As announced during the Turkey-EU High-Level Dialogue Meeting on Science, Research, Technology, and Innovation held in Istanbul on April 25, 2024, with the participation of Minister Mr. Mehmet Fatih Kacır and European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education, and Youth, Iliana Ivanova, companies supported by national support programs approved under the "Plug-in Tool" will be granted the right to submit a Full Application directly to the EIC Accelerator Program without submitting a Short Application, within a certain quota.
As is known, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups that aim to introduce innovative ideas with scaling potential, create new markets, or disrupt existing ones can apply for the EIC Accelerator program within the European Innovation Council (EIC). The evaluation process for the EIC Accelerator includes three steps: the Short Application, Full Application, and Interview, with the process starting with the Short Application directed to the European Commission.
To identify programs suitable for the Plug-in Tool, the European Commission has conducted a detailed assessment and certification process. As a result, the following programs managed by TÜBİTAK TEYDEB have been officially approved by the European Commission to receive the Plug-in certificate:
- 1501 Industry R&D Projects Support Program
- 1507 SME R&D Start-up Support Program
- 1707 SME Support Call for Order-Based R&D Projects
Thus, SMEs and startups that have been supported by any of these programs will be entitled to directly submit a Full Application to the EIC Accelerator Program without needing to submit a Short Application, provided they are deemed eligible during their application to TÜBİTAK and subsequent evaluation process.
EIC Accelerator Plug-In Tool Application Conditions:
- Meeting the application conditions of the EIC Accelerator Program: The SME status must be recognized by the European Commission, and project proposals must be at least at TRL 6 level.
- Receiving support from TÜBİTAK TEYDEB support programs: The support must have been granted from one of the following programs—1501, 1507, or 1707—and the implementation dates of these supports must align with the date ranges specified in the Call Text.
Important Dates:
- Call Opening: March 4, 2025
- Call Closing: April 15, 2025, 5:00 PM
- E-signature Deadline: April 18, 2025, 11:59 PM
More Information and Application:
For more information about the EIC Accelerator Program and Plug-In Tool, you can access it [here].
2025 EIC Accelerator Plug-In Call Text
