EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities added to EIC Accelerator Fast Track scheme — what startups need to know
- ›The EIT KICs can now fast track start-ups and scale-ups they back directly to the EIC Accelerator full application stage.
- ›Fast-tracked applicants skip the short proposal step and receive up to three days of tailored coaching to prepare the full application.
- ›Once fast-tracked, companies have up to one year to submit their full EIC Accelerator proposal and may use any regular cut-off date within that window.
- ›EIC Accelerator funding combines grants up to EUR 2.5 million with equity investments via the EIC Fund typically from EUR 0.5 to EUR 15 million.
- ›The move formalises closer EIC—EIT cooperation under Horizon Europe but fast-tracking does not guarantee funding or soften the EIC evaluation rigour.
EIT KICs can fast track their portfolio into the EIC Accelerator full-stage application
On 17 December 2021 the European Innovation Council announced that the Knowledge and Innovation Communities, the KICs, of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology will be able to fast track companies they support directly to the full proposal stage of the EIC Accelerator. The change, introduced under the Horizon Europe framework, lets start-ups and scale-ups already affiliated to EIT Business Creation Programmes avoid the Accelerator's initial short proposal stage once their KIC performs an identification and review process.
What the Fast Track scheme delivers
The Fast Track scheme is designed to reduce administrative burden and speed up access to the competitive EIC Accelerator process for companies that have already been validated inside the EIT ecosystem or other eligible Horizon projects. Instead of submitting a short proposal and waiting for a GO decision, companies that the KICs certify can proceed straight to the full proposal stage. They also qualify for three days of bespoke coaching to prepare that full submission.
Why this matters in the European innovation landscape
The move formalises a deeper working relationship between the EIT and the EIC. The EIT runs pan-European KICs connecting industry, research and education across innovation hubs while the EIC Accelerator is a high-profile instrument that combines grant funding with equity investments to scale deep tech. The European Commission has framed the change as a way to accelerate the deployment and scale up of innovations with greater impact. A Memorandum of Understanding signed earlier in 2021 had already committed both organisations to closer cooperation and mutual access to advisory services and networks.
What the EIC Accelerator offers and how Fast Track slots in
The EIC Accelerator supports high-risk, high-impact innovations from technology readiness level six to eight. Successful applicants can receive a grant component and in many cases equity or quasi-equity through the EIC Fund. The Fast Track scheme simply offers an alternative route to reach the full application stage if the innovator has already been through a KIC selection or relevant Horizon project validation.
| Component | Amount / Range | Notes |
| Grant component (EIC Accelerator) | Up to EUR 2.5 million | Lump sum market readiness grant for TRL 6-8 activities |
| Equity investments (EIC Fund) | Typically EUR 0.5 to EUR 15 million | Direct equity or quasi-equity to bridge financing gap for scale-up |
| Coaching and business acceleration | Three days tailored coaching for Fast Track applicants | Broader Business Acceleration Services available to awardees |
Key procedural details to remember
The KIC must undertake an identification and review process for companies it wants to fast track. Being fast-tracked does not guarantee EIC funding. It grants the right to submit a full proposal without the short proposal step. Once fast-tracked, companies can use the one year window to prepare their full proposal and then apply to any of the regular EIC Accelerator cut-off dates during that year. Interested companies should contact their KIC for precise deadlines and procedures.
Definitions and ecosystem roles
What to be cautious about
The Fast Track scheme reduces a procedural hurdle but does not change the competitive nature of EIC selection. Fast-tracked proposals still face the same technical and business scrutiny at full proposal evaluation and interview stages. KIC review standards will influence which companies are fast-tracked so the quality and consistency of that front-line filtering matter. The equity component remains subject to separate due diligence and investment decisions. Data sharing between EIT, EIC and investment partners is required which raises practical issues around confidentiality and timing in funding negotiations. Finally, while the Commission frames the arrangement as faster access to finance, actual time to investment depends on successful evaluation, negotiation and co-investor mobilisation.
Practical next steps for founders supported by a KIC
If you are a start-up or scale-up already supported by an EIT KIC Business Creation Programme, contact your KIC programme manager to ask whether they have an internal Fast Track review, what evidence they require and how they will support a direct submission to the EIC Accelerator full stage. Use the coaching days to align your technical development with a clear market and investment case. Bear in mind that fast-tracking gives you time but not automatic entry to funding. Prepare for the same rigorous evaluation the EIC applies to all full proposals.
Background and context
The EIC and EIT are two complementary components of the European innovation architecture under Horizon Europe. They signed a Memorandum of Understanding in early 2021 to reinforce collaboration, coordinate support for women innovators and innovators from less represented regions, and to share advisory services and networks. The Fast Track is an operationalisation of that closer cooperation and fits into a broader EU strategy to build an end to end innovation pipeline from research to market. The European Commission emphasises faster scaling and stronger impact as policy objectives behind the arrangement.
The EIC Accelerator remains one of the EU's most important instruments for scaling deep tech in Europe. Its mixed model of grants plus equity is intended to de-risk projects to the point where private capital can engage. The Fast Track change is incremental and pragmatic. It recognises that start-ups vetted by KICs already have been through a level of selection and support and therefore can be fast moved into the Accelerator's full evaluation phase.
Final assessment
Fast Track is a useful simplification for companies already embedded in the EIT network. It can shorten administrative steps and provide immediate coaching to prepare a higher quality full submission. Founders should welcome the practical benefits while remaining realistic about the continuing competition and checks that determine funding. Policymakers and programme managers should monitor whether KICs apply consistent standards when selecting companies to fast-track and whether the change improves access for innovators outside a handful of well resourced hubs.
For EIT-supported founders the immediate action is straightforward. Contact your KIC to understand the internal review and deadlines. For stakeholders watching the European innovation ecosystem, the scheme is another piece of the Commission's attempt to build a joined up path from research to market within Horizon Europe. Time will show whether it materially improves conversion rates from support to EIC backing and ultimately to scale.