European Working Group of Innovation Consultants (EWGIC) brings together innovation experts to exchange experience and best practice and promote professional development in EU research, development and innovation projects. Marie Latour, Pekka Koponen and Xavier Aubry are members of EWGIC and wrote an important plea to draw attention to the current situation, where COVID-19 crisis has led private investment in pre-market, high-risk start-ups dry up overnight. With no cash flow, the start-ups need support to stay afloat. The EIC Accelerator could be used to help them.
The plea was published online on ScienceBusiness on 14th April, 2020. The viewpoint discusses how the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator could – and should - be adapted to help sustain promising European companies preparing for market entry. The EIC Accelerator is now seriously oversubscribed - what actions should the EIC take to fix this?
European Working Group of Innovation Consultants also released a new Position Paper, which calls on the EU Parliament and European Commission to take immediate action through implementing an EIC Accelerator Airdrop that can offer liquidity to start-ups and innovative SMEs affected by the current crisis.