EIC ePitching for Quantum, Semiconductors and Photonics: apply by 15 July 2024 to pitch to top investors

Brussels, June 25th 2024

Summary

›The European Innovation Council is running an online ePitching event for EIC-funded companies in Quantum, Semiconductors and Photonics on 25 September 2024.
›Applications were open through 11 July 2024 and the deadline was extended to 15 July 2024.
›Eligible applicants are EIC Accelerator beneficiaries who have received the investment component under H2020 pilot or Horizon Europe blended finance or investment only tracks.
›Selected companies receive pitch coaching, a rehearsal session, exposure to a panel of European investors and possible one-to-one follow up meetings.
›Profiles and some application data will be shared with jury members and may be included in an event brochure and investor communications.

EIC ePitching on Quantum, Semiconductors and Photonics

The European Innovation Council Business Acceleration Services is organising an online pitching session on 25 September 2024 to showcase EIC-funded innovations in Quantum, Semiconductors and Photonics to a roster of European and international investors. The initiative is targeted at companies that are part of the EIC Accelerator programme and that have already received an investment component. The event offers selected teams coaching, a rehearsal session and visibility with venture capitalists, corporate venture arms and public investors. Organisers extended the submission deadline to 15 July 2024.

Who should apply and who is eligible

This call is restricted to EIC Accelerator companies that have received the investment component. That includes beneficiaries from the H2020 EIC Accelerator Pilot under blended finance who have already received grant and equity, and Horizon Europe EIC Accelerator companies selected under grant first, blended finance or investment only tracks. Applicants should be working primarily on solutions related to Quantum, Semiconductors or Photonics.

What counts as an eligible EIC company:Eligible firms are EIC Accelerator awardees who have the investment component recorded in their EIC project documentation. Applicants must complete the application form accurately and include verifiable fields such as project number and acronym to allow organisers to check eligibility.

Event format, dates and commitments

The ePitching session will take place online via Zoom on 25 September 2024 from 14:00 to 18:00 CEST. Companies selected by the investor jury will be invited to deliver a live pitch. A rehearsal session is scheduled roughly one week before the event to help chosen teams refine their pitch and materials. Applicants should only apply if the nominated presenter can attend both the rehearsal and the event day.

Milestone	Date and time	Notes
Original publication of call	2024-06-25	Information released by EIC Business Acceleration Services
Application deadline (initial)	11 July 2024	Deadline later extended
Application deadline (extended)	15 July 2024 23:59 CEST	Final deadline for submissions
Rehearsal session	One week before the event	Organisers will schedule an afternoon online rehearsal for selected companies
Event day	25 September 2024 14:00-18:00 CEST	Online via Zoom
Selection by investor jury	Date TBD by organisers	Investor jury will vote using the application material provided

How to apply and what organisers will use from your submission

Applications are made through the EIC form. Applicants must provide contact details for the person who will present. Some fields in the form are marked to be featured in the event brochure if selected. Organisers will share applicant profiles and submitted information with the investor jury. The jury will make selection decisions based on the information in the submission and their own investment preferences.

Data use and privacy:Information provided in the application can be used to create an event brochure and may be circulated to investors and the organising team. If you have concerns about disclosure of particular items of information you should not include them in free text fields. For questions or objections contact investments@eicfund.eu or event contact agathe.petit@bpifrance.fr.

What selected companies can expect

If chosen, companies will pitch to a panel of qualified investors and receive coaching in advance. There is a possibility of being invited to one-to-one meetings and follow-up interactions with investors after the event. The EIC positions the session as a way to accelerate investor outreach for high potential deeptech firms.

What the offer does and does not guarantee:Organisers provide visibility, coaching and access to investors. These are helpful but do not guarantee investment. One-to-one meeting requests and follow-up interest are conditional on investor preferences and on the quality and fit of the venture. Companies should treat participation as part of broader investor engagement activities rather than a guaranteed funding outcome.

Investor jury and participating investors

The event lists a diverse set of investor organisations that will be present or invited. The roster includes corporate venture arms, established venture capital firms focused on deeptech, public and private climate and technology funds and research organisations. The organisers note that more investors may be added to the panel.

