- Reference
HORIZON-EIC-2026-ACCELERATOR-01- Implementing authority
- European Innovation Council / EISMEA
- Programme
- Horizon Europe - European Innovation Council
- Deadline
- 4 Nov 2026, 17:00 CET
- Days left
- Closes today
- Total programme budget
- €634,000,000 source2026 EIC Accelerator budget: €414m Open and €220m Challenges.
- Per beneficiary
- up to €2,500,000 sourceA grant below €2.5m (lump sum), plus possible equity from the EIC Fund. The equity range is €0.5m-€10m on EIC pages and €1m-€10m in the 2026 guide.
- Max. funding intensity
- 70% source
- Own contribution
- Not verified
- Funding type
- Grant, Equity
Total budget is not the amount one applicant can receive.
Overview
Blended finance for deep tech: a grant for TRL 6-8 activities and equity to scale. Two stages: a short proposal, then a full proposal for those who receive a GO.
Summary written by YARD Law (AI-assisted) from the official sources. Not an official text.
Status: Open. The EU portal gives 4 November 2026, 17:00 Brussels time, as the last 2026 short-proposal cut-off. After it, proposals go to the 2027 call, opening in November 2026. source
Who can apply?
5 of 11 conditions confirmed
Start-ups and SMEs (including spin-outs) established in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country. Small mid-caps (up to 499 employees) can receive investment only, not a grant.
| Requirement | Our record | source |
|---|---|---|
| Bulgarian or EU legal entity | Established in an EU Member State or Associated Country. | source |
| SME, micro or large-enterprise eligibility | SMEs for the grant; small mid-caps (up to 499 employees) investment only. | source |
| Startup or established business | Start-ups and established SMEs, including spin-outs. | source |
| Minimum operating history | Not verified | |
| Minimum turnover | Not verified | |
| Eligible sectors and NACE codes | Not verified | |
| Geographic eligibility | Not verified | |
| Linked and partner enterprise rules | Not verified | |
| Financial standing and outstanding public debts | Not verified | |
| Consortium or partnership requirements | Single applicants. | source |
| Other programme-specific restrictions | Only applicants with a GO on the short proposal may submit a full proposal. EIC equity takes at most 25% of voting shares. | source |
Eligible investments
0 eligible · 2 conditional · 9 not verified
| Investment | Status | Our record |
|---|---|---|
| AI software development | Conditional | As part of the innovation project brought to market. source |
| AI integration and automation | Not verified | Not yet verified from the call documents. |
| Commercial software and licences | Not verified | Not yet verified from the call documents. |
| GPU servers, computing equipment and storage | Not verified | Not yet verified from the call documents. |
| Data-centre infrastructure | Not verified | Not yet verified from the call documents. |
| Cloud subscriptions and computing services | Not verified | Not yet verified from the call documents. |
| Staff and R&D expenditure | Conditional | Lump-sum grant for innovation activities at TRL 6-8, under Horizon Europe rules. source |
| Machinery and industrial equipment | Not verified | Not yet verified from the call documents. |
| Energy-efficiency systems | Not verified | Not yet verified from the call documents. |
| Consulting and other professional services | Not verified | Not yet verified from the call documents. |
| Construction or renovation | Not verified | Not yet verified from the call documents. |
Financial requirements
2 of 7 confirmed
| Minimum and maximum project value | Not verified |
|---|---|
| Grant percentage | Grant up to 70% of total eligible costs, below €2.5m, as a lump sum. source |
| Required own contribution | Not verified |
| Advance payments | Not verified |
| Payment and reimbursement rules | Equity is direct or quasi-equity from the EIC Fund, with an indicative 7-10 year horizon. source |
| State-aid limitations | Not verified |
| Eligible and ineligible costs | Not verified |
Application process
10 steps
A practical outline. The call documents prevail wherever they differ.
Check eligibility
Read the topic conditions on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal: eligible countries, type of action, consortium rules and any topic-specific conditions.
