EIC updates Business Acceleration Services offer with tailored info sheets for beneficiaries
- ›The EIC Business Acceleration Services published updated, profile-specific info sheets for EIC beneficiaries on 5 June 2024.
- ›The materials list more than a dozen programmes covering coaching, market access, procurement, corporate partnerships, trade fairs, and women leadership support.
- ›Many services are delivered through third party implementing partners and calls for expression of interest or application windows remain the primary access route.
- ›The EIC provides co-funding routes such as ACCESS+ and runs targeted initiatives like SPIN4EIC, InnoBuyer and InnoMatch to connect buyers with EIC-backed companies.
- ›Documents and programme pages include eligibility, implementation notes and some performance figures but independent evaluation of long term impact is limited in the public materials.
EIC Business Acceleration Services issues updated offer and beneficiary info sheets
On 5 June 2024 the European Innovation Council's Business Acceleration Services released an updated suite of profile-specific information sheets for beneficiaries. The new materials are organised by beneficiary type including EIC Pathfinder, Transition, Accelerator, Women TechEU and Seal of Excellence. The documentation is intended to give innovators a clear view of the services available across the EIC ecosystem and how to access them.
What was published and who it targets
The update is a practical packaging of the EIC BAS offer into downloadable info sheets. Each sheet targets a particular beneficiary profile and points to relevant programmes and open calls. The EIC emphasises services that span early proposal stage support through later market expansion activities. The materials are presented as guidance and carry a standard disclaimer that they do not represent the official view of the European Commission.
Available info sheets include documents tailored for Accelerator beneficiaries, Pathfinder and Transition beneficiaries, and for holders of the Seal of Excellence and Women TechEU awardees. They are available on the EIC Community platform and can be used to identify eligible services and upcoming calls.
Key elements of the updated BAS offer
How beneficiaries can access services
The published info sheets and the EIC Community platform are the main entry points. Typical access routes are open calls published on the Community platform, direct application to calls for expression of interest for pools of experts or partners, and targeted invitations for selected pilots or missions. EU Login credentials are required to register on the platform. The EIC also promotes subscriptions to an EIC BAS newsletter and an Open Calls digest to remain updated.
| Programme | Primary beneficiaries | Main services | Access route and notes |
| EIC Coaching Programme | All EIC target groups | Up to three days of matched coaching from a pool of experts | Apply via coaching platform on EIC Community. Free for beneficiaries |
| EIC Community Platform | EIC awardees and partners | News, calls, events, Service Catalogue, networking | Register with EU Login. Members only area |
| Corporate Partnership Programme | Selected large corporates and EIC scaleups | Corporate Days, matchmaking and pilot facilitation | Corporate partners selected by EIC. Corporates sign declaration |
| EIC Ecosystem Partnership | EIC beneficiaries needing niche services | Access to accelerators, labs, training, co-funding via ACCESS+ | Partners listed in Service Catalogue. ACCESS+ co-funding via separate call |
| Tech to Market (T2M) | Pathfinder and Transition projects | Entrepreneurship training, venture building, EIRs | Programme paused in 2024 and expected to resume in 2026 |
| Global Business Expansion | Scaleups targeting new markets | Soft-landing missions, market immersion, scouting | Open calls for missions. Selection by external experts |
| Women Leadership Programme | Women researchers and entrepreneurs | Cohort training, mentoring, coaching, networking | Cohort calls, limited places, next call expected spring 2026 |
| Innovation Procurement (SPIN4EIC, InnoBuyer, InnoMatch) | EIC beneficiaries and public/private buyers | Buyer capacity building, pilot funding, procurement matchmaking | Open calls for buyers and solvers. Pilot funding up to EUR 60,000 |
| International Trade Fairs Programme 3.0 | EIC-backed startups and SMEs | Exhibition support, coaching, B2B matchmaking, follow up | Open calls prior to each trade fair listed on EIC Community |
What to watch for and a reality check
The updated info sheets represent a useful consolidation of a large and fragmented offer. They make eligibility and programme scope easier to navigate. At the same time several broader points deserve attention. First, the EIC relies heavily on third party implementing partners and on open calls. That is normal for scale but it increases variation in delivery quality. Second, many claims about outcomes such as accelerated growth or deal counts are self reported or internal. Independent evaluation and follow up data over longer time frames are not always public. Third, demand for services is high and capacity constraints remain a practical barrier, especially for tailored offers and in-person international missions.
Beneficiaries should treat the info sheets as a starting point. They will need to check specific call guidelines, application windows and eligibility details on the EIC Community platform. Companies should also evaluate the expected time commitment, any required co-funding and the level of follow-on support after pilots or matchmaking events.
Practical next steps for EIC awardees
Where to find the materials and contact points
All info sheets and programme pages are hosted on the EIC Community platform and the EIC web pages. The published materials include contact or helpdesk information for each programme. The general EIC Community contact page is the starting point for queries about platform registration and specific programme helpdesks.
Disclaimer: The materials are presented as knowledge sharing. They are not a formal statement of Commission policy and beneficiaries should always consult the specific call documents and legal terms when applying.