EIC ACCESS+ Info Session #8: How climate tech innovators can access up to EUR 60,000 in co‑funded services

Brussels, August 19th 2025

Summary

›EIC ACCESS+ Info Session #8 is scheduled online for 16 September 2025 at 15:00 CEST and targets climate tech innovators that are EIC awardees or Seal of Excellence holders.
›Eligible participants can apply for co-funding that covers up to 50% of service costs from the EIC Service Catalogue with a maximum grant of EUR 60,000 per beneficiary.
›The continuous open call launched 1 November 2024 and runs until 31 May 2026 with a total programme envelope of EUR 3.45 million intended to support about 180 companies.
›Services must be drawn from the EIC Service Catalogue and completed by 30 June 2026 except where a longer delivery window is explicitly allowed in the rules.
›Applications are processed on a rolling first-come-first-served basis with cohort evaluations and require signing a Financial Support to Third Parties agreement and submitting a short report to trigger final payment.
›The info session will feature several EIC Service Catalogue partners presenting offers relevant to climate tech and will include a live Q&A and optional one-to-one follow-ups.

EIC ACCESS+ Info Session #8: Supporting European climate tech innovators

The EIC ACCESS+ consortium is hosting an online info session on 16 September 2025 at 15:00 CEST to present co-financed services for climate tech startups and SMEs that have EIC awards or a Seal of Excellence under Horizon Europe. The session aims to explain how beneficiaries can access specialised service providers listed in the EIC Service Catalogue and apply for a grant that covers up to 50 percent of eligible service costs up to EUR 60,000.

Event details and agenda

Item	Detail
Date and time	16 September 2025 at 15:00 CEST
Duration	1.5 hours plus optional follow-up meetings
Main agenda	Welcome and EIC BAS intro; EIC Service Catalogue overview; Insights from partners providing climate tech services; EIC ACCESS+ co-funding explanation; How to apply via Community Hub; Live Q&A; Closing
Optional follow-ups	Four one-on-one slots with EIC partners available from 16:45 to 17:45 CEST upon request
Registration	Online registration is open up to the day of the session

What EIC ACCESS+ offers

EIC ACCESS+ is a co-funding scheme managed under the EIC Business Acceleration Services. It is designed to help deep-tech innovators access specialised, sector-focused services from vetted ecosystem partners. The open call provides partial grants to reimburse beneficiary costs for services taken from the EIC Service Catalogue.

Total budget and target:The programme has a total budget of €3.45 million and aims to support approximately 180 companies on a rolling basis. Grants are disbursed on a first-come-first-served principle subject to eligibility and administrative checks.

Maximum support per beneficiary:A beneficiary may receive up to EUR 60,000 in cumulative grant support. The grant reimburses up to 50 percent of eligible service costs, VAT excluded.

Service packages available

Package	Maximum grant value	Typical services covered
Research	Up to EUR 60,000	Access to infrastructure and R&D support, prototyping and proof of concept
Skills improvement	Up to EUR 10,000	Coaching, mentoring, HR and talent support
Business acceleration	Up to EUR 30,000	Acceleration, incubation, venture building, business planning, matchmaking and internationalisation
Access to funds	Up to EUR 30,000	IP and legal assistance, due diligence, support for fundraising

Who can apply and basic eligibility rules

The open call is targeted at European deep-tech startups that are EIC awardees from the EIC Pathfinder, EIC Transition or EIC Accelerator programmes and at Seal of Excellence holders under Horizon Europe. Applicants must be legal entities registered in an EU Member State or an Associated Country. Spin-offs from EIC projects can apply provided they supply documentary proof and, when required, a declaration from the project coordinator that links the spin-off to the original project.

Restrictions on double funding:The 50 percent of costs covered by EIC ACCESS+ must not have been previously funded by other European, national, or similar initiatives. The co-financing can be complemented by other sources for the remaining cost share.

