About EEN2EIC

Core Activities

EEN2EIC Core Activities

EEN2EIC focuses on 3 main activities

Support to innovative companies in (a) widening countries (b) women-led innovative companies across the whole EU and HE 3rd pillar Associated Countries
Support to EIC Accelerator SoE holders.
Widening Countries Capacity Building

Widening countries are: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and all associated countries with equivalent characteristics in terms of R&I performance (Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Kosovo 2 , Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Morocco, Tunisia, Ukraine, Faroe Islands) and the Outermost Regions as defined in Art. 349 TFEU.

Activity 1

Support to innovative companies in (a) widening countries (b) women-led innovative companies across the whole EU and HE 3rd pillar Associated Countries

The objectives are to

1) Strengthen the business case of potential applicants from Widening countries or women-led through reinforcement of their business, innovation, and partnering strategies

2) Increase the number of quality proposals and filter out companies not suitable for the EIC,

3) Analyse the specific needs of each potential applicant,

4) Provision of 1-1 service on strengthening the company’s case in each part of the EIC application,

5) Connect with other experienced EEN partners or external private sector partners,

6) Support applicants from Widening countries and women-led applicants to submit a short application.

Activity 2

Support to EIC Accelerator SoE holders.

The Work Package will center on tight collaboration with local EEN nodes to provide the most adequate support to SoE SMEs based on context as well as to ensure the long-term sustainability of the activity. The consortium will provide a model blueprint of support activities as well as digital tools, know-how, and its network, with EEN nodes organizing matchmaking activities for both public and private funding. EEN members will be involved as local nodes supporting the local beneficiary and/or at the country or multi-country level organizing collective support activities (notably e-pitches towards investors).

Activity 3

Widening Countries Capacity Building

The main objective is to bring EENs in widening countries on a par with more advanced EENs to deliver an adequate service for potential EIC applicants and SoE holders and enhance their collaboration with public and private stakeholders. The capacity-building dimension is key to the project. State-of-the-art measures will be taken to initiate, nurture and mature a professional community of EEN2EIC advisors. Ongoing professional learning through the mutual exchange of experiences and good practices will be enabled, accelerated, and amplified on two levels: a virtual learning platform for ongoing exchange and just-in-time reuse of good practices, and a physical platform for periodic face-to-face meetings and development of professional links among the EEN2EIC advisors as well as between EEN2EIC advisors and NCPs. In general, all facilities and meetings of the EEN2EIC advisors’ community are openly accessible to the EEN community.

Voucher scheme

The EEN2EIC voucher scheme will provide flexible and modular financial support for EENs supporting SME willing to submit a proposal under upcoming EIC-Accelerator calls.

For the EEN partners

Voucher Type

Explanation

Women Entrepreneurs and Widening Countries

Vouchers will be provided depending on whether the SME assisted:

applies to the EIC Accelerator (1st Stage Short Proposal or Full proposal only in case of Fast track and Pilot Plug-in schemes) regardless of outcome – GROUP A voucher – € 1,300
receives funding or a Seal of Excellence – GROUP B voucher – € 2,400

Seal of Excellence

SoE Local Node Voucher – € 1,100
SoE Group Leader Voucher – € 9,406

For Consortium innovation leaders

Voucher Type

Explanation

EEN Consortium innovation leaders

Consortium innovation leader receives a voucher for 10 cases in Group A – € 5,000
Voucher for EEN consortium innovation leader to Kick off the EEN2EIC services in widening countries via event – € 1,000
1 training and exchange of best practice session as a voucher to be used by consortium innovation leader for the benefit of widening countries according to the action plan – € 8,000. Additionally, 2 days of 1-to-1 coaching sessions as a voucher to be used by consortium innovation leader for the benefit of widening countries according to the action plan – € 2,000
Face-to-face EEN2EIC advisors’ meetings (at Viking Days, at Central EU EEN summit etc.) Travel vouchers for EEN2EIC Local Node advisors to fly in – € 500