EIC ACCESS+ matchmaking: what awardees pitched, what funding offers and what to watch
- ›The first EIC ACCESS+ matchmaking session on 25 November 2025 linked EIC partners with a curated group of deep-tech awardees to surface immediate service needs.
- ›Seven EIC awardees and Seal of Excellence holders pitched gaps across R&D infrastructure, prototyping, business planning, fundraising, HR and internationalisation.
- ›EIC ACCESS+ offers co-funding of up to EUR 60,000 per beneficiary to cover up to 50 percent of specialised services from the EIC Service Catalogue.
- ›The scheme runs as a continuous open call with first-come, first-served selection and constrained timelines that may not match deep-tech development cycles.
Matchmaking in practice: the EIC ACCESS+ session and what it revealed
On 25 November 2025 the EIC ACCESS+ team convened the initiative's first matchmaking session under the banner Spotlight on EIC Awardees’ Needs. The event brought together EIC Business Acceleration Services partners and a curated set of deep-tech innovators who have been recognised by the EIC or by the Seal of Excellence. The purpose was to create a direct dialogue about operational bottlenecks and to map those needs to specialised providers listed in the EIC Service Catalogue. Organisers framed the meeting as a step toward accelerating market-readiness for high-risk, high-impact technologies by easing access to services that startups typically struggle to afford.
Who pitched and the demand signal from deep-tech SMEs
Seven companies delivered short pitches describing specific gaps. Their needs were practical and familiar across European deep-tech scale-ups. The session was designed to help EIC partners better understand where their expertise could make an immediate difference and to surface market and operational barriers across sectors.
| Company | Sector | Country | Primary needs flagged |
| AVVie | Medtech | Austria | Prototyping, R&D infrastructure, regulatory and clinical pathway support |
| CELLife | Energy | Finland | Battery testing infrastructure, diagnostics, prototyping and industrial partnerships |
| Vispera | Retailtech | Türkiye | Scaling operations, data infrastructure, investor matchmaking |
| Voltera | Energy | Bulgaria | Prototyping, business planning and quality assurance support |
| ISCLEANAIR | Climate tech | Italy | Access to R&D facilities, pilot deployments, industrial validation |
| SUBLIME Energie | Agritech | France | Market entry, internationalisation and fundraising |
| Wicow | Agritech / Animal Health Tech | Türkiye / Germany | HR and talent, go-to-market planning, investor outreach |
What EIC ACCESS+ and related EIC mechanisms offer
The matchmaking session was anchored in the EIC ACCESS+ offer. That programme is delivered under the EIC Business Acceleration Services and is explicitly aimed at helping EIC Awardees and Seal of Excellence holders access specialised sector-focused services. The financial instrument is co-funding to reduce the cost barrier for early stage innovators who need outside expertise or infrastructure.
| Package | Maximum co-funding per beneficiary | Typical services included |
| Research package | Up to EUR 60 000 | Access to infrastructure, R&D support, prototyping and proof of concept |
| Skills improvement | Up to EUR 10 000 | Coaching, mentoring, HR and talent development |
| Business acceleration | Up to EUR 30 000 | Acceleration, incubation, business planning, matchmaking and internationalisation |
| Access to funds | Up to EUR 30 000 | IP and legal support, due diligence, fundraising support |
Beyond the co-funding, EIC Business Acceleration Services provide broader non-financial support such as coaching, investor outreach and internationalisation programmes. During the session, Gisela Santos presented the EIC BAS portfolio and the role of the Service Catalogue in routing innovators to sector specialists.
Eligibility, process and practical constraints
Additional administrative rules and timelines matter. Services must be specified in the application with expected delivery periods. Some calls require service completion by the end of June 2026. Applicants should note double funding restrictions and reporting obligations such as a short post-service report and a satisfaction questionnaire before final payment.
What the session achieved and the limits of co-funding
The event produced practical benefits. EIC partners heard clear, company-specific asks and were able to identify where their offers align. For startups, that reduces time spent finding suitable providers. For partners, the pitches clarified demand patterns across sectors. However the matchmaking session also highlighted persistent structural frictions.
A further practical issue is fit. Specialist infrastructure or lengthy regulatory support often demands multi-stage engagement beyond what a single co-funded service can address. EIC ACCESS+ can help bridge a gap but it is not a substitute for longer term public investment in shared R&D infrastructure or for predictable national ecosystems that consistently fund piloting and scale-up.
Advice for potential applicants
If you are an eligible EIC Awardee or a Seal of Excellence holder considering an EIC ACCESS+ application, consider the following practical steps to improve chances of success.
Broader context and final considerations
EIC ACCESS+ sits within a broader EIC BAS ecosystem that offers coaching, investor readiness, trade fair exposure and large corporate partnership programmes. In the European deep-tech landscape, targeted co-funding for specialist services can unblock immediate bottlenecks. That is valuable for startups that need niche lab time, regulatory coaching, or investor readiness packages they could not otherwise afford.
But structural gaps remain. Scaling deep-tech requires patient capital and durable access to shared facilities. Short term grants and one-off services can be useful on the path to commercialisation. They are rarely sufficient on their own. Policymakers and ecosystem builders should therefore view EIC ACCESS+ as a tactical instrument within a larger portfolio that must include sustained public and private investments in infrastructure, workforce and long lead time validation.
How to follow up
Detailed guidance including eligibility rules, the Service Catalogue and an application video guide are available on the EIC ACCESS+ website. Interested awardees should join the EIC ACCESS+ Community Hub to access the application form, find vetted providers and track the open call. For technical questions contact the programme helpdesk via the EIC Community or eicpartnerships-helpdesk@eic-bas.eu.