European startups and small businesses developing breakthrough innovations can apply for a grant of below €2.5 million through the EIC Accelerator Open 2026 September cut-off.

Full applications intended for the September evaluation batch must be submitted by 5:00pm Brussels time on 2 September 2026.

The EIC Accelerator Open accepts projects from any field of technology and has a total 2026 budget of €414 million. It is designed for highly ambitious innovations that could create new markets or substantially disrupt existing ones.

What Is the EIC Accelerator Open?

The EIC Accelerator is part of Horizon Europe and is managed by the European Innovation Council.

It supports startups and SMEs developing game-changing products, services and business models where technical or commercial risks are too high for private investors to finance alone.

EIC Accelerator Open has no predetermined technology theme. Companies working in deep technology, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, health, climate, advanced materials, robotics, quantum technology, energy, industrial systems and other innovation areas may apply.

Since June 2026, credible dual-use innovations serving both civilian and defence markets are also eligible. Pure defence projects should use the dedicated EIC STEP Scale Up Defence route instead.

How Much Grant Funding Is Available?

The grant component is a lump-sum contribution of less than €2.5 million.

It supports innovation activities at Technology Readiness Levels 6 to 8, such as demonstration, testing, prototyping, validation, certification and preparation for commercial deployment.

Grant-funded activities should normally be completed within 24 months.

Applicants may request:

• Grant-only funding;
• Blended finance combining the grant with investment;
• Investment-only support where a grant is unnecessary.

The EIC investment component generally ranges from €1 million to €10 million. However, this article focuses on the non-dilutive grant element.

A company can receive grant-only EIC Accelerator support only once during the Horizon Europe implementation period from 2021 to 2027.

Who Can Apply?

Eligible applicants include a single startup or SME established in an EU Member State or a country associated with Horizon Europe.

A natural person or legal entity may also apply where they intend to establish an eligible SME before submitting the full application.

Companies from third countries may become eligible by relocating and establishing the business within an eligible country before the full-proposal stage.

Small mid-cap companies with up to 499 employees may apply for investment-only support but are not eligible for the grant component. United Kingdom applicants can currently apply only for the grant-only scheme.

Applicants may have only one active EIC Accelerator application at a time.

The September 2026 Deadline

The full-proposal batching date is 2 September 2026 at 5:00pm Brussels time.

The EIC accepts short proposals throughout the year and evaluates them in monthly batches. However, a company must receive a “GO” on its short proposal before it can submit a full application.

Short-proposal assessments normally take four to six weeks. Official EIC guidance recommends submitting the short proposal at least ten weeks before the preferred full-proposal batching date, leaving time for evaluation and preparation.

Consequently, companies that have not already submitted or passed the short-proposal stage may have insufficient time to join the September batch. The next full-proposal batching date is 4 November 2026.

What Is Required at the Short-Proposal Stage?

The initial application contains:

• A 12-page proposal form;
• A pitch deck of up to ten slides;
• A video pitch of up to three minutes involving no more than three core team members.

Applicants must summarise the innovation, market opportunity, team, competitive advantage and expected impact.

Four EIC experts evaluate the submission. Successful companies normally receive feedback within four to six weeks and are invited to prepare a full proposal.

What Is Required in the Full Proposal?

The full application contains a 20-page form expanding on the short proposal, a pitch deck, implementation plan, financial information, letters of intent, freedom-to-operate analysis and a three-minute video.

The proposal is reviewed by a technology expert and an evaluation panel. Top-ranked applicants are invited to pitch before an EIC Jury.

Companies reaching the required quality threshold but not receiving funding may qualify for a Seal of Excellence, which can help them pursue suitable national, regional or private funding.

How to Build a Competitive Application

A strong proposal should demonstrate that the innovation is more than a normal product improvement.

Explain:

• The major technical breakthrough;
• The evidence supporting the current TRL;
• The remaining technical and commercial risks;
• The size and urgency of the target market;
• How the technology creates or disrupts a market;
• Intellectual-property ownership and freedom to operate;
• Customer validation and letters of intent;
• The company’s route to commercial scale;
• Why private capital alone cannot fund the current risk;
• The milestones the grant will achieve within 24 months.

The financial plan should be consistent with the work packages, resources and commercialisation strategy.

Official Application Link

Apply through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal

Applicants should also review the official EIC Accelerator guidance before submitting.