How to apply and the selection process

Applicants select a service provider from the EIC Service Catalogue, prepare the required documentation and submit the application form via the EIC ACCESS+ Community Hub. Each submission receives an electronic timestamp. Applications are assessed in cohorts and funding decisions are made on a rolling basis until the budget is exhausted or the call closes on 31 May 2026. Applicants must ensure selected services can be completed by 30 June 2026 except where the rules explicitly allow longer delivery for specific items.

Assessment cadence and a note on consistency:Public materials describe the assessment cadence inconsistently. Some pages say applications are evaluated weekly in cohorts within seven days from the last application in a cohort. Other documents refer to reviews every two weeks. Prospective applicants should check the Community Hub for the most recent process details and timestamps.

Contracting and reporting:Approved projects sign a Financial Support to Third Parties agreement. Grants up to EUR 10,000 are typically paid in a single instalment after service completion upon submission of the service provider invoice. Grants above EUR 10,000 are usually split into two instalments with 50 percent pre-financing and 50 percent on completion. Beneficiaries must submit a short report on the delivered service and a satisfaction questionnaire to trigger the final payment.

Service providers presenting at Info Session #8

The session will showcase EIC partners offering services relevant to climate tech. Presenters include Inveniam Group covering intellectual property and legal services and business planning, Belayer on acceleration and venture building, Nordic Innovators Corporate Finance ApS on fundraising support, Unknown Group on internationalisation and fundraising support, Brand Creatives on internationalisation and prototyping and Global Business Inroads on internationalisation.

Operational deadlines and administrative details

Key dates and limits to remember are the open call start on 1 November 2024, the application cutoff on 31 May 2026 unless changed by official communication, and the service completion deadline of 30 June 2026 for most offers. The programme aims to select around 180 companies and is funded under Horizon Europe with grant agreement number 101167739.

Context and practical considerations

EIC ACCESS+ sits within the EIC Business Acceleration Services ecosystem that is intended to extend the impact of EIC grants beyond direct research funding. The EIC Service Catalogue aggregates sector specialists ranging from incubators to legal advisers and research infrastructures. Partial co-funding lowers the barrier for deep-tech ventures to buy external expertise that they often cannot fully afford.

Why this matters for climate tech innovators:Climate tech companies typically need costly prototyping, regulatory and market-entry support and investor readiness advice. The EIC ACCESS+ grants can fund part of those services which may accelerate pilots, certification, or international expansion. The Community Hub also provides matchmaking, workshops and potential one-to-one introductions to service providers.

Risks, limitations and advice to applicants

The scheme offers useful subsidies but comes with operational constraints and practical limitations. The first-come-first-served model can favour entities that are fast at paperwork rather than those with greatest impact potential. The relatively short service delivery window and the requirement to complete most services by 30 June 2026 can make it hard for projects that need longer prototyping cycles. VAT is excluded from the eligible cost calculation which can materially affect the net funding for some recipients. Public communications from the programme show minor inconsistencies on cadence of evaluations and timelines. Applicants should not assume process details are static and should confirm the latest rules via the Community Hub or the helpdesk.

Practical tips:Prepare a clear service description that links the requested support to concrete project milestones. Choose providers from the EIC Service Catalogue early and secure written quotations. Time-stamp your submission and follow up promptly if the application depends on a rapid cohort assessment. Budget for VAT and for the 50 percent co-payment. Keep evidence ready for the FSTP agreement and reporting to avoid payment delays.

Where to find more information and contact points

Register for the Info Session via the EIC Community pages. Applicants should join the EIC ACCESS+ Community Hub to access the application form, download templates and submit applications. For questions use the EIC ACCESS+ helpdesk email or the EIC Community contact point labelled EIC Ecosystem Partnership Programme. Official programme pages include the EIC Service Catalogue and the EIC BAS information pages. Check the Community Hub for the latest guidance and for any changes to deadlines or assessment cadence.

Key contacts

EIC ACCESS+ helpdesk email and Community Hub contacts are available on the EIC ACCESS+ and EIC Community websites. For technical questions about the Service Catalogue contact the EIC Partnerships helpdesk identified in the catalogue pages.