How EIC ACCESS+ and Tech Nordic Advocates are pitching UK market entry to deep-tech founders
- ›Recording available of EIC ACCESS+ Educational Session #3 on UK market entry held 22 January 2026 with Tech Nordic Advocates and London Stock Exchange speakers
- ›Tech Nordic Advocates runs a bespoke UK Market Access programme offering market entry, set up and fundraising support via its TNA Invest network
- ›EIC ACCESS+ offers co-funding of up to EUR 60,000 per beneficiary to access EIC Service Catalogue offers, covering up to 50% of service costs
- ›The ACCESS+ open call is first-come, first-served, capped to support 180 companies and runs until 31 May 2026 with service completion required by 30 June 2026
- ›Practical caveats include a finite budget, strict delivery deadlines, eligibility rules limited to EIC awardees and Seal of Excellence holders, and competitive UK capital markets
Recording now available: Educational Session #3 — UK Market Access
On 22 January 2026 the EIC ACCESS+ programme ran Educational Session #3, a practical briefing for EIC awardees and Seal of Excellence holders about entering, expanding and raising capital in the United Kingdom. The session was organised by the EIC Ecosystem Partnership Programme and delivered by Tech Nordic Advocates in partnership with Global Tech Advocates and the London Stock Exchange Group. A replay and the presentation are available through the EIC channels.
Who spoke and why this matters
Speakers were Jeanette Carlsson, founder and CEO of Tech Nordic Advocates and Head of Europe at Global Tech Advocates, and Chris McGahan, Western Europe and the Nordics, Primary Markets at the London Stock Exchange Group. The session combined practical advice on market entry with capital markets perspective. The organisers framed the UK as a strategic gateway for European deep-tech firms because of its investor base, talent pool and regional hubs. The presentation aimed to show how to minimise market-entry risk and make startups more investment ready.
What the session covered
Presenters walked through practical themes that founders repeatedly face when expanding to the UK. Topics included a market overview and sector clusters, regional tech hubs beyond London, company set-up and the administrative pieces founders must handle, typical fundraising pathways in the UK from angel and seed to growth capital, and how the UK Market Access programme delivered by Tech Nordic Advocates is structured.
Tech Nordic Advocates' UK Market Access programme
Tech Nordic Advocates, a pan-Nordic not-for-profit ecosystem organisation that also acts as the European hub of Global Tech Advocates, delivers a UK Market Access programme listed in the EIC Service Catalogue. The programme targets growth-stage companies across tech verticals and combines workshops, masterclasses and 1:1 mentoring with introductions to local partners and investors through TNA Invest and allied networks. The programme touts strategic partnerships with the UK Government Department for Business and Trade, Tech UK Advocates and the London Stock Exchange.
| Feature | Description |
| Typical duration | 3 months part time with flexible customisation |
| Delivery | Masterclasses, workshops, webinars and 1:1 mentoring |
| Core outcomes | Market entry strategy, company set-up guidance, investor introductions, PR and local partner matchmaking |
| Indicative price | Typical hourly rate €150-250. Example average cost around €10.5k for a 3 month engagement |
| Discounts | 15% discount if cohort > 5 companies. 20% discount if cohort > 10 companies |
| Target TRL | TRL 7–9 (scale and commercial demonstration stage) |
EIC ACCESS+ co-funding: how it fits
The session was held under the EIC ACCESS+ umbrella which offers co-funding that can reduce the cost barrier to accessing specialised services from the EIC Service Catalogue. The ACCESS+ open call was launched in November 2024 and remains open until 31 May 2026. EIC ACCESS+ is managed by the EIC Business Acceleration Services and is implemented to support EIC awardees and Seal of Excellence holders.
| Item | Detail |
| Maximum grant per beneficiary | EUR 60,000 |
| Maximum co-funding rate | 50% of service cost (VAT excluded) |
| Total budget for the call | EUR 3.45 million |
| Number of beneficiaries intended | 180 companies (approximate) |
| Call period | 1 November 2024 to 31 May 2026 |
| Service completion deadline | All services must be completed by 30 June 2026 |
| Assessment mode | First-come, first-served with periodic cohort evaluations |
| Payment rules | Up to EUR 10,000: single payment on completion. Over EUR 10,000: 50% pre-financing and 50% on completion |
Eligibility and application essentials
The ACCESS+ call is limited to organisations with an existing EIC relationship. Eligible applicants include EIC awardees from Pathfinder, Transition and Accelerator strands and Seal of Excellence holders under Horizon Europe. Legal entities must be registered in an EU Member State or an Associated Country. Spin-offs are eligible when a legal link to the EIC project is documented and the original coordinator provides consent.
Application steps are: join the EIC ACCESS+ Community Hub, choose a service provider from the EIC Service Catalogue, prepare required documents, submit the online application in the community hub. After submission a timestamp is assigned and applications are assessed on a first-come, first-served basis by periodic cohorts.
Practical red flags and limitations to weigh
The EIC and partners present the UK as an attractive expansion market. This is true in many respects, but it is not a frictionless proposition for all companies. Founders should evaluate the following before committing time and money:
How TRL, PoC and investor readiness fit into the offer
The UK Market Access programme is pitched at companies already at later TRLs, typically TRL 7 to 9 where systems are demonstrated in operational environments and commercial pilots are possible. EIC ACCESS+ funding can also finance earlier research infrastructure and proof of concept through the Research package. Founders should match their chosen service to their TRL and business readiness to avoid paying for services that do not align with their maturity.
Next steps for interested EIC beneficiaries
If you are an eligible EIC awardee or Seal of Excellence holder and you want to explore UK expansion with co-funded support, practical next steps are:
Contacts and resources
Session replay and presentation are hosted on the EIC Community and YouTube channels. For programme and eligibility questions use the EIC ACCESS+ website and Community Hub. For specific questions about the UK Market Access service contact Tech Nordic Advocates directly via the EIC Service Catalogue listing. For platform help contact the EIC Ecosystem Partnership Programme Helpdesk at eicpartnerships-helpdesk@eic-bas.eu or EIC ACCESS+ at info@eicaccessplus.eu.
| Resource | Where to find it |
| Session replay | EIC Community platform and EIC YouTube channel |
| Presentation slides | Link from the EIC Community session page |
| EIC Service Catalogue | EIC Community member area, searchable service offers |
| EIC ACCESS+ open call details and application guide | https://eicaccessplus.eu/ and the EIC ACCESS+ Community Hub |
| Helpdesk for EIC Ecosystem Partnership Programme | eicpartnerships-helpdesk@eic-bas.eu |
| EIC ACCESS+ help | info@eicaccessplus.eu |
The session and related offers are practical entry points for European deep-tech firms considering the UK. They remain promotional in nature and cannot substitute for company level legal, tax or investor advice. Founders should verify timelines, budgets and eligibility, and consider whether the limited ACCESS+ funds and the programme deadlines align with their commercial and regulatory timelines.