Open Calls
Open Call 1 (wave 1)
Open call for EIC Awardee + Buyer
(wave 1)
This open call aims to support the pilot testing of innovative solutions provided by the EIC Awardees for public and private procurement customers (Buyers).
Only EIC Awardees are eligible to apply for this open call.
Read the Guidelines for Applicants first.

Deadlines
16 January
Opening
17 April - 17:00 CET
Submission dealine

What we offer
- Up to 20 pilots or proof-of-concepts will be funded with a maximum of €60,000 each
- Selected applicants will enter the 12-month InnoMatch Programme, and will have up to 6 months to deploy their innovative solutions
- Selected applicants (EIC Awardees) and their committed Buyers will receive additional support for maximising impact and growth (training sessions, coaching, mentoring)
- Become part of the EIC Innovation Procurement Community and benefit from the additional services and opportunities and the wide network of professionals in the field
Benefits
EIC Awardee
InnoMatch provides funding for innovative companies, and access to early customers and financial support to pilot their solutions, helping them overcome market entry barriers and scale up.
Buyers
InnoMatch enables the committed Buyers to test free of charge cutting-edge solutions tailored to their innovation challenges, fostering efficient innovation adoption and reducing procurement risks.
Who can apply?
Single legal entities who are EIC Awardees:
- Beneficiaries of the EIC Pathfinder
- Beneficiaries of EIC Transition
- Beneficiaries with an EIC contract or investment agreement for EIC Accelerator
- Winners of EIC Prizes
NOTE: applications are only to be made by EIC Awardees. Buyers can’t submit applications.
The selected entities must be able to facilitate the commercial exploitation of the solution, in case the pilot / PoC i successful, and to bring the innovation to the market.
Time is ticking!
Thematic areas
This open call is sector agnostic.
EIC Awardees must team up with public or private Buyers, and can apply with a solution to be piloted in any sector. A non-exhaustive list of possible sectors includes:
Agriculture, Food, and Beverage
Construction, Infrastructure, and Manufacturing
Digital Transformation
Energy, Water, Environment, Sustainability, and Mobility
Health and Life Sciences
Security, safety and dual industries
InnoMatch Programme
Prepare phase
Up to 2 months
Sub-Grant Agreement (SGA) and an Action Plan preparation. The Action Plan to be developed together with the committed Buyer.
Deploy phase
Up to 6 months
Official start of the pilot implementation: pilots to be conducted within the services or premises of the Buyer, and with the support from a dedicated team on the Buyer’s side.
Assess phase
Up to 4 months
Preparation of a Validation Report: evaluation of the success of each pilot, the KPI fulfillment. With the involvement of the Buyer.
Growth services
Access to technology / premises
Expert support
Trainings
Group coaching
How to apply?
Open Call Evaluation Criteria
1. Alignment & Impact:
Applications must align with the open call objectives. Solutions must be focused on solving the targeted innovation challenge of the Buyer.
2. Excellence:
Applicants must demonstrate the quality of the proposed solution and its technical soundness.
3. Commitment:
Applicants, along with their committed Buyer, must demonstrate a credible commitment to full participation throughout the project to prevent any drop-outs. Additionally, they must show a strong commitment to supporting a potential post-project adoption by the committed Buyer and to facilitating the commercial exploitation of the solution, in case the pilot is successfully evaluated.
4. Team & Implementation:
Applicants must show evidence that the team has the necessary skills, infrastructure and management experience to implement the pilot in the defined timescale and budget, and to further facilitate the commercial exploitation of the solution.
Documentation
Documents at application stage
Documents in case you are selected
Timeline
(indicative)
Submissions
16 January 2025
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Deadline
17 April 2025 – 17:00 CEST
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Eligibility check
April 2025
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Evaluation &
selection
June 2025
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Contracting phase & Start of the InnoMatch Programme
June/July 2025
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FAQ
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.
What are the timelines for this open call 1?
This call will be receiving applications from pairs of EIC Awardees & Buyers until 17 April 2025 at 17.00 CEST (Brussels time). After an eligibility check, evaluation and selection results are expected to be communicated to all applicants in June 2025.
Where does the funding come from?
The funds come directly from the funds of the InnoMatch initiative, funded by the European Innovation Council (EIC) and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA).
How does the funding mechanism work?
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.
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