After its three-year pilot, the European Innovation Council (EIC) finally launched as a full-fledged €10 billion agency, kicking off with three calls worth a total €1.5 billion.
Building on a successful pilot programme under Horizon 2020, the new EIC is not only a novelty of Horizon Europe, but it is also unique in the world: it combines research on emerging technologies with an accelerator programme and a dedicated equity fund, the European Innovation Council Fund, to scale up innovative start-ups and small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs). Around €3 billion of the EIC’s budget will go towards the EIC Fund.
Furthermore, the first annual work programme of the EIC is published, opening funding opportunities worth over €1.5 billion in 2021.
At the same time, two prizes for Women Innovators and the European Capital of Innovation are opened for applications.
Read more:
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_21_1185