EIC brings 15 European health scaleups to Silicon Valley for Soft-landing week

Fifteen European companies that previously received support from the European Innovation Council have been selected to take part in the EIC USA Soft-landing programme. The cohort focuses on health and life sciences and will participate in an intensive Soft-landing week in the San Francisco Bay Area from 19 to 24 May 2024. Prior to travel the selected companies complete preparatory business training designed to maximise the week onsite.

Programme purpose and placement in the EIC portfolio

The EIC USA Soft-landing is a business acceleration track within the EIC International Trade Fairs Programme 3.0. It is aimed at companies that have already launched and gained traction in their home markets and are exploring expansion into a major new market such as the United States. The Soft-landing format seeks to let founders test opportunities abroad without diverting the main operational focus from their core markets.

Partners and ambassador supporting the US programme

For this edition the EIC partnered with an experienced investor and entrepreneur, who serves as the programme ambassador, and with several high-level US institutions. The named partners include Stanford School of Medicine, the INSEAD San Francisco Hub, the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center, the San Francisco Bay Area Council, and the Commonwealth Club. These partners provide local domain knowledge, access to networks, and forum space for pitching and discussions.

The selected cohort

The 15 EIC-awarded health and life sciences companies selected for the Soft-landing week represent several EU countries. The EIC has made company descriptions available to the community platform for further review.

Practical information and community resources

The cohort completed preparatory business training before departure. Additional information about the EIC ITF 3.0 Programme, upcoming calls and the broader EIC Community Platform is published on the EIC Community website. EIC beneficiaries and other interested parties can contact the EIC Community Helpdesk for questions about this event. When contacting the helpdesk users should select the category EVENT - EIC ITF Programme - Soft-landing Silicon Valley 2024 in the category field to receive a relevant response.

Context and what to watch for

Soft-landing visits are useful for generating leads, testing messages and building initial relationships. For health and life science scaleups the path to market in the US is often longer and more complex than a week can resolve. Regulatory approval, clinical validation, reimbursement pathways, data privacy rules, and procurement practices vary by state and by buyer. Outcomes such as pilots, letters of intent, or investor follow-on financing indicate concrete progress. Major limitations include the short duration of the visit, the need for structured follow-up, and the resource costs of pursuing US expansion alongside existing operations.

A measured view of programmes like this requires tracking a small set of realistic metrics. Useful indicators include number of qualified meetings, pilot agreements or memoranda of understanding signed, investor follow-up meetings, subsequent funding rounds, and regulatory or clinical milestones achieved within 12 months after the visit.

Final notes and disclaimer

The information about the selected companies and the programme is provided for knowledge sharing. It should not be interpreted as an official position of the European Commission. For specific queries about the Soft-landing programme or participation, contact the EIC Community Helpdesk via the Community Platform.