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EIC Innovation Procurement Programme

InnoMatch is powered by the EIC Innovation Procurement Programme (EIC IPP), an initiative from the European Innovation Council (EIC) that aims to facilitate access to procurement markets in Europe and at global level, ensuring increased market opportunities for innovative SMEs and start-ups and contributing, at the same time, to their scaling up.

The main goal of this unique programme is to facilitate access to procurement markets in Europe and at global level, ensuring increased market opportunities for these innovative SMEs and start-ups and contributing, at the same time, to their scaling up. 

The EIC Innovation Procurement Programme contains a variety of services tailored to the needs of each respective stakeholder:

Dr. Bertrand Wert

Project Officer

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Vassilis Tsanidis

Innovation Procurement Advisor

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Public Buyers in SPIN4EIC & InnoMatch:

Understand Your Role and Opportunities

1. Introduction

This document aims to highlight the synergies between two EIC-funded initiatives, SPIN4EIC and InnoMatch , designed to strengthen innovation procurement in Europe, in terms of onboarding public buyers.

The SPIN4EIC and the InnoMatch initiatives are funded by the EIC (European Innovation Council) and are operating under the umbrella of the EIC Innovation Procurement Programme and aim to strengthen innovation procurement in Europe. To this end, the EIC fosters strong collaboration between top EIC innovators, including deep-tech SMEs and start-ups capable of delivering innovative solutions, and public or private buyers to stimulate new partnerships, modernise services, and contribute to the advancement of the European Union economy.

Both initiatives share the goal of:

  • Facilitating the connection between EIC innovators and public/private buyers;
  • Enhancing the capacity of buyers to adopt innovative solutions;
  • Creating business opportunities for EIC innovators and enhancing their capacity to scale up and commercialise their solutions.
  • Supporting the modernisation of public services and strengthening the European market.

SPIN4EIC
Duration: September 2023 – September 2026
Focus: facilitating EIC innovators’ access to procurement markets, their knowledge about procurement¹, enhancing the skills of public buyers, creating networking opportunities and supporting procurement processes.
Key services:

  • Assistance to EIC Innovators to identify and submit tenders in public and private sector procurement opportunities in Europe and at a global level;
  • Technical assistance up to 5 days for public buyers to set- up the innovation procurement (on needs assessment, business case, market consultation, and tender drafting);
  • Matchmaking and Pitching Events: bringing EIC innovators and public or private buyers together, offering a space where innovators can present their innovative solutions in response to buyers’ specific challenges and explore collaboration opportunities
  • The SPIN4EIC Online Community – comprising the SPIN4EIC groups on the EIC Community platform and a dedicated LinkedIn group– is designed to foster connections, share knowledge and unblock business opportunities, creating a powerful networking space for EIC innovators and forward-thinking buyers across Europe and beyond

InnoMatch
Duration: September 2024 – August 2027
Focus: funding pilot or proof-of-concept projects proposed by EIC Awardees² to address the unmet needs of selected buyers (with a focus on public buyers), while also creating networking opportunities and facilitating EIC innovators’ access to procurement markets.
Key services:  

  • 3 types of open calls:
    1) Open call for EIC Awardee + Buyer – organised in two waves (the first already closed)
    2) Open call for public and private buyers – now closed
    3) Open call for EIC Awardees, who will be invited to propose a solution to the innovation challenges identified by the buyers through the Open call for public and private buyers.  The objective of the calls is to de-risk pilot or proof-of-concept projects proposed by EIC Awardees to address the unmet needs of selected buyers during the 12-month InnoMatch programme, which includes a 6-month period for the deployment of the pilot or PoC. InnoMatch will fund the EIC Awardees with up to €60,000 to implement the solution. 
  • Matchmaking and Pitching Events:  bringing EIC Awardees and public or private buyers together, offering a space where EIC Awardees can present their innovative solutions in response to buyers’ unmet needs and explore the possibility to participate into the second wave of Open call for EIC Awardee + Buyer to launch this autumn. 

 

¹ See EIC Innovation Procurement Toolkit: https://eic.ec.europa.eu/eic-funding-opportunities/bas/eic-innovation-procurement-programme/spin4eic-initiative-powered-eic-bas-innovation-procurement-programme/eic-innovation-procurement-toolkit_en  

² As per the general definition in the EIC Work Programme 2023, EIC Awardees are the entities “named in an EIC grant agreement (for EIC Pathfinder, EIC Transition) or EIC contract or investment agreement for EIC Accelerator, as well as winners of EIC Prizes”

1.  Coordination on matchmaking events 

InnoMatch and SPIN4EIC join forces to organise events where both EIC Innovators and EIC Awardees pitch their solutions across various thematic areas, with active participation from public and private buyers.  

