project can compete, and which 2026 cut-off to aim for.