George Megas’ Post

🚀 Ready to Become Europe’s Next Unicorn with the EIC Accelerator! 🚀 Europe is seeking its next disruptive innovator, and the EIC Accelerator is your ticket to success in AI, biotech, medtech, or deep tech. The application process is competitive, but with the right expertise, you can be the game-changer Europe needs. 🔑 Our team brings over 20 years of experience in winning EU Grants to guide you through the EIC Accelerator journey. From Phase A to Phase C, we ensure your innovative idea shines, resonates with evaluators, and helps you nail the interview stage to secure funding. 🎯 Why Choose SP NET? We offer customized support to highlight your strengths, guide you through each phase, and position your company for success in scaling. Visit us at www.sp-net.eu to start your journey towards becoming Europe's next unicorn. Your success is our priority, and we provide accessible services at competitive market prices. #EICAccelerator #Innovation #EUGrants #Unicorns #DeepTech #AI #Biotech #BusinessGrowth #SPNETConsultants

Are you familiar with the Valley of Death for technology products? ☠ 🔬 If a technology reaches TRL 4, it has been validated with a Proof Of Concept (POC) in a research lab. 💼 Once in TRL7, the private sector takes over. The technology is integrated into the system and tested in a realistic environment. ❌ Between these two lies a mix of bad indicators that prevent technologies from moving up the maturity gap (TRL 5 & 6): high investment need, unproven commercial viability, and remaining technology risk. Overcoming these challenges and finding the right projects to continue requires an interdisciplinary approach. However, due to this complexity, most projects are halted and do not progress beyond TRL 5 & 6, leading to the term 'Valley of Death' 🎯 Overcoming the 'valley of death' is a complex task, but it's not insurmountable. The success rate can be improved through better collaboration between industry and academia and a focus on Key Enabling Technologies. ✅ Solutions: Government-backed institutions like TII (Technology Innovation Institute) in the UAE solve this problem. In other Western countries like France, it is solved by creating spinoffs, a mix of European institutions (like Horizon 2030), and private-sector funding. The funding landscape in MENA is not at a stage where several deep technology projects can be funded to cross the valley. I believe this transition will arrive once the VC maturity and funding amount attain a certain level to fund projects when they come out of the lab. If you want to read more about the Technology Readiness Level, read my article on the subject. It has all the resources you need to go further. https://lnkd.in/dqyW-AXP #MENAMAKE I write about technology product development and the MENA ecosystem

Introducing EIC's New STEP: EUR 10-30 Million Investment Opportunity! Are you driving game-changing innovation in Deep Tech, Biotech, or Clean Tech? The EIC STEP Scale-Up Call is your next step to scaling faster and smarter. This program is tailored for companies ready to secure major funding to develop, commercialize, or manufacture strategic technologies critical for Europe. EIC STEP supports projects that strengthen Europe’s technological sovereignty and global competitiveness. What makes EIC STEP Impactful? ✔️ Equity-Only Investments: Secure €10–30 million to scale your vision. ✔️ Catalyze Major Rounds: Use EIC funding to unlock additional financing. ✔️ Focus on Strategic Tech: From semiconductors and AI to quantum, net-zero, and more. ✔️ Exclusive Support: Access Business Acceleration Services and earn the STEP Seal for privileged access to further funding. 📅 Applications open November 26, 2024, on a rolling basis. Let’s ensure your innovation secures the funding and ecosystem it deserves. 📩 Reach out today to explore how the EIC STEP fund can drive your growth. #EICSTEP #InnovationFunding #DeepTech #CleanTech #ScaleUp #EuropeanInnovation #Quantumtech #Netzero #HorizonEurope #Grants

Exciting News for Irish Innovation: Altratech Secures €10.5 Million in EU Funding Cork-based diagnostics company, Altratech, has been awarded €10.5 million by the European Innovation Council Accelerator. This investment will drive forward their groundbreaking work in diagnostics technology, showcasing Ireland’s growing influence in the life sciences and technology sectors. What I Learned: 1. Innovation in Ireland continues to receive strong support from the EU, fostering growth in key tech sectors. 2. Securing international funding is essential for expanding the global impact of Irish businesses. 3. Ireland is solidifying its role as a hub for scientific advancement and technological innovation. 4.This investment underscores the potential of Irish companies to compete on a global scale while contributing to the local economy. It's an exciting time for innovation in Ireland!

