Permanently Open Call for applications for financial support to start-ups: Accelerate
The EIT Manufacturing Accelerate programme has a primary objective to support, scale and accelerate industry start-ups and scale-ups into impactful players in the European manufacturing ecosystem. Accelerate programme supports and grants financing to start-ups and scale-ups with innovative solutions and technologies, that address critical challenges in the manufacturing sector, and are helping the European manufacturing sector to become more efficient, resilient, green, and globally competitive.
EIT Manufacturing aims to build European industry start-ups that show high growth and impact and addresses all range of technologies and business models, incremental improvement, and disruption. Furthermore, EIT Manufacturing encourages inclusive and gender-balanced teams to apply for this funding.
Through the Accelerate Call, EIT Manufacturing aims to tackle critical industrial challenges identified across following thematic areas: Digitalisation and Automation, Net Zero Industry, Renewable Energy, and Circular Economy.
Including any of the following priority technologies, products and/or solutions: Industrial AI, Robotics, Additive Manufacturing, Advanced Materials, Critical Components, Electronics, Semiconductors, Photonics, Quantum Computing, Renewables, Energy Storage, Carbon Capture.
This Call for Proposals is open to private businesses (legal entities) with at least 2 team members and with headquarters in any Member State (MS) of the European Union (EU), and in any Horizon Europe programme associated country.
The total maximum EIT funding allocated to this call is 8,800,000 EUR.
The available financial support (also known as “sub-grant”) is starting from 50,000 EUR and can be up to 500,000 EUR per company.
Applicants are invited to send their proposals at any time and before any of these cut-off dates:
- First cut-off date: July 27th, 2024, 17 h CEST
- Second cut-off date: September 10th, 2024, 17 h CEST
- Third cut-off date: October 18th, 2024, 17 h CEST
- Fourth cut-off date: December 16th, 2024, 17 h CET
- Fifth Cut-off date: 19 February 2025, 17 h CET
- Sixth Cut-off date: 21 April 2025, 17 h CET
Important: In case of allocating the full available budget to applicants in the 1st, 2nd or 3rd cut-off date, EIT Manufacturing reserves the right to close the call and not provide funding in the rest of the cut-off dates.
You can find the official Terms and Conditions of the Accelerate 2024 Call here.
Venture Building Programme 2025
The EIT Manufacturing Venture Building Programme 2025 returns to fuel Europe’s next generation of high-growth industrial startups. Designed to drive transformation across manufacturing, the Venture Building Programme 2025 is a gateway to shaping a future built on efficiency, sustainability and innovation. Join us and turn ideas into ventures that will power a smarter, greener, and more competitive Europe.
What´s in it for you?
The 3-month online Venture Building Programme is tailored to equip industrial startups and university spinoffs with the tools they need to thrive. Participants will benefit from:
- Expert-led workshops and mentoring;
- Networking and pitching events;
- Targeted introductions to gain direct access to potential corporate clients and investors through EIT Manufacturing’s ecosystem;
- Fast-track to an investment opportunity: startups completing the programme will be evaluated for a potential fast-track investment of EUR 100,000.00 on average and per startup, through the EIT Manufacturing Accelerate call
Additionally, participating startups will join EIT Manufacturing’s extensive pan-European innovation network, gaining valuable visibility and international exposure through EIT Manufacturing’s communication channels.
Who can apply?
The Venture Building Programme is designed for ventures with innovative solutions addressing key challenges in the manufacturing sector. Eligible ventures should have a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of at least 4. The programme is seeking B2B startups and university spinoffs that are actively fundraising and focus on any of the following topics:
- Critical components, such as semiconductors / photonics / quantum, electronics, advanced materials, andadditive manufacturing;
- Energy transition such as renewables, decarbonisation, circular economy, carbon capture;
- Automation and digitalisation technologies.
As industries drive toward digitalisation, sustainability, and operational efficiency, tackling these challenges is essential to boost global competitiveness and advance the manufacturing sector.
Eligibility criteria:
To apply to the Venture Building Programme 2025, all university spinoffs and startups should meet the following requirements:
- Solutions should have a minimum Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4. For more information on TRL levels, click here.
- A Business-to-business (B2B) Business Model and serving manufacturing companies as customers.
- Ventures must align with one or more of EIT Manufacturing's Strategic Objectives and topics mentioned above.
- Ventures must be incorporated as a for-profit legal entity after 1 January 2022, at the time of application submission.
- Sole proprietorships are ineligible to participate and are not permitted to apply.
- Venture’s registered headquarters must be within the EU or in one of the countries associated with Horizon Europe, at the time of their application to the call.
- The applicant is currently fundraising from investors.
- A dedicated team of at least two members is required.
- Ventures that participated in or were previously rejected by the EIT Manufacturing Venture Building Programme in 2023 or 2024 are not eligible to apply.
You can find the official Terms and Conditions of the Venture Building Programme 2025 here.
Contact: Investments team, EIT Manufacturing: investments@eitmanufacturing.eu