Co-Creation Accelerator 2026-2027
Pairs early-stage deep tech startups with an industry partner for a four-month co-development sprint and pays up to €250,000 with no co-investment required.
Co-Creation Accelerator 2026-2027 is a 28DIGITAL (formerly EIT Digital) programme that pairs early-stage deep tech startups with an industry partner for a four-month co-development sprint and pays up to €250,000 with no co-investment required. Startups can apply to a set of pre-defined challenges through the Industry Challenge Track, or bring their own corporate partner and define a challenge join…
28DIGITAL wants early-stage deep tech ventures that already have a working prototype validated in a controlled setting and need an industry partner to prove the technology in a real commercial setting. Eligible challenges must sit within deep technologies such as AI, robotics and advanced computing, digital security and dual-use applications, or the sustainable digital transition. Teams still at the idea stage are not the right fit.
Sign up free to see the funding breakdown
Sign up free to see the industries in scope
Sign up free to see the full eligibility
Sign up free to see how to apply
Sign up free to see the timeline
Sign up free to see where teams trip up
Guides for this application
All guides →Grants for Robotics Startups: SBIR, Defense, NSF, and Pilot Funding
A practical guide to grants for robotics startups, including SBIR/STTR, NSF, DoD, NASA, field validation, TRL, pilot evidence, budgets, and commercialization strategy.
Write proposalGrant Technical Narrative Example: Scope, Milestones, and Evidence
See how a grant technical narrative can be structured, with a worked deeptech example, milestone table, evidence map, and weak vs strong wording.
Write proposalGrant Proposal Cover Letter: What to Include and What to Avoid
Learn how to write a grant proposal cover letter, what information belongs in it, how it differs from a cover sheet or letter of support, and common mistakes to avoid.
More from 28DIGITAL
All grants from this funder →EIT Digital Open Innovation Factory
🇪🇺28DIGITAL · European Union
Funds European digital startups at TRL 4-5 seeking co-development with industry partners through EIT Digital's open innovation matching platform.
EIT Digital Co-Creation Accelerator
🇪🇺28DIGITAL · European Union
Funds early-stage deep tech startups developing solutions at TRL 4-5 in collaboration with industry partners through a 4-month co-creation programme.
28Digital Champions
🇪🇺28DIGITAL · European Union
Offers European deep-tech scaleups a year of fundraising support and investor access.
28DIGITAL Venture Incubation Program
🇪🇺28DIGITAL · European Union
Offers European deep-tech startups a competitive incubation route with early cash support and growth-focused follow-up.
Alumni Startup Competition
28DIGITAL · European Union
Awards a EUR 5,000 cash prize to the top EIT Digital alumni-founded startup.
Growth Package Prize
🇪🇺28DIGITAL · European Union
Pays selected early-stage EU digital and deep-tech venture teams a EUR5,000 cash prize after a 12-week incubation programme.
Similar grants
Browse the directory →Deep Tech Accelerator (DTA)
🇫🇮Business Finland · Finland
Funds young Finnish deep-tech companies commercialising research results through a phased grant-and-loan package.
EIC Accelerator — Short Proposal
🇮🇱ISERD · Israel
Supports small and medium firms in early-stage deep technologies through public proposals and commercialization mentoring.
ZIM R&D Cooperation Projects
🇩🇪BMWE · Germany
Administers collaborative grants for German firms and research partners to run joint innovation projects.
NRC IRAP Standard R&D Contribution
🇨🇦NRC · Canada
Provides Canadian innovators with hands-on guidance for technology-led projects and commercialization planning.
ZIM Innovation Networks
🇩🇪BMWE · Germany
Supports German innovation ecosystems by funding management of networks that connect multiple companies and institutions.
SBO Security and Defence
🇧🇪FWO · Belgium
Funds strategic basic research in security and defense aligned with space, maritime, aviation, and cybersecurity priorities.