As a buyer, you’ll have the opportunity to take part in dedicated events where you can discover cutting-edge solutions through pitches delivered by both EIC Innovators and EIC Awardees. You can also take the lead by participating in reverse pitching events, where buyers present their specific needs to innovators. 

2. Assistance to buyers during the purchasing phase (procurement strategy) 

The first wave of the Open Call for EIC Awardee + Buyer has already closed, and the 12-month InnoMatch programme for pilot/PoC deployment is expected to start this summer and run until July 2026. Up to 20 EIC awardees were selected to enter the InnoMatch programme, and will have the chance to deploy a pilot/PoC for their committed buyers. The selected EIC awardees will be granted up to 60K EUR to deploy their pilot/PoC, supported by their committed buyers. It should be noted that during the final two phases of the 12 months programme (Deployment Phase and Assessment Phase), a Post-Pilot Adoption Plan will be developed to facilitate the potential adoption of the developed solution from the public buyer, which represents the goal of the initiative. 

SPIN4EIC through its Open Call for Assistance to Public Buyers – running until the end of the project Sept 2026 – offers free, tailored support to help public buyers engaged in innovation procurement. This support could be particularly valuable in the context of of the 12-months InnoMatch programme scheduled to end in July 2026, by assisting public buyers in: 

  • Preliminary market consultation (if it has not yet been conducted); 
  • Drafting of tender documents to support buyers in preparing a strategic and compliant procurement procedure. 

 

The second wave of the Open Call for EIC Awardee + Buyer will be launched in autumn 2025 and will close in December 2025. As a result, the 12-month InnoMatch programme for pilot/PoC deployment will run until January 2027. In the lead-up to the open call deadline, public buyers can receive guidance through SPIN4EIC’s assistance service to help identify their needs and formulate their unmet challenges within the five thematic areas shared with SPIN4EIC. This support is available from now until the expected closing of the second wave in December 2025. 

Considering the above, the benefits that public buyers can have from participating in these two EU initiatives concern: 

  • Assistance to public buyers after the end of the 12-months InnoMatch programme for Open call for EIC Awardee + Buyer (first wave): identification of the most suitable procurement strategy for acquiring the developed solution and drafting the related tender documents. 
  • Assistance to public buyers prior to the deadline of the Open Call for EIC Awardee + Buyer (second wave): needs´ identification. 
  • Opportunity to take part in joint SPIN4EIC and InnoMatch matchmaking events – for example dual format sessions combining reverse pitching (where buyers present their needs) and pitching events (where EIC Innovators and Awardees showcase their solutions). These events may take place anytime between now until the end of the SPIN4EIC in September 2026. 

In synthesis:

1.
July 2025 – July 2026
InnoMatch Open call 
EIC Awardee + Buyer (1st wave)
July – Sept 2026
SPIN4EIC assistance public buyers
2.
July 2025 – Jan 2026

InnoMatch Open call  EIC Awardee + Buyer (2nd wave) is launched in October 2025. SPIN4EIC assistance to identify needs before applying: from July 2025 to the deadline of OC1 (2nd wave) 

3.
July 2025 – Sept 2026

Matchmaking events organised both InnoMatch and SPIN4EIC

1. Introduction 
This document aims to highlight the synergies between two EIC-funded initiatives, SPIN4EIC and InnoMatch , designed to strengthen innovation procurement in Europe, in terms of onboarding public buyers.

2. Common Objectives

The SPIN4EIC and the InnoMatch initiatives are funded by the EIC (European Innovation Council) and are operating under the umbrella of the EIC Innovation Procurement Programme and aim to strengthen innovation procurement in Europe. To this end, the EIC fosters strong collaboration between top EIC innovators, including deep-tech SMEs and start-ups capable of delivering innovative solutions, and public or private buyers to stimulate new partnerships, modernise services, and contribute to the advancement of the European Union economy.

Both initiatives share the goal of:

  • Facilitating the connection between EIC innovators and public/private buyers;
  • Enhancing the capacity of buyers to adopt innovative solutions;
  • Creating business opportunities for EIC innovators and enhancing their capacity to scale up and commercialise their solutions.
  • Supporting the modernisation of public services and strengthening the European market.

3. Project Overview

SPIN4EIC
Duration: September 2023 – September 2026
Focus: facilitating EIC innovators’ access to procurement markets, their knowledge about procurement¹, enhancing the skills of public buyers, creating networking opportunities and supporting procurement processes.
Key services:

  • Assistance to EIC Innovators to identify and submit tenders in public and private sector procurement opportunities in Europe and at a global level;
  • Technical assistance up to 5 days for public buyers to set- up the innovation procurement (on needs assessment, business case, market consultation, and tender drafting);
  • Matchmaking and Pitching Events: bringing EIC innovators and public or private buyers together, offering a space where innovators can present their innovative solutions in response to buyers’ specific challenges and explore collaboration opportunities
  • The SPIN4EIC Online Community – comprising the SPIN4EIC groups on the EIC Community platform and a dedicated LinkedIn group– is designed to foster connections, share knowledge and unblock business opportunities, creating a powerful networking space for EIC innovators and forward-thinking buyers across Europe and beyond

