The first EIC Pre-Accelerator call attracted over 1,000 applicants

The first EIC Pre-Accelerator 2025 call, with a deadline of November 18, 2025, received 1,056 eligible applications from a total of 30 countries. This is a new instrument funded under the WIDERA Work Program 2025. Eligible beneficiaries are small and medium-sized enterprises from the so-called Widening countries under the Horizon Europe program. The aim of the call is to boost the innovation potential of early-stage deep-tech startups. Applicants requested a total of €479.4 million, which is an average of approximately €454,000 per proposal. Among the applicants, 74% of companies were led by men and 26% by women. 

The projects will now undergo evaluation, which should be completed in February 2026. The results will be communicated to the applicants in late February – early March 2026. Next call will be opened in May 2027.  

Further information in the press release here.