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Short application deadline: Continuous
Full application deadlines: – 19/10/2023
Next interviews:
- 2 to 6 October
- 15 to 19 January 2024
Grants of max. €2.5m and /or Equity of max. €15m*
Guide-for-Applicants_V3.0.pdf3133.2KB
• Develop high risk/high impact innovations;
• Have the potential to create new markets, transform existing
ones and contribute to societal innovation;
• Build on scientific discovery, radical thinking or technological
breakthroughs (‘deep tech’);
• You innovation activities have already achieved the Technology
Readiness Level (TRL) 4 and are currently in TRL 5 or above;
• Require significant funding over a long timeframe before
returns can be generated (‘patient capital’)
You are a single start-up or SME (including spin-outs) established in an EU Member
State or Horizon Europe (HE) Associated Country
You are a ‘Small mid-cap’ (up to 499 employees) established in an EU Member State
or HE Associated Country. You need funding for rapid scale up and your activities are at
TRL 9 (e.g.: commercialisation and market deployment). You can only apply for the
investment component.
You are one or more natural persons or legal entities willing to set up a SME:
• From EU Member State or HE Associated Country intending to establish an SME or
small mid-cap in a Member State or Associated Country. Your company will have to
be established prior to signing the Accelerator contract.
• Intending to invest in an SME or small mid-cap in a Member State or a HE Associated
Country. As agreed with the company, you will be submitting the proposal on
behalf of the SME/small mid-cap while the contract will be signed with the
beneficiary company only.
• From a non-associated third country and you are ready to establish a SME
(including start-ups) or to relocate an existing SME to an EU Member State or HE
Associated Country, then you must have done so by the time of submitting a full
application. Your company must prove its effective establishment in an EU Member
State or HE Associated Country. The Commission may set specific conditions and
milestones in the contract to ensure that the interest of the Union is met.
Software Technology Readiness Level 4 (SW TRL 4):
**Function of software modules demonstrated in a laboratory environment.**
Breakdown of SW TRL 4:
1. **Functional Modules:** At this level, individual software modules or components have been developed. These modules perform specific tasks or functions within the broader software system.
2. **Laboratory Testing:** The software modules are tested in a controlled, laboratory-like environment. This is to ensure that the modules function as intended, without the variables and complexities of a real-world or operational environment.
3. **Integration Potential:** While full integration might not yet be achieved, there should be indications that these modules can be integrated into a cohesive software system in future development stages.
4. **Results:** The outcomes from SW TRL 4 tests should give developers a clear understanding of whether the basic software modules function correctly and whether they're ready for more advanced integration and testing.
5. **Risks:** Similar to hardware TRLs, software TRL 4 aims to identify any risks or issues within the software modules. These might be bugs, vulnerabilities, or any other problems that could affect the software's functionality or security.
In summary, SW TRL 4 for software is about developing and testing individual software modules in a controlled environment. It's a preliminary step before these modules are combined and tested in more complex and realistic scenarios.