The European Innovation Council (EIC) has announced 72 scale-ups from across 24 European nations to join its Scaling Club. This announcement was made during the Scale 100 Forum, held on October 21-22 in Athens, Greece. The selected companies represent various deep tech sectors, signaling EIC’s commitment to supporting innovative fields such as Agri & Food Tech, Batteries & Energy Storage, and Clean Fuels & Hydrogen. This initiative aims to foster collaboration and growth within the industry.
How Does the Scaling Club Support Innovation?
The EIC Scaling Club aims to provide its members with diverse support mechanisms, including fundraising aid, leadership mentoring, and corporate partnership opportunities. This initiative connects scale-ups with investors and industry stakeholders to fuel their growth and potential impact on global challenges. The club’s ambition is to nurture its members into future unicorns, reflecting a broader strategy focused on innovation and sustainability.
Who Benefits from the EIC Trusted Investor Network?
The newly launched EIC Trusted Investor Network includes over 50 top European venture capitalists and investors, tasked with speeding up investment opportunities for startups. This network seeks to enhance the co-investment landscape by bringing financial resources to promising startups selected by the EIC. The focus is on supporting high-potential companies with sustainable growth strategies and diverse leadership teams.
In the past, EIC initiatives have consistently highlighted their commitment to innovation across Europe. The focus on deep tech sectors remains unchanged, emphasizing long-term growth and sustainable development. Previous ventures by the EIC have resulted in successful collaborations and advancements in technology, indicating a continuation of these efforts with the Scaling Club and Trusted Investor Network.
Vivici, a company based in Delft, Netherlands, specializing in Agri & Food Tech, is among the selected scale-ups. It provides animal-free dairy proteins through precision fermentation. Alongside Vivici, AMT Medical from Utrecht develops a minimally invasive device for heart bypass surgeries, and Battolyser Systems from Schiedam focuses on clean fuel technology. Sensius in Rotterdam contributes with new biotech platforms, particularly in cancer treatment innovation.
The EIC Scaling Club is a collaborative effort with several partners, enhancing its capability to support diverse tech companies. Companies are nominated by stakeholders such as investors, mentors, and industry experts, with selection based on management strength, technological innovation, and market strategy.
This initiative by the EIC marks another step in its broader mission to enhance the European deep tech ecosystem, providing crucial support to startups poised for significant impact. While the Scaling Club’s primary aim is to elevate its members to unicorn status, it also seeks to address pressing global challenges through tech advancements.
