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Grants for Early-Stage Startups in Europe (2027): 19 EU and National Grants With Amounts, Eligibility and Deadlines

Grants for Early-Stage Startups in Europe: EU and National Programmes Checked for 2027

A grant is the cheapest money an early-stage startup can raise: you keep your equity and you do not pay it back. Europe has plenty of them, but they are split between EU programmes, which are large and competitive, and national ones, which are smaller, faster and tied to the country where your company is registered. We checked every programme below on its official page in October 2026: who can apply, how much you get, which share of your costs it covers, and the next deadline or call status. Where a call has closed and the next one is not announced, we say so instead of guessing a date. The 2025 version of this article listed 25 items; many were not startup grants, had ended or could only be found on unofficial sites, so they are listed at the end with the reason. Women founders should also read our separate guide to grants for female entrepreneurs in Europe.

Quick answer: with a deep tech product close to market (TRL 6 to 8), send a short proposal to the EIC Accelerator, which accepts them at any time. If your company is in an EU widening country, prepare for the EIC Pre-Accelerator, which opens on 5 May 2027 with grants of €500,000 to €1 million. Before you found the company, look at exist in Germany or aws Preseed in Austria. Swedish startups can apply to Vinnova Innovative Startups until 12 January 2027, and Finnish ones to the Business Finland Sprint grant at any time. In France, Ireland, Norway and Switzerland, the national grants below are open all year.

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Startup Grants in Europe Compared

Programme	Where	Amount	Share of costs	Next deadline or status
EIC Accelerator	EU and associated countries	Grant below €2.5 million, plus optional equity of €1 to €10 million	Lump sum	Short proposals any time; last 2026 full-proposal cut-off 4 November 2026; 2027 dates not published
EIC Pre-Accelerator	Widening countries	€500,000 to €1 million (2027 call)	70%	Opens 5 May 2027, deadline 18 November 2027
EIC Transition	EU and associated countries	Up to €2.5 million	Lump sum	2026 deadline passed; next call opens in spring 2027
EIC Pathfinder	Consortia in EU and associated countries	Up to €4 million	Lump sum	2026 deadlines passed; 2027 dates not published
Eurostars	Two or more Eurostars countries	Set by each national agency	Austria: up to 60% for small firms	Last cut-off 10 September 2026; next not published
EIT Jumpstarter	EIT RIS countries	Prizes of €10,000, €5,000 and €3,000 per cohort	Prize	2026 call closed; 2027 call not announced
ESA BIC	ESA BIC network	€50,000 equity-free	Not stated	Each centre sets its own cut-offs
exist Gründungsstipendium	Germany	€1,000 to €3,000 a month for 12 months, plus €30,000 for costs (teams)	100% (stipend)	Rolling, through a university
Bourse French Tech	France	Up to €30,000	Up to 50%, or 70% for some firms	Rolling
LEO Priming Grant	Ireland	Up to €80,000, €150,000 by exception	50%	Through your Local Enterprise Office
Vinnova Innovative Startups	Sweden	Up to SEK 500,000	Up to 100%	Open; closes 12 January 2027
Business Finland Sprint	Finland	Up to €100,000	75%	Continuously open
Innobooster	Denmark	DKK 200,000 to DKK 5 million	Up to 35%	2026 pools closed; 2027 pools not published
Oppstartstilskudd 1	Norway	Up to NOK 150,000	Up to 100%	Rolling
NEOTEC	Spain	Up to €250,000, or €325,000 with a PhD hire	70% to 85%	2026 call closed; 2027 call not announced
aws Preseed Deep Tech	Austria	Up to €267,000 (€300,000 with gender bonus)	80% (90%)	Rolling until 31 December 2026; 2027 rules not published
Innosuisse start-up innovation projects	Switzerland	No fixed cap	Up to 70%	Rolling
LIAA Business Incubation Aid	Latvia	Per grant up to €10,000 (services) or €20,000 (prototyping)	70%	Autumn 2026 intake closed; next not announced
PRE-SEED	Cyprus	Up to €119,999	Not stated	Deadline 11 September 2026 passed; next not announced

Sources: each programme's official website or call page, checked 29 October 2026. Rules change between rounds, so check the official page again before you apply.

