We accelerate partnerships between
corporates and startups or SMEs
Apply to our 6-month Digital Acceleration Programme
Open until 30th April 2025
Corporates need startups, startups need corporates:
How to make it work?
Signing a partnership is the first step.
Making the collaboration a success comes next.
The road to a successful collaboration is not always smooth sailing:
Can the startup's prototype pass the customer environment test?
Is the business case sufficiently clear and convincing to get the green light from the corporate?
Do both entities have a common roadmap and governance including IP management and KPIs?
Are the corporate processes flexible enough to integrate the startup's solution?
Can the more risk-averse nature of the corporates cope with the fast-paced culture of the startup?
Nearly half of corporate-startup or corporate-SME collaborations fail to deliver the expected results
Our goal is to make sure you are in the other half
20+
Corporate-startup and corporate-SME partnerships are already driving digital innovation across Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean.
Who can apply
The Call is open to EU-LAC Partnerships that:
Address digital transformation challenges through Open Innovation
Involve at least one corporate and one startup or SME
Include partners from at least two of the following regions: the European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean
Have already signed a partnership agreement (or plan to do so before the start of the acceleration process)
Acceleration services
In-kind services valued up to 30,000 Euros (or 40,000 Euros if a Caribbean partner is involved), tailored to achieve your goals
Acceleration roadmap
Define your plan for a successful partnership implementation.
Customised for each partnership: goals, milestones, services and timeframe.
Proof-of-concept
Mitigate technological risks before scaling up innovative solutions.
Open Innovation bootcamps
Corporate Venturing mechanisms
PoC design & prototyping
Reliability of AI solutions
Business case
Define your go-to-market strategy to build an international business.
Business Model Design
International growth & soft-landing
IP Management
Product roadmap & digital skills
Investment & Scaling
Assess your readiness to scale and attract investment.
Scaling into Corporate structures
Digital Opportunity map
Investment readiness & Matchmaking
Access to public funding
DataFlow and Medlab are combining IoT and AI to create accessible, efficient and high-quality healthcare solutions that impact lives across borders.
Hugo Articardi
With these strategic initiatives, we are positioned to bring our health technologies to the European market, meeting high standards of safety and effectiveness while forging impactful partnerships and investment opportunities.
Fabiana Almeida
We’re expanding our vision to international markets, leveraging the programme’s expertise to navigate this growth strategically. This partnership is a vital step forward to redefining how the construction industry operates globally.
Flavio Terzi
With the fundamental help of the EU-LAC Accelerator, we see the achievement of shared objectives from the very beginning with TechBalance and its innovative technology guaranteed.
Manuel Fernandes
Partnering with EcobonusItalia through the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator has been a game-changer for Jazusoft. This collaboration allows us to showcase our expertise in BIM technology on a global stage while refining our solutions for real-world applications.
José Jaramillo Salazar
We are thrilled to partner with Infotrack, a corporate with over 23 years of experience and presence in Latin America, including Mexico, Colombia, and Panama. This is an opportunity to continue expanding our company internationally together with Infotrack’s specialists.
Félix J. García Clemente
Infotrack is deeply committed to digitalise logistic processes. We've developed SMART STOCK, a real-time inventory and warehouse management solution. Now, by collaborating with Bleecker, we aim to integrate Artificial Vision for an accurate verification of products in transit.
Jorge Alberto Ancines
The high-quality, innovative medical product resulting from this cross-border cooperation and the bundling of the core competencies of both partners will give many people access to high-quality and immediate healthcare, making a significant contribution to digitalisation in the healthcare sector.
Elisabeth Kalt
Apply will only take you 5 minutes
Verify your eligibility
Read carefully the Guidelines for Applicants
Access the “Apply Now” form and submit your application
We will review applications on a first-come first-served basis.
If you have doubts, contact our team. We are happy to assist you!
No partner, No problem
Haven’t discovered our Matching Platform yet?
The EU-LAC Matching Platform is designed to foster transcontinental partnerships between corporates and startups or SMEs across Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe.
The matching process is your first step to solving a digital innovation challenge and find the right partner.
FAQ
The Open Call is an initiative by the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator to support partnerships between European Union (EU) and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) entities. It offers customised acceleration services valued up to €30,000 (or €40,000 if a Caribbean partner is involved) to foster digital transformation through open innovation.
Eligible partnerships must include at least one corporate and one startup or innovative SME from different regions (Europe, Latin America or the Caribbean). They should address digital transformation challenges and have a formal agreement outlining their collaboration.
The program provides in-kind acceleration services, including:
- Roadmap: Defining your customised plan and services to achieve your partnership goals.
- Proof-of-Concept: Mitigating your risks before scaling up innovative solutions, testing PoCs or Prototypes.
- Business Case: Defining your strategy for soft-landing in a new continent, analysing new markets and business opportunities.
- Investment & Scaling: Assessing your readiness to grow an international business, connecting with investors.
For more information about the acceleration services, download the Catalogue here.
The third Open Call will close next 30th April 2025.
Applications are processed on a “first come, first served” basis.
Interested partnerships should complete the application form available here. It’s important to read the Guidelines for Applicants before submitting the application.
Partnerships should demonstrate a clear plan for collaboration, address digital transformation challenges, and involve entities from different regions (EU and LAC).
Both existing and new partnerships that meet the eligibility criteria are encouraged to apply. The key requirement is a formal agreement outlining the scope of collaboration.
The Open Call targets digital transformation challenges through open innovation despite the industry or sector. We have put the focus on areas such as smart production, cleantech or health tech, but we are open to receive applications from any industry.
No, the acceleration services offered through the Open Call are provided free of charge to the selected partnerships.
If you need assistance, please contact our team at opencall@eulacdigitalaccelerator.com.
