Top 25 Grants for AI Startups in Europe in 2025
AI startups in Europe have a myriad of funding opportunities available in 2025. Here’s a detailed look at the top 25 grants and funding options that can help propel AI innovations to new heights.
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1. European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator
Description: Supports startups and SMEs with highly innovative products or services that can create new markets or disrupt existing ones.
Funding: Grants up to €2.5 million and equity investments ranging from €0.5 to €10 million.
Eligibility: Startups and SMEs from EU Member States or associated countries.
Focus: Market-creating or disruptive innovations.
Deadlines: Continuous short applications, with full application deadlines on March 12, 2025, and October 1, 2025.
2. EIC STEP Scale-Up
Description: Provides larger equity investments to companies scaling strategic technologies in the EU market, reducing strategic dependencies.
Funding: Investments of €10 to €30 million per company through the EIC Fund.
Leverage: Aims to leverage private co-investment, achieving a total of €50 to €150 million per company.
Eligibility: SMEs, startups, spin-offs, and small mid-caps driving innovation in critical areas.
Focus: Digital technologies, clean/resource-efficient technologies (net-zero), and biotechnologies.
Deadlines: Applications accepted anytime via the Funding & Tenders Portal.
3. EIC Pathfinder
Description: Funds visionary, multi-disciplinary research projects with breakthrough potential.
Funding: Grants up to €4 million.
Eligibility: Research teams from EU Member States or associated countries.
Focus: Cutting-edge research and breakthrough technologies.
Deadlines: Check the EIC Pathfinder page for specific deadlines.
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4. EIC Transition
Description: Supports turning research results into market-ready innovations.
Funding: Grants up to €2.5 million.
Eligibility: Projects following up on EIC Pathfinder or Horizon Europe results.
Focus: Commercialization of research findings.
Deadlines: Check the EIC Transition page for specific deadlines.
5. AI Accountability Grants (European AI & Society Fund)
Description: Funds innovative projects addressing accountability for harms caused by AI across Europe.
Funding: Grants ranging from €10,000 to €200,000.
Eligibility: Non-profit organizations and coalitions in Europe advocating for social justice through AI accountability.
Focus: Responsible AI practices, challenging misuse, and supporting social justice.
Deadlines: Concept note submissions by January 6, 2025, 23:59 CET.
6. EIT Urban Mobility Financial Support for Startups
Description: Funding for innovative urban mobility solutions.
Funding: Up to €2 million per company.
Eligibility: Startups from RIS countries and others.
Focus: Urban Mobility.
Deadlines: Check the EIT Urban Mobility website for deadlines.
7. Horizon Europe – Digital Europe Programme
Description: Funding for SMEs and startups working on AI, cybersecurity, and advanced digital skills.
Funding: Varies by project.
Eligibility: SMEs and startups.
Focus: AI, cybersecurity, and digital skills.
Deadlines: Check the Digital Europe Programme page for deadlines.
8. Horizon Europe – Innovation Fund
Description: Funding for startups and SMEs working on climate-neutral solutions.
Funding: Varies by project.
Eligibility: Startups and SMEs.
Focus: Climate-neutral solutions.
Deadlines: Check the Innovation Fund page for deadlines.
9. AI Factories (EuroHPC Joint Undertaking)
Description: Supports the creation of AI Factories leveraging European supercomputers for AI development.
Funding: Supported by an EU contribution of close to €1 billion from the Digital Europe Programme and Horizon Europe.
Eligibility: Startups, industry, and researchers.
Focus: Training large generative AI models.
Deadlines: Rolling call open until December 31, 2025, with cut-off dates every three months, first deadline on November 4, 2024.
10. UKRI Technology Missions Fund (UK)
Description: Government funding for AI projects to help small businesses in the UK.
Funding: £7 million for 120 AI projects.
Eligibility: Small businesses in the UK.
Focus: Various sectors, including agriculture, transport, and construction.
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11. AI & EDGE Solutions Grants (EU Funding Portal)
Description: Grants for research and technology organizations (RTOs), academia, SMEs, startups, and researchers to develop innovative AI and EDGE solutions.
Funding: Maximum lump sum of up to €60,000.
Eligibility: Research and technology organizations (RTO), academia, SMEs, Startups, and researchers.
Focus: Innovative AI and EDGE Solutions.
