EISMEA call for tenders to deliver EIC Tech to Market training and venture building

The European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency has opened a procurement to source targeted expertise and training under an updated EIC Tech to Market offering. The tender aims to help researchers and EIC beneficiaries translate research outcomes into deep tech innovations and to support the creation and early development of start-ups from promising research results.

What the tender must deliver

The tender explicitly covers EIC-funded projects and beneficiaries, entities eligible for EIC Transition projects and holders of a Seal of Excellence including STEP Seal holders. The stated focus is on uptake of research results and innovation and start-up creation.

Procurement key facts and procedural details

Application, timeline and supporting documents

Tenderers must submit electronically through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. The portal contains the full tender specifications, a list of documents to be submitted, annexes such as declarations on honour, templates for proof of technical capacity and turnover, and a draft service contract. A public question and answer log is available on the portal. The contracting authority recorded extensions and corrigenda and bidders should consult the portal for the definitive rules and the latest Q&A.

Selection criteria listed on the portal include suitability to pursue professional activity, economic and financial standing and technical and professional ability. The contract will be evaluated on the best price-quality ratio basis, so technical quality and methodology will matter alongside price.

Who the call targets and how it connects to the EIC ecosystem

The services procured are intended to support the EIC portfolio across stages. Target beneficiaries include early vision projects funded under EIC Pathfinder, EIC Transition eligible entities, and Seal of Excellence awardees. The activities complement existing EIC Business Acceleration Services which provide coaching, mentoring and networking to funded projects. For many teams, access to market-facing training and active venture building can be the critical ingredient that determines whether a research result becomes a company rather than remaining an academic prototype.

Context and practical implications

EISMEA is the executive agency that runs the EIC and manages a range of SME and innovation programmes. Tech to Market style interventions are part of a broader EU effort to close the so called valley of death between research and commercialisation. Venture building and targeted training are commonly used tools. This call updates previous arrangements and seeks a consolidated provider or consortium capable of scaling delivery across multiple cohorts and countries.

Risks, questions and issues for prospective bidders and stakeholders

There are several practical points bidders and observers should bear in mind. First, the public materials show a mismatch between the press note figure of €4.5 million and the portal estimate of €9 million. Tenderers should rely on the portal documentation and corrigenda for binding financial parameters. Second, the scope is broad and operationally demanding. Delivering high quality, deep tech focused training and hands-on venture building at scale requires multidisciplinary teams, regional networks and strong monitoring and evaluation frameworks to produce measurable outcomes. Third, procurement complexity and tight timelines around submission and evaluation mean that consortia must be ready with completed administrative annexes and proof of capacity materials such as turnover statements and references.

Finally, as with many European programmes that route researchers toward commercialisation, success depends on local ecosystems. The tender references cooperation with national and regional innovation actors such as Horizon Europe National Contact Points and the Enterprise Europe Network. Effective subcontracting or partnerships with these actors will be crucial.

Practical advice for bidders

Prepare submission documentation early and follow annex checklists. Demonstrate a track record in deep tech training and venture building, provide clear methodology and curriculum outlines for training, explain how you will measure impact and provide evidence of links to regional investor networks and incubators. Ensure you can meet financial and administrative requirements and supply the requested attestations and supporting documents. Use the portal Q&A and read corrigenda carefully to avoid administrative errors.

Where to find the tender and supporting resources

All tender documents, the corrigenda and the Q&A are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal under procedure EISMEA/2025/OP/0007. Tenderers must submit electronically via the same portal. The portal also lists contact and helpdesk options for submission issues. Prospective bidders should consult the tender specifications and annexes published there and track any further updates.

Why this matters for European innovation policy

From a policy perspective the call fits into a persistence shift by the Commission toward operational support designed to accelerate commercialisation, build new companies and increase the number of scaleable European deep tech firms. It targets well known bottlenecks in translational research, but implementation details will determine impact. The procurement model seeks to create a modular service package that can be deployed across projects and regions. Observers should watch for how the contract balances centralised delivery with regional tailoring, how success is measured, and whether the output yields durable increases in investor ready deep tech ventures.

Sources and further reading

Primary documents are the EISMEA news release of 7 April 2025 and the full procurement dossier published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and TED system. Interested parties should consult the portal entry, read the tender specifications and annexes, and follow the published Q&A to clarify points before submission.