Horizon Europe / EIC Accelerator (Estonian National Support)

Horizon Europe / EIC Accelerator (Estonian National Support) is EIS's national access point for Estonian companies applying to the EU-level EIC Accelerator. EIS does not fund the underlying award itself; it helps local applicants prepare for the European Innovation Council process, connect the application to the right evidence, and understand how the accelerator fits alongside national tools such as the Innovation Loan and Eurostars. The target group is highly innovative Estonian SMEs and start-ups with breakthrough technologies. The underlying EIC Accelerator award combines up to EUR 2,490,000 in grant funding for development and validation with up to EUR 10,000,000 in equity investment through the EIC Fund for scale-up. The applicant profile is narrow: companies should usually be at TRL 5 to 9, have a credible path to market, and be ready to submit in English under the EU framework. Because the award is assessed at EU level, the national route is about access and preparation rather than a separate EIS grant. This is the right route for founders who already have a serious deep-tech proposition and need help navigating the European process without losing momentum. It suits teams that can explain the technical advance clearly, show why the technology can scale across European and global markets, and carry the documentation discipline that the EU process expects. The national support is most useful when the application is strong enough to justify the extra work of the accelerator.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.