12. Female Entrepreneur Deep-Tech Accelerator (EU Funding Portal)
Description: 6-month accelerator and business development programme for female entrepreneurs leading deep-tech startups.
Funding: Up to €60,000 per company.
Eligibility: Female entrepreneurs leading deep-tech startups.
Focus: Deep-tech startups.
13. AI for Climate and Nature Grand Challenge
Description: Funding to support AI solutions for environmental sustainability.
Focus: AI for environmental sustainability.
14. Pulitzer Center’s AI Accountability Fellowships
Description: Fellowships for projects focused on AI accountability.
Focus: AI accountability.
15. Build Initiative (European AI Fund)
Description: Supports a diverse civil society ecosystem in Europe to shape AI policy.
Funding: Renewed funding of just under €2 million for 18 grantee partners (July 2024-December 2025).
Eligibility: Digital rights and social justice organizations.
Focus: AI policy development.
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16. Balderton Capital
Description: Focus on early-stage AI, SaaS, and consumer tech.
Investment Stage: Seed to Series A.
17. Northzone
Description: Focus on AI, fintech, and enterprise software.
Investment Stage: Early-stage startups with global potential.
18. Index Ventures
Description: Focus on AI, fintech, and health tech.
Investment Stage: Seed to growth stages.
19. Speedinvest
Description: Focus on AI, deep tech, and climate tech.
Investment Stage: Seed and Series A (€250,000 to €4 million).
20. Earlybird Venture Capital
Description: Focus on AI, health tech, and digital transformation.
Investment Stage: All stages (€500,000 to €10 million).
21. Seedcamp
Description: Focus on early-stage AI, SaaS, and fintech.
Investment Stage: Seed funding and mentorship.
22. Octopus Ventures
Description: Focus on AI, health tech, and deep tech.
Investment Stage: Seed to Series B.
23. Accel
Description: Active in the AI space.
Investment Stage: Various stages.
24. Atomico
Description: Focus on transformative tech.
Investment Stage: Various stages.
25. LocalGlobe
Description: Focus on early-stage investments.
Investment Stage: Pre-seed to Series A.
This list provides a solid starting point for AI startups in Europe seeking funding in 2025. For the latest details and deadlines, please refer to the provided links.
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FAQ
Q: What is the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator?
A: The EIC Accelerator supports startups and SMEs with highly innovative products or services that can create new markets or disrupt existing ones. Learn more about EIC Accelerator.
Q: What funding is available through the EIC STEP Scale-Up?
A: The EIC STEP Scale-Up provides larger equity investments to companies scaling strategic technologies in the EU market. Learn more about EIC STEP Scale-Up.
Q: What is the objective of the AI Accountability Grants?
A: The AI Accountability Grants fund innovative projects addressing accountability for harms caused by AI across Europe. Learn more about AI Accountability Grants.
Q: How does the Horizon Europe – Digital Europe Programme support SMEs?
A: The Horizon Europe – Digital Europe Programme offers funding for SMEs and startups working on AI, cybersecurity, and advanced digital skills. Discover Digital Europe Programme.
Q: What is the eligibility for the EIT Urban Mobility Financial Support for Startups?
A: The EIT Urban Mobility Financial Support for Startups is available to startups from RIS countries and others working on innovative urban mobility solutions. Learn more about EIT Urban Mobility.
Q: What projects does the AI Factories (EuroHPC Joint Undertaking) support?
A: The AI Factories leverage European supercomputers for AI development, supporting the creation of AI Factories to train large generative AI models. Explore AI Factories.
Q: What is the aim of the Build Initiative by the European AI Fund?
A: The Build Initiative supports a diverse civil society ecosystem in Europe to shape AI policy. Learn more about the European AI Fund.
Q: Who is eligible for the Female Entrepreneur Deep-Tech Accelerator?
A: The Female Entrepreneur Deep-Tech Accelerator is a 6-month program for female entrepreneurs leading deep-tech startups. Learn more about AI Grants on the EU Funding Portal.
Q: What does the EIC Pathfinder fund?
A: The EIC Pathfinder funds visionary, multi-disciplinary research projects with breakthrough potential. Learn more about EIC Pathfinder.
Q: What is the purpose of the UKRI Technology Missions Fund?
A: The UKRI Technology Missions Fund provides government funding for AI projects to help small businesses in the UK. Learn more about the UKRI Technology Missions Fund.
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.
