EAIC - European Association of Innovation Consultants

What EAIC - European Association of Innovation Consultants does

EAIC - European Association of Innovation Consultants is a Brussels-headquartered, non-profit association founded in 2019 that aggregates 60 innovation consulting member firms operating across 28 European countries. The association does not deliver consulting services itself; rather, it acts as the collective representative body for member firms that advise clients — including SMEs, startups, universities, research organizations, large enterprises, and public bodies — on securing European research and innovation funding under programmes such as Horizon Europe, the European Innovation Council (Accelerator, Pathfinder, Transition), the EU Innovation Fund, LIFE, Erasmus+, and national funding instruments. Service categories standardized across the membership include Collaborative Projects (IA, RIA, CSA, PCP, PPI), EIC advisory, Horizon Europe advisory (ERC, MSCA), other European programmes, national funding, project management support, and tax credits advisory.

EAIC monetizes through three mechanisms: recurring annual membership fees paid by the 60 member firms, transaction-based event fees (e.g., EAIC Summit 2026), and the aggregated professional-services revenue of members (which flows through member P&Ls, not EAIC's). Member firms operate sales-led, community-led, and event-driven go-to-market motions, often within local geographies, and deliver proposal writing, consortium building, project management, and post-award administration. Distribution is direct-to-client by individual members, with EAIC's website, newsletters, blog, and Ambassador Programme functioning as a top-of-funnel demand-capture and matchmaking layer across the network.

EAIC does not operate a proprietary technology platform at the association level, though individual member firms maintain differentiated tools (e.g., Vindsubsidies' 2,500-scheme grant database, FI Group's AI-powered innovation-finance laboratory, in-house collaborative-innovation web tool suites). The association's strategic value lies in shared professional standards (Code of Conduct), pan-European reach, brand credibility with EU institutions, and curated knowledge exchange — features that translate member firm experience into a collective moat serving the European R&I funding ecosystem.

Name

EAIC - European Association of Innovation Consultants

Legal name

European Association of Innovation Consultants

Website

https://eaic.eu

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

EAIC is a Brussels-based non-profit association of 60 innovation consulting firms across 28 European countries, representing consultancies that help SMEs, startups, universities, and enterprises secure EU research and innovation funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels (implied)

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: EAIC generates revenue through membership fees from innovation consulting firms. Members join the association to access professional network, training, events, and promotional opportunities. The association had 60 members as of the data collection period.
2. Event Participation Fees: EAIC organizes events including the EAIC Summit 2026 where members and non-members can participate, generating revenue through registration fees.
3. Member Services Revenue: Individual member firms generate revenue by providing paid consulting services to clients seeking EU funding support, including proposal writing, consortium building, project management, and advisory services. These firms operate independently and charge for their professional services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

EAIC is a non-profit association that gathers 60 innovation consulting firms operating in 28 European countries to collectively provide consulting services for European research and innovation funding. Its core offerings include support for collaborative projects (IA, RIA, CSA, PCP, PPI), EIC instruments (Accelerator, Pathfinder, Transition), Horizon Europe Advisory (ERC, MSCA), European Programmes (LIFE, Erasmus+, Eureka, Innovation Fund, CEF), National Funding, Project Management, and Tax Credits Advisory.

