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F.A.Q.

OC1 EIC Awardee + Buyer

(wave 2)

About InnoMatch

How does InnoMatch work?

Powered by the EIC Innovation Procurement Programme, an initiative of the European Innovation Council (EIC), InnoMatch is an initiative focused on bringing access and visibility to the European procurement market scenario. We offer financial support to selected EIC Awardees (EIC granted beneficiaries) to implement their solutions in a pilot testing structure to solve buyers innovation challenges.

This call will be receiving applications from pairs of EIC Awardees & Buyers until February 4th, 2026 at 17.00 CEST (Brussels time). After an eligibility check, evaluation and selection results are expected to be communicated to all applicants in April 2026.

The funds come directly from the funds of the InnoMatch initiative, funded by the European Innovation Council (EIC) and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA).

If selected, the EIC Awardee will celebrate a contract with the InnoMatch initiative to be able to receive up to 60.000 Euro per Subgrantee (EIC Awardee) in a Lump sum grant format (equity-free) against the demonstration of delivered milestones and approval of reports.

Pilot is the deployment of a solution on the services of the buyer, in real conditions. It aims to evaluate the performance, scalability and user experience, demonstrate value and monitor pre-established metrics. It might require more resources than a Proof-of-concept (PoC), see the description below.

Proof of Concept (PoC) aims to demonstrate the feasibility of the solution, and to verify that it has practical potential. The proof of concept is smaller than the pilot, and might require a smaller budget.

A public or private legal entity that faces a specific innovation challenge and seeks to develop a solution that is not yet available—or not widely available—on the market. The entity’s top-level management is fully informed about and supports its participation in the InnoMatch Programme, recognizing the initiative’s strategic relevance to the organization’s responsibilities. This commitment typically includes, but is not limited to, preliminary planning for innovation procurement, allocation of budget to potentially purchase solutions in the domain of the Proof-of-Concept (PoC) or pilot testing etc.

As per the general definition in the EIC Work Programme 2023, EIC Awardees are the entities “named in a Horizon Europe EIC grant agreement (for EIC Pathfinder, EIC Transition) or Horizon Europe EIC contract or investment agreement for EIC Accelerator, as well as winners of Horizon Europe EIC Prizes”. In the context of this open call, only Horizon Europe EIC Awardees who are single entities are eligible to apply.

The eligible applicants under this open call must be:

  • Single legal entities
  • Entities who have a signed contract under any of the EIC initiatives in Horizon Europe: EIC Pathfinder, EIC Transition, EIC Accelerator, or are EIC Prizes winners
  • Entities who are able to facilitate commercial exploitation of the solution, in case the pilot is successful, and to bring the innovation to the market.

Please check our OC Guidelines for more details.

Alignment & Impact; Excellence; Commitment; and Team & Implementation.

EIC Awardees

What is the value for me in participating as a EIC awardee?

If selected, you will be receiving from InnoMatch: financial support to fund your company on the development of the specific result, in addition to a networking boost and connections to direct customers, enriching your business path and scaling up your business.

Yes. InnoMatch will provide Matchmaking opportunities for both EIC Awardees and Buyers to match and apply to the InnoMatch open calls with a pilot or PoC. Follow the InnoMatch social media and the InnoMatch website to learn more about the upcoming matching opportunities.

No. All sectors from both EIC Awardee business and buyer institution are welcome to apply to this call.

You can submit a maximum of two proposals with different buyers, but notice you should submit both proposals within one single application form. Only one proposal per EIC Awardee can be funded in the scope of InnoMatch.  

Buyers

Types of buyers

This open call accepts applications committed to both public and private buyers. We are seeking to find public or private organisations currently dealing with a specific innovation challenge within their business which require a dedicated and new solution to be deployed by the EIC Awardee. 

IMPORTANT: In this open call priority is given to applications paired with PUBLIC buyers.

There are no country restrictions: Buyers from any country are eligible, including countries outside the European Union Member States.

You will be offered the possibility to receive a free of cost innovative solution to your ongoing business challenge, generating innovation adoption to your sector and decreasing your procurement risks. You will not receive financial support from InnoMatch. All selected proposals under this open call will involve a strategy for buyers on the adoption of results.

The application form will be filled in exclusively by the EIC beneficiary, representing the pair of EIC Awardee + Buyer. An official representative from the buyer is requested to sign a Letter of Commitment (Annex 3) demonstrating the commitment on supporting the EIC Awardee, in the case that they receive an approval from this open call process. If your EIC Awardee pair is selected and approved in this open call, kindly note that InnoMatch will not implement a signed contract with you. InnoMatch will only celebrate a contract with the EIC Awardee.

If the proposal is approved, you will be playing a role in an engaged team to contribute to the solution pilot deployment in your company premises. Buyers are asked to have an active supporting role during the solution testing & validation process, following their Letter of Commitment. A Memorandum of Understanding will be signed between the Buyer and the EIC Awardee (check Annex 6).