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Unclaimed
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Grants

EIC Accelerator Challenges (thematic calls)

EIC Accelerator Challenges

Status

Closes in 23 days

Applications close 2026-11-04.

Open now
Amount
€2,500,000

Same instrument as EIC Accelerator Open (grant up to EUR 2.5m lump sum, optional EUR 1-10m equity) but restricted to named strategic technology Challenges. 2026 budget for Challenges EUR 220 million.

You must co-fund 30%. Work out the cash you need

Funder

European Innovation Council (EISMEA) / European Commission

public · supranational

Deadline: Fixed cut-off dates — EIC Accelerator 2026 cut-offs at 17:00 Brussels time: 7 Jan, 4 Mar, 6 May, 8 Jul, 2 Sep, 4 Nov 2026. The 2 Sep 2026 cut-off has passed; next cut-off 4 November 2026.

Your odds
Not published

This funder does not publish a success rate. We rank it using the rate observed across similar programmes and label it as an estimate rather than implying we know.

Effort
moderate

Moderate — a form and supporting documents.

You fund 30% yourself.

Who can apply

Proposal must fall inside a named Challenge for that year's work programme. Same SME/small mid-cap eligibility as the Open track.

How to apply

  1. Check the Challenge topics published in the annual EIC Work Programme
  2. Submit short proposal selecting the relevant Challenge
  3. Full proposal at a Challenge-specific cut-off
  4. EIC Jury interview
  5. Grant agreement / investment due diligence

Related reading: How grant deadlines actually work · The EIC Accelerator, explained

Apply on the funder's site

Source. https://eic.ec.europa.eu/eic-funding-opportunities/eic-accelerator_en

"EUR 220 million to Accelerator Challenges and EUR 414 million to the Accelerator Open track"

Last checked against the official page on 5 October 2026

Source: eic.ec.europa.eu

Report an error Something wrong or out of date? Tell us.

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Paid, separate from Unclaimed

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