New CSA to subsidise specialised services for EIC awardees

The European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency, EISMEA, has opened a Horizon Europe Coordination and Support Action to provide financial support that helps EIC awardees access specialised services from ecosystem partners. The call was published in August 2023 and is framed as a ‘Financial Support to Third Parties’ action. Under the mechanism a project selected through this call will receive funds to manage continuously open calls and to allocate lump sum grants that co-finance 50 percent of the cost of approved services delivered by EIC Ecosystem Partners.

What the call intends to achieve

The announcement lists four core goals. The measure is intended to broaden access to niche, sector specific services and infrastructure. It is intended to accelerate the commercialisation and scaling of EIC companies. It aims to create synergies and help spread excellence across the European innovation ecosystem. It will also give ecosystem partners a steady deal flow of EIC awardees, which could be used to pilot or scale their own services.

Who can apply and who benefits

The call is addressed to organisations or consortia that can serve as a Project Beneficiary. The chosen beneficiary will manage open calls and distribute lump sum grants to EIC awardees. The ultimate beneficiaries of the support are EIC awardees who need access to specialised services that are often not covered by EIC grants or their own budgets. EIC Ecosystem Partners providing services include business accelerators, research infrastructures, specialised consultancies, incubators, technology parks and other niche providers from Europe and beyond.

How the support is expected to operate

The Project Beneficiary selected by EISMEA will manage continuously open calls. EIC awardees who match the eligibility criteria of those calls can apply for lump sum grants that will co-finance 50 percent of the services they contract from approved ecosystem partners. The model therefore combines a centralised allocation of funding with decentralised delivery of services by multiple partners. The call text and the winner’s implementation plan will determine which services qualify and the ceilings for individual grants.

Practical details and related EIC programmes

Applicants should consult the Funding and Tenders portal for the authoritative call text, exact deadlines and eligibility rules. EISMEA held an info session on 18 September 2023 that outlined the call and answered questions. The EIC Ecosystem Partnership Programme and the EIC Service Catalogue are complementary initiatives that already connect EIC beneficiaries with partners and services. In some cases co-funding for services is also available through EIC ACCESS plus schemes which allow EIC awardees to receive partial financial support for services listed in the EIC Service Catalogue.

Budgetary and timeline notes

Materials associated with the call indicate an indicative budget of around €4.5 million and suggest that approximately €1.5 million could be earmarked for services provided by EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities. The exact amount finally committed will depend on demand from EIC awardees and the details of the successful project proposal. The call was open in mid 2023 with a mid November response window for applications. Confirm the exact submission deadline and budget numbers on the Funding and Tenders portal because published dates and details can be amended.

Risks, limitations and points to watch

The initiative addresses a genuine gap. Access to specialised testing, sector expertise and infrastructure is a common bottleneck for deep tech teams. At the same time the programmatic design raises a number of practical and governance questions. A 50 percent co-financing requirement still leaves cash strapped teams needing to find matching funding which may limit take up. Managing continuously open calls and multiple third party payments places an administrative burden on the project beneficiary and on EISMEA for oversight. The modest overall budget could be quickly absorbed by demand from many EIC awardees leading to tight caps per beneficiary. Finally the effective impact on scaling and on return on EIC investments will depend on the quality of partner services, the rigour of selection criteria and the monitoring and evaluation framework used by the project beneficiary and EISMEA.

Advice for prospective applicants and EIC awardees

If you plan to apply to be the Project Beneficiary or if you are an EIC awardee planning to use these services consider the following practical steps. First, read the full call text on the Funding and Tenders portal and register for relevant information days and Q and A materials. Second, design clear selection criteria and an application process that minimises administrative bottlenecks while ensuring due diligence. Third, build a sound co-financing plan and be explicit about ceilings for individual grants. Fourth, incorporate monitoring and key performance indicators that track quality of services, uptake and outcomes such as time to market, follow on investment or revenue metrics. Fifth, prepare conflict of interest and procurement safeguards and ensure you can meet reporting and audit requirements.

Final assessment

The CSA is a pragmatic attempt to reduce concrete barriers faced by innovators seeking niche technical, regulatory and market access services. The design leverages an existing Horizon instrument so it can be implemented without creating new legal tools. Its success will hinge on execution. The limited budget, co-financing requirement and administrative complexity mean it will not be a universal remedy. Stakeholders should monitor how EISMEA selects the Project Beneficiary and how that beneficiary translates EU funds into accessible, high quality services for EIC awardees.