New Submission Process for EIC Accelerator Applications
Just days before the June cutoff of the EIC Accelerator programme, the European Innovation Council (EIC) shut down its bespoke submissions platform launched in 2021.
Inflexible design and poor usability resulting in 100+ page applications of plain text riddled with repetitions made this “AI” platform unpopular since its inception.
The application process has moved back to the Funding and Tenders Portal used for other Horizon Europe programmes due to a reported contractual dispute with the platform’s provider (Innoloop).
What’s changed
The shift to the F&T platform for the full application removes its more cumbersome details. Use cases, features, value chain actors’ pains & gains, and restrained models not applicable to all projects have been removed, as well as the AI system rating the innovativeness of a proposal.
Part A of the proposal is generated by administrative information input into the submission system in the Funding & Tenders Portal.
Similar to the process under the SME Instrument, and later the EIC Accelerator Pilot, companies can now submit a 50-page PDF document presenting a straightforward business case followed by project-specific information that covers the evaluation criteria for Part B. This section includes recommended vs. required length for sections and the ability to add font styles, section hierarchy, and visuals such as graphs, tables, and illustrations.
Annexes regarding Freedom to Operate, Data Management Plan, Letters of Interest, additional 10-page annex, and Pitch deck, remain unchanged. A new annex with CVs of the team members is now requested, and the Financial Annex has been modified to contain additional information regarding the project costs (both grant and equity) and additional data to estimate the company’s financial viability.
Short applications are now accessible through the EISMEA IT Platform, with a simplified structure and larger character allowance, although without the flexibility of adding font styles, section hierarchy, or contextual graphics. A 10-slide pitch deck presentation and 3-minute video remain part of the short application stage.
“This is a welcome change for startups and evaluators alike,¨ said Mercedes Victoria, Evolution Europe´s Head of European Programmes. ¨The template allows you to present projects with industry context and visuals that further enhance your business case. It’s much more logical and time saving, enabling the focus to be where it should be: on assessing which projects will make the most impact for Europe.¨
For complete details on the application process, please see the Guide for Applicants (PDF) on the EIC website.
