(Deadline extended!) Urgent call for startups with Coronavirus solutions to apply for €164 million European Commission funding

Editor’s note: This article has been updated with the new extended deadline of Friday 20 March.

The European Commission is trusting in the creativity and caliber of European startups in its recent communication to the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The Commission has sent out a call for startups and SMEs with technologies and innovations that could help in treating, testing, monitoring or other aspects of the Coronavirus outbreak to apply urgently to the next round of funding from the European Innovation Council.

The deadline for applications to the EIC Accelerator is 17:00 on Friday 20 March, Brussels local time (New deadline). With a budget of €164 million, there are no predefined themes and applicants with Coronavirus relevant innovations will be evaluated in the same way as other applicants.

With this in mind, the Commission is intending to fast track the awarding of EIC grants and blended finance (combining grant and equity investment) to Coronavirus relevant innovations, as well as to facilitate access to other funding and investment sources.

The EIC is already supporting a number of startups and SMEs with Coronavirus relevant innovations, awarded funding in previous rounds. This includes the EpiShuttle project for specialised isolation units, the m-TAP project for filtration technology to remove viral material, and the MBENT project to track human mobility during epidemics.

How to apply? EU-Startups is not involved in the management of this call, as it is run by the European Commission. However, if you follow the links above, you should end up on this page to read about and apply to funding and tender opportunities.