EIC ACCESS+ Open call: Eligibility criteria

Organisations seeking to benefit from the EIC ACCESS+ grant must first ensure they meet the programme’s detailed eligibility criteria. This article offers a comprehensive guide to the requirements, including applicant qualifications, funding limits, application timelines, and service selection processes. By following these steps, eligible organisations can access EIC BAS co-funding to accelerate their innovative projects and drive impact within the European innovation ecosystem.

EIC ACCESS+ Opel call: Eligibility criteria

 1. Applicants must be:

EIC Awardees (Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe):
    • EIC Pathfinder
    • EIC Transition
    • EIC Accelerator
Seal of Excellence holders under the Horizon Europe
Spin-offs from the EIC Awardees, provable with legal documents. In this case, the project coordinator must provide consent through a written declaration confirming the connection between the spin-off and the project.

2. Legal entity:

The company applying for the EIC ACCESS+ grant must be registered in one of the EU or Associated countriesThe list of Associated countries can be found on the EC website.

3. Double funding:

The 50% services cost to be funded through the EIC ACCESS+ project need not have been previously funded by other European, national, or similar initiatives. The remaining 50% of the service costs can be covered by other means. 

4. Grant amount:

The total grant amount to be received by a beneficiary under the EIC ACCESS+ project must remain below or equal to 60.000 EUR. It can cover one or multiple packages, detailed on the EIC ACCESS+ website.

5. Selected service:

The applicant must select a service provider from the EIC Service Catalogue and include a clear and detailed description of the requested service in the application, outlining the expected results and impact. Learn to select a service provider from the EIC Service Catalogue on the EIC ACCESS+ website.

6. Service completion:

The beneficiary must ensure service completion by June 30, 2026. Services that don’t comply with this timeline can be partially funded to cover only the services provided by this date. This will be discussed and agreed on individually.

7. Affiliation:

The applicant company must clearly describe the link between itself and the project that would benefit from the services, including its role and executed activities. Only technological, business, research or similar activities can receive funding. The EIC ACCESS+ grants can not be used to fund project management or similar activities.
The EIC ACCESS+ Open Call offers an ongoing opportunity for eligible organisations to apply for co-funding to accelerate their innovative projects. With a total budget aimed at supporting 180 companies, the programme provides grants of up to €60,000 per beneficiary, covering one or multiple service packages from the EIC Service Catalogue. Applications are reviewed every two weeks by a dedicated selection committee, ensuring a transparent and efficient process. Grants are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, making early applications essential for those looking to benefit from this valuable funding opportunity.

How to apply:

1. Once you read the eligibility criteria and know you can apply,  join the EIC ACCESS+ Community hub by creating a profile for your company or project. 
2. Download and prepare the needed documents found on the project website
3. Submit your application via the form provided inside the EIC ACCESS+ Community hub.

Next steps:

Selection process

A selection committee will review the applications every two weeks and announce the results to the applicants afterwards. Once a project is approved to be funded, an FSTP agreement must be signed detailing every aspect. Projects will be funded on a first-come, first-served basis. A total of 180 companies are expected to receive EIC BAS grants through the EIC ACCESS+ project.

Reporting and payments

The programme will provide grant payments in one or two instalments, depending on the grant amount:
– for grants of up to 10.000 EUR: one instalment, at the end of the service implementation, upon providing an invoice from the service provider:
– for grants over 10.000 EUR: two instalments, a 50% pre-financing and 50% payment after the service completion, upon providing an invoice from the service provider.
Applicants must submit a short report describing the service they obtained and the results they achieved before receiving the last payment. As part of the reporting, beneficiaries must also complete a satisfaction questionnaire on the service quality.