Gather supporting documents
Register your organisation in the Participant Register to get a PIC. Prepare the annexes the topic requires.
Prepare the proposal
Fill in the administrative forms (Part A) online and the technical description (Part B) on the official template.
Prepare the budget
Enter the budget in Part A. Many calls now use lump sums, so check the topic's funding model.
Use the official portal
Submit through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, signed in with EU Login. HORIZON-EIC-2026-ACCELERATOR-01 - EU Funding & Tenders Portal
Sign electronically
The coordinator submits online. Grant agreements are later signed electronically in the portal by the organisation's authorised signatory (LEAR / LSIGN).
Meet the deadline
Deadlines are 17:00 Brussels time unless the call says otherwise. The portal does not accept late submissions. 4 Nov 2026, 17:00 CET.
Evaluation and approval
Independent experts evaluate the proposal against the award criteria and the Commission or agency informs applicants of the outcome.
Sign the contract
Successful applicants go through grant preparation and sign the grant agreement in the portal.
Implement, report, get paid
Pre-financing follows signature, then periodic technical and financial reports through the portal trigger the further payments.
Required documents
6 mandatory · 1 conditional
- MandatoryShort proposal on the EIC template source
- Mandatory · conditionalFull proposal (20 pages) expanding the short proposalOnly after a GO on the short proposal. source
- Mandatory · conditionalPitch deckWith the full proposal. source
- Mandatory · conditionalImplementation plan and financial informationWith the full proposal. source
- Mandatory · conditionalFreedom-to-operate (FTO) analysisWith the full proposal. source
- Mandatory · conditionalThree-minute video pitchWith the full proposal. source
- ConditionalLetters of intentWhere available, with the full proposal. source
Official sources
7 official links
- Official programme announcement
- EIC Accelerator - European Innovation CouncilEIC 2026 work programme
- Application portal
- HORIZON-EIC-2026-ACCELERATOR-01 - EU Funding & Tenders Portal
- Guidelines for applicants
- EIC Accelerator guide for applicants, WP2026 (PDF)
- Application templates
- EIC Accelerator - new template
- Eligible-cost rules
- Not linked yet
- Official clarifications and amendments
- FAQs - EIC Accelerator
- Managing authority contact
- НИФ - Fast Track to the EIC Accelerator
Managing authority contact: EIC/EISMEA through the Funding & Tenders Portal. In Bulgaria the NIF runs the Fast Track to the EIC Accelerator programme. eic.ec.europa.eu
Questions and answers
4 questions
- Can a Bulgarian company apply for EIC Accelerator?
- Yes, EIC Accelerator is open to applicants from Bulgaria. Eligible applicants: Start-ups and SMEs (including spin-outs) established in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country. Small mid-caps (up to 499 employees) can receive investment only, not a grant. EU and Associated Countries. Bulgaria is eligible.
- What is the deadline for EIC Accelerator?
- According to the official source, EIC Accelerator is open until 4 Nov 2026, 17:00 CET. Checked on 3 Nov 2026.
- How much funding can one company get from EIC Accelerator?
- One company can receive up to €2,500,000 from EIC Accelerator, covering up to 70% of eligible costs. The total budget of €634m is the whole programme envelope, not the amount one company can get.
- How do I apply for EIC Accelerator?
- Applications are submitted online through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, using an EU Login and the organisation's PIC. Official announcement: https://eic.ec.europa.eu/eic-funding-opportunities/eic-accelerator_en
Summary written by YARD Law (AI-assisted) from the official sources. Not an official text.
Conflicting information
1 source conflict(s)
Record history
Research draft · Last checked: 3 Nov 2026 · Automated check · 4 Nov 2026 · source unchanged
No changes recorded since this record was created.
Bulgaria Funding Intelligence is an information service of YARD Law Co. It is not legal advice and not an official source. YARD Law does not administer public funds and has no official affiliation with any funding authority.