The EIC Pre-Accelerator under the Horizon Europe 2025 Work Programme is specifically aimed at supporting early-stage, high-potential deep-tech startups located in widening countries. This initiative is designed to enhance the business, investor, and technology readiness of these startups, preparing them for follow-on funding through the EIC Accelerator or other investment sources.

Key Features of the EIC Pre-Accelerator

1. Objective: The pre-accelerator aims to boost the innovation capacity of early-stage startups by helping them advance from technology readiness level (TRL) 4 to TRL 5-6. By offering targeted support, the program helps startups in widening countries scale up and access new markets, thereby enhancing their competitive edge and appeal to investors.
2. Eligibility: This program is a mono-beneficiary action, meaning that eligible applicants must be single-company SMEs established in Horizon Europe widening countries. The focus is on companies developing deep-tech innovations rooted in scientific breakthroughs, such as those in physical, biological, or digital technologies.
3. Funding Structure: Successful applicants receive a grant covering 70% of eligible costs, with the remaining 30% to be funded by the company itself. Grants range from €300,000 to €500,000, structured as a lump sum to be used over a period of up to two years.
4. Support Scope: Funding is allocated to improve both market and investor readiness, which includes conducting market research, refining value propositions, developing business models, and addressing regulatory and certification needs. The program also focuses on maturing and validating technologies through demonstration in relevant environments.
5. Expected Outcomes:
   • By the end of the EIC Pre-Accelerator, companies should have advanced their technology to at least TRL 5.
   • Companies are expected to be well-positioned to apply for EIC Accelerator funding, attract private investment, or secure national or regional funding.
6. Additional Benefits: Awardees gain access to the EIC Business Acceleration Services, offering mentorship, coaching, and networking opportunities tailored to help them navigate investor relations and market entry strategies.

The EIC Pre-Accelerator thus serves as a vital stepping stone for startups in widening countries, enhancing their ability to scale and contribute to Europe’s broader goals of technological advancement and economic cohesion.

Role of the EIC Pre-Accelerator in the EIC Funding Ecosystem

The EIC Pre-Accelerator plays a foundational role within the European Innovation Council’s (EIC) suite of funding programs, serving as a bridge between early-stage innovation and readiness for larger-scale funding and support. It targets deep-tech startups in Horizon Europe widening countries, aiming to advance their technology readiness, investor appeal, and market potential. In this context, the Pre-Accelerator complements the other EIC funding programs—Pathfinder, Transition, and Accelerator—by preparing startups for the rigorous demands and opportunities of these more advanced funding stages.

1. Preparation for Advanced Funding: The Pre-Accelerator is designed to elevate startups to the stage where they can qualify for the EIC Accelerator or seek investment from other sources. By focusing on TRL advancement (from TRL 4 to 5-6), it helps companies bridge the gap between early-stage development and the maturity needed for scaling, which is required by programs like the EIC Accelerator.
2. Supporting Deep-Tech Innovation: Given the high-risk, high-reward nature of deep-tech projects, the Pre-Accelerator provides targeted support that startups need to navigate the complex journey from research to market. This is particularly beneficial for companies that emerge from the EIC Pathfinder, which funds early-stage breakthrough research but may leave companies requiring additional development and validation.
3. Regional Inclusivity and Widening: The Pre-Accelerator specifically focuses on companies from Horizon Europe’s widening countries—regions that traditionally receive less innovation funding and support. This initiative is crucial in ensuring that the benefits of Europe’s innovation ecosystem extend across all member states, fostering a more balanced distribution of innovation capacity and economic growth across the EU.
4. Complementary Development to EIC Transition and Accelerator:
   • EIC Transition: While the Transition program supports projects that are ready to validate technology and explore commercialization potential, it requires that companies have already achieved a TRL 3-4. The Pre-Accelerator is crucial for companies needing that initial boost to reach TRL 5-6, thereby enabling them to be viable candidates for the Transition program.
   • EIC Accelerator: The EIC Accelerator targets companies that have a market-ready prototype or MVP (minimum viable product) and require substantial funding for scaling. The Pre-Accelerator readies companies for this stage by providing initial market research, value proposition development, and technology validation, ensuring that startups meet the high requirements of the EIC Accelerator.
5. Increased Access to EIC Business Acceleration Services (BAS): Participants in the Pre-Accelerator gain early access to BAS, including mentorship, investor networking, and internationalization support. This exposure not only helps startups refine their business strategies but also increases their visibility within the EIC ecosystem, making it easier for them to navigate future funding opportunities and scale effectively.

Pathway Through the EIC Funding Programs

1. Early-Stage Research – EIC Pathfinder: For breakthrough research ideas that are far from the market, Pathfinder provides the earliest funding stage for fundamental science and technological innovation.
2. Building Readiness – EIC Pre-Accelerator: For companies from widening countries with promising technology needing further development before scaling. This stage emphasizes advancing TRL, investor readiness, and market positioning.
3. Validation and Commercialization – EIC Transition: For technologies reaching market-readiness, this stage provides funding to validate and demonstrate the technology and develop business plans.
4. Scaling and Market Deployment – EIC Accelerator: For companies with validated market-ready technologies, Accelerator provides substantial funding to support large-scale manufacturing, international market expansion, and strategic growth.

Impact of the EIC Pre-Accelerator on the Innovation Ecosystem

By enhancing early-stage support, particularly for companies in widening countries, the EIC Pre-Accelerator ensures a diverse and inclusive innovation landscape. It fosters equitable growth across Europe, preparing a new wave of startups to succeed in the high-stakes deep-tech sector, thereby fueling Europe’s digital and green transitions with competitive and strategically aligned innovation.

In summary, the EIC Pre-Accelerator is an essential preparatory program that complements the EIC’s broader funding framework, enabling startups to grow from foundational innovation to scalable, market-driven technology solutions.