Apply directly
Your company submits its own proposal to a European call. Examples include the EIC Accelerator, Women TechEU and Innowwide.
Investment Support Europe
Investment Support EuropeYour Guide to Getting Investment from Europe
The Mill Enterprise Hub
European Funding and Investment for Start-ups
Europe offers grants, equity investment, accelerator programmes, research funding and access-to-finance initiatives for ambitious start-ups and SMEs. This guide helps Irish founders understand which opportunities may fit their stage—and how each route is accessed.
First: Understand How European Funding Works
“EU funding” is not one single pot of money. The application route depends on the programme.
Apply with partners
You build an international consortium with companies, universities or research organisations. Many Horizon Europe, Eurostars and LIFE projects work this way.
Access finance indirectly
EU institutions back banks, venture funds and other intermediaries, which then finance companies. InvestEU, EIF and ETCI are important examples.
1. Early Research and Deep-Tech Innovation
These programmes support breakthrough technologies, research-based ventures and founders developing evidence before full commercial scale.
EIC Pathfinder
Supports high-risk, high-gain research aimed at creating the scientific basis for breakthrough and deep-tech solutions. Pathfinder Open accepts proposals in any technology field; Pathfinder Challenges target defined priorities.
2026 support: Grants can reach €4 million. Open calls commonly require multidisciplinary teams; exact conditions vary by call.
EIC Transition
Helps mature eligible research results, validate technology in an application-relevant environment and develop commercial and market readiness.
Current support: Grants of up to €2.5 million. The proposal must build on results from an eligible previous EU-funded research project.
Women TechEU
Supports women leading early-stage deep-tech start-ups through finance, mentoring, coaching, networking and pitching opportunities.
Programme support: An individual company grant of €75,000 plus support through EIC Business Acceleration Services. Applications open in programme cycles.
EIT Business Creation Programmes
The European Institute of Innovation and Technology operates sector-based communities offering accelerators, venture-building, market access, pilots, competitions and funding calls.
Sectors include: Health, food, digital, climate, energy, manufacturing, raw materials, urban mobility and culture and creativity. Offers and amounts vary.
Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs
Allows a new or aspiring entrepreneur to spend up to six months learning from an experienced entrepreneur in another participating country.
Support: A monthly contribution towards travel and subsistence, based on the destination. It is a learning and market-access programme—not business investment.
2. Commercialisation, Investment and Scale
These opportunities are designed for companies with significant innovation, commercial potential and a credible route to European or global scale.
EIC Accelerator
Supports start-ups and SMEs developing market-creating or disruptive innovations that are too risky for private investors to finance alone.
2026 support: A grant contribution below €2.5 million for eligible innovation activities and an investment component generally from €1 million to €10 million. Applicants may seek blended finance, grant-only or investment-only support where permitted.
EIC STEP Scale Up
Provides major equity investment to promising European companies working in critical strategic technologies and preparing very large private co-investment rounds.
2026 support: EIC investment of €10–€30 million, designed to help secure total funding rounds of at least €50 million. This is for advanced scale-ups, not early-stage start-ups.
EIC Advanced Innovation Challenges
A staged pilot for high-risk, demand-driven deep-tech solutions addressing selected European challenges, with end users and demand-side stakeholders involved.
Funding structure: Stage 1 provides €300,000; selected projects may progress to Stage 2 funding of up to €2.5 million.
Innowwide
Helps innovative European SMEs and start-ups assess the viability of research or commercial plans in an international market outside Europe.
Programme support: A fixed €60,000 grant for a defined market-feasibility project. Calls, target markets and co-funding requirements must be checked for each cycle.
LIFE Close-to-Market Projects
The LIFE programme can help businesses bring qualifying environmental and climate solutions, technologies, services and processes closer to market.
Useful for: Circular economy, biodiversity, climate mitigation and adaptation, clean energy and environmental solutions. Funding rates and eligibility depend on the specific LIFE call.
3. Collaborative Research and European Partnerships
These programmes are most suitable when the company needs international R&D partners, specialist research capability or a consortium to deliver a substantial innovation project.
Horizon Europe
The EU’s principal research and innovation programme funds projects across health, climate, energy, digital, industry, food, security, mobility, culture and other strategic areas.
Important: Many calls require a multi-country consortium and proposals must answer a very specific call topic. Some calls are designed to be newcomer- or SME-friendly.
Eurostars
Supports international collaborative R&D and innovation projects led by an innovative SME, working with partners such as other companies, universities or research organisations.
Important: Funding is delivered through participating national bodies, so rates and rules differ by country. Calls generally operate through defined application windows.
Digital Europe Programme
Funds projects that build and deploy European capacity in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, supercomputing, advanced digital skills and wider adoption of digital technology.
Important: DIGITAL primarily funds deployment and capacity-building rather than general start-up costs. Companies must match their proposal to a specific open call.
LIFE Programme
Supports projects in nature and biodiversity, circular economy and quality of life, climate mitigation and adaptation, and clean energy transition.
Important: LIFE publishes annual calls with defined priorities, deadlines, grant rates and consortium conditions. It is not a permanent open grant for ordinary business expenditure.
EU Funding & Tenders Portal
The official gateway for finding European Commission calls, reading programme documents, creating applications, identifying funded projects and managing grants.
Best approach: Search by programme, topic, deadline and status. Always read the current call document rather than relying on a general programme summary.
4. Advice and Indirect Access to European Finance
These initiatives can help companies find funding or benefit from EU-backed finance, but founders do not usually apply to the EU institution itself for a direct grant.
Enterprise Europe Network
The world’s largest support network for SMEs with international ambitions provides advice on EU funding, innovation, finance, partnerships and market expansion.
Useful first step: An EEN adviser can help assess fit, identify relevant calls and strengthen funding readiness.
InvestEU
InvestEU supports loans, guarantees, equity and other finance for areas including SMEs, research, innovation, digitalisation and sustainability.
How to access it: Most businesses approach an approved bank, fund or financial intermediary—not the European Commission directly.
European Investment Fund
The EIF backs venture-capital funds, banks and other intermediaries that finance European start-ups, SMEs and scale-ups.
How to access it: Identify EIF-backed funds or lenders whose stage, sector and geography match your company. EIF typically does not invest directly in an ordinary start-up application.
European Tech Champions Initiative
An EIF-managed fund-of-funds initiative designed to increase the supply of large-scale growth capital for European technology companies.
How to access it: ETCI invests in major venture and growth funds, which then select scale-ups. Companies should research the participating funds rather than apply to ETCI as if it were a grant.
Before You Apply: A Five-Question Fit Check
- Is this a direct application, consortium call or intermediated investment?
- Does your project match the exact objective and technology-readiness level?
- Do you need partners from other countries—and do you have enough time to build the consortium?
- Can you provide the required co-funding, working capital and evidence?
- What commercial or technical milestone will the European support unlock?
A large funding amount does not make a programme the right fit. The strongest application is the one that closely matches the call, company stage, evidence and intended result.
How The Mill Can Help
European funding can open significant opportunities, but the landscape is complex. The Mill Enterprise Hub can help founders clarify their stage, understand the most relevant route and connect with specialist organisations that support European applications, partnerships and investment readiness.
We can help you:
- identify whether an Irish or European support is the better next step;
- clarify the evidence, partners and milestones required;
- connect with Enterprise Europe Network, Enterprise Ireland and ecosystem specialists;
- strengthen your proposition and investment readiness; and
- find relevant programmes, events and international-growth opportunities.
Information reviewed: 5 August 2026
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