Pre-Accelerator for Widening Countries: The Success Formula for the New Support Programme of EIC
Pre-Accelerator for Widening Countries: The Success Formula for the New Support Programme of EIC
Sept 24, 2025 09:30-13:00 CET
An specific half-day online workshop guiding you towards success in your deeptech company — built from experience, not theory.
The EIC Pre-Accelerator call for 2025 (HORIZON-WIDERA-2025-02-ACCESS-01) targets early-stage deep-tech startups in widening countries, aiming to boost their business, investor, and technology readiness so they can attract investment and access follow-on funding, such as the EIC Accelerator. The call opens on 12 June 2025 and the deadline for submission is 18 November 2025. The programme supports projects that move innovations from a minimum of TRL 4 (technology validated in the lab) to TRL 5/6 (validated or demonstrated in a relevant environment). The grant covers up to 70% of eligible costs (lump sum), with 30% co-funding required from the beneficiary, and offers between €300,000 and €500,000 per project, for up to 2 years. Only SMEs established in a Horizon Europe Widening country can apply. The programme focuses on transformative deep-tech, encouraging applicants to strengthen their IP position, business development, and market strategy, and provides access to EIC Business Acceleration Services and a potential “fast track” to the EIC Accelerator.
What This live workshop via zoom is about
This half-day expert-led masterclass breaks the normal patterns. You won’t just learn how to write a winning Pre-Accelerator proposal — you’ll learn more on how to develop your own strategy for growth of your business.
We’re going beyond general guidelines, webinars/standard trainings, or national contact point briefings and you will get insights and tips also from EIC Jury members and experts.
Trainers
| Nikolaos Floratos: Nikolaos has a multidisciplinary education with a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering from City University London, a Bachelor of Humanities in Greek Civilisation from Open Hellenic University, a master of science in Telecommunications and Signal Processing from Imperial College, London and he is recently awarded his PhD in Humanities on student engagement in massive open online courses from Open University of Catalonia. After his undergraduate and postgraduate studies with distinction as an engineer in London (Imperial College, City University), UK, has been working for a number of consultancy and Information Technology companies as a consultant and project manager across Europe. He has also an MBA (Master in Business Administration from the National Technical University of Athens and Athens University of Economics and Business) and the last 25 years he is involved in planning, managing and evaluating large and small projects in the area of research, education, ICT (Information Communication Technologies), social inclusion, entrepreneurship, standardization and consumer issues. As a funding expert, personal trainer and coach, he has supported thousands of individuals and organisations mainly from Europe but also from all over the world in managing state funding (e.g. from the European Commission, National Funds, etc) and receiving support for deploying their business idea or mission. Recently, he came across of AI in proposal writing and he became thrilled with it. He considers that AI will bring the same revolution as PC (Personal Computers). PCs changed the way that business is conducted and today is the only norm and in the same way, he believes that AI will do so and no one should stay behind. |