Product overview

EAIC (European Association of Innovation Consultants) is an association of 60 member companies operating in 28 European countries that provides a platform for innovation consulting services. Rather than a single unified product, EAIC offers an ecosystem of interconnected consulting services coordinated through its membership network. The core service offerings include Collaborative Projects support (IA, RIA, CSA, PCP, PPI), EIC Services (Accelerator, Pathfinder, Transition), Horizon Europe Advisory (ERC, MSCA), European Programmes Support (LIFE, Erasmus+, Eureka, Innovation Fund, CEF), National Funding Services, Project Management Support, and Tax Credits Advisory. The EAIC Ambassador Programme connects clients with member consultants, while the Innovation Fund Consulting focuses on clean tech funding. Members operate independently but share professional standards under the EAIC Code of Conduct, enabling clients to access localized expertise across all EU member states through a single association point.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Collaborative Projects Services Support for collaborative R&D projects including Innovation Actions (IA), Research & Innovation Actions (RIA), Coordination & Support Actions (CSA), Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP), and Public Procurement of Innovation (PPI) under Horizon Europe programmes. For SMEs, large enterprises, research organizations, and universities seeking EU consortium funding.
• EIC Services (Accelerator, Pathfinder, Transition) Specialized consulting services for the European Innovation Council instruments including EIC Accelerator, EIC Pathfinder, and EIC Transition programmes for deeptech SMEs and startups seeking high-risk, high-impact EU funding.
• Horizon Europe Advisory Advisory services for European Research Council (ERC) and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) funding instruments within Horizon Europe framework, serving researchers, universities, and research organizations.
• European Programmes Support Consulting services for various EU funding programmes including LIFE, Erasmus+, Eureka, Innovation Fund, and Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), supporting clients across diverse sectors and geographies.
• National Funding Services Assistance with identifying and applying for national funding opportunities across European member states, leveraging local expertise of EAIC member firms in their respective countries.
• Project Management Support Full lifecycle project management services for funded projects including administrative, technical, and financial management, reporting, and audit support, ensuring compliance and effective delivery of EU-funded projects.
• Tax Credits Advisory Advisory services for R&D and innovation tax credit schemes at national levels, including CIR (Crédit d'Impôt Recherche) in France and similar programmes, helping clients optimize their R&D tax incentives.
• EAIC Ambassador Programme A programme connecting organizations with EAIC member consultants for innovation funding support and expertise, providing a single entry point to access the EAIC member network across Europe.
• Innovation Fund Consulting Advisory services for the EU Innovation Fund, supporting clients in securing funding for breakthrough clean tech and low-carbon technology innovations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 60 member firms across 28 European countries
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Enterprise Europe NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInvent Baltics is a member of the Enterprise Europe Network, enabling access to a wide network of innovation support organizations across Europe and beyond for facilitating partnerships and funding opportunities for clients.
• Polihub, Innovation Park and Startup Accelerator of Politecnico di MilanocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmart Revolution is a partner of Polihub, Innovation Park and Startup Accelerator of Politecnico di Milano (Italy), and Switch2Product Innovation Challenge, supporting visionary entrepreneurs in the Italian innovation ecosystem.
• ETP4HPCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNeovia Innovation is an active member of ETP4HPC (European Technology Platform for High Performance Computing), participating in technical and sectoral studies to strengthen the R&I ecosystem in Europe.
• ACI (Association des Conseils en Innovation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLGI Consulting is an active member of ACI, the French Association of Innovation Consultancies, and participates in several French and European networks strengthening collaboration among innovation consultants.

Scale indicators21 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• EY (Ernst & Young): Global Big Four firm offering innovation funding and R&D advisory services across all EU-27 member states. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering overlapping innovation consulting capabilities, though not specialised to EAIC's niche.
• European University Association (EUA): Brussels-based association representing over 850 European universities, with a focus on Horizon Europe, ERC, and MSCA programmes. Comparable as a sectoral Brussels-based association supporting R&D applicants — overlapping with EAIC's research-organisation segment.
• EUROCHAMBRES: Association of European Chambers of Commerce and Industry representing tens of millions of SMEs across the EU. Comparable as a Brussels-based membership association advocating for SME access to EU programmes and funding.
• Orgalime: European trade association for the mechanical engineering, electrical equipment, and metalworking industries. Comparable as a Brussels-based industry association influencing EU R&D and innovation policy from a broader sector perspective.
• European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic): Brussels-headquartered trade association representing the European chemical industry. Comparable as a large, established EU-level industry association engaging with EU institutions on R&D and innovation policy.

Direct peers

• FI Group: One of EAIC's largest member firms, operating 38 offices globally with 1,200+ experts and 13,500+ clients. Provides R&D tax credit and innovation funding consulting — directly comparable service offering and a key member of EAIC.
• Civitta: Pan-European innovation consultancy with 10,000+ completed projects in 40+ countries and an EAIC member. Directly comparable as a regional consulting firm that helps SMEs access EU and national innovation funding.
• Spinverse: Finnish innovation consulting firm (Nordic hub) and EAIC member providing Horizon Europe consortium building, proposal writing, and project management. Directly comparable service catalogue and Nordic anchor in EAIC's network.
• EARMA - European Association of Research Managers and Administrators: European professional association supporting research managers, project managers, and administrators who manage EU-funded projects. Comparable as a Brussels-based membership association serving professionals in the EU R&D ecosystem.
• ACI - Association des Conseils en Innovation: French national association of innovation consultancies gathering 71 firms and 3,000+ employees. Directly comparable as a national trade body for EU funding consultants and explicitly cited as a partner by EAIC member LGI Consulting.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/european-association-of-innovation-consultants

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about EAIC - European Association of Innovation Consultants