EIC Soft-landing for cleantech heads to San Francisco and Silicon Valley

The European Innovation Council is staging a weeklong Soft-landing mission focused on cleantech in the San Francisco Bay Area from 8 to 13 December 2024. The activity is described as part of the EIC Business Acceleration Services and aims to help EIC-funded innovators accelerate their entry into the US market by combining expert mentorship, bespoke workshops, investor pitching and curated networking opportunities.

What the programme offers

Organisers say the mission will provide customised guidance and tools to help participating startups and scaleups refine their US market approach. The programme pairs each company with high level local experts and business organisations. Activities announced include pitch sessions, matchmaking with investors and corporate partners, regulatory and market workshops, and structured networking inside the Silicon Valley innovation ecosystem.

Who is in the cohort

The public announcement lists a group of EIC-backed cleantech companies selected to take part in the December mission. The communication contains inconsistent head counts. It refers to both 15 selected companies and to 14 named companies. The named participants are listed below.

Partners, mentors and preparatory work

The mission will involve a set of local partners and organisations that will deliver workshops and mentoring. Named partners include Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, INSEAD San Francisco Hub, Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center and the international law firm Orrick. These partners are often used by international programmes to provide market intelligence, legal orientation and access to investor networks.

A preparatory online workshop took place on 21 October 2024. The session focused on pitch training and involved the EIC ambassador Jillian Manus. She is described in EIC materials as an experienced investor and entrepreneur and was joined by EIC representatives and mentors to brief the cohort on the agenda and pitching opportunities.

Programme context and wider EIC strategy

The Soft-landing mission is presented as part of the EIC Global Business Expansion Programme. That programme consolidates previous pilots and aims to improve services to EIC awardees that already have some international traction and seek to enter new markets without overextending their domestic operations. The EIC describes this approach as a way to allow companies to explore market opportunities while preserving focus on their home business.

Practical considerations and critical perspective

Soft-landing weeks and immersion missions are a common first step for European startups seeking US traction. They can deliver valuable introductions and learning in a short time. However they are not a substitute for longer term in-market presence and follow up capital. The EIC announcement does not publish follow up metrics such as investment raised, partnerships closed or market entry milestones achieved from previous iterations. Independent measurement is key to evaluate the return on public spending for such internationalisation services.

The communication also shows a small but notable inconsistency in participant numbers. Organisers refer to 15 selected companies in several places while a named list contains 14 companies. This kind of discrepancy can cause confusion for stakeholders and suggests that public materials could be tightened to ensure factual clarity.

Separately, practical barriers remain significant for cleantech companies targeting the US market. These include regulatory approvals that vary by state, standards and certification pathways for environmental technologies, differences in procurement cycles with utilities and corporations, and the need for local supply chain or manufacturing arrangements. Access to investors in Silicon Valley can be helpful for follow on funding but it is not guaranteed and often requires several rounds of relationship building.

How to follow up or get more information

EIC Community materials invite questions via the EIC Community Helpdesk. For this mission users are asked to select the category 'EIC Soft-landing December 2024' when contacting the helpdesk. The announcement includes the standard disclaimer that the information is for knowledge sharing and not an official position of the European Commission.

For stakeholders tracking EU innovation policy the mission is worth watching. The key metrics to assess in due course are demonstrable commercial outcomes for participating companies, any sustained presence established in the US market, and independent evidence of investment or partnership formation attributable to the programme.