EIC Accelerator Step 1 submissions restart on a new EISMEA platform

On 3 July 2023 companies could again submit short applications for the European Innovation Council Accelerator after a brief interruption. The European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency developed and launched a dedicated IT tool for short, first‑stage (Step 1) proposals. The interruption followed the discontinuation of the EIC Artificial Intelligence submission platform on 2 June 2023. That shutdown was attributed to a contractual dispute and forced the EIC to reorganise how Accelerator applications are filed and processed.

What changed and why it matters

The EIC has split the submission workflow between two IT environments. Full applications, known as Step 2 proposals, are now submitted through the Horizon Europe Funding and Tender Opportunities portal using the Submission & Evaluation Platform. Short, initial proposals remain on a separate EISMEA platform because they require a compact form, a slide deck and a short video pitch. The separation is pragmatic but it creates an extra handover point between stages and additional administrative work for applicants and administrators.

Operational details and timelines

Key operational points affecting applicants are straightforward but important in practice. The new Step 1 platform accepts the compact submissions that include a slide deck and video. EISMEA has set an ambition to complete Step 1 evaluations in about four weeks. If you get a GO at Step 1 you generally have up to one year to prepare and submit the full Step 2 application. That window is intended to allow teams to develop business plans, run pilots and secure documentation needed for the investment component.

A note on cut-off dates. The EIC website and related FAQs were updated repeatedly during June and July as the migration progressed. Some pages referenced a 4 October cut-off while FAQ pages and later communications referenced 19 October for certain deadlines. That reflects the operational adjustments made while reissuing the submission processes. Applicants must check the live call text and the Funding & Tenders portal or EISMEA notices for the definitive deadline.

What applicants should do now

If you are preparing an EIC Accelerator application take these practical steps. First, confirm whether you are preparing a Step 1 short application or a Step 2 full application and use the correct IT environment. Second, read the current Guide for Applicants and the EIC FAQs because templates and financial forms were revised during the migration. Third, use the available support: recorded webinars, the EISMEA helpdesk and national contact points. Finally, retain local copies of any previously submitted material. During the platform migration some applicants received draft copies of their prior submissions by e‑mail.

Context and risks the migration highlights

The platform disruption exposed a number of governance and operational issues that matter to applicants and to the EIC itself. The EIC Board and stakeholders had already called for simplification of the AI Platform because the application process was seen as time consuming and complex. The contractual dispute that led to the shutdown emphasises the dependency that public programmes can develop on single vendors and bespoke IT systems. The practical effect is not just administrative inconvenience. Startups and small teams often have limited staff time to rework application material or to respond to changing portals. That raises the risk that promising applicants will delay or abandon applications. The Commission and EISMEA have framed the changes as an opportunity to simplify forms and align processes with investor expectations, but the transition phase has been disruptive.

Where to get help and further information

Support and guidance were expanded during the migration. EISMEA organised webinars and training sessions and published FAQs and a Guide for Applicants. Applicants can also contact the EIC helpdesk and local National Contact Points for Horizon Europe. If your company has specific investor readiness questions, the EIC offers coaching and business acceleration services but access rules and coach lists are managed through the EIC dashboards and the SME support services.

Practical checklist for applicants

1) Confirm whether you need to submit to the Step 1 tool or SEP for Step 2. 2) Download the latest templates and the Guide for Applicants. 3) Watch the recorded EISMEA training sessions and use the coaching service if eligible. 4) Keep local backups of any previously submitted material. 5) Verify the official cut-off on the Funding & Tenders portal shortly before submission. 6) Read the EISMEA data protection notice and understand how personal data will be processed.

Bottom line

The new EISMEA Step 1 platform restores access for short EIC Accelerator applications and clarifies the split between a lightweight initial screening and a fuller investor‑style evaluation in SEP. The restructuring answers some longstanding critiques about the prior AI platform’s complexity. But the transition period illustrated challenges that come with bespoke procurement, system dependence and the cost of operational change. Applicants should proceed cautiously, verify deadlines on the official portals and make use of the training and helpdesk resources made available by EISMEA and the EIC.