The European Innovation Council (EIC) pilot supports top-class innovators, entrepreneurs, small companies and scientists with bright ideas and the ambition to scale up internationally. It brings together the parts of Horizon 2020 that provide funding, advice and networking opportunities for those at cutting edge of innovation.

From today, innovative companies can apply for up to €17.5 million in combined grant and equity financing to scale-up quickly and effectively through the EIC ‘Accelerator’ pilot, increasing support for ground-breaking concepts that could shape new markets or disrupt existing ones in Europe and worldwide.

This comes following the announcement in March by the Juncker Commission of a €2 billion Enhanced EIC pilot, to turn Europe’s scientific discoveries into businesses that can scale up faster.

The project will support high-potential enterprises (mainly small and medium-sized – SMEs), with financing as well as coaching and mentoring, to develop and bring to market new products, services and business models that could drive economic growth, filling the market gap by support innovation considered ‘high-risk’ for private investors. It is complemented by the EIC Pathfinder Pilot, which supports advanced technologies/early-stage innovation. Together both instruments of the EIC cover the entire innovation chain.