EIC ePitching on Quantum, Semiconductors and Photonics

On 25 September an online pitching session organised by the European Innovation Council brought nine EIC-supported companies working in quantum technologies, semiconductors and photonics before a panel of 19 investors. The event formed part of the EIC Investor Readiness and Outreach Programme which sits inside the EIC’s Business Acceleration Services. The format is explicitly about investor readiness and outreach and about providing curated exposure to venture capital and corporate investors for awardees of the EIC Accelerator and related EIC instruments.

Who pitched and what they claimed

The nine presenting companies represented a mix of early and scale-stage deep techs focused on hardware and systems integration. Their propositions ranged from compact quantum computers designed to fit in datacentres to sensors for semiconductor failure analysis and a spectral ground-penetrating radar system. The session attracted interest from specialised quantum funds and mainstream VCs and corporates that allocate into deep tech.

Technical concepts explained

Founders’ takeaways from the event

Founders who pitched described the ePitching session as efficient exposure to a concentrated set of relevant investors and useful mentoring on the pitch itself. Sumeet Kumar, CEO of Innatera Nanosystems based in the Netherlands, said the event exceeded expectations because it brought deep tech investors who understood their product and market. He highlighted that the EIC’s involvement eased conversations with private investors and helped with visibility. As Sumeet put it, "That is a very positive thing that I found inside of the event." He also noted that public support helps to build local sovereign capabilities that can attract more private capital.

Vanessa Diaz, CEO of LuxQuanta in Barcelona, described a practical benefit from the EIC accelerator. She said the Accelerator improves both funding prospects and visibility and that preparation support condensed months of communications work into a much shorter investor-ready pitch. Her assessment was practical and upbeat while emphasising that EIC backing makes private rounds smaller and easier to close because it acts as a signal to private investors.

Investors’ perspective and how they use EIC signals

Investors at the event ranged from boutique quantum funds to generalist and corporate investors. Several attendees said the EIC award acts as a valuable proof point for both the underlying science and the founder’s ability to execute. They also stressed that venture funding and public research grants serve different roles along the innovation chain.

Kris Kaczmarek from 2xN, a quantum-focused venture fund, highlighted that the curated selection at the ePitching helped him compare technical approaches across companies and open new lines of enquiry. He was clear that VC capital is not a substitute for basic or expensive research funding. Public grants can carry early-stage technology risk and de-risk key milestones that later make companies investible.

Olivier Tonneau, partner and co-founder at Quantonation, said EIC grants are "the mark of a very serious and well-thought project." For an early-stage quantum investor, he looks at quality science, the strength of the team, and a realistic roadmap to productisation. He also described the event as an efficient deal sourcing channel and plans to systematically screen EIC recipients for opportunities.

Practical limits acknowledged by investors

Across conversations investors reiterated two practical cautions. First, hardware-heavy deep tech requires long timelines and stepwise de-risking. VC is best at scaling commercial pathways once sufficient technical risk has been removed. Second, public awards like EIC funding help credibility but do not guarantee commercial traction or subsequent private rounds. The typical investor playbook remains discovery of product-market fit, reference customers and manufacturing scale.

Who was in the room - investor roster

The ePitching session gave companies access to a broad investor jury from Europe and beyond. Listed participants included venture funds, corporate venture arms and large financial institutions with deep tech allocations.

Why EIC readiness programmes matter and what they offer

The EIC Investor Readiness and Outreach Programme aims to improve the preparedness of EIC Accelerator innovators for investment. It provides coaching, pitch feedback, benchmarking, introductions and matchmaking events such as ePitchings and Investor Days. The EIC Business Acceleration Services also include procurement matchmaking, corporate days and international soft-landing support.

What to watch and what remains uncertain

The session highlighted promising technical directions in Europe but also underscored typical deep tech risks. Many pitching companies made assertive commercial claims. For example, one company promoted shipping rack-mounted quantum hardware in H1 2025 and others publicised major planned investments or funding rounds. Those statements should be treated as forward-looking and subject to technical milestones, supply-chain readiness and funding being secured. Historically, hardware and quantum companies face long development curves and high capital intensity.

A second pragmatic point is that integration into industry workflows and qualification by buyers is often the hardest step. Technologies such as QKD need integration into telecom operations and standards alignment. Semiconductor testing platforms need to demonstrate throughput and robustness at wafer scale. Photonic chips must show cost competitiveness versus incumbent electronic options at system level. Each of those steps requires follow-on capital and commercial partnerships.

Implications for Europe’s deep tech ecosystem

The event is a reminder that Europe’s public funding and accelerator infrastructure can create deal flow and reduce matching friction between public-backed innovators and private investors. EIC awards remain powerful signals for investors seeking technology validation. At the same time investors and founders are aligned on two points. First, public funding does not replace patient private capital. Second, there is growing investor appetite for hardware-focused European startups where sovereign capabilities matter, but that appetite depends on demonstrable technical milestones and credible commercial pathways.

For policy makers the takeaway is also practical. Building industrial sovereignty in semiconductors, photonics and quantum requires continued public investment in research, pilot lines, foundry access and talent development alongside instruments that push companies toward commercial milestones and private finance readiness. The EIC and research hubs such as imec play complementary roles in that landscape by providing both research infrastructure and investor-facing validation.

Final note and realistic expectations

Events such as this ePitching are effective at increasing visibility and accelerating conversations. They are not a replacement for the long operational work founders must do to industrialise devices, qualify products and secure customers. Investors and founders alike should retain healthy scepticism about milestone timelines and treat public awards as important but not definitive steps on the path to commercial success.