EIT Community Booster

Scaling New European Bauhaus ventures

Are you a startup or scaleup developing innovative solutions that make Europe more sustainable, inclusive and improve citizens’ quality of life?

On a mission to foster the New European Bauhaus transformation, the EIT Community is looking for the most innovative ventures driving sustainable change for cities, industries, climate, food, wellbeing and overall quality of life in order to support their business growth and help them become the international gamechangers.

Launched by the European Commission, the New European Bauhaus translates the European Green Deal into a tangible, positive experience in which all Europeans can participate and progress together. With this in mind, the EIT Community Booster is set to identify and support the startups and scaleups integrating the three core dimensions of the New European Bauhaus:

  1. sustainability, from climate goals, to circularity, zero pollution, and biodiversity
  2. aesthetics, quality of experience and style, beyond functionality
  3. inclusion, from valorising diversity, to securing accessibility and affordability

Apply for the programmes offered by the most prominent European innovation communities EIT Digital, EIT Climate-KIC, EIT Food, EIT Manufacturing and EIT Urban Mobility and get the support you need to bring your business to the next level!

The 20 best companies will receive acceleration support services worth a total of 1 million Euro. From early-stage teams to mature scaleups, ventures of all levels can get the support they need to boost business growth, raise funding and scale up internationally.

Submit your application by December 17, 23:59 CET.

Timeline

October 18, 2021 December 17, 2021 January-February, 2022 March, 2022
Applications open Submission deadline Evaluation and due diligence Announcement of the selected companies for all 5 programmes


For more details on the evaluation and due diligence process please refer to the specific programme description below. 

Programmes

Benefit from business coaching, mentoring, internationalisation and fundraising support as well as access to the vast networks of the most prominent knowledge & innovation communities in Europe!

EIT Community booster combines the best business growth programmes offered by EIT Digital, EIT Climate, EIT Food, EIT Manufacturing and EIT Urban Mobility. You can apply for one or more programmes within the EIT Community Booster and their dedicated track for the New European Bauhaus.

Click on the buttons below to discover how you can grow your business.

Note: For more information about each programme (prize, criteria, topics, etc.) make sure to read the dedicated factsheets.

by EIT Climate

New European Bauhaus Climate Acceleration Programme

Cities face an enormous challenge: they need to become more resilient and healthy places while reaching net-zero-emissions in a few years. The New European Bauhaus Climate Acceleration Programme takes that challenge by integrating the New European Bauhaus (NEB).

The New European Bauhaus Climate Acceleration Programme provides support to the most promising NEB related ventures bringing together simultaneously in their operations or solutions the three dimensions of sustainability (including circularity), quality of experience (including aesthetics) and inclusion (including accessibility and affordability).

What you will get

Four companies will each receive (1) a €25,000 prize to accelerate their growth and (2) a tailored package of supporting services valued at €25,000. Total grant per startup is €50,000.

Supporting services will include:

  • Training activities.
  • Advice from experts and climate coaches.
  • One-to-one support by a mentor.
  • Access to EIT Climate KIC’s ecosystem of cities, corporations, investors, SMEs, Universities and research institutions.
  • Access to NEB startups and projects, as well as key NEB stakeholders.

Who can apply

Early-stage startups developing scalable solutions with high potential to make an impact on climate issues  through the specific NEB challenges indicates and bringing in their products/solutions the three dimensions of NEB: sustainability (including circularity), quality of experience (including aesthetics) and inclusion (including accessibility and affordability).

  • Growth stage: pre-seed, seed
  • Eligibility criteria:
    • already have PoC/Alpha/Beta/prototype,  
    • less than 5 years old, 
    • incorporated and based in the EU 27 or in one of the Horizon Europe associated countries,
    • Accepting and engaging EIT Climate-KIC’s Services-for-Equity Agreement (SFEA) acting as sustainable financial mechanism.

Topics

1. Green transition through architectural, cultural, and historic sites:  

  • Natural building materials and energy efficiency, including refurbishment of existing, historic buildings.
  • Sustainable alternatives for hardscapes as urban spaces, naturalisation of degraded public areas, green areas, biodiversity, green and blue infrastructures, and urban furniture as assets promoting active mobility, improving citizen well-being, and mitigating heat island effects.
  • Urban farming and regenerative agriculture to reduce emissions and foster the relationship between city and farmer.

2. Towards circularity and urban resilience: 

  • Enhancement of public realm, accessibility, and interconnection through active mobility modalities, to mitigate air pollution and noise, and improve physical and mental health.

