Swiss start-ups and SMEs currently have no access to the European Innovation Council’s (EIC) «Accelerator» funding programme. Swiss Companies have secured up to 50 million Swiss francs per year from this programme. The Swiss Accelerator launched by Innosuisse fills the gap.
Switzerland is currently considered a non-associated third country in terms of the EU’s Horizon Europe framework programme. With the «Swiss Accelerator», the Swiss Innovation Agency – Innosuisse is implementing a transitional measure. The Federal Council has put the legal basis into force on 15 April, thus creating the necessary conditions.
Direct financial support for companies
Based on the new provisions in the Federal Act on the Promotion of Research and Innovation (RIPA), Swiss start-ups and SMEs can apply for direct financial support as part of the «Swiss Accelerator» funding programme. Whereas in the usual Innosuisse projects funding goes to the research partner and not to the company, the Swiss Accelerator supports start-ups and SMEs directly. Innosuisse supports individual projects of companies. No projects by consortia or university research groups can be supported. The aim of the projects is to develop novel products and services with rapid and efficient commercialisation.
Funding of up to CHF2.5 million
The funding from Innosuisse amounts to a maximum of 70 percent of the project costs. The company bears 30 percent of the costs itself. Per application, Innosuisse funding amounts to a maximum of 2.5 million Swiss francs, typically spread over two years. A budget of CHF 86 million is available for the Swiss Accelerator. As with the EIC Accelerator, individual start-ups with outstanding innovation potential can thus be directly funded with larger amounts.
The Swiss Accelerator is strongly oriented towards the project funding of the EIC Accelerator, known as "EIC Grant Funding". This will ease the transfer of proposals of applicant companies from the EIC Accelerator to the Swiss Accelerator. Start-ups and SMEs undergo a competitive three-stage application process. Short applications may be submitted from 19 April until 10 May 2022 (12:00 CEST).
The focus is on advanced projects that are linked with a high level of risk, but also have great potential for impact and disruption. To learn more about the Swiss start-ups that have been funded by the EIC Accelerator so far, see our articles covering 2021, H2 2020, H1 2020 and 2019.
Get more detailed information from the recording of a webinar (password: SwissAccelerator22).
(Press release / SK)
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