Funding Round Up 📢 📢 TechX Accelerator (3rd November) The deadline for the TechX Accelerator has been extended to 3rd November 2024. This accelerator is designed for innovative clean-energy start-ups. It will help them accelerate the transition to an affordable net zero energy industry. Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/eJcp3YVj 📢 Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP): 2024 to 2025 Round 4 (4th December) From Innovate UK, UK-registered academic institutions, RTOs, and Catapults may apply for a share of up to £9 million to fund innovation projects with businesses or not-for-profits. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/eX2P_FA6 📢 UK-Germany Bilateral: Collaborative Research and Development Round 4 (6th December) UK-registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £2 million to enhance UK and German collaborations in emerging fields of technology. The UK organisations must work with at least one German SME applying under the equivalent ZIM programme. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/ejAxK_Br That’s all for this week. Have a great weekend! #Energy #Innovation #Research

The European Innovation Council (EIC) has introduced a groundbreaking €10 billion program aimed at transforming Europe's tech landscape 🌍💡. This bold move supports high-risk, high-impact ventures, particularly in deep tech sectors like AI, quantum computing, and green technologies, giving startups the necessary financial backing and strategic guidance to scale 🚀. With this initiative, the EIC aims to bridge the innovation gap and put Europe at the forefront of global technological advancements. Through partnerships between public and private sectors, it seeks to overcome investment challenges and create more competitive European tech champions 🏆. By fostering cutting-edge innovation, the EIC is not only supporting startups but also paving the way for a sustainable, technology-driven future in Europe 🌱🔧. This investment signals Europe's intent to lead in emerging industries and address critical global challenges. #Innovation #TechLeadership #Europe #EIC #DeepTech

UK technology partnerships with Central Europe are driving innovation and progress. #AIresearchinRomania #AIstartupsinEasternEurope #CEEtechecosystemgrowth #CentralEuropeantechnologyhubs #ScienceandInnovationNetwork #SemiconductorsindustryBulgaria #UKHorizonEuropepartnerships #UKsemiconductorstrategy #UKtechnologypartnershipsCentralEurope #UKCEEtechcollaboration #thxnews

📢 The #European #Innovation Council's (#EIC) Work Programme for 2025 is now available. This Programme sets a bold course for #groundbreaking research, sustainable development, and technological advancement throughout Europe. It also creates new opportunities for #innovators, researchers, and entrepreneurs to access funding and support, driving transformative solutions to address pressing global challenges. Key highlights of the 2025 EIC Work Programme: 💰 STEP Scale-up scheme with a budget of €300 million (growing to €900 million by 2027) to boost tech investments and reduce strategic dependencies; 🌱 Designates funds for emerging technologies and early-stage companies; expands Business Acceleration Services to support less innovative regions; ✨ Seals of Excellence will be awarded to aid companies in accessing alternative funding sources.   The EIC Work Programme 2025 includes three main funding schemes: 🔸 EIC #Pathfinder: €262 million for multi-disciplinary teams working on early-stage, breakthrough technologies, with grants up to €4 million; 🔸 EIC #Transition: €98 million to foster innovation opportunities based on the results of previous EU-funded research, with grants up to €2.5 million. 🔸EIC #Accelerator: €634 million to support start-ups and SMEs in developing and scaling innovative solutions, with grants up to €2.5 million and investments from €500.000 to €10 million. #europeaninnovationcouncil #internationalresearch #internationalprojects #internationalproject #internationalprojectservice #horizoneurope #univpm #eu #europeanunion #eufunded #eufunding #fundingopportunities #eugrants #euproject #euprojects #europeanresearch #europeanresearcharea #research #researchinnovation #researcher #researchers

Atomico just launched State of European Tech 2024 (SOET 2024) #slush2024 ⭐ 3 Key Findings on ROI from the State of European Tech 2024 ⭐ (note: this is cross-sector, not health focused) 1️⃣ Unprecedented Investment Growth: Over the past decade, European tech has attracted $426B in investments, representing a 10x growth. With a proven track record of exits totaling $1T, Europe is now a powerhouse for delivering exceptional returns. 2️⃣ Sustainability Drives ROI:   Investors are aligning with the future, with 21% of European capital directed toward sustainability sectors like carbon management and renewable energy—an area ripe for both impact and profit. 3️⃣ Scaling Opportunities Abound:   Despite successes, a $375B growth-stage funding gap highlights untapped potential for investors. Bridging this gap could unlock massive opportunities as Europe scales its tech ecosystem toward $5T+ in value by 2034. #European HealthTech can take positive signals from this report but it also raises the limitations in capital, talent retention, and bureaucratic inefficiencies to support early-stage and scaling startups which I often hear from European founders. #TechROI #EuropeanInnovation #SustainabilityInvestment

Cicada Innovations Sally-Ann Williams FTSE: Australia’s deep tech talent needs more support to change the world Australia’s deep tech sector holds significant promise, but to realise its full potential, there must be increased support, collaboration, and a focus on long-term strategic goals. By breaking down barriers and fostering a systems-based approach, Australia can drive impactful innovations and build industries of the future. https://bit.ly/4dEEfz2