EIC seeks overseas partners to help European deep tech scale internationally
- ›The European Innovation Council opened a call for partners to support EIC-funded beneficiaries to expand into the United States, Asia, South America and the Middle East.
- ›Partners must provide market entry support such as soft-landing programmes, market training, lead generation and connections to local mentors and investors.
- ›Selection will be based on experience with European deep tech, alignment with EIC beneficiaries' technology areas, and complementarity with existing EIC services.
- ›Partners gain access to a validated EU innovation portfolio, an EIC label, community membership and visibility at EU events.
- ›The application deadline was 27 March 2023, 23:59 CET.
EIC seeks overseas partners to help European deep tech scale internationally
The European Innovation Council issued a call for partner organisations to support the internationalisation of its top beneficiaries. The initiative targets strategic world markets with a particular emphasis on the United States, including Silicon Valley, Asia, South America and the Middle East. The objective is to reduce common barriers faced by EIC-supported startups and research teams as they attempt to expand abroad.
What the call asks partners to deliver
The call requests partners that can help EIC-backed teams overcome practical barriers to overseas expansion. That includes addressing the high upfront costs of setting up abroad, helping firms reach local customers, and identifying business and R and D partners. The services envisaged focus on direct technical market support, market knowledge transfer via training, lead identification and interaction, building international business and research partnerships, connecting to local startup ecosystems, and establishing long term mentorships.
How partners will be evaluated
The selection criteria set out by the EIC focus on three core areas. Evaluators will look for experienced organisations with a proven track record of supporting European deep tech firms in the target market. They will assess how well the proposed services align with the needs and technology areas of EIC beneficiaries. They will also check whether the offer complements existing EIC business acceleration efforts rather than duplicating them.
| Selection criterium | Key elements required from applicants | What evaluators will look for |
| Criterium 1: Excellence and impact of the service offer | Experience hosting European deep tech startups, capacity for soft landing programmes, networks of mentors and investors, track record in similar programmes | Proven programmes, measurable outcomes such as funding raised, customers reached, successful scale ups or exits |
| Criterium 2: Alignment with EIC beneficiaries' areas and needs | Fit with deep tech domains and concrete actions to increase market knowledge, lead generation, partner identification and mentorship | Evidence the service addresses the specific market entry challenges faced by EIC cohorts |
| Criterium 3: Complementarity with EIC Business Acceleration Services | Ability to add value to ongoing EIC initiatives such as the Overseas Trade Fairs Programme | Clear description of how services fill gaps and avoid duplication |
What partners stand to gain
The EIC lists several non-exhaustive benefits for selected partners. These are framed around increased access to vetted technology, visibility through an EIC label, membership in the EIC Ecosystem Community and opportunities for commercial deals and piloting services with EIC-backed teams.
| Benefit | Description |
| Access to validated innovation portfolio | Direct access to a community of EIC backed researchers and startups across deep tech fields |
| Scale of portfolio | Connection to over 6000 researchers and startups supported by the EIC and about 430 innovation driven research teams |
| EIC label and visibility | Right to use an EIC label to raise visibility across Europe and participate in networking and community events |
| Ecosystem membership | Seat as an EIC Ecosystem Community member and front line participation in EU funded innovation programmes |
| Business opportunities | Potential to pilot and sell services to startups, and to form new commercial relationships within the European deep tech ecosystem |
Timing and how to apply
The call was published in early March 2023 and set an application deadline of 27 March 2023 at 23 59 CET. Organisations interested in applying needed to follow the tender submission process published on the EISMEA web pages. The call was presented as closed after the deadline passed.
Context within EIC support for scaling
The call sits alongside other EIC support tools such as grants, equity from the EIC Fund and Business Acceleration Services. One existing instrument mentioned explicitly is the Overseas Trade Fairs Programme that has been operating since 2016 and helps beneficiaries to showcase technologies at international fairs. The new partners are expected to complement these existing services by offering deeper market entry support in specific countries and regions.
Analysis and practical considerations
On paper, connecting validated European deep tech teams with experienced local partners can accelerate market entry and reduce avoidable mistakes. There are, however, open questions that applicants and observers should scrutinise. The call primarily advertises access and visibility but does not disclose funding allocations for partner services in public summaries. It is not clear whether the EIC will provide financial support for companies to use partner services or whether partners will be expected to commercialise their offerings directly to startups.
Other important practical hurdles remain for early stage deep tech firms that a partner cannot solve on its own. They include local regulatory approvals, intellectual property management across jurisdictions, visa and talent mobility issues, supply chain establishment and the capital intensity of hardware scale up. Market knowledge and introductions are necessary but not sufficient to guarantee successful scaling.
Potential conflicts of interest merit attention. Partners who receive exclusive visibility or an EIC label while offering paid services to the same beneficiaries create incentives that require transparency. EISMEA and the EIC will need to make conflict management, reporting and expected outcomes explicit in contracts and public documents.
Practical recommendations for applicants
Applicants should demonstrate concrete, measurable outcomes from previous programmes. Providing case studies that show follow on investment, customer acquisition or successful partnerships in the target market will be decisive. Clear pricing models and examples of subsidised or co funded soft landing packages will help evaluators. Teams should also explain how they will coordinate with existing EIC services including the Overseas Trade Fairs Programme and local public and private partners.
Recommendations for EIC policymakers
The EIC should publish post selection monitoring metrics and disclose whether and how beneficiary companies are subsidised to use partner services. It should clarify conflict of interest safeguards and define success metrics that go beyond introductions and events. Tracking concrete follow on investment, revenue in target markets and regulatory milestones will provide a clearer picture of the internationalisation impact.
Finally, international expansion support should be designed with an understanding that deep tech scaling is capital and time intensive. Market access interventions are useful when combined with capital, regulatory guidance and supply chain support.
Official dates and contact
The call period closed with an application deadline of 27 March 2023, 23 59 CET. The public notice and tender documentation were hosted by EISMEA and the EIC web pages. The original announcement was published on 9 March 2023.