EOcafe: Access to Finance for the EO Services Industry

On Thursday 10 February 2022 the European Association of Remote Sensing Companies EARSC is organising an EOcafe webinar about funding opportunities offered by the European Innovation Council (EIC).

The European Innovation Council (EIC), launched by the European Commission in March 2021, has the objective to support the commercialization of game changing innovations in the European Union. With a budget of EUR 10.1 billion, the EIC offers considerable funding opportunities to help companies, researchers, SME’s and start-ups by providing funding, networking and partnership opportunities.

Funding opportunities by the EIC

Your company could be a beneficiary through various programmes such as the EIC Pathfinder, the EIC Transition, the EIC Accelerator and the EIC Fund.

For example, the EIC Accelerator delivers grants of up to EUR 2.5 million with or without combined equity investments through the EIC Fund ranging from EUR 0.5 to 15 million. In addition to this financial support, the innovators can benefit from a range of Business Acceleration Services providing coaching, mentoring and access to investors and ecosystem actors.

With its approach to identify, develop and scale up Europe’s breakthrough technologies, the EIC offers an investment strategy for all areas of technology including the space sector. As the Earth Observation Downstream services industry is a cutting-edge and fast-moving sector for which innovation is key to provide new products and services, the various funding opportunities provided by the EIC are of great interest.

Join the EOcafe on 10 February 2022

Come and join us as our guest Mrs Rebeca De Sancho Mayoral (EIC Fund/ R&I Adviser) discusses with our host Geoff Sawyer (EARSC Strategic Advisor and former Secretary General) about the different funding mechanisms and other opportunities that the European Innovation Council can offer to the EO services sector.

Questions which will be addressed during this EOcafe include the following:

• What is the role of the EIC?
• What are the different EIC funding opportunities?
• How can the EIC Accelerator support companies throughout the lifecycle from early stage research, to proof of concept, technology transfer, and the financing and scale up?
• What are the eligibility criteria to apply for the EIC Accelerator Funding?
• During the 14th Space Policy Conference, EU Commissioner Thierry Breton announced the launch of the 1billion euros Cassini Fund: how is this instrument articulated with the funding mechanisms of the EIC?

Are you a start-up or an SME developing an innovative service or product? What questions do you have to better understand the funding opportunities for your company? Come and join the discussion.

Registration: The webinar is open to ALL but priority will be given to EARSC members. Registration is free but compulsory. Please click on the following link to register.

EOcafe is part of a series of EARSC meetings that offer timely, relevant, and practical information on a broad variety of topics related to the EO sector. Join us every two weeks to discuss and network while enjoying a cup of coffee with friends.

Original post on the EARSC website is here.