EIC Ecosystem Partnerships and Co-Investment Support Programme: scaling Europe’s deep tech with partners and investors
- ›The EIC Ecosystem Partnerships and Co-Investment Support Programme has two main strands: a curated partnership network that offers specialised services and a co-investment support track that prepares EIC beneficiaries for investment and connects them with investors.
- ›The programme draws on a network of more than 150 partners and leading venture and corporate investors to provide services, matchmaking and funding events.
- ›Selected partners report constructive collaboration with the EIC, while investor feedback from recent Investor Days is positive but anecdotal.
- ›Access to partner services can be co-funded via the EIC ACCESS+ scheme which covers up to 50 percent of eligible service costs up to a threshold of EUR 60 000.
- ›The initiative expands the EIC Business Acceleration Services, but the programme does not guarantee follow-on investment and faces typical deep tech scaling risks such as capital intensity and long time to market.
EIC Ecosystem Partnerships and Co-Investment Support Programme
The European Innovation Council has formalised a two-pronged support package for EIC beneficiaries and Seal of Excellence holders. One strand builds a curated partnership network that supplies sector-specific services and access to facilities. The other strand focuses on investor readiness and co-investment facilitation, pairing preparation activities with matchmaking and events that bring innovators face to face with venture and corporate capital. The programme sits as an expansion of the EIC Business Acceleration Services and leverages more than 150 partner organisations and a roster of leading investors.
How the two strands work
Who is in the network and what partners say
The programme highlights two partners as representative examples. Their experiences illustrate both the benefits and the limits of the arrangement when applied to deep tech and specialised verticals.
SpaceFounders
SpaceFounders is a specialised accelerator launched in 2021 for European space startups. It is jointly run by the University of the Bundeswehr Munich, the French National Centre for Space Studies (CNES) and the Italian Space Agency (ASI). According to founder testimony, SpaceFounders has supported 40 alumni. Eight of these alumni have been awarded EIC Accelerator or Pathfinder funding. SpaceFounders reports having co-invested in equity alongside the EIC Fund in two companies and having co-organised multiple events with the EIC.
The accelerator stresses alignment with EIC values and the need for tailored support in capital intensive sectors such as space. SpaceFounders emphasises that services valued by its cohorts include strategic execution coaching, growth structuring, fundraising support and introductions to investor networks and industry partners.
Catalyze
Catalyze is a consultancy focused on life sciences and sustainability. The firm highlights more than 20 years of experience and a track record of helping clients raise over €1 billion. Catalyze positions itself as an expert in fundraising acceleration and market routes for companies with breakthrough innovations. The firm says it maximises funding potential for EIC beneficiaries and Seal of Excellence holders through investor readiness and targeted fundraising support.
Investor feedback from EIC events
Investor days organised under the programme in Munich and Paris in 2023 and in Brussels in 2024 drew positive comments from attending investors. Their feedback was largely focused on deal sourcing and presentation quality. These comments are useful but anecdotal and reflect the perspective of investors who opt in to these events.
Representative investor remarks included the following observations.
| Investor | Organisation | Comment |
| Fei Tian | MIG AG | It is always interesting to see pre-selected innovations and technologies and to find complementary potential new investments. |
| Karl Nägler | Wellington Partners | It was great to get a first-hand experience and a feel for how to work with the people that are involved, the companies that are presenting themselves. |
| Claire Corot | Truffle Capital | Very short and very clear presentations with different thesis. It was quick for us, easy to get. All the pitching companies were very innovative in their product and also embracing important markets. |
These statements indicate that the EIC process of pre-selection and curated events can reduce screening costs for investors. They do not prove follow-on investment outcomes for participants. Selection bias should be expected because investors and startups self select into these curated events.
