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Call 5: Additional EIC Accelerator Training Sessions in Horizon Europe Widening Countries

Purpose
This call aims to select Enterprise Europe Network organisations established in Horizon Europe Widening Countries to host and support the organisation of additional training sessions on the EIC Accelerator.
The sessions will be addressed to:
EEN advisors and other EEN staff supporting highly innovative companies;
innovative SMEs and startups that may become potential applicants to the EIC Accelerator.
The training sessions should respond to identified national or regional capacity-building needs and provide practical guidance on the EIC Accelerator, its target companies, application process and evaluation requirements.

Funding

€8,000 per additional EIC Accelerator training session.
The voucher is provided as a lump-sum contribution covering the preparation, promotion, organisation, delivery and follow-up of the session.
The cumulative FSTP cap remains €60,000 per legal entity under the EEN2EIC project.

Eligibility
The call is open to Enterprise Europe Network organisations established in Horizon Europe Widening Countries, including Associated Countries with equivalent characteristics in terms of research and innovation performance.

Applicants must:

be members of the Enterprise Europe Network;
have experience in supporting innovative SMEs, startups, scale-ups or research-based companies;
have the organisational capacity to host, promote and support the delivery of the session;
be able to involve relevant EEN advisors and potential EIC Accelerator applicants;
cooperate with the EEN2EIC Coordination Office in the preparation, delivery and reporting of the session.

Each country is strongly encouraged to submit only one application, agreed internally at national EEN level.

Training format

The training session may be organised:

physically;
online;
in a hybrid format;
as a stand-alone event;
as part of a larger relevant innovation, funding or EEN event, provided that the EEN2EIC training session remains clearly identifiable.

Each session must include interactive and practical components and go beyond general awareness raising.

Application process

Interested EEN organisations are invited to submit their application through the online application form, in accordance with the requirements set out in the Call Text.

Applications must be submitted in English.

Timeline

Applications must be submitted by 7 September 2026 at 17:00 CEST – Brussels time.

This is a competitive open call with a single submission deadline.

All selected training sessions must be completed by 15 July 2027.

Resources

Download Open Call 5

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the purpose of Call 5?

Call 5 supports the organisation of additional EIC Accelerator training sessions in Horizon Europe Widening Countries.

The sessions should strengthen the capacity of EEN advisors to identify and support potential applicants and provide innovative SMEs and startups with practical information on the EIC Accelerator.
2. Who can apply?
3. How much funding is available for each session?
4. Can more than one EEN organisation from the same country apply?

EEN organisations operating in the same country are strongly encouraged to coordinate internally and submit one application agreed at national EEN level.

Where more than one application is received from the same country, applicants may be invited to coordinate and converge on a single proposal.
5. Who should participate in the training session?
The sessions should involve:

EEN advisors and other EEN staff supporting highly innovative companies;

innovative SMEs and startups that are potential applicants to the EIC Accelerator.

Particular attention should be given to women-led companies, companies established in Widening Countries and companies not previously reached through EEN2EIC activities.
6. Can the session be organised online?
7. What should the training cover?
The programme may cover, among other topics:

the objectives and structure of the EIC Accelerator;

the profile of companies targeted by the programme;

technological maturity, deep-tech characteristics and scale-up ambition;

eligibility, application and evaluation requirements;

the short proposal, full proposal and interview stages;

common weaknesses in EIC Accelerator applications;

the role of EEN advisors;

available EEN2EIC services and tools;

practical cases, exercises and experience sharing.

The final programme will be agreed with the EEN2EIC Coordination Office.
8. Can activities start immediately after submitting the application?
9. What is the application deadline?
10. By when must the training session be completed?
11. How will applications be evaluated?
Applications will be evaluated according to three criteria:

relevance;

implementation capacity;

expected impact and added value.

Applications must obtain at least 3 points under each criterion and at least 9 points overall, out of a maximum of 15 points.
12. When will the voucher be paid?
The €8,000 lump sum will be paid following:

satisfactory completion of the authorised session;

submission and acceptance of the required report;

provision of adequate evidence of implementation and participation
13. Where can I find the application documents?

CONTACTS
For any further information please contact: een2eic@apre.it

If you want to contact us for a technical problem in relation to the online application form, please ensure that you contact the EIC coordination office: een2eic@apre.it in advance of the deadline for submission.