EIC launches Scale-Up 100 call to back business support organisations for deep tech scaleups
- ›The European Innovation Council has opened a call, Scale-Up 100, to fund business support organisations that will help 100 deep tech companies scale.
- ›The call is a coordination and support action focused on identifying, promoting and accelerating high growth potential firms that could become European unicorns.
- ›Winning applicants will receive EU funding to deliver corporate and leadership development, investor and partner access, internationalisation support and links to other scale-up programmes.
- ›Applications were open until 5 October 2022 at 17:00 Brussels time and an information day was scheduled for 14 June 2022 in Paris.
What the Scale-Up 100 call is and who it targets
On 16 May 2022 the European Innovation Council announced the Scale-Up 100 call. The initiative seeks proposals from business support organisations or consortia to identify, promote and help scale 100 promising deep tech firms across Europe. The aim is to accelerate companies that show potential to reach 'unicorn' status with valuations above one billion euros. The call is a coordination and support action and is open for applications on the EU Funding and Tenders portal.
Core objectives and what successful applicants will do
The winning organisation or consortium will receive European Commission funding to deliver services designed to make selected companies more investable and better able to grow internationally. Specifically the call describes support in areas such as corporate and leadership strategy development, introductions to strategic investors and partners, support for international expansion and access to other EU scale-up programmes. The funding is to equip business support actors to provide these services rather than being direct equity or grants to the start-ups themselves.
Practical information and deadlines
| Item | Detail | Source or note |
| Call name | EIC Scale-Up 100 | |
| Type of action | Coordination and Support Action | |
| Who may apply | Business support organisations or consortia | |
| Objective | Identify, promote and support 100 deep tech scaleups with unicorn potential | |
| Funding recipient | Selected entity or consortium, for delivering support services | |
| Application deadline | 5 October 2022, 17:00 Brussels time | |
| Information day | 14 June 2022, Paris conference 'Sustainability and Technology: Investing in the future' | |
| Where to apply and find details | EU Funding and Tenders Opportunities portal |
Information day and public engagement
The EIC promoted an information session linked to the Sustainability and Technology conference in Paris on 14 June 2022. The session was billed as an opportunity for potential applicants to learn more about the call and to network with tech companies. Senior figures scheduled to speak included Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Jean-David Malo, Director of EISMEA, Nicolas Duforcq, General Director of Bpifrance, and Kat Borlongan, EIC Board member and founding member of Scale-Up Europe. The event agenda highlighted policy discussions about European unicorns, a presentation of the Scale-Up 100 call and pitching sessions by selected EIC companies.
Key terms explained
How this fits with the EIC and EU innovation ecosystem
The Scale-Up 100 call complements the EIC's broader toolkit which includes Pathfinder for early stage research, Accelerator for market deployment and the EIC Fund for equity co-investments. By directing coordination funding to intermediaries, the EIC aims to multiply impact through existing networks and services. The European Innovation Council and the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency often work with national contact points and regional actors to link EU instruments with local ecosystems.
Questions and caveats that matter for applicants and observers
The Scale-Up 100 concept is plausible as a way to marshal support around a cohort of promising firms. At the same time there are several practical and policy questions to watch. How will success be measured for the funded intermediaries and for the 100 selected companies? Which selection criteria will be used to ensure geographic and sectoral balance and to avoid privileging already well connected ecosystems? How will this call avoid duplication with other EU and national scaleup initiatives, and what safeguards will ensure transparent allocation of public funds to intermediaries? Finally the impact of a coordination action is typically indirect and long term. Claiming eventual 'unicorn' outcomes raises expectations that will be hard to attribute to a single programme.
Practical tips for prospective applicants
If you are a business support organisation considering an application you should be able to demonstrate a track record of scaling technology companies, strong investor networks and mechanisms to measure company progress. Consortia that combine regional reach, sector expertise and international market access will likely be stronger. Be explicit about how you will select the 100 companies, how you will avoid conflicts of interest and how EU funds will leverage additional private or national resources.
Where to find the official documents and apply
The official call documents, templates and submission portal were published on the EU Funding and Tenders Opportunities portal. The EIC invited interested parties to attend the information day in Paris to pose questions and to network with potential partners and candidate companies.
Bottom line
Scale-Up 100 is an attempt by the EIC to concentrate skills and support around a cohort of deep tech firms with high growth potential. The approach is sensible as part of a wider ecosystem strategy but it will succeed only if design details are clear, monitoring is robust and the funded intermediaries can demonstrate additionality beyond existing support. Applicants should prepare detailed delivery and measurement plans and be ready to explain how they will link EU funding with private capital and national support.