EU-Wide Grants for Early-Stage Startups

1. EIC Accelerator: a grant below €2.5 million for deep tech close to market

The EIC Accelerator is the European Innovation Council's flagship programme for single startups and SMEs, including people who intend to set one up. Your company must be in an EU Member State or a country associated to Horizon Europe; UK applicants can only apply for the grant. It funds innovations at technology readiness levels 6 to 8 with a lump-sum grant below €2.5 million for work done within 24 months, and optionally an equity investment of €1 million to €10 million. Applying has four steps: a short proposal (a 12-page form, a pitch deck of up to ten slides and a three-minute video), a full proposal after a GO, an interview with the EIC jury, and then the grant agreement. Short proposals are batched on the first Tuesday of each month at 17:00 Brussels time and get feedback in four to six weeks. The last full-proposal cut-off of 2026 is 4 November 2026; the 2027 cut-offs will be set in the EIC Work Programme 2027. Our sister site's EIC Accelerator programme guide walks through the application.

2. EIC Pre-Accelerator: €500,000 to €1 million in widening countries (opens 5 May 2027)

The EIC Pre-Accelerator is for early-stage deep tech startups in the Horizon Europe widening countries, such as the Baltic states, Poland, Portugal, Greece and much of Central and Eastern Europe, plus the EU's outermost regions. Only single SMEs or small mid-caps registered there can apply, with technology at least validated in the lab (TRL 4). The 2027 call raises the grant to a lump sum of €500,000 to €1 million (it was €300,000 to €500,000 in the 2025 call), covering 70% of eligible costs for up to two years, with coaching and mentoring. The call opens on 5 May 2027 and the deadline is 18 November 2027.

3. EIC Transition: up to €2.5 million to turn research results into a business

EIC Transition funds the step from a lab result to a product. It is open to single startups, SMEs and research organisations, or to consortia of two to five partners, but only if the project builds on results of an eligible EU-funded project (such as EIC Pathfinder or ERC Proof of Concept) at TRL 3 completed or TRL 4. The grant is up to €2.5 million. The 2026 deadline was 16 September 2026; the EIC says the next call officially opens in spring 2027.

4. EIC Pathfinder: up to €4 million for research teams

EIC Pathfinder is for visionary research on breakthrough technologies, so it suits university spin-off teams more than young companies. Pathfinder Open needs a consortium of at least three independent partners from different countries; Pathfinder Challenges also accepts single applicants and pairs. Grants go up to €4 million, or more if justified. Both 2026 deadlines have passed (12 May and 28 October 2026). The EIC holds an online information day on its 2027 funding opportunities on 19 November 2026.

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5. Eurostars: cross-border R&D grants for innovative SMEs

Eurostars funds joint R&D projects led by an innovative SME, with at least two independent partners from two Eurostars countries, one of them in the EU or a Horizon Europe associated country. Projects last up to 36 months, and the money comes from each partner's national agency under national rules: in Austria, FFG pays small companies up to 60% of eligible R&D costs and medium-sized ones up to 50%. There are two cut-offs a year; the latest was 10 September 2026, and the next one has not been published yet (checked October 2026). The current Eurostars-3 programme runs until 31 December 2027. Read our guide to Eurostars for SMEs and grant-grants.com on finding Eurostars partners across borders.

6. EIT Jumpstarter: prize money for idea-stage teams

EIT Jumpstarter is a pre-acceleration programme for individuals and teams from EIT Regional Innovation Scheme (RIS) countries. The 2026 edition had six themes, from food and health to energy, manufacturing, raw materials and urban mobility; the top teams in each cohort won €10,000, €5,000 and €3,000. It is small money, but a good first step before larger grants. The 2026 call closed on 17 May 2026 and the 2027 call has not been announced (checked October 2026).

