The European Commission adopted the amendment of the EIC work programme 2023 including two coordination and support actions. Both calls for proposals has opened on 16 August.
Financial Support to access services from Ecosystem Partners (HORIZON-EIC-2023-PARTNERS-01)
EIC Beneficiaries may require additional funding to strengthen their access to markets, business development, participation in necessary innovation networks, and R&D and innovation infrastructure. In this regard, EIC has initiated a financial support call to effectively deliver the comprehensive services provided by EIC Ecosystem Partners within the scope of the EIC Business Acceleration Services (BAS). Legal entities that meet the conditions specified in the EIC Work Program can apply for this call. The scope of the call is to provide lump sum financial support, covering 50% of the cost of the service that EIC Beneficiaries will receive from any EIC Ecosystem Partner. The maximum cumulative support amount that will be provided to an EIC Beneficiary within this action is 60,000 Euros. This call will be continuously open to enable EIC Beneficiaries to efficiently utilize EIC BAS services.
Entities eligible for financial support by the institutions selected within the scope of this call:
- Project owners who received grants within the EIC Pilot conducted during the 2018-2020 period, and project proposal owners who obtained the Seal of Excellence within the EIC Accelerator (also known as SME Instrument Phase 2) program
- EIC Beneficiaries eligible for funding from EIC Pathfinder, Transition, and Accelerator programs.
Funding Rate: 100%
At least 75% (3.4 million Euros) of the project budget will be provided as financial support to EIC Beneficiaries.
Type of Action: Coordination and Support Action (CSA)
Expected number of projects to be supported: 1
Call opening: August 16, 2023
Application deadline: November 14, 2023
Indicative budget for the call: 4.5 Million Euros. The funding rate is 100% of eligible costs.
Next Generation Innovation Talents (HORIZON-EIC-2023-TALENTS-01)
The purpose of this call is to enhance the understanding and experience of researchers and innovators in navigating the complex process of advancing innovation beyond invention, while also aiding them in developing an entrepreneurial mindset. Moreover, this call aims to provide innovative start-ups access to new ideas from current research, thereby accelerating the development of their innovations.
Within the scope of this call, researchers benefiting from the programs listed below can undertake internships in eligible companies:
For eligible researchers for internships: European Research Council (ERC); EIC Guide; Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) postdoctoral fellowships; doctoral networks and COFUND programs; doctoral candidates and/or postdoctoral researchers participating in projects financed by the Horizon Europe Research Infrastructures program; participants of Master's and PhD programs bearing the EIT Label, as well as graduates of these programs; participants in the EIT Alumni network; participants in the EIT Jumpstarter program; and participants in other postdoctoral training programs supported by EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs).
For eligible companies for internships: Start-ups and SMEs supported by EIC Accelerator, including the H2020 SME Instrument program; SMEs/start-ups awarded the EIC Seal of Excellence within the EIC Transition Program; start-ups/SMEs supported by EIT-KIC innovation and business development services, including the EIT Jumpstarter program.
During the two-year call period, it is expected to support approximately 600 innovation internships, each lasting approximately three to six months. The final number of participants per program may vary based on demand, but assuming high demand from all partner programs, at least 150 researchers are projected to become interns through the EIC Guide program.
The plan comprises two main streams:
I. "Deep tech capabilities" stream: A 3 to 6-month internship period, open to doctoral candidates and postdoctoral researchers currently engaged in ERC, EIC Guide, MSCA, EIT, and Research Infrastructure projects. These internships will involve specialized work on a specific project or assistance to a high-level executive (CEO, CTO, CSO) as required by the host company.
II. "Emerging innovators" stream: Open to relevant students (current and graduates) of Master's and PhD programs bearing the EIT Label, EIT Alumni, and participants of the EIT Jumpstarter program for internships of up to 6 months.
Activities within this call should encompass the following key tasks:
Supporting the preparation and implementation of the statement of intent process for eligible researchers and host companies in coordination with relevant Horizon Europe programs.
Establishing a matching IT platform between relevant researchers (internship candidates) and companies.
Providing guidance and support for candidate interns and companies.
Negotiating agreements, including standard agreements related to intellectual property, working conditions, etc., with research institutions and companies.
Monitoring practical aspects of internships.
Organizing information and dissemination campaigns.
Providing financial support to third parties to cover additional costs of interns when necessary.
Regular reporting to each relevant Horizon Europe program, company, and intern.
Providing feedback on the impact of the call.
Within this call, the funded project coordinator will provide financial support for ERC and EIC Guide researchers. Reimbursement of internship costs for researchers financed by MSCA, Research Infrastructures, and EIT/EIT KICs will be covered by the relevant partner programs.
The selected project coordinator should possess the necessary knowledge, expertise, and tools to implement the program. In particular, the project coordinator should demonstrate their knowledge about the EIC and experience in managing multi-stakeholder projects, expertise in human resources consulting, capacities in talent acquisition and hiring for start-ups and spin-offs, experience in providing legal and accounting services. Proposals should foresee close collaboration with the European Commission and relevant organizations for the implementation of the program.
The project coordinator should present a comprehensive work plan detailing how each internship will be organized from intern-company matching to the end of the internship period. During matching, factors such as country-gender distribution for interns and thematic area, sector, and country distribution for host companies should be considered. Furthermore, applicants should explain the methodology for measuring the effectiveness, satisfaction, and impact of the program.
Type of Action: Coordination and Support Action (CSA)
Estimated Duration: 24 months
Expected number of projects to be supported: 1
Call opening: 16 August 2023
Application deadline: 4 October 2023
Indicative budget for the call: 4 Million €. The funding rate is 100% of eligible costs.
Detailed information about the calls can be found in the European Innovation Council 2023 Work Programme.