Writing a successful grant application requires a methodical approach that balances thorough research, strategic planning, and clear communication. This ensures that each application aligns with the goals of the funding organization and compellingly conveys the merits of our project. At HP, we use a proprietary methodical approach to writing grant applications, focusing on the highest level of clarity. Let's take a look at the five main steps of our approach:

Applying for EU grants can be a daunting endeavour, especially for founders and teams navigating the grant writing labyrinth for the first time. The process requires careful planning, methodical execution, and a thorough understanding of various criteria and requirements. In this blog post, we’ll explore the most common challenges we have seen applicants face when applying for EU grants and provide strategic solutions to help you overcome these obstacles, backed by our extensive experience.  

First, these are the consortium conditions on the Eureka website in October 2023 - the consortium must be: Led by an innovative SME from a Eurostars country (definition below). Composed by at least 2 entities independent of one another. Composed by entities from at least 2 Eurostars countries, with at least 1 coming from an EU or Horizon Europe Associated Country. Have at least 50% of total project cost, excluding subcontracting, coming from SMEs from Eurostars countries. Have no single participant or country responsible for more than 70% of the budget of the project.

We cover the official guidelines from the EIC Accelerator of how to create a pitch deck and video to send with the application. Then we post our own recommendations for what to keep in mind when creating a pitch deck and video in general for any grant application, business plan or investor pitch.

One of the criteria for most R&D grants is having reached a specific Technology Readiness Level (TRL) and reaching a specific level during the grant period. For example, the Eurostars grants are aimed at projects in TRL 3-6 while the EIC Accelerator is specifically for projects that have already reached TRL 6 and aim to reach TRL 8-9 during the project period.

The June 2023 cut-off for the EIC Accelerator was a surprise to many applicants. The deadline was delayed and a new application format implemented. Only 16,5% of those who applied in this round, applied for Accelerator Challenges, whereas the budget is very similar to that of the Accelerator Open Challenge.