Investor / organisation	Public characterisation	Contextual note
Atlantic Labs	Early stage VC and accelerator	Known for backing early founders across technology sectors
Cycle Group	Climate and energy focused investor	Invests in technologies with environmental impact potential
Deeptech Equity NL	Dutch deeptech investor	Targets capital intensive technology companies
DTCF - DeepTech & Climate Fonds	Growth investor for deeptech and climate	Fund backed by German public funds focused on industrial scale-up
Elaia	European technology VC	Active in software and deeptech investments
Goldman Sachs	Global investment bank and investor	Large financial institution with venture and growth investment activity
IFC - International Finance Corporation	Development finance institution	Part of the World Bank Group investing in private sector development
IMEC	Research and development hub	Imec is a major European nanoelectronics and photonics research centre
World Fund	Venture fund	Public description available is limited so check investor profile for focus
Matterwave	VC focused on industrial and hardware deeptech	Backs hardware and industrial tech companies in Europe
Mig	Investor listed as participant	Limited public detail provided in the event listing
Photon Ventures	VC focused on integrated photonics	Specialist fund spun out of a photonics industry hub
Privilège Ventures	Swiss early stage VC	Focus on HealthTech CleanTech and AgriFoodTech
Quantonation	Quantum-focused venture fund	Europe based fund specialising in quantum technologies
Redstone	Venture investor	Active in deeptech and industrial segments
Samsung Venture	Corporate venture arm	Strategic corporate investor of a major electronics company
Vektor Partners	Deeptech VC	Focus on AI and software enabled hardware businesses

This list is the set of named participants at the time of the call. The descriptions in the table are general and intended only to help applicants understand likely areas of investor interest. Applicants should research each investor to confirm sector fit and check publicly available information about investment stage, ticket size and portfolio focus.

Programme context within the EIC ecosystem

The pitching session is organised under the EIC Ecosystem Partnerships and Co-Investment Support Programme which expands the EIC Business Acceleration Services. The wider programme supports co-investment with the EIC Fund, provides matchmaking between beneficiaries and investors and builds a network of specialised sector partners to deliver tailored services to innovators.

EIC ACCESS+ co-funding:EIC ACCESS+ provides co-financing to enable EIC beneficiaries to access services from vetted EIC Partners. Eligible beneficiaries can receive up to EUR 60 000 covering up to 50 percent of service costs under an ongoing continuous open call running until 31 May 2026. This is intended to lower the cost barrier for niche or specialised services such as lab access, technical due diligence or relocation support.

What blended finance means in this context:Blended finance here refers to the EIC instrument that pairs grant funding with an equity investment from the EIC Fund. Companies that received the EIC blended finance under H2020 or Horizon Europe and that have the investment component recorded are considered eligible for investor outreach activities such as this pitching session.

Potential benefits and realistic expectations

Participation can provide useful exposure to decision makers at venture firms, corporate VCs and public investors. Coaching and a rehearsal session can help sharpen messages for investor audiences. However applicants should treat the session as one element in a diversified fundraising strategy. The EIC highlights prior BAS outcomes such as thousands of one-to-one meetings and hundreds of deals linked to EIC activities, but individual results vary and investment depends on market fit, commercial traction, technical risk and investors portfolio strategy.

A cautious view is warranted because organiser provided metrics are aggregated across many programmes and years. Fundraising outcomes after a single event are rarely automatic. Founders should prepare realistic fundraising materials, target the right investors and follow up proactively after the event.

Practical checklist for applicants

Action	Notes
Complete the EIC application form	Include project number and acronym for eligibility checks
Provide the presenter's contact details and photo	The presenter's information may be featured in the event brochure
Confirm availability for rehearsal and event	Both online sessions are mandatory if you apply
Avoid confidential material in brochure fields	Organisers will share brochure content with investors
Research investor panel	Target companies should check investor stage and sector focus beforehand

Contacts and where to get help

If you have questions regarding the investor session or how your application will be used contact investments@eicfund.eu. Event specific questions may be sent to Agathe Petit at agathe.petit@bpifrance.fr. For details on the broader Business Acceleration Services and EIC ACCESS+ co-funding consult the EIC Community Platform and the EIC BAS web pages.

Final note

The ePitching session is a convening play by the EIC to connect financed deeptech innovators with relevant investors. It is a practical opportunity for eligible companies to increase visibility but it should not be considered a substitute for a tailored investor outreach program. Companies should balance the benefits of exposure and coaching with careful management of what information they make public during the application process.