EIC partners with Plug and Play for US Soft Landing week in Silicon Valley
- ›The European Innovation Council will run a US soft landing programme with Plug and Play for 15 selected EIC awardees.
- ›The cohort will be SMEs and startups only, with a strong cleantech focus and tailored mentoring and workshops.
- ›A fully organised immersion week in Silicon Valley is scheduled from 4 to 8 December 2023, including participation in Plug and Play's Winter Summit and corporate visits.
- ›Applications open 23 August 2023 and close 17 September 2023, with places limited.
- ›The announcement is for knowledge sharing and is not an official position of the European Commission.
EIC US Soft Landing with Plug and Play
The European Innovation Council is partnering with Plug and Play, a large Silicon Valley accelerator, to offer 15 selected EIC awardees a structured pathway to explore the US market. The programme targets EIC-backed SMEs and startups and aims to provide mentoring, workshops and an immersive Silicon Valley week from 4 to 8 December 2023.
What the programme offers
Selected participants will receive a mix of high level mentoring, dedicated workshops and practical guidance designed to support initial market entry into the United States. The week in Silicon Valley is fully organised by the partners and includes active participation in Plug and Play's Winter Summit. During the week participants will have opportunities to meet investors and to visit large technology companies such as Google, Nvidia and Autodesk, among other activities.
| Item | Detail | Dates |
| Application open | Applications will open on the EIC website | 23 August 2023 |
| Application close | Final deadline for submissions | 17 September 2023 |
| Silicon Valley immersion week | Fully organised stay, participation in Plug and Play Winter Summit, investor meetings, corporate visits | 4 to 8 December 2023 |
| Number of places | Cohort size limited to selected awardees | 15 participants |
Why this matters for EU startups
The EIC has a mandate to help deeptech and innovative startups scale. Access to Silicon Valley ecosystems is a common objective for European startups that seek investment, corporate partnerships and validation in large international markets. An organised week that combines a summit, investor introductions and corporate meetings can accelerate learning about US customers and investors that are often structurally different from European counterparts.
Plug and Play's network can open doors that are otherwise difficult for early stage companies to reach from Europe. For cleantech startups, exposure to US corporates and utilities can be especially valuable because many procurement and pilot processes require local proof points.
Practical caveats and limits
Announcements of this kind tend to highlight access and exposure. That is useful but not a substitute for commercial traction. A single week of immersion can generate leads and contacts. It does not remove the need for follow up, local presence, regulatory compliance and longer term business development. Startups should plan for post-trip obligations and understand that investor interest at a summit does not automatically translate into term sheets.
Selection and application
Applications are scheduled to open on 23 August 2023 and close on 17 September 2023. Places are limited to 15 selected EIC awardees. The original notice invites interested parties to watch the EIC website for more information and details about the application process which will follow after the opening date.
Context in the EU innovation ecosystem
The European Innovation Council backs high potential startups through grants and blended finance. Programmes that link EIC beneficiaries with global accelerators are part of broader efforts to reduce scale up gaps that exist between Europe and the United States. Such partnerships leverage private sector networks to complement public funding.
Plug and Play operates many verticals and corporate relationships. For EU startups, alignment with a Plug and Play vertical can provide targeted introductions but may also expose companies to commercial pressures that reflect US market timelines.
Risks to be aware of
Startups should be pragmatic about expected outcomes. Common risks include underestimating the time and cost of US market entry, intellectual property exposure when conducting pilots, and mismatches between investor expectations for scale and the startup's current readiness. There is also a selection bias. Participants are drawn from EIC awardees who already have a degree of validation which means results for non awardees would likely differ.
Next steps and how to follow the opportunity
Interested EIC awardees should monitor the EIC website starting 23 August 2023 for the application form and further details. Applicants should prepare evidence of EIC award status and a succinct plan describing how the US programme will be used to progress commercial objectives.
Because the announcement contains limited operational detail about costs and selection criteria, applicants should seek clarifications from EIC contacts or the published guidance when it becomes available.
Disclaimer
This write up is based on the EIC announcement of 3 August 2023. The original notice included a disclaimer that the information is provided for knowledge sharing and should not be interpreted as the official view of the European Commission or any other organisation. Readers should consult the EIC website for official guidance and formal calls for applications.