Periodic Reporting for period 1 - EIC ACCESSplus (Advancing Cross-border Coaching and Economic support for Specialised Services)
Reporting period: 2024-08-01 to 2025-07-31
Deep-Tech companies face tremendous challenges in accessing vital resources to put the results of their research on the market, in particular the lack financial sources as well as contacts with market stakeholders to test their solutions, get feedback, and create business opportunities, expertise in developing business, talents to ensure firm development. So there exist a huge innovation gap, leading to an inability of the ecosystem to support disruptive technologies in achieving material scale and commercial viability.
EIC-ACCESS+ has the mission to enable EIC Awardees and Seal of Excellence holders (Horizon Europe) to access specialized services by offering financial support allowing them to select a specific support service offer from the EIC Service Catalogue. EIC ACCESS+ aims to address critical challenges pertaining to the accessibility of specialised services for EIC Awardees and Seal of Excellence (Horizon Europe) holders. The objective is to contribute to making the EIC Ecosystem Partnership effective and expanding its scope, implementing the call for Ecosystem Partners, to fully cater for EIC Community Members’ needs by providing the financial support and facilitating the delivery of tailored services to address the unique scaling challenges of European innovators. By funding selected services listed in the EIC Service Catalogue, EIC-ACCESS+ will enable EIC Awardees to get support and focus on vital aspects of their growth.
EIC-ACCESS+ has the mission to enable EIC Awardees and Seal of Excellence holders (Horizon Europe) to access specialized services by offering financial support allowing them to select a specific support service offer from the EIC Service Catalogue. EIC ACCESS+ aims to address critical challenges pertaining to the accessibility of specialised services for EIC Awardees and Seal of Excellence (Horizon Europe) holders. The objective is to contribute to making the EIC Ecosystem Partnership effective and expanding its scope, implementing the call for Ecosystem Partners, to fully cater for EIC Community Members’ needs by providing the financial support and facilitating the delivery of tailored services to address the unique scaling challenges of European innovators. By funding selected services listed in the EIC Service Catalogue, EIC-ACCESS+ will enable EIC Awardees to get support and focus on vital aspects of their growth.
The project started on the 1st of August 2024, and its activities are still ongoing.
EIC ACCESS+ is progressing well towards its mission of accelerating deep-tech innovation across the European Innovation Community by enhancing access to high-quality services. Throughout the first year (M01–M12), the project has advanced in all five Work Packages, achieving critical milestones and delivering key outputs aligned with the Description of Action. Work Package 1 completed comprehensive interviews with EIC beneficiaries and service providers, mapped service gaps, and launched the EIC ACCESS+ community hub with over 800 members and seven info sessions. Work Package 2 successfully launched the open call, collected applications, and began onboarding beneficiaries. Monitoring and evaluation systems in Work Package 3 were implemented, including quality surveys and the first impact analyses. Communication and ecosystem engagement under Work Package 4 included two peer-learning workshops, the establishment of a robust online presence, and targeted campaigns. Work Package 5 ensured sound governance, regular risk mitigation, and compliance with ethical and gender standards. Overall, the project is on track to meet its objectives, with work progressing according to plan and initial KPIs largely achieved or exceeded.
Work Package 1 has successfully interviewed both EIC Beneficiaries and Service Providers. The analysis of the obtained data served to deepen the understanding of Beneficiaries’ needs and the service catalogue. A proposition of the service update process has been delivered, and the info sessions to onboard participants are ongoing. In addition, the EIC ACCESS+ community hub enables sharing important resources and facilitates matchmaking and networking sessions to connect EIC beneficiaries and Seal of Excellence holders with Ecosystem Partners.
The open call has been prepared and launched, with ongoing promotion and application collection. The selection process is actively underway, with initial application assessments and onboarding of beneficiaries progressing as scheduled, moving toward achieving key milestones like the first beneficiaries selected.
Work Package 3 is on track with its objectives. Initial monitoring systems have been established, including the development of a quality assessment and impact questionnaire to gather beneficiary feedback. Two applicants were interviewed in June 2025, whose services were completed. Early data indicates high satisfaction and strong alignment between services and beneficiary needs, with emerging outcomes in market readiness, investor engagement, and team capabilities. One success story has already been captured and promoted. Broader impact analysis will follow as more services conclude and full impact surveys are deployed.
