About
The European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator is the European Commission's flagship programme to support high-tech startups and SMEs scaling breakthrough innovations. Since 2024 it has emerged as the world's most active quantum technology investor. Operating with €10 billion in total resources, the EIC Accelerator provides grants of up to €2.5 million combined with equity investments of up to €15 million. The EIC named quantum technology a key strategic challenge area through its EIC Accelerator Challenges, providing additional targeted funding for quantum semiconductor and quantum technology components. The EIC Accelerator Challenge for 2025 specifically targets emerging semiconductor and quantum technology components. Recent quantum company awards include €17.5M for SemiQon's cryogenic CMOS chips and €12.5M for eleQtron's on-chip ion traps. In 2024, five quantum technology startups received EIC Transition grants of approximately €2.5 million each. In early 2025, nine European quantum tech start-ups and SMEs were selected for EIC support, and in Q1 2026, 61 start-ups and SMEs secured EIC support in the latest round. The program is administered from Brussels with a pan-European scope covering all EU member states and associated Horizon Europe countries.
Quantum Specifications
| Quantum Focus | hardware |