3. Ensuring affordability and accessibility to all:  

  • Energy communities to ensure comfort living at affordable prices through multi-disciplinary retrofitting teams.
  • Shift from building-centric to community-centric approach in providing telecommunications, data, energy, water, waste.
  • Upgrade historic and old buildings to meet new energy efficiency requirements whilst preserving their significance and sense of belonging within the community. 
  • Universal mobility as a key enabler for social inclusion. Everyone should be able to move freely within cities regardless gender, race, beliefs, or disability (barrier free access).

Learn more & apply

  • Make sure to read the program’s factsheet for more information about the prize, topics and eligibility criteria:

Factsheet

By EIT Digital

Scaling up European digital ventures

EIT Digital Accelerator’s mission is to support fast-growing European digital deep tech ventures to become prominent global players. Its team of venture capital & business experts specialises in deep tech and leverages a pan-European network of investors and top corporations to help your company raise Series A & Series B founding, expand your market share and acquire international customers.

What you will get

The best 4 companies will receive a full year of tailored international growth support by the EIT Digital Accelerator worth €50,000 to scale up their business.

  • Raise your next Series A or Series B funding round from European investors in a faster and smarter way with the support of the Access to Finance team
  • Expand your market share, reach new customers and grow your international footprint with the support of the Access to Market team
  • Leverage the Pan-European network of top European corporations, investors, SMEs, universities and research institutions.
  • Gain international visibility through EIT Digital communication channels.

Who can apply

Fast-growing European ‘deep tech’ startups in growth stage (scaleups) with a differentiating product offering that leverages sophisticated, hard-to-reproduce digital technologies. Ideally you are looking to raise Series A or B funding in the near future and/or expand your market presence in Europe.

  • Growth stage: scaleup
  • Eligibility criteria:
    • Incorporated after 01/01/2011
    • Headquarter is based in the EU 27 or in one of the Horizon Europe associated countries.
    • The company must meet one of these financial parameters to be eligible:
      • Min. €300,000 annual revenue (2020) OR
      • Min. €300,000 revenues (in 2021 until 30 June 2021) OR
      • €2,000,0000 of total funding.

Topics

Digital Industry: digital solutions for energy efficiency, sustainability, transparency and resource optimisation in manufacturing, logistics, supply chain, retail.

Digital Cities: digital solutions to make city operations more efficient, improve city infrastructure and urban mobility, and enhance the quality of experience for citizens.

Digital Wellbeing: digital solutions for prevention & rehabilitation, coping with chronic conditions, diagnosis, monitoring and healthy lifestyle.

Digital Tech: digital solutions for efficiency and improvement if existing infrastructures; security & privacy of citizens.

Digital Finance: digital solutions improving access to financial services for communications and businesses, affordability, risk mitigation.

Learn more & apply

  • Make sure to read the program’s factsheet for more information about the prize, topics and eligibility criteria:

Factsheet

By EIT Food

Drive Food Innovation and Transformation at Scale

The EIT Food FAN supports agri-food startups tackling the biggest challenges within the European food system by developing their capacity as founders and establishing continued partnerships with the EIT Food Accelerator Network community, totaling + 1 billion Euro, to accelerate their growth and impact.

What you will get

The best 4 companies will receive 6 months of tailored international acceleration support by the EIT Food FAN worth 50,000 to accelerate their growth and impact.

  • Build entrepreneurial skills, benefit from mentoring and gain exposure to your market, potential customers, investors and media.
  • Become part of the Pan-European network of world-class industry, academic and research institutions.
  • Benefit from the access to facilities such as labs, pilot sites, agricultural land.
  • Gain international visibility through EIT Food communication channels.

Who can apply

Agri-food startups that are set to make a big impact on any part of the agriculture or food supply chain thus committed to building a healthier, more trusted and sustainable food system.

  • Growth stage: pre-seed, seed
  • Eligibility criteria:
    • customer validation,
    • early traction,
    • technology readiness,
    • incorporated and based in the EU 27 or one of the Horizon Europe, associated countries.

Topics

Green transition through architectural, cultural, and historic sites:
Urban farming and regenerative agriculture to reduce emissions and foster the relationship between city and farmer.

Towards circularity and urban resilience:
Circular economy through actions sticking to the principles of the food waste hierarchy and efficient reutilization of bio-products and bio waste, achieving emissions and waste reduction and fostering the second life of products.

Ensuring affordability and accessibility to all:
Solutions to ensure all people have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food and to support citizens in acquiring an active and healthy lifestyle, including a healthy diet.

