€5M in EIC grants for 10 companies: fueling deep tech with EU R&D financing
EIC is one of the EU’s most competitive grant programmes. But the right preparation dramatically changes the odds. This year Civitta helped 10 companies secure EIC grants – €5 million in total. Here is how the process works and what you need to know before applying.
Securing European grant funding is rarely a matter of luck. It is the result of positioning, a well-prepared application, and a clear understanding of what evaluators are actually looking for. In 2026, Civitta helped 10 startups and SMEs do exactly that, securing EIC grants totalling around €5 million.
About the EIC opportunities
Through the EIC Pre-Accelerator and EIC Targeted Support for Ukrainian Innovators and SMEs calls in 2025, the Civitta team supported 10 successfully funded applications – around €500,000 per project.
The EIC Pre-Accelerator is designed for early-stage, science-based startups from WIDERA countries that are not yet ready for the flagship EIC Accelerator funding instrument. It offers funding of up to €500,000 to help companies move from proof of concept towards more developed and validated prototypes on their path towards commercialisation. Think of it as a structured bridge between a university lab and serious investor conversations. Following a high interest from applicants The programme had a total budget of €32,5 million and funded 70 early-stage deep tech companies across all eligible countries, making selection genuinely competitive.
EIC Targeted Support for Ukrainian Innovators and SMEs is a dedicated programme for Ukrainian deep-tech companies, whether still based in Ukraine, relocated to the EU after February 2022, or founded by Ukrainian citizens. It spans sectors from AI and biotech to robotics, cybersecurity, and energy. Beyond the grant itself, participants gain access to EIC Business Acceleration Services: workshops, coaching, and mentoring, as well as a Fast Track to the EIC Accelerator, where grants and investment can reach €2.5 million.
Both programmes are selective. Both reward teams that demonstrate not just technical maturity, but a clear commercial logic and a credible path to scale.
How to secure EIC funding
A compelling idea alone is not enough. The EIC evaluates every project across three dimensions: excellence, impact, and implementation – assessed by independent experts. A strong application brings together technical readiness, market potential, team capability, and business model coherence into a single, internally consistent narrative.
This is where Civitta’s role begins. We come on board at the stage when a project idea has not yet been shaped into an application and work alongside the team all the way to submission: identifying the right programme for their stage and ambitions, building a narrative around the technology and market, aligning technical and business components, and preparing materials that hold up to the scrutiny of an independent evaluator.
“EIC is not a lottery. It is a system that rewards teams who clearly understand what they are building, for whom, and why now. Our job is to help founders articulate that – not just for themselves, but for an independent expert from another country reading many applications. This year, Civitta attracted €5 Million in EIC grants for 10 companies, the Ukrainian Civitta team I work with was responsible for 9 wins. Working with Civitta increases your chances of success by 8-10 times. It is proof that the right preparation genuinely makes a difference.” –
Iurii Volodymyr Blavt
In practice: from the first conversation to submission, the process typically takes 1.5-4 months. Throughout that time, the Civitta team stays in close contact with the client: interviews, online workshops to align on details, and in some cases in-person meetings where a deeper understanding of the technology or production capabilities is needed. The goal is straightforward: by the time the application is submitted, it should answer every evaluator’s question before they think to ask it.
“An EIC evaluator reads dozens of applications back to back. There is no time for guesswork. So we work on every project until the technology, the market, and the team come together as one clear story – one that a technical expert and a business jury can both follow with equal ease.” –
Olena Shershun
After submission, the EIC evaluation process takes approximately 4-12 weeks. From first conversation to funded grant, most teams should plan for a 4-9 month horizon, which is why starting early is not just advice, it is a competitive advantage.
Where Civitta has sector expertise
Our experience with EIC funding spans far more than any single call. Over the years, the Civitta team has supported applications in photonics and optical technologies (Polar Light Technologies AB), energy storage materials (ReCatalyst & Ionysis) and advanced batteries (ANGeLiC), hydrogen technologies and mobility, oncology diagnostics (PredictAYA) and reproductive medicine (TULIP), defence innovation (European Investment Bank), sustainable bioproducts from agricultural waste (ReLeaf Paper), and AI solutions for online safety (KeMIT). Each of these fields demands a different technical context, a different evaluation language, and a different positioning approach – and that is what shapes real expertise.
In 2025 specifically, we worked with companies in: quantum computing, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, sustainable materials, computer vision, medical technologies, biotechnology, fintech, and clean technologies.
What is open for applications now
EIC Accelerator 2026 call is open and accepting applications. The programme has expanded significantly: the budget has increased to €414M (Open) + €220M (Challenges), and the number of full-application deadlines has grown from two to six per year. Upcoming Step 2 deadlines: 8 July, 2 September, and 4 November 2026. Step 1 short applications can be submitted at any time, with a response typically within 4-6 weeks. Maximum grant: €2.5M, with the possibility of equity investment up to €10M.
The EIC Pre-Accelerator will not run in 2026. According to the European Innovation Council, the next call will open on 5 May 2027. Eligible startups will be able to apply for grants ranging from €500,000 to €1 million per project, while the overall programme budget will reach €40 million. If your company is at an early stage, now is the right time to prepare.
EIC Targeted Support for Ukrainian Innovators and SMEs does not have a dedicated call this year. Our team is monitoring updates closely.
The next EIC Accelerator call deadline is 8 July. If you are considering applying in 2026, now is the time to start the conversation.
