Open Call to empower deeptech startups and innovators across Europe, powered by the EIC ACCESS+ Project
The European Innovation Council (EIC) Business Acceleration Services has officially launched an open call powered by the EIC ACCESS+ initiative. The call offers up to 60 000 Eur in grants, covering up to 50% of the costs, to access specialised services from the EIC Service Catalogue for deep-tech startups and SMEs that have received EIC Awards or the prestigious Seal of Excellence under the Horizon Europe program. Companies can use the funds to access vital resources to accelerate their growth and scale their innovations.
The EIC ACCESS+ project aims to address specific challenges that deep-tech innovators often face when bringing their ground-breaking solutions to the market. These challenges, such as access to infrastructure, talent, and funding, can frequently prevent promising innovations from reaching their full potential. The EIC directly tackles these obstacles by offering financial support enabling beneficiaries to access specialised services listed in the EIC Service Catalogue. This searchable platform gathers the services of the organisations providing support to EIC innovators under the EIC Ecosystem Partnership Program.
As a part of the EIT service catalogue, the Park lists EVOLUT 4.0 pre-acceleration programme, an incubation, facilitation and business development programme, a recruitment and internship opportunity for members of the innovation community, as well as soft-landing initiatives to help foreign startups settle in Lithuania.
Through this permanent open call, EIC Awardees and Seal of Excellence holders can apply for up to 50% financial support to cover the costs of services designed to help them grow. The total funding available through this initiative is 3.45 million Eur, and the program will be open for applications from 1 November 2024 until 31 May 2026.
Applicants can choose from four service packages that provide targeted support:
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Research Package – Access to infrastructure, R&D support, prototyping, and proof of concept.
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Business Acceleration Package – Services such as business planning, matchmaking, internationalisation, and venture building.
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Skills Improvement Package – Coaching, mentoring, and talent management.
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Access to Funds Package – Assistance with fundraising, IP and legal services, and due diligence.
Grants will cover up to 50% of the service costs (VAT excluded), with a maximum cumulative grant amount of 60 000 Eur per applicant. This flexible approach allows applicants to access one or more services based on their specific needs.
In June 2023, the Park became a member of the European Innovation Council (EIC) partnership ecosystem. The EIC Service Catalogue, which introduces the second-generation services, provides an overview of the tools available to EU innovators.
Discover more about the services: https://partnerservices.eismea.eu/partner/kaunas-science-and-technology-park
Apply for the EIC ACCESS+: https://eicaccessplus.eu/funding/