7. ESA BIC: €50,000 for space-related startups

The European Space Agency's Business Incubation Centres offer up to two years of incubation, technical support from ESA experts and €50,000 of equity-free funding for product and IP development. You qualify if you use space systems (satellite navigation, earth observation, satellite communication), bring space technology into other industries, or build products for the space sector. Each centre runs its own cut-offs, and the contract is signed with a company, so you need one by then.

For smaller EU-funded grants paid through intermediaries, see cascade funding explained and our list of NGI open calls. Women-led deep tech startups also have Women TechEU, covered in our Women TechEU guide.

National Grants for Early-Stage Startups

8. Germany: exist Gründungsstipendium

The exist Gründungsstipendium of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy pays founders a living stipend for 12 months before they start a company: €3,000 a month with a doctorate, €2,500 for graduates, €2,000 with vocational training and €1,000 for students, plus €150 per child per month. Teams of up to three people also get up to €30,000 for costs (single founders up to €10,000) and a €5,000 coaching budget. It is for students who have finished at least half of their studies, graduates up to five years after leaving, and researchers. Your university or research institute applies for you, at any time: there are no fixed deadlines, and the company may only be founded once funding starts.

9. France: Bourse French Tech

Bpifrance's Bourse French Tech is a subsidy for innovation projects with high technical risk in their maturation and feasibility phase. It is for SMEs under the EU definition, covers up to 50% of eligible internal and external R&D costs (up to 70% depending on the company category) and pays at most €30,000 for a programme of up to 24 months. There are no application fees, and costs incurred before you apply do not count. You apply to Bpifrance at any time.

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10. Ireland: LEO Priming Grant and New Frontiers

Irish micro-enterprises in their first 18 months, with no more than 10 employees, can apply to their Local Enterprise Office for a Priming Grant. It pays up to 50% of the investment, normally capped at €80,000; up to €150,000 is the exception, for projects that could grow into Enterprise Ireland clients. Employment support is up to €15,000 per full-time job. For pre-founding teams, Enterprise Ireland's New Frontiers programme offers a support package valued at over €40,000 without taking equity.

11. Sweden: Vinnova Innovative Startups (closes 12 January 2027)

Vinnova's Innovative Startups 2026 call is aimed at knowledge-intensive startups with international potential. The applicant must be a Swedish limited company (AB) with at most 10 full-time employees, turnover or balance sheet total of no more than SEK 10 million, and no older than 10 years on the decision date. It can get up to SEK 500,000, covering up to 100% of project costs, for a project of up to nine months starting in March 2027. The call opened on 12 October 2026 and closes on 12 January 2027 at 14:00; Vinnova plans its decision for 23 March 2027.

12. Finland: Business Finland Sprint grant

The Sprint grant replaced Tempo, Business Finland's old startup funding. It gives small Finnish limited companies (under 50 employees) up to €100,000, covering 75% of approved project costs, and does not need to be repaid. You need at least €50,000 of cash equity on the balance sheet, and companies under five years old must not have received earlier Business Finland startup funding. After a pilot call from 2 March to 31 August 2026, Sprint has been continuously open since 1 September 2026.

13. Denmark: Innobooster

Innobooster from Innovation Fund Denmark co-finances development projects of Danish SMEs, including startups, with DKK 200,000 to DKK 5 million and up to 35% of costs, for up to two years. You need either DKK 100,000 of risk capital or grants raised in the past three years, or a gross profit of at least DKK 250,000 in one of them. Applications are handled in pools; the last 2026 pool closed on 15 October 2026, and the 2027 pools had not been published when we checked.

