“Innovation has nothing to do with how many R&D dollars you have. When Apple came up with the Mac, IBM was spending at least 100 times more on R&D. It’s not about money. It’s about the people you have, how you’re led, and how much you get it“ – Steve Jobs
On April 11th, MSP and Impact Hub Bucharest organized the EIC Info Day – Financing for scale-up breakthrough technologies and game-changing innovations: EIC Accelerator event.
The event was dedicated to startups and SMEs with an innovative product, service or business model that could create new markets or has the potential to change the rules of the game in existing ones, both in Europe and worldwide. This opportunity was open to those with the ambition and desire to expand exponentially and who look for substantial funding, but are facing difficulties in convincing private investors to engage in their business.
Here are some highlights from the event…
Oana Craioveanu – Co-founder of Impact Hub Bucharest
As the co-founder of the first co-working space in Romania, Oana spoke about the need to connect research with the business environment and highlighted some similarities between a founder and a researcher, such as vision, resilience and the ability to adapt and innovate.
Elena Ungureanu – Romanian NCP EIC Accelerator
Elena Ungureanu emphasized the role of the NCP in providing applicants with information about the nature of the funding available through the EIC Accelerator and reiterated that EIC primarily focuses on deep tech (blockchain, robotics, genomics etc.), while innovation plays a crucial role.
Michiel Scheffer – President of the EIC Board
Michiel Scheffer adressed the Romanian innovation ecosystem with a motivational message, emphasizing how valuable the experience of those who have already applied to the funding program, because they can give a lot of lessons. He also highlighted the importance of involving external consultants, in order to carefully read the application and provide relevant recommendations. Additionally, he promised to return live to Romania!
Gabriela-Cristina Mara – Project Advisor at the EIC Accelerator
Gabriela Mara’s technical presentation shed light on the changes that 2024 brought to the EIC Accelerator program in terms of allocated budget, the number of GOS required to proceed to the next stage, evaluation criterias etc.
Oana Popescu – Strategic Communications & Stakeholder Outreach – EIC Business Acceleration Services
The next speaker, Oana Popescu, provided an overview of the services offered by EIC Business Acceleration Services, focusing on contacts, contracts, and skills.
Cosmin Ochisor – Jury member of the EIC Accelerator
Among the guests was a jury member who offered a series of recommendations for applicants: the pitch should be thoroughly rehearsed before being presented / it’s good for the team to be diverse (gender equity), with well-defined roles / spot-on responses, meaning short and focused on the questions / if the team has applied before, it is essential to implement previous feedback / the quality of the written application is essential, and a well-chosen consultant can make a crucial difference.
Roxana Lupașcu – Innovation & Business Development Expert – Măgurele Science Park
Roxana Lupașcu, the moderator of the event, provided a presentation on excellence in innovation in widening countries and emphasized the importance and necessity of its implementation.
Excellence in innovation is essential to stimulate growth, remain competitive and create value for customers. By encouraging a culture of creativity, investing in research and development, taking risks, prioritizing customer needs and engaging in continuous learning, companies can achieve excellence in innovation and ensure their position as industry leaders, Roxana recounted.
Here are some tips from Roxana for future applicants to the EIC Accelerator: you should ask yourself if this program is really suitable for you and if you are ready to access it / write the application convincingly for the jury / deliver the presentation with enthusiasm – shine!
Dinu Tepeș – Co-fondator Svelte (EIC beneficiary) & Emanuel Dogaru – Co-fondator AMSIMCEL (EIC beneficiary)
Dinu Tepeș and Emanuel Dogaru, successful applicants to the EIC Accelerator funding program, participated in an interactive knowledge-sharing session, where they shared bits from their own application journey.
Arrogance is no one’s friend – even though confirming your idea gives you a confidence boost, remain present and receptive to the recommendations of those who want to help you. Events are a perfect context for connection and should not be ignored. Additionally, the two emphasized how important it is to choose the right consultant, who has the relationships and knowledge to propel the project idea in the right direction. All of this, of course, topped with hard work and perseverance.
For more details about the EIC Accelerator program, Roxana is ready to respond.
We thank all those present for their participation and involvement and look forward to the next events, which we are already planning. 😊
