Is the EIC Accelerator a credible fit?
Use these requirements to check the company, technology, market case, and evidence before committing to an application.
What a credible case needs.
This is a screening framework, not a guarantee of eligibility or funding. The evidence behind each point matters more than the claim itself.
Company and team
Entity. Start-up, consortium of two or more people, SME with fewer than 250 employees, or small mid-cap with no more than 499 employees.
Leadership. A CEO, CTO, or CSO with relevant technical and commercial experience.
Technology and innovation
Technology readiness. TRL 5 completed, with the technology validated in a relevant environment and ready for TRL 6 to 8 work.
Breakthrough. A material advance over existing solutions, not an incremental improvement.
IP strategy. A credible intellectual-property position or a clear route to protect and exploit the technology.
Funding need. A high-risk, high-return project that private capital cannot fund on its own.
Market and business readiness
Scale. International market potential and a credible path to disrupt or create a market.
Growth. The potential to become a category leader within five to ten years.
Impact. A clear contribution to European priorities or recognised societal challenges.
Signals of a strong case
Capital. Initial funding, credible investor interest, or a clearly evidenced funding gap.
Demand. Customer evidence, letters of intent, pilots, or meaningful partner interest.
Ambition. A realistic case for becoming a European or global champion in the field.
Two immediate exclusions.
If either point applies, the EIC Accelerator is unlikely to be the right route for this project.
- The proposed work is primarily space activity.
- The innovation would significantly harm the environment or breach the Do No Significant Harm principle.
Test the evidence, not just the criteria.
The assessment identifies the gaps most likely to weaken an application before the team starts writing.