Ablio and SPIN4EIC: how procurement support helped structure 14 tenders worth €7.77 million
- ›EIC-backed language technology company Ablio used the EIC Innovation Procurement Programme powered by SPIN4EIC to improve tender proposals and strategy.
- ›With support from the programme Ablio submitted 14 tenders with a total declared value of €7,770,000.
- ›The programme offers training through Innovation Procurement Academies and tailored Assistance Services covering opportunity scouting, bid qualification and legal and IPR advice.
- ›Eligibility for assistance includes EIC awardees, Women TechEU recipients, EIC Scaling Club members and Seal of Excellence holders.
- ›The announcement reports submitted tender value but does not specify contract wins or longer term commercial outcomes.
Speaking the language of procurement
Ablio, an Italian company that provides language interpretation tools and services, says it benefited from the EIC Innovation Procurement Programme powered by SPIN4EIC. The programme reported that Ablio improved the structure of its proposals and received strategic advice. Using the Assistance Service and related training, Ablio submitted 14 tenders with a combined value of €7,770,000. The original announcement highlights the support available to EIC innovators but does not disclose how many of those tenders resulted in signed contracts.
Ablio's engagement and reported results
The EIC story focuses on capacity building and hands-on assistance rather than on raw sales figures. The key quantitative detail given is the count of tenders submitted and their aggregate value. No data is supplied about success rate, timeline to contract, or post-award implementation challenges.
What the EIC Innovation Procurement Programme and SPIN4EIC provide
| Metric | Detail |
| Company | Ablio, Italian language interpretation tools and services provider |
| Tenders submitted | 14 |
| Declared total value | €7,770,000 |
| Support accessed | Tender opportunity identification, bid qualification, tender drafting and structure advice, legal and IPR guidance, coaching, quality checks |
| Services excluded | Drafting technical documents, preparing administrative submission documents, submission to buyers, translation, mediation, litigation |
| Who is eligible | EIC awardees, Women TechEU awardees, EIC Scaling Club members, Seal of Excellence holders |
| How to apply | Contact SPIN4EIC team directly or apply through the Open Call for Assistance; ongoing calls were advertised up to Spring 2026 |
Why procurement support matters for innovators
Public and private procurement is a recognised route to scale for technology companies because public buyers can provide large, repeatable contracts and pilot opportunities for new solutions. In the EU procurement market public purchasing constitutes a substantial share of GDP. Navigating procurement requires understanding complex rules on eligibility, technical specifications, procurement procedures and IP and contracting models. For startups without procurement experience, the barriers are often procedural rather than technical. That is where programmes like SPIN4EIC aim to add value by reducing time to tender readiness and by improving the quality of proposals.
How innovators can access SPIN4EIC assistance
The EIC Innovation Procurement Programme offers two practical routes to access assistance. Eligible innovators can contact the SPIN4EIC team directly for support. They can also apply through an Open Call for assistance to EIC awardees. Eligibility covers EIC Accelerator, Transition and Pathfinder awardees, Women TechEU recipients implemented under the European Innovation Ecosystems programme, members of the EIC Scaling Club and organisations holding a Seal of Excellence under Horizon Europe. The programme also promotes its activities through a SPIN4EIC webpage, a LinkedIn group and a newsletter for timely updates.
Caveats and evidence gaps
The press item reports the number and aggregate value of tenders Ablio submitted following support. It does not report conversion rates, contract values awarded, procurement timelines, or post-award implementation experience. Submitted tender value is not the same as revenue realized. Reported impacts are presented from the programme perspective and are useful for understanding the services available. Independent verification would be needed to assess the actual commercial outcomes and return on investment for participating companies.
Practical takeaways for innovators
If you are an EIC-backed innovator considering procurement markets, consider these practical steps. Engage with procurement support early to align product and proposal to buyer needs. Join an Innovation Procurement Academy to learn process mechanics and common pitfalls. Use tailored assistance to sharpen legal and IP positions before entering negotiations. Remember that procurement can be slow and resource intensive so build realistic timelines and staffing into your go to market plan. Finally track bid to award conversion as your key performance metric to judge the effectiveness of external support.
For those interested in applying for assistance, check the SPIN4EIC materials and EIC Business Acceleration Services channels for the open call and subscription options. The information in the original announcement is provided for knowledge sharing and carries a disclaimer that it should not be interpreted as the official view of the European Commission or any other organisation.