Call for Applications: 2026 Catalyse NEB

Description

This is a call for applicants to be part of the 2026 cohort of the EIT Community New European Bauhaus (NEB)’s Catalyse NEB programme, a start-up accelerator for ventures working to implement NEB values across Europe. All relevant information pertaining to the strategic focus of the call, who can apply, how to apply, the evaluation and selection process, what services are provided, and the call timeline is detailed in the Call Manual (check Award Force). Additionally, the EIT Community’s mission, programmes, and strategic focus areas along with the NEB values, challenges and principles, and further details on eligibility criteria and conditions can be found in the annexes. Culture and creative sectors and industries are encouraged to apply to the call. Start-ups registered in RIS countries are encouraged to apply to the call. Entities that have participated in other activities implemented in the framework of the EIT Community NEB are encouraged to apply to the call. More specifically, a dedicated slot will be secured for past participants in the Grow NEB programme (Annex 1.2). The cohort will be composed of a total of 20 start-ups with 18 being determined through the conventional selection process and 2 start-ups being selected from applications submitted by participants in the EIT Community’s Grow NEB programme.

Beneficiary & submission

All proposals and required documents must be submitted via the Award Force platform. Detailed guidance on the application process is provided in section 4 of the Call Manual. The evaluation includes an eligibility check, first round of evaluations, SAFE confirmation, and a second round of evaluations. Please see section 5 of the Call Manual (published on Awards Force) for further details on evaluation and selection process.

Further information

20 start-ups with EUR 50,000 of EIT Community NEB funding allocation each through subgrants and in-kind services. Activities should address specific social challenges, provide measurable outcomes, and demonstrate scalability. For more details, see section 2 and 3 of the Call Manual. This call is open to start-ups established in EU Member States, the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to the Member States and Horizon Europe-associated countries. For further information on eligibility criteria, please see section 3 and 5.1 of the Call Manual. For further information and how to apply, please visit the application portal (Award Force). This call is subject to confirmation of EIT funding.