How to access services and co-funding
| Instrument or metric | Scope or description | Figure or note |
| ACCESS+ co-funding | Covers a share of partner service costs | Up to 50 percent of costs and up to EUR 60 000 |
| EIC partner network | Organisations offering specialised services in the catalogue | 150 plus partners |
| EIC investor events | Curated investor days and match-making events | Held in multiple cities including Munich, Paris and Brussels |
EIC Business Acceleration Services impact metrics
The EIC Markets several performance indicators to show the reach of its Business Acceleration Services. These indicators aggregate activity across a wide array of programmes and should be read as headline figures rather than proof of causal impact.
| Metric | Reported figure | Timeframe or note |
| One-on-one meetings facilitated | 20 000 plus | Since 2021 across multiple programmes |
| Deals reported | 595 | Since 2021 |
| Capital raised through investor outreach | EUR 350 million | Since 2021 |
| Capital raised by EIC Scaling Club members | EUR 1.2 billion | Since joining the programme |
| Turnover from trade fairs | EUR 42 million | Since 2024 only |
| Innovation procurement matched value raised | EUR 7.7 million | Since March 2024 |
| Pilots supported | 22 ongoing and 16 completed | Supported with EUR 1.93 million |
| Awardees coached | More than 2 400 | Since 2021 |
These figures show activity volume. They do not replace rigorous evaluations that would isolate the EIC programmes contributions from market effects and other funding sources.
Practical steps to engage
Organisations that want to join as EIC partners can apply through the EIC Ecosystem Partnership call. Prospective partners and beneficiaries can access the EIC Service Catalogue after signing into the EIC Community Platform with EU Login credentials. Investors can consult the EIC Fund portfolio and join the EIC Fund Investors Network.
Contact points and resources mentioned by the EIC include an email address for partnership questions, a public call for partnerships, and links to the EIC Fund investor registration pages.
| Purpose | Contact or resource | Notes |
| Partnership enquiries | eicpartnerships-helpdesk@eic-bas.eu | EIC helpdesk for Ecosystem Partnerships |
| Become an EIC Partner | EIC Call for Partnerships | Apply via EIC website |
| Investor engagement | EIC Fund Portfolio and Investors Network | Register via EIC Fund portals |
Implications, risks and a measured view
The programme addresses two genuine barriers that deep tech startups face. First it tackles access to highly specialised services and infrastructures. Second it reduces investor search costs by pre-selecting and preparing firms for investor interactions. Both features can be useful in Europe where deep tech commercialisation often requires bespoke facilities and longer capital cycles.
At the same time the model has limitations. Co-investment facilitation and matchmaking are not guarantees of follow-on finance. Many deep tech firms still face long development timelines, regulatory delays and capital intensity that make follow-on rounds challenging. Publicly brokered match-making will also favour firms that meet the EIC selection criteria which are oriented toward European added value and technological excellence. This raises potential selection bias and regional concentration risks in outcomes.
For partners and beneficiaries the key questions to monitor going forward are additionality and sustainability. Additionality asks whether the programme enables deals and growth that would not otherwise have happened. Sustainability asks whether partner services, co-investment dynamics and investor relationships translate into repeatable and scalable outcomes rather than one-off events.
Recommendations and next steps for stakeholders
Beneficiaries should treat the catalogue and events as tools to reduce friction in fundraising and business development. They should combine EIC support with clear milestones for technology validation, regulatory strategy and commercial traction. Partners should document outcomes from their engagements in a standardised way so that the EIC can refine partner selection and funding modalities. Investors should continue to scrutinise technical readiness, capital needs and regulatory risks beyond pitch presentations.
Final practical information
If you would like to become an EIC partner consult the EIC Call for Partnerships on the EIC website. For queries specific to Ecosystem Partnerships contact eicpartnerships-helpdesk@eic-bas.eu. Investors interested in the EIC Fund can view the EIC Fund portfolio and sign up for the EIC Fund Investors Network through the EIC Fund pages.
Disclaimer. The information presented here is intended for knowledge sharing and reporting. It should not be treated as the official view of the European Commission or any other organisation.