During the first year of the project, a professional visual identity, in line with the EIC branding, was developed and deployed alongside the project website. The communication tools and processes were established to comply and align with the overall EIC communication strategy. A communication and dissemination plan was detailed and is being implemented to effectively engage key target groups. Communication campaigns and interactive formats such as online info sessions and workshops have successfully initiated the onboarding and engagement of EIC Beneficiaries, EIC Ecosystem Partners, and other stakeholders, with the project's offers.
WP5 has been actively managing the project by establishing a strong coordination framework, overseeing implementation, and monitoring progress against milestones. Regular internal reviews, risk assessments, and quality control measures are in place. The task of ensuring compliance with ethical and data management standards is also ongoing, supporting effective project governance and timely reporting.
EIC ACCESS+ is progressing well towards its mission of accelerating deep-tech innovation across the European Innovation Community by enhancing access to high-quality services. Throughout the first year (M01–M12), the project has advanced in all five Work Packages, achieving critical milestones and delivering key outputs aligned with the Description of Action. Work Package 1 completed comprehensive interviews with EIC beneficiaries and service providers, mapped service gaps, and launched the EIC ACCESS+ community hub with over 800 members and seven info sessions. Work Package 2 successfully launched the open call, collected applications, and began onboarding beneficiaries. Monitoring and evaluation systems in Work Package 3 were implemented, including quality surveys and the first impact analyses. Communication and ecosystem engagement under Work Package 4 included two peer-learning workshops, the establishment of a robust online presence, and targeted campaigns. Work Package 5 ensured sound governance, regular risk mitigation, and compliance with ethical and gender standards. Overall, the project is on track to meet its objectives, with work progressing according to plan and initial KPIs largely achieved or exceeded.
Work Package 1 has successfully interviewed both EIC Beneficiaries and Service Providers. The analysis of the obtained data served to deepen the understanding of Beneficiaries’ needs and the service catalogue. A proposition of the service update process has been delivered, and the info sessions to onboard participants are ongoing. In addition, the EIC ACCESS+ community hub enables sharing important resources and facilitates matchmaking and networking sessions to connect EIC beneficiaries and Seal of Excellence holders with Ecosystem Partners.
The open call has been prepared and launched, with ongoing promotion and application collection. The selection process is actively underway, with initial application assessments and onboarding of beneficiaries progressing as scheduled, moving toward achieving key milestones like the first beneficiaries selected.
Work Package 3 is on track with its objectives. Initial monitoring systems have been established, including the development of a quality assessment and impact questionnaire to gather beneficiary feedback. Two applicants were interviewed in June 2025, whose services were completed. Early data indicates high satisfaction and strong alignment between services and beneficiary needs, with emerging outcomes in market readiness, investor engagement, and team capabilities. One success story has already been captured and promoted. Broader impact analysis will follow as more services conclude and full impact surveys are deployed.
During the first year of the project, a professional visual identity, in line with the EIC branding, was developed and deployed alongside the project website. The communication tools and processes were established to comply and align with the overall EIC communication strategy. A communication and dissemination plan was detailed and is being implemented to effectively engage key target groups. Communication campaigns and interactive formats such as online info sessions and workshops have successfully initiated the onboarding and engagement of EIC Beneficiaries, EIC Ecosystem Partners, and other stakeholders, with the project's offers.
WP5 has been actively managing the project by establishing a strong coordination framework, overseeing implementation, and monitoring progress against milestones. Regular internal reviews, risk assessments, and quality control measures are in place. The task of ensuring compliance with ethical and data management standards is also ongoing, supporting effective project governance and timely reporting.
During its first 12 months, the EIC ACCESS+ project has built a strong foundation to deliver specialised services to deep-tech innovators across Europe. All five Work Packages advanced according to plan, with major milestones and deliverables achieved on time. The Open Call was successfully launched, generating 150 applications, of which 54 were approved and more than €1 million in approved funding allocated to beneficiaries. The financial support framework is fully operational and supported by transparent monitoring tools. Community engagement has been a major success: the EIC ACCESS+ hub reached over 800 members, seven info sessions and two peer-learning workshops were organised, and communication campaigns exceeded targets, significantly raising awareness across the EIC ecosystem. Initial results confirm strong alignment between services and beneficiary needs, with early satisfaction levels exceeding expectations. Continuous monitoring and impact assessment systems are in place to ensure quality and adaptability as service delivery scales.