The European Innovation Council (EIC) has announced the launch of a new EIC Pre-Accelerator — a dedicated initiative designed to strengthen the deep-tech innovation landscape across Europe’s Widening Countries. This new program marks a significant step forward in empowering startups, researchers, and entrepreneurs from regions that have traditionally had lower participation in EU innovation funding programs.
Empowering the next wave of European innovators
The EIC Pre-Accelerator aims to help emerging deep-tech ventures bridge the gap between research and market deployment. It provides targeted mentoring, training, and networking opportunities to prepare participants for the EIC Accelerator, one of Europe’s most competitive funding schemes for high-risk, high-impact innovations.
By focusing on deep-tech startups — those developing groundbreaking technologies in fields such as artificial intelligence, advanced materials, biotechnology, clean energy, and robotics — the program seeks to enhance Europe’s competitiveness and foster inclusive innovation growth across all regions.
Fostering innovation in widening countries
The initiative specifically supports innovators in Widening Countries, a group that includes nations like Portugal, Greece, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Slovakia, and others. These countries often face challenges in accessing large-scale EU funding and building robust innovation ecosystems. The Pre-Accelerator addresses these gaps by providing access to top-tier business support services and connecting participants to the wider European innovation network.
Through tailored capacity-building, business development coaching, and matchmaking with investors and corporate partners, the EIC Pre-Accelerator helps promising startups increase their readiness for scale-up and future funding opportunities.
Building bridges to the EIC Accelerator
A core objective of the Pre-Accelerator is to create a strong pipeline of high-quality applications for the EIC Accelerator, the EU’s flagship program that offers blended financing — combining grants and equity investment — to breakthrough innovators. By equipping participants with the skills and insights needed to craft competitive proposals, the Pre-Accelerator ensures a more balanced representation of innovative projects from all EU regions.
AvaTo Solutions’ perspective
At AvaTo Solutions, we see the EIC Pre-Accelerator as a transformative opportunity for startups in Widening Countries to access the tools, expertise, and networks necessary to succeed in the European innovation ecosystem. Programs like this play a crucial role in making the EU’s innovation landscape more inclusive and dynamic, while helping local technologies gain international recognition.
The EIC Pre-Accelerator is more than just a preparatory program — it’s a strategic initiative to unlock the full potential of Europe’s deep-tech innovators, ensuring that no region is left behind in the race toward technological leadership. For startups and research-driven companies in Widening Countries, this represents a gateway to growth, visibility, and long-term impact within the European innovation framework.