InnoMatch 
Duration: September 2024 – August 2027 
Focus: funding pilot or proof-of-concept projects proposed by EIC Awardees² to address the unmet needs of selected buyers (with a focus on public buyers), while also creating networking opportunities and facilitating EIC innovators’ access to procurement markets. 
Key services:  

  • 3 types of open calls:
    1) Open call for EIC Awardee + Buyer – organised in two waves (the first already closed)
    2) Open call for public and private buyers – now closed
    3) Open call for EIC Awardees, who will be invited to propose a solution to the innovation challenges identified by the buyers through the Open call for public and private buyers.  The objective of the calls is to de-risk pilot or proof-of-concept projects proposed by EIC Awardees to address the unmet needs of selected buyers during the 12-month InnoMatch programme, which includes a 6-month period for the deployment of the pilot or PoC. InnoMatch will fund the EIC Awardees with up to €60,000 to implement the solution. 
  • Matchmaking and Pitching Events:  bringing EIC Awardees and public or private buyers together, offering a space where EIC Awardees can present their innovative solutions in response to buyers’ unmet needs and explore the possibility to participate into the second wave of Open call for EIC Awardee + Buyer to launch this autumn.  
  • ** add communication aspects **

4. Benefits for the Public Buyers

1.  Coordination on matchmaking events 

InnoMatch and SPIN4EIC join forces to organise events where both EIC Innovators and EIC Awardees pitch their solutions across various thematic areas, with active participation from public and private buyers.  

As a buyer, you’ll have the opportunity to take part in dedicated events where you can discover cutting-edge solutions through pitches delivered by both EIC Innovators and EIC Awardees. You can also take the lead by participating in reverse pitching events, where buyers present their specific needs to innovators. 

2. Assistance to buyers during the purchasing phase (procurement strategy) 

The first wave of the Open Call for EIC Awardee + Buyer has already closed, and the 12-month InnoMatch programme for pilot/PoC deployment is expected to start this summer and run until July 2026. Up to 20 EIC awardees were selected to enter the InnoMatch programme, and will have the chance to deploy a pilot/PoC for their committed buyers. The selected EIC awardees will be granted up to 60K EUR to deploy their pilot/PoC, supported by their committed buyers. It should be noted that during the final two phases of the 12 months programme (Deployment Phase and Assessment Phase), a Post-Pilot Adoption Plan will be developed to facilitate the potential adoption of the developed solution from the public buyer, which represents the goal of the initiative. 

SPIN4EIC through its Open Call for Assistance to Public Buyers – running until the end of the project Sept 2026 – offers free, tailored support to help public buyers engaged in innovation procurement. This support could be particularly valuable in the context of of the 12-months InnoMatch programme scheduled to end in July 2026, by assisting public buyers in: 

  • Preliminary market consultation (if it has not yet been conducted); 
  • Drafting of tender documents to support buyers in preparing a strategic and compliant procurement procedure. 

The second wave of the Open Call for EIC Awardee + Buyer will be launched in autumn 2025 and will close in December 2025. As a result, the 12-month InnoMatch programme for pilot/PoC deployment will run until January 2027. In the lead-up to the open call deadline, public buyers can receive guidance through SPIN4EIC’s assistance service to help identify their needs and formulate their unmet challenges within the five thematic areas shared with SPIN4EIC. This support is available from now until the expected closing of the second wave in December 2025. 

5. Conclusions

Considering the above, the benefits that public buyers can have from participating in these two EU initiatives concern: 

  • Assistance to public buyers after the end of the 12-months InnoMatch programme for Open call for EIC Awardee + Buyer (first wave): identification of the most suitable procurement strategy for acquiring the developed solution and drafting the related tender documents. 
  • Assistance to public buyers prior to the deadline of the Open Call for EIC Awardee + Buyer (second wave): needs´ identification. 
  • Opportunity to take part in joint SPIN4EIC and InnoMatch matchmaking events – for example dual format sessions combining reverse pitching (where buyers present their needs) and pitching events (where EIC Innovators and Awardees showcase their solutions). These events may take place anytime between now until the end of the SPIN4EIC in September 2026. 
¹ See EIC Innovation Procurement Toolkit: https://eic.ec.europa.eu/eic-funding-opportunities/bas/eic-innovation-procurement-programme/spin4eic-initiative-powered-eic-bas-innovation-procurement-programme/eic-innovation-procurement-toolkit_en   ² As per the general definition in the EIC Work Programme 2023, EIC Awardees are the entities “named in an EIC grant agreement (for EIC Pathfinder, EIC Transition) or EIC contract or investment agreement for EIC Accelerator, as well as winners of EIC Prizes”