61 start-ups and SMEs receive EIC Accelerator support in latest round, with Spain among the countries with most selected companies

The European Innovation Council has selected 61 innovative start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises to receive funding following the latest evaluation round of the EIC Accelerator. Out of the 121 proposals that reached the interview stage, the companies were chosen for their transformative technologies and commercial potential, receiving support in the form of grants and/or equity investment.

The total proposed funding amounts to €467 million, and 85% of the beneficiary companies will receive blended finance —grant and equity— while the rest will receive support exclusively in one of the two modalities. This round confirms the interest of innovative companies in accessing one of the main European instruments supporting innovation.

Spain, among the countries with the highest number of beneficiary companies.

The selected companies come from 17 EU Member States and associated countries, with Germany, Spain, France, and Sweden being the countries with the highest number of companies in this call. In addition, 28% of the companies have women in key leadership positions, such as CEO, CTO, or CSO, reflecting the presence of female leadership in the selected projects.

Most grant agreements are expected to be finalised within the next three months, while equity investments will be carried out later according to each company’s strategy. The investment component, managed by the EIC Fund, usually attracts additional funding from private investors.

Furthermore, another 60 positively evaluated applications will receive the Seal of Excellence, and the 23 companies that reached the interview stage under the programme challenges will obtain the STEP Seal, facilitating their access to complementary funding and recognising the quality of their proposals.

The EIC Accelerator offers grants of up to €2.5 million, complemented by equity investments that can reach up to €10 million —or up to €30 million under the STEP Scale-up scheme— as well as business acceleration services that connect companies with experts, investors, and ecosystem stakeholders.

More information at EUROPEAN INNOVATION COUNCIL