New EIC Business Acceleration open calls: what beneficiaries need to know

The European Innovation Council Business Acceleration Services has issued three separate open calls aimed at connecting EIC-funded teams with corporate partners, sector specialists and entrepreneurial training. The opportunities are time limited and targeted. They include a corporate matchmaking day with Lonza for life sciences collaborations, a REPowerEU-focused corporate matchmaking event with major energy and industrial players, and the EIC Innovation Bootcamp 4.0 which offers intensive entrepreneurship and go-to-market training to EIC Pathfinder and Transition projects.

EIC Corporate Day with Lonza

The EIC Corporate Partnership Programme and Lonza are organising a virtual corporate day on 21 November 2022. Lonza, a large contract development and manufacturing organisation or CDMO, works with pharmaceutical customers to develop cell lines and to manufacture therapeutic products at commercial scale. The company is looking for startups and innovators that can enhance partnerships and co-develop solutions in areas of interest to the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors. Applications for this virtual event are open until 5 October 2022.

EIC x REPowerEU: energy resilience and fast-tracked green transition

The EIC Greenhouse Gas Programme is inviting innovators to an EIC x REPowerEU matchmaking event on 4 and 5 October 2022. The activity is framed by the REPowerEU agenda which aims to increase the resilience of the European energy system while accelerating the green transition. The EIC is promoting collaboration between EIC beneficiaries and four European corporate partners: EDP, Iberdrola, Neste and Veolia. Applications were open until 5 September 2022.

EIC Innovation Bootcamp 4.0: objectives and structure

The EIC Innovation Bootcamp 4.0 is a virtual, four-day ideation and entrepreneurship programme restricted to EIC Pathfinder and Transition beneficiaries. The three initial days run 18 to 20 October 2022, followed by a full final day during the week of 5 December 2022. The Bootcamp combines lectures, hands-on group work, coached business modelling and pitching practice. It aims to equip researcher-led teams with the skills to commercialise results and prepare presentations at the level expected for an EIC Accelerator Step 1 pitch.

Four-day agenda and mentoring

The Bootcamp syllabus is intensive and follows a logical path from entrepreneurship basics to market-ready pitching. Day 1 covers innovation management topics such as design thinking, lean startup and investment readiness. Day 2 focuses on customer discovery, product development, business model design, IP strategy and communications. Day 3 covers financing strategies and advanced pitching skills. Between the October sessions and the December pitching day teams receive personalised pitching coaching and EIT Alumni mentorship. Teams must submit pitch decks and may take part in dry-run sessions before the final presentation.

Application, selection and commitments

Applications for the three calls were open to EIC-funded beneficiaries with differing deadlines. The Innovation Bootcamp specifically limits participation to Pathfinder and Transition projects and caps intake at a small number of teams. The EIC selection process for Bootcamp participants typically considers the maturity of the idea, the composition of the team and the applicants motivation to engage with the entrepreneurial process. Participation requires full commitment to attend all days and to engage with coaching and follow-up activities.

Practical takeaways and risks for innovators

The EIC Business Acceleration Services provide useful routes for early stage projects to access corporate partners, coaching and investor-facing practice. For research teams that lack commercial experience, the Bootcamp and mentorship can accelerate understanding of business model design and investor expectations. Corporate days with companies such as Lonza or energy incumbents can open piloting and supply chain opportunities that are otherwise hard to reach for small teams.

But benefits are not guaranteed. Corporate engagement can lead to noncompetitive commercial relations if intellectual property and commercial terms are not clarified up front. Access to CDMO capacity often requires regulatory readiness and manufacturing standards that early teams may not meet. Collaborations framed by public programmes such as REPowerEU signal policy urgency but do not remove technical or market barriers. Innovators should approach these opportunities with clear objectives, legal support on IP and contracting, and realistic timelines for technical validation.

How to keep track of further EIC acceleration services

These calls were published by the EIC Business Acceleration Services and promoted through the EIC events calendar and community channels. Beneficiaries are advised to consult the EIC events page and EISMEA communications for future open calls, workshops and partnership offers. Contact points and helpdesk links are provided on the EIC and EISMEA websites.

If you plan to participate, check eligibility early, gather the mandatory team information and consent materials, and prepare to meet the reporting obligations that come with EIC Business Acceleration Services.