14. Norway: Oppstartstilskudd 1

Innovation Norway's Oppstartstilskudd 1 is for innovative startups that need to test whether customers will pay for their idea. It covers up to 100% of invoiced costs, with a maximum of NOK 150,000, for a nine-month project. The company must be an AS (limited company) younger than five years. Applications are rolling, and processing takes about three to four weeks.

15. Spain: NEOTEC

NEOTEC from CDTI supports new technology-based companies under three years old. According to the Spanish government announcement, the 2026 call had €20.38 million, with €5 million reserved for NEOTEC Mujeres; it funded up to 70% of the business plan with up to €250,000, or 85% and up to €325,000 for companies that hire a PhD. The call ran from 14 April to 14 May 2026 and is closed; the 2027 call has not been announced (checked October 2026).

16. Austria: aws Preseed Deep Tech

aws Preseed Deep Tech funds people and micro-companies before founding or within six months of registration. It pays up to €267,000, covering 80% of eligible costs; with the gender bonus (women holding more than 25% of the shares) it is up to €300,000 and 90%. Applications are rolling, with decisions about once a quarter. The current funding period ends on 31 December 2026, and aws says the rules for 2027 to 2029 are being prepared.

17. Switzerland: Innosuisse start-up innovation projects

Innosuisse funds science-based projects that prepare a Swiss startup for its first market entry. The company must be registered in Switzerland, have fewer than 50 full-time employees and be no older than five years (ten in exceptional cases). Innosuisse pays up to 70% of direct project costs, and the startup pays at least 30%. Applications are accepted at any time; the process takes about 16 weeks.

18. Latvia: LIAA Business Incubation Aid

The Investment and Development Agency of Latvia's Business Incubation Aid is for companies no older than five years. It pays 70% of eligible costs per grant, up to €10,000 for services, €8,000 for equipment and €5,000 for materials; innovative companies can also get up to €20,000 for prototyping and up to €10,000 for staff costs. The autumn 2026 intake ran from 9 to 24 September 2026 and is closed; the next intake has not been announced.

19. Cyprus: PRE-SEED

Cyprus's PRE-SEED programme supports startups that are still developing their business idea or first product, with up to €119,999 per project. The 2026 call had a budget of €1 million and closed on 11 September 2026; the next call has not been announced.

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How to Apply for a Startup Grant in Europe

The programmes differ, but every application follows the same order. Check our EU funding readiness checklist and grant-grants.com's guide to startup eligibility for European grants before you start writing.

Programmes Closed, Changed or Removed

These grants were in the 2025 version of this article or are often still listed elsewhere. Here is what changed:

Innovate UK Smart grants (UK): paused in 2025 and closed to new applications while Innovate UK aligns its funding to a new strategy. UK startups can still apply for the EIC Accelerator grant.
Business Finland Tempo: closed on 3 October 2025 and not reopened; the Sprint grant above replaced it.
MIT feasibility projects and Kennisvouchers (Netherlands): RVO no longer runs MIT feasibility projects; they can only be requested regionally. Kennisvouchers are closed and will not reopen.
NGI Zero Commons Fund: its thirteenth and final call closed on 1 June 2026. NLnet now takes proposals for other funds.
Smart&Start Italia: still open, but it is a zero-interest loan for 80% to 90% of costs, with a 30% non-repayable part only in Central and Southern Italy, so we do not list it as a grant.
EIC STEP Scale-Up: equity investments for scale-ups, not a grant for early-stage startups.
Horizon 2020, Creative Europe and LIFE (old pages): Horizon 2020 ended and was replaced by Horizon Europe; the old Horizon 2020, Creative Europe and LIFE links return errors. These programmes fund projects and consortia, not startups as such.
Digital Europe, Innovation Fund, Horizon Europe Health, the Green Deal call, Cohesion Fund, ESF and FEAD: EU funds for large projects, regions or social inclusion, not startup grants. The old ESF link now opens an archived copy, and the FEAD link redirects to the Commission's microfinance page.
Deep Tech Venture Builder Programme and "Various calls": only found on eufundingportal.eu, which is not an EU site; we found no official page.
EIT Urban Mobility, EIT Manufacturing, EIT Climate-KIC, ClimAccelerator and EIT Food: we found no current startup grant call with a confirmed amount (the EIT Manufacturing site now redirects to the EIT's main site). EIT Jumpstarter above is the EIT's current entry point.
Startup Europe Partnership and Urban Innovative Actions: a corporate matchmaking platform and a programme for cities, not grants for startups.

