EIC Accelerator (SME Instrument)

EIC Accelerator (SME Instrument)

Part of the Horizon 2020 European Union program is the innovation program for small and medium-sized enterprises, which have the potential to grow internationally through the implementation of a new and innovative idea.

Name of the call: SME instrument 2018-2020 (Phase 1, Phase 2 & Phase 3)

The SME Finance Tool provides support for a full range of business innovation for stakeholders, from conception of an initial idea to its implementation and development. The action consists of 3 separate phases, including advisory services.

Calls to the SME Instrument are continually open with specific cut-off dates. There is the possibility either to submit to Phase 1 (where the company receives € 50,000 to prepare a feasibility study) or directly to Phase 2 in which the business plan is subsidized (with 70-100%).

Proposals submitted to SME Instrument should be extremely innovative at European and international level and lead to tangible business results and creation of new jobs/markets in Europe.

Beneficiaries of the Action

For the SME instrument, only small and medium-sized enterprises are eligible, including start-ups from any sector. Natural persons can submit under certain conditions.

Eligibility criteria

Beneficiaries must be established in an EU Member State or a country associated with the Horizon 2020 program.

Phases

Phase 1 - Feasibility Study: Your goal in Phase 1 is to develop a stable, high-potential innovation project with a European or global growth-oriented strategy. The proposal should be based on an initial business plan and describe the specifications of a more complex one, which will be the result of the project.

Eligible costs: Activities may include, for example, risk assessment, market research, user participation, regulatory or regulatory status analysis, intellectual property management, partner search or feasibility assessment.

Amount of funding: Phase 1 funding is a lump sum of EUR 50 000.

Duration: The projects should last about 6 months

Phase 2 - From the idea to the Market: Phase 2 helps you further develop your business philosophy into a product, service or process that is ready for purchase, in line with your company's growth strategy.

Eligible costs: Activities could, for example, include studies, prototypes, validation, demonstration and real-time testing and market reproduction. If the activity is primarily technological innovation, it is considered to be a level of technological readiness (TRL) of 6 or greater. You can subcontract tasks that are necessary for your innovation to work. Your proposal should be based on a strategic business plan that was developed either in Phase 1 or otherwise.

Financing amount: Grant is granted (70% funding rate) between 0.5 and 2.5 million Euros. You may request a higher or lower amount, duly justified, when applying.

Duration: Your plan should normally take 12 to 24 months to complete, but it could be larger in exceptional and justified cases.

Phase 3: Additional support is provided during this phase through a range of services offered on the Community EIC platform. This support can take the form of training, links to investors, affiliates and networking with other SME customers and larger businesses and services to help you gain access to international markets, for example through participation in trade fairs abroad. Phase 3 is not necessarily post-Phase 1 or Phase 2. It provides special support to EIC SME customers, mainly to help them access new markets or customers and connect with investors. It does not provide direct funding. In the period 2018-2020, Phase 3 is open to SMEs receiving grants under FTI and FET-Open schemes, except for SMEs receiving grants from the SME budget.

Notice

You can apply for Phase 1 as a preparation for Phase 2 or you can go directly to Phase 2.

Electronic Submission - Submission Period

Submissions are made electronically in the European Commission system and stakeholders will be assessed the next cut-off date of that which the submission happened.
If the proposal is rejected, it is possible to re-submit for re-evaluation at one of the following cut-off dates.

SME instrument phase 1 cut-off dates (Brussels time):

08 February 2018 17:00:00

03 May 2018 17:00:00

05 September 2018 17:00:00

07 November 2018 17:00:00

13 February 2019 17:00:00

07 May 2019 17:00:00

05 September 2019 17:00:00

06 November 2019 17:00:00

12 February 2020 17:00:00

06 May 2020 17:00:00

02 September 2020 17:00:00

04 November 2020 17:00:00

SME instrument phase 2 cut-off dates (Brussels time):

10 January 2018 17:00:00

14 March 2018 17:00:00

23 May 2018 17:00:00

10 October 2018 17:00:00

09 January 2019 17:00:00

03 April 2019 17:00:00

05 June 2019 17:00:00

09 October 2019 17:00:00

08 January 2020 17:00:00

18 March 2020 17:00:00

19 May 2020 17:00:00

07 October 2020 17:00:00

Visit program page

Contact us for further details:

Email: grants@mdcstiakakis.gr

Τel. 2810 280985 Fax: 2810 224343