The European Innovation Council (EIC) Corporate Partnership Programme has been instrumental in fostering collaborations between EIC-funded startups and Europe’s leading corporations. Since its launch in 2017, the programme has facilitated over 70 initiatives, connecting more than 1,200 innovative companies with over 120 major industry players. This has led to numerous follow-ups, business deals, and significant impacts for participants.

To provide valuable insights into this successful programme and how to navigate it, the EIC is hosting the EIC Awardees Info Webinar on September 26, from 15:30 to 16:30 CET. This webinar will offer EIC beneficiaries an opportunity to learn from peers who have previously participated in the Corporate Partnership Programme and its activities.

In addition, participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the entire process, from the initial application through potential follow-ups and the formation of business deals.

Success Stories: How EIC beneficiaries transformed opportunities into triumphs

The EIC Corporate Partnership Programme has sparked groundbreaking collaborations between innovative startups and Europe’s top corporations. Discover how these strategic connections have fueled impressive achievements for our beneficiaries. Here are some standout success stories showcasing how participation in the programme has driven remarkable growth and impactful results:

• Jan Lichtenberg,  CEO and Board Member, InSphero
  Swiss-based InSphero, known for its advanced 3D cell culture models, participated in an EIC Corporate Day with Merck in 2021. This engagement led to a substantial increase in collaboration with Merck’s safety teams. Jan Lichtenberg shares, “Our connections with Merck, which were initially active, grew significantly after the EIC Corporate Day. The specific needs we addressed led to quick, open, and scientifically driven negotiations, culminating in a successful partnership.”

Learn more about the success stories of InSphero

• Phil Brown, Head of Sustainable Innovation, Circularise
  Circularise, which specializes in traceability software for circular supply chains, engaged with Neste during the EIC Corporate Day in November 2021. The partnership that emerged from this event led to Neste, along with other investors, announcing a combined €11 million investment into Circularise in November 2022. This investment aims to accelerate the transformation to more sustainable materials within the polymers and chemicals industry by enhancing traceability and visibility of material flows. Phil Brown explains, “The event allowed us to present our digital solutions directly in response to Neste’s challenge. The clear vision and plans shared by Neste helped us understand how our solutions fit their needs, setting the stage for a shared vision and productive collaboration.”

Learn more about the success stories of Circularise

• Jean-Jacques Bois, President & Co-founder, Nanolike

Nanolike, which focuses on digitizing logistics processes, participated in an EIC Corporate Day with Holcim in 2021. The participation in the Corporate Partnership Programme, led to a successful Corporate-Start-up collaboration culminating in 2023 with an investment from Holcim in the company, boosting Nanolike’s development in the logistics sector. Jean-Jacques Bois reflects,“The EIC Corporate Day was a highly positive experience. We had the chance to meet many relevant individuals for our business, ultimately resulting in fruitful matches with key partners for Nanolike.”

Learn more about the success stories of Nanolike

• Daphna Wiener, Chairperson of The Board of Directors, Criaterra
  Criaterra, an innovator in eco-friendly construction materials, took part in the EIC Multi Corporate Day with EDF, Saint-Gobain, and Solvay in 2022. Daphna Wiener highlights, “The event was a valuable opportunity to connect with top decision-makers and discuss potential opportunities in depth. The direct and meaningful communication with leading team players was extremely valuable for us.”

Webinar Highlights

• Explore the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme: Discover how to leverage mentorship, market access, and strategic partnerships with leading corporations.
• Peer-to-peer and corporate Insights: Hear from beneficiaries about their experiences and get answers to your questions.
• Preparation Tips: Learn about selection processes, potential follow-ups, and tips for successful business deals.

Between 2024 and 2026, the EIC will organize an additional 31 activities as part of the European Corporate Partnership Programme, offering three distinct formats aimed at fostering collaboration between EIC-funded innovators and large firms. The EIC Corporate Days provide a curated business acceleration service designed to bridge the gap between startups and a specific corporation.

The EIC Multi Corporate Days bring together several corporations to address sector-specific challenges and opportunities, while the Corporate Clients Capitalization format allows corporations to act as intermediaries, helping EIC beneficiaries access their commercial networks and scale their innovations.  Each of these activities is an exclusive business acceleration service including personalized support such as group sessions with the corporate, one-on-one meetings with business experts, pitch dry-runs, and high-quality feedback on the pitch deck and the business proposal; all helping to bridge the gap between EIC-funded innovators and the Corporations.

Who should attend the Webinar?

EIC awardees interested in doing business with the largest corporations.

Register today to gain insights and maximize your opportunities within the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme.

Agenda:

Introduction and practical presentation  15:30- 15:45 CET

• Stéphane Ouaki  – Head of Department at European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA)
• Manuel Mendigutía – Senior Strategy adviser & Programme coordinator at European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA)
• Maddalena Lauzi– Investment associate at Dealflow.eu

EIC Awardees and Corporate Alumni Experience Sharing 15:45 – 16:15 CET

• Dr. Carsten Corino – Chief executive officer of SunOyster Systems
• Samantha J. Phillips – Co-Founder of Dynelectro
• Victoria Hernandez Valcarcel – Board member of several corporations, EIC investment jury and council member of the EIC Scaling Club
• Andre Convents – Innovation Director P&G, Entrepreneur, Board member and EIC jury

Q&A session:  16:15 – 16:30

EIC Corporate Partnership programme is part of the EIC Business Acceleration Services (EIC BAS). Learn about EIC BAS and how you can benefit from them here.

– Advertisement –