GLB- Meeting Notes EIC Partners
Meeting Title: EIC Ecosystem Partner
Date: February 12, 2025
1. Welcome and Introduction
The meeting began with a warm welcome to the attendees, who represented various partners and stakeholders of the EIC Ecosystem Partner Service Catalog. The purpose of the session was to discuss ongoing programs, upcoming initiatives, and updates to the EIC catalog, with a focus on enhancing collaboration and improving services offered to EIC beneficiaries.
2. Overview of EIC Programs
The speaker presented an overview of the key EIC programs that have been in place since the program's inception in 2021. These programs aim to connect EIC beneficiaries (startups, scale-ups, and innovators) with a variety of partners and service providers.
Key Programs Discussed:
Ecosystem Partner Service Catalog: A central element of the EIC strategy, this catalog offers a wide range of services to EIC awardees, including sector-specific support, venture building, and internationalization services. It provides access to a network of partners who offer these specialized services to the EIC beneficiaries.
EIC Scaling Club: This program supports both EIC and non-EIC companies by offering mentoring, investment programs, and traineeships. The goal is to facilitate global business expansion and enhance the scalability of companies involved.
Women Leadership Program: A targeted program for women CEOs, offering coaching and mentorship. The program aims to empower women leaders and provide them with the skills to thrive in leadership roles within their respective industries.
Global Business Expansion Programs: These programs aim to help EIC beneficiaries enter new markets through “soft landing” initiatives in key regions around the world. This involves providing local market insights, networking opportunities, and in-market support to ease the transition into new geographical areas.
Tech2Market Program: Designed to help companies develop entrepreneurial and venture-building skills. This initiative provides valuable training to help innovators and startups bridge the gap between technical expertise and market readiness, enabling them to better commercialize their innovations.
Talents Program: Recently launched, this program focuses on enabling researchers who are funded by the EIC to exchange knowledge and collaborate with key companies in Europe. It supports the goal of taking innovations from the lab to the market by facilitating partnerships and knowledge transfer between academia and industry.
3. New Programs in the EIC 2025 Work Plan
Introduction of New Programs:
EIC STEP SEALs Program: This program will offer additional support to companies that have already been awarded the Seal of Excellence by the EIC. It focuses on helping them scale and grow, providing both mentorship and access to resources.
Pre-Accelerator Program: A new program designed to support early-stage companies, offering guidance, mentorship, and access to initial funding opportunities. This program will also focus on helping companies navigate the early stages of growth, ensuring they have the necessary tools to succeed.
4. Business Acceleration Services and Impact
Since its launch in 2021, the EIC Business Acceleration Services program has made a significant impact on the growth and success of the companies it supports. Key metrics shared during the presentation highlighted the program’s success:
230 major business deals facilitated through the program’s matchmaking activities.
391 new Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) created across the supported companies.
60x return on investment from trade fairs held in 2024, demonstrating the effectiveness of the program’s global expansion efforts.
€362 million in investment rounds raised, with the help of the EIC’s investment outreach and pitching activities.
5. EIC Service Catalog Overview
Structure of the Service Catalog:
The EIC Service Catalog is a core feature of the EIC ecosystem, providing EIC awardees access to a variety of services offered by partner organizations. As of January 2025, the catalog includes:
184 Partners providing over 400 specialized services across 35+ countries.
Services cover multiple categories, including acceleration, incubation, venture building, business planning, support fundraising, and internationalization.
A newly introduced Internationalization category has already gained traction, reflecting the growing need for services that support companies entering new markets.
The Service Catalog was described as a “living document,” where services are continuously updated to reflect the changing needs of beneficiaries. Partners were encouraged to regularly review and tailor their service offerings to ensure they remain relevant and impactful.
Key Points for Partners:
Price Transparency:
All services listed in the catalog must include transparent pricing, even if only a price range is provided. This is essential for facilitating the application process for co-financing through Access Plus.
Service Tailoring:
Partners were reminded that services should be tailored to the specific needs of EIC beneficiaries. This includes providing sector-specific expertise, regional support, and flexibility to address the individual requirements of the companies involved.
Service Complementarity:
It is crucial that services in the catalog complement other offerings, both within the EIC program and from other partners, to avoid duplication and ensure beneficiaries have access to a well-rounded set of resources.
6. Co-Financing via EIC Access Plus
The Access Plus program, launched in late 2024, provides co-financing for services requested by EIC beneficiaries. Key details of the program include:
Funding Coverage:
The program covers up to 50% of the cost of services, with a maximum contribution of €60,000 per service.
Co-Financing Applications:
Beneficiaries can apply for co-financing via the Access Plus platform, where they will be connected with relevant partners offering services in areas such as fundraising, legal due diligence, and intellectual property support.
7. Service Application and Monitoring Process
The application process for services has undergone some changes with the introduction of Access Plus. Partners were reminded that while the catalog serves as a point of discovery for beneficiaries, the application process for services now happens through the Access Plus platform.
Key Steps for Partners:
Onboarding and Service Promotion:
Partners need to ensure their services are well-documented and up-to-date in the catalog. This includes indicating pricing, duration, and other relevant details to make it easy for beneficiaries to apply.
Application Monitoring:
Once a beneficiary applies for a service, partners will receive notifications and are expected to respond promptly. The process is monitored via the Access Plus platform, where partners can track applications, approve or reject services, and monitor implementation.
Query Response Time:
Partners must respond to queries within 72 hours. If a query cannot be answered within that time, partners should communicate this to both the program team and the beneficiary to avoid delays.
8. Important Reminders for Partners
Service Updates:
Partners are free to update their services as needed but must avoid making too many changes too quickly, as this could disrupt the application process for co-financing.
Private Access to Catalog:
Partners have private access to the catalog, allowing them to view applications and help desk queries related to their services. They are encouraged to regularly check their accounts and respond to queries as needed.
Written Agreements for Free Services:
For services offered free of charge, partners should ensure they have written agreements in place with beneficiaries to clarify the terms of the service.
9. Closing Remarks
The meeting concluded with a reminder that the success of the program relies on strong collaboration between the EIC, its partners, and the beneficiaries. The program team thanked everyone for their participation and encouraged continued feedback and engagement to ensure the ongoing improvement of the EIC Ecosystem Partner Service Catalog.
Here are the key highlights from the meeting:
1. EIC Ecosystem Partner Service Catalog
The catalog connects EIC awardees with specialized ecosystem partners offering over 400 services, such as acceleration, venture building, fundraising, and business planning.
184 partners are part of the catalog, with services tailored to the specific needs of EIC beneficiaries.
2. New EIC Programs in 2025
STEP SEALs Program: Supports Seal of Excellence companies with scaling and mentorship.
Pre-Accelerator Program: Helps early-stage companies with mentorship and initial funding.
3. Business Acceleration Services
Since 2021, the EIC facilitated 230 business deals, created 391 new jobs (FTEs), and supported raising €362 million in investments.
60x return on investment from trade fairs in 2024.
4. Co-Financing via Access Plus
The Access Plus Program co-finances up to 50% of the service cost (maximum €60,000).
Beneficiaries are increasingly interested in fundraising, IP/legal due diligence, and venture building services.
5. Partner Responsibilities
Ensure price transparency and regularly update service offerings to align with beneficiary needs.
Respond to beneficiary queries within 72 hours.
6. Service Demand
High demand for services related to acceleration, business planning, venture building, and internationalization.
Beneficiary satisfaction with services is 87%.
You can join the EIC ACCESS+ community hub : https://www.euroquity.com/en/community/eic-access/invite/8a00d0f0-f65f-4f8e-96d0-21907cedadd7