What counts as an SME for the EIC?

The EU 2003/361/EC definition: fewer than 250 staff and either annual turnover up to €50 million or a balance-sheet total up to €43 million, counted with linked and partner enterprises. Ownership by large groups can disqualify an otherwise small company.

Can non-EU companies apply to the EIC?

Companies established in Horizon Europe associated countries can apply on the same footing as EU companies. Others generally cannot lead an EIC Accelerator application, though relocating eligible operations to the EU before applying is a path some companies take.

Which EIC instrument matches my stage?

Pathfinder funds early research (TRL 1–4, usually consortia), Transition matures results from earlier EU projects, and the Accelerator funds single SMEs commercialising deep tech from TRL 5/6 onwards with grant plus optional equity.

Eligibility check

Is my company eligible for EIC funding?

Three checks decide it: whether you meet the EU SME definition, where you are established, and which EIC instrument matches your technology maturity. All three take minutes to run — do them before reading any call text.

Check the SME definition now — free

Enter staff headcount, turnover, and balance-sheet totals (including linked enterprises) and get an instant EU SME classification.

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Check 1 — SME status

The Accelerator is for single SMEs: under 250 staff and turnover ≤ €50m or balance sheet ≤ €43m, computed with linked and partner enterprises under EU 2003/361/EC. A 30-person startup majority-owned by a large corporate typically fails this check. Small mid-caps (up to 499 staff) can access the equity-only route.

Check 2 — country of establishment

You must be established in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe associated country. The list of associated countries changes — verify the current status of yours on the Funding & Tenders Portal rather than assuming last year's list still holds.

Check 3 — the right instrument for your maturity

Eligibility is instrument-specific: research teams at TRL 1–4 belong in Pathfinder (consortium-based), while the Accelerator expects TRL 5/6 upwards from single companies. Applying to the wrong instrument is the quietest way to fail — the proposal is fine, the stage is not.

Where GRANTIBASE helps

The free SME checker settles check 1 instantly. For checks against a live call — eligible countries, entity types, and the gates buried in call conditions — Call Evaluation parses the call text and flags exactly which requirements your profile passes or fails.

EIC eligibility FAQ

What counts as an SME for the EIC?: The EU 2003/361/EC definition: fewer than 250 staff and either annual turnover up to €50 million or a balance-sheet total up to €43 million, counted with linked and partner enterprises. Ownership by large groups can disqualify an otherwise small company.
Can non-EU companies apply to the EIC?: Companies established in Horizon Europe associated countries can apply on the same footing as EU companies. Others generally cannot lead an EIC Accelerator application, though relocating eligible operations to the EU before applying is a path some companies take.
Which EIC instrument matches my stage?: Pathfinder funds early research (TRL 1–4, usually consortia), Transition matures results from earlier EU projects, and the Accelerator funds single SMEs commercialising deep tech from TRL 5/6 onwards with grant plus optional equity.

Check eligibility against a specific call

Call Evaluation reads any EIC call and returns eligible countries, entity types, and hard gates for your saved company profile — before you invest in writing.

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