Learn more & apply

  • Make sure to read the program’s factsheet for more information about the prize, topics and eligibility criteria:

Factsheet

By EIT Manufacturing

Green & Socially Sustainable Manufacturing - Startup Acceleration Call

Accelerate your company’s growth with EIT Manufacturing’s programme designed to scale the next generation of European manufacturing innovators.

What you will get

Four companies will be selected to receive a €15,000 cash prize to accelerate their growth in addition to a tailored package of access to market and access to finance services, valued at €35,000 and provided by EIT Manufacturing’s Business Creation team.

In addition to the €15,000 cash prize, the four selected companies will be able to:

  • Benefit from tailored access to market support to help you reach new customers and expand into new geographies.
  • Receive tailored access to finance support to prepare for fundraising, potential financing consideration by EIT Manufacturing, and introductions to VCs and early-stage funding opportunities.
  • Leverage EIT Manufacturing’s network of more than 60 pan-European partners from industry, academia and RTOs and access to participate in EIT Manufacturing’s broader portfolio of activities and programmes.
  • Gain international visibility through EIT Manufacturing’s communication channels.

Who can apply

Innovative startups actively looking to grow and enhance their business development efforts or raise venture funding now or in the near future.

  • Growth stage: pre-seed, seed
  • Eligibility criteria:
    • are actively looking to grow
    • have demonstrated meaningful customer traction
    • have been operative for more than one year
    • have a dedicated full-time team with a headquarters incorporated in any EU or Horizon Europe associated country
    • are looking to enhance and complement their business development efforts
    • are currently or will in the future be looking for access to finance from equity partners

Topics

Green manufacturing

  • Low environmental footprint solutions
  • Solutions related to decarbonizing manufacturing processes and maintenance
  • ‘Locally’ manufactured and delivered solutions
  • Circular economy solutions
  • Urban manufacturing solutions

Socially sustainable manufacturing

  • Efficiencies related to manufacturing processes and maintenance
  • Human-machine co-working and automation solutions
  • Agile, flexible, and resilient supply chains
  • Inclusiveness and quality of experience (including aesthetics) in manufacturing processes and solutions

Learn more & apply

  • Make sure to read the program’s factsheet for more information about the prize, topics and eligibility criteria:

Factsheet

By EIT Urban Mobility

Take your mobility startup to the next level!

EIT Urban Mobility Accelerator takes your mobility startup to the next level, whilst boosting sustainable alternatives for hardscapes as urban spaces, enhancing public realm and/or ensuring universal mobility for everyone as a key enabler for social inclusion.

Get acceleration services and unique access to our network of cities, mobility players and investors with EIT Urban Mobility programme designed to startup-teams with business ideas that supports our goal of making the cities more livable.

What you will get

The 4 best companies will receive €50.000 worth of acceleration services and benefit from:

  • Individualized business coaching, training and mentoring by industry experts and experienced founders.
  • Validation of your market and technology with access to a network of living labs
  • Finding your product-market fit.
  • Scaling your business, driving growth and internationalisation.
  • Investor pitch coaching and potential contacts with investors and VC funds.
  • Access to EIT Urban Mobility network of cities, mobility players and investors.
  • International visibility through the EIT Urban Mobility communication channels.

Who can apply

Startups with a properly validated, clear, scalable and innovative business idea that solves a mobility-related customer problem.

  • Growth stage: pre-seed, seed
  • Eligibility criteria:  
    • validated technology,
    • min 1 billion addressable market,
    • min 2 FTEs,
    • less than €1M revenue (lifetime),
    • at least 70% of company is owned by founders & employees, no more than 5% shares are held outside of eligible countries.
    • Incorporated and based in the EU 27 or one of the Horizon Europe associated countries.

Topics

  • Sustainable alternatives for hardscapes as urban spaces, naturalization of degraded public areas, green areas, biodiversity, green and blue infrastructures, and urban furniture as assets promoting active mobility, improving citizen well-being, and mitigating heat island effects.
  • Enhancement of public realm, accessibility, and interconnection through active modes, to mitigate air pollution and improve physical and mental health.
  • Universal mobility as a key enabler for social inclusion. Everyone should be able to move freely within the city regardless gender, race, beliefs, or disability (barrier-free access).

Learn more & apply

  • Make sure to read the program’s factsheet for more information about the prize, topics and eligibility criteria:

Factsheet

Make sure to read the contest conditions for each programme before applying. If you have any further questions, please contact respective programme:

The EIT Community Booster is supported by EIT’s Knowledge and Innovation Communities under Horizon Europe.

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Co-Funded by the European Union