EIC Soft-landing Programme: European health scaleups take Silicon Valley training and networks

From 19 to 24 May 2024 the European Innovation Council organised a focused Soft-landing week in San Francisco and Silicon Valley aimed at helping selected EIC-backed health and life sciences scaleups accelerate US market exploration. The cohort of 15 companies completed three months of preparatory work and then participated in a five day immersion featuring workshops, investor introductions, site visits and a public networking event called the European Innovation Spotlight.

What the programme offers and how it fits into EIC services

The programme is positioned by the EIC as a bridge between European innovation and established international ecosystems. Organisers say the aim is to help companies gain credibility, meet potential partners and investors, and recalibrate go-to-market plans based on local intelligence. For the May 2024 edition the sectoral focus was health and life sciences.

Selection criteria and expectations from participating companies

The requirement to demonstrate contribution to EU strategic autonomy is notable. This reflects EU policy priorities that favour technologies strengthening European technological sovereignty. For companies this adds a policy dimension to commercial planning and may shape which projects receive priority access to EIC acceleration resources.

The San Francisco and Silicon Valley week in practice

The closing week followed three months of remote training and mentorship. It was structured as an intensive entrepreneurial bootcamp combining practical sessions, high level meetings and public events. Hosts and partners included the EU office in San Francisco, Stanford University School of Medicine, INSEAD San Francisco Hub, NASDAQ Entrepreneurial Center, San Francisco Bay Area Council and the Commonwealth Club.

Each company had opportunities to pitch to venture capitalists and healthcare industry leaders and to participate in workshops on business modelling, valuation and brand strategy. EIC officials including Jean-David Malo of EISMEA attended and framed the programme as helping European innovators to become global champions.

Who took part in the health cohort

The 15 selected scaleups represented a range of health and life sciences technologies. The cohort list and country of origin are shown in the table below.

Case example: Ligence and the value of immersion

Ligence is an AI echocardiography company that automates cardiac ultrasound interpretation and reporting. Company executives praised the programme for forcing them to revisit assumptions about US market entry. They said the training changed how they would engage key opinion leaders, collaborate with hospitals and seek US investment.

Partners and the role of local expertise

The programme relied heavily on local partners to deliver sector specific insights and access. Partners contributed mentors, venue access, introductions to investors and visits to research and clinical sites. EIC credited the involvement of high profile organisations and an experienced EIC ambassador, Jillian Manus, for leveraging networks and preparing companies for US engagement.

Programme claims and caveats to watch

The EIC frames the Soft-landing as a means to help participants become global leaders. That is an ambitious claim for a week long immersion. Practical benefits from these programmes tend to come from warm introductions and knowledge transfer. Success depends on follow through by the company and on whether the introductions translate into pilots, partnerships or funding.

Evaluation metrics for the EIC should track concrete outcomes such as number of follow up meetings, pilot contracts, investor commitments and hires in target markets. Public communications from the EIC emphasise branding and exposure but provide less detail on measurable commercial outcomes to date.

Broader EIC internationalisation architecture and future missions

The Soft-landing edition in May 2024 is one piece of a broader set of EIC internationalisation services that include the International Trade Fairs Programme and a newly configured Global Business Expansion Programme. The ITF 3.0 runs trade fair missions across sectors and regions while the Global Business Expansion Programme aims to systematise immersive support for scaleups entering strategic markets.

EIC also publishes mission calendars and open calls. Upcoming fair schedules cited by EIC include CES, Mobile World Congress and BIO conventions in 2026 among other events. The EIC says more missions will be announced as the Global Business Expansion Programme evolves.

How to engage and next steps for applicants

EIC awardees interested in the Soft-landing or other internationalisation services should consult the EIC Community platform for open calls and guidance. Applications typically require a description of internationalisation strategy, evidence of market fit and a resource commitment. Questions can be routed via the EIC Community helpdesk under the relevant programme category.

Conclusion: useful stepping stone with measurable follow up needed

The EIC Soft-landing week in Silicon Valley is a high value exposure opportunity for a small number of carefully selected European health scaleups. It delivers condensed market knowledge and networks that can shorten learning cycles. However the long road to meaningful commercial traction in the US requires sustained effort, regulatory planning and capital. For the EIC the challenge will be to demonstrate that these selective immersions convert into durable outcomes and to report transparent impact metrics that go beyond visibility and branding.

For companies, the programme is most valuable when combined with a longer term internationalisation plan and sufficient budget to capitalise on introductions. The EIC is building an expanding toolbox for international support. The test now is whether that toolbox helps turn Europe backed innovations into commercially sustainable presences in global markets.