Financial support for innovators in Europe
Explore key resources and institutions dedicated to financing innovation in Europe. The EPO collaborates with leading organisations that provide essential financial support to startups, SMEs, and innovators, thus helping them turn ideas into impactful solutions. Learn more about the opportunities offered by these partners.
EPO Partners
European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA)
The European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA) is responsible for implementing the European Innovation Council (EIC). The EIC is a flagship initiative of the European Union aimed at identifying, developing and scaling breakthrough innovations that have the potential to shape future markets and address global challenges. As part of the EU's Horizon Europe programme, the EIC provides a range of financial support tailored to innovators at different stages of development. The EIC oversees three key funding schemes: Pathfinder, Transition and Accelerator. The Pathfinder and Transition programmes offer support through grants. Selected Accelerator companies can receive much more financing in the form of equity.
European Investment Bank Group
The European Investment Bank Group (EIB Group), which comprises the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Fund (EIF), supports the economic, social and environmental objectives of the European Union by providing a wide range of financial products and services. Their finance and advisory solutions are designed to support investments and businesses throughout different development stages, considering their financing needs and helping to catalyse additional funding sources and maximise impact. The EIF specialises in supporting smaller businesses, startups and SMEs by facilitating access to venture capital, private equity, guarantees and loans, both directly and indirectly through financial intermediaries.
European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT)
The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), an integral part of Horizon Europe, is a European Union body dedicated to strengthening innovation ecosystems by fostering collaboration across business, education and research. The goal of these partnerships is to find and commercialise solutions to pressing global challenges such as climate, energy, health, and digitalisation. For each global challenge, there is an ecosystem of partnerships called Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs). Through its KICs, the EIT offers targeted funding for startups, SMEs and innovators, including grants, business acceleration services and access to a network of investors.
Patent offices of EPO member states
National patent offices clearly play a role in fostering the development of financial markets centred around patents and other intellectual property (IP) assets. They serve as vehicles for the reliable disclosure of information on intangible assets, laying a solid foundation for building trust and transparency in IP-based financial markets. Additionally, they often provide advisory services to support startups in leveraging their IP to obtain funding. We will offer detailed information on these services in the months ahead, but for now you can find out more by clicking on the link below.
Other entities offering financing to support innovation
The European Association of Innovation Agencies (TAFTIE Network)
The TAFTIE Network is a collaborative platform comprising leading national innovation agencies across Europe. Its mission is to enhance co-operation and knowledge exchange among its members to strengthen Europe's innovation ecosystem. TAFTIE members provide diverse financial support for innovation, including grants, loans, equity funding and advisory services tailored to the needs of startups, SMEs and larger enterprises. These agencies focus on fostering cutting-edge research to facilitate the commercialisation of new technologies, and support businesses in scaling their innovations.