EIC ACCESS+ workshop #2: Aligning service offers with the needs of Europe’s deep-tech innovators
- ›EIC ACCESS+ runs an online peer-learning workshop on 24 June 2025 to improve alignment between EIC Service Catalogue providers and EIC beneficiaries.
- ›The broader EIC ACCESS+ open call offers co-funding of up to EUR 60 000 per beneficiary to access services from the EIC Service Catalogue, covering up to 50 percent of costs.
- ›Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until 31 May 2026 but applicants should verify deadlines and service completion dates in official documents.
- ›The initiative emphasizes visibility, educational marketing, and trust building between service providers and startups, while continuing a structured peer-learning process.
EIC ACCESS+ workshop #2: Aligning service offers with the needs of Europe’s deep-tech innovators
On 24 June 2025 the EIC ACCESS+ programme will host its second peer-learning workshop online from 11:00 to 13:00 CEST. The session brings together EIC beneficiaries, Seal of Excellence holders and EIC Ecosystem Partners with the explicit aim of improving how the services listed in the EIC Service Catalogue are visible to, and aligned with, the real world needs of deep-tech startups and SMEs.
Why this workshop matters
EIC ACCESS+ is part of the EIC Business Acceleration Services. The programme responds to a frequently reported bottleneck in European innovation support. Deep-tech projects often require specialised infrastructure, regulatory and IP advice, tailored business modelling, and investor readiness support. Those services exist across Europe but are dispersed and hard to discover. The workshop is designed as a practical step to improve matchmaking, trust and visibility between service providers and innovators.
| Item | Detail |
| Workshop date | 24 June 2025 |
| Time | 11:00 13:00 CEST |
| Format | Short presentations then facilitated small group discussions with rapporteurs |
| Audience | EIC beneficiaries, Seal of Excellence holders, EIC Ecosystem Partners, organisations interested in joining the Service Catalogue |
| Registration | Online registration required via the EIC ACCESS+ channels |
What the workshop will focus on
The session builds on findings from the EIC Partners Day and previous peer-learning meetings. It brings service providers and beneficiaries into direct dialogue to surface priorities and co-design improvements. The organisers emphasise educational marketing as a tool to increase trust and uptake of services.
Participants will split into small groups to discuss themes such as platform usability, service categorisation, matchmaking and inclusivity in provider usage. Outcomes will feed into the ongoing EIC ACCESS+ peer-learning process and inform potential adjustments to the EIC Service Catalogue.
EIC ACCESS+ co-funding: what is on offer
EIC ACCESS+ provides co-funding to enable EIC Awardees and Seal of Excellence holders to purchase specialised services offered by vetted partners. The open call launched in November 2024 and remains open until 31 May 2026 according to official notices. The total budget for the call is reported as €3.45 million and the scheme aims to support up to 180 companies on a first-come, first-served basis.
| Service package | Maximum co-funded amount per beneficiary | Typical services covered |
| Research | 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 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 support, due diligence, fundraising support |
Eligibility and application process
Official guidance notes that services must be completed by a stated deadline. Multiple source documents in the public material list a service completion cutoff. The majority of official materials indicate that services must be completed by 30 June 2026 but at least one published article contains an earlier date. Applicants should verify the applicable service completion deadline in the official EIC ACCESS+ open call documents before applying.
Selection timetable and payments
The programme is administered as an ongoing open call. Public materials describe time-stamping of applications and cohort-based assessment. The frequency of evaluation is described differently across documents as either weekly or biweekly. After approval applicants sign the FSTP Agreement and follow the payment schedule for their grant.
EIC Service Catalogue and the Ecosystem Partnership
The EIC Service Catalogue aggregates service offers from organisations that have joined the EIC Ecosystem Partnership Programme. It is a searchable members area on the EIC Community Platform and it lists offers across categories such as acceleration incubation R amp D prototyping IP and internationalisation.
What the programme promises and practical limits
The co-funding mechanism removes part of the cost barrier for startups seeking specialised external support. In practice the scheme has operational constraints. The first-come first-served approach favours teams with the administrative capacity to complete applications quickly. The EUR 60 000 cap is meaningful for advisory and many prototyping services but may be insufficient for capital intensive infrastructure projects. Service quality and matchmaking depend on provider capability and demand management. The initiative attempts to address these issues through peer learning catalogue improvements and enhanced visibility but execution will determine impact.
Practical next steps for interested innovators and providers
If you are an EIC beneficiary or Seal of Excellence holder consider these immediate actions to take advantage of the programme and to prepare for the peer-learning workshop.
Where to get official information
Primary sources remain the EIC ACCESS+ website the EIC Community Platform and the EIC Service Catalogue. For questions about the Ecosystem Partnership and technical issues contact eicpartnerships-helpdesk@eic-bas.eu. For EIC ACCESS+ specific queries contact info@eicaccessplus.eu and consult the open call documentation in the Community Hub before applying.
The workshop and the funding call are useful additions to the EIC BAS menu of support for deep-tech innovators. They address a real problem in the European innovation ecosystem. The design choices made by the programme are pragmatic but not neutral. They favour speed and administrative simplicity which may advantage some applicants over others. Interested organisations should engage early verify deadlines and read the official templates carefully before committing resources.