Which Grant Should You Apply For?

You have a deep tech product close to market: EIC Accelerator, starting with a short proposal.
You are in a widening country with lab-validated technology: EIC Pre-Accelerator from 5 May 2027; before that, your national grant.
You are still at a university: exist in Germany, aws Preseed in Austria, or EIC Transition if your research came from an EU project.
You need a first €30,000 to €150,000 quickly: Bourse French Tech, the Irish Priming Grant, Business Finland Sprint, Oppstartstilskudd 1 or Vinnova before 12 January 2027.
You work with partners in other countries: Eurostars at its next cut-off.
You build for space: an ESA BIC near you.
You lead a women-founded startup: add the women-only prizes and Women TechEU from our grants for women founders in Europe guide.

How Founders Combine Grants With Other Funding

Grants take months and rarely cover everything, so plan them next to other money. Track the dates in our EU grant calendar for 2027 and learn how to find open EU funding calls yourself. Competitions and incubators are faster: compare startup competitions in Europe and startup incubators in Europe. When you are ready for investors, see early-stage VC firms and deep tech VCs in Europe, and if you are still choosing where to register, compare the best countries for early-stage startups, because most national grants follow your company's registration.

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FAQ About Grants for Early-Stage Startups in Europe

Which grants for early-stage startups in Europe are open now?

In late October 2026: EIC Accelerator short proposals (any time), Vinnova Innovative Startups in Sweden (until 12 January 2027), Business Finland Sprint, Bourse French Tech, the Irish Priming Grant, Oppstartstilskudd 1 in Norway, Innosuisse start-up projects, exist Gründungsstipendium and aws Preseed Deep Tech (rolling until 31 December 2026).

What is the largest EU grant for a startup?

The EIC Accelerator, with a grant below €2.5 million plus optional equity of €1 to €10 million. EIC Transition also gives up to €2.5 million, but only for projects built on earlier EU-funded research.

Do I need a registered company to apply?

Usually yes. exist and aws Preseed are exceptions: they fund founders before the company exists. The EIC Accelerator accepts people who intend to set up an SME, and ESA BIC needs a company by the time the contract is signed.

Can UK startups get EU grants?

UK applicants can apply for the EIC Accelerator grant, but not its equity part. Innovate UK Smart grants are closed to new applications.

How much of my costs will a grant cover?

It depends on the programme: from up to 35% for Innobooster and 50% for the Irish Priming Grant to 70% to 80% for Innosuisse, NEOTEC and aws Preseed, and up to 100% for Vinnova and Oppstartstilskudd 1.

When does the EIC Pre-Accelerator open?

On 5 May 2027, with a deadline of 18 November 2027. It is only for single SMEs in Horizon Europe widening countries and gives €500,000 to €1 million.

Are there grants for students who want to start a company?

Yes. In Germany, the exist Gründungsstipendium pays students €1,000 a month and graduates €2,500 a month for 12 months, plus money for costs and coaching. Apply through your university.

Is Eurostars open in 2027?

The Eurostars-3 programme runs until 31 December 2027 with two cut-offs a year, but the next cut-off after 10 September 2026 had not been published when we checked.

Do I have to pay to apply for these grants?

No. All programmes on this list are free to apply. Bpifrance states there are no application or processing fees for the Bourse French Tech.

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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. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.

Violetta Bonenkamp

2026-10-29 04:54 Top 25