LLM-BRIDGE – Venture Incubation Programme - Open Call for Incubators – 2nd Call
OpenDescription
The Venture Incubation Programme (VIP) serves as an instrument to strengthening incubation capacity in Europe to support early-stage GenAI ventures as well as to: Accelerate the commercialisation of LLM technologies, providing mentoring, access to high-performance computing (HPC) resources, data infrastructures, and regulatory guidance. Promote responsible AI innovation, aligned with the AI Act, Data Act, GDPR, and the EU’s Digital Decade Targets. Foster cross-border collaboration, knowledge sharing, and participation of underrepresented regions and groups in the European AI ecosystem. Through this call, LLM-BRIDGE seeks to identify and support one high-quality, EU-based incubator capable of supporting startups in the transforming of early-stage GenAI ideas into viable, scalable, and ethically compliant ventures that may be eligible to apply for the future Long Jump and European Grand Challenges. Participating in the VIP provides an opportunity for a leading incubator to position itself at the forefront of Europe’s generative AI revolution. This collaboration offers strategic, reputational, and operational advantages, aligning the incubator with a pan-European initiative that seeks to redefine the future of AI-driven innovation and technological leadership. The VIP programme will select one incubator to run a 12-week VIP cohort across Europe, which will: Deliver structured training and mentoring to 30 startups. Provide and facilitate access to technical expertise and AI infrastructures. Monitor and report progress using standardised KPIs defined in the Annex I. Contribute to the overall impact of LLM-BRIDGE and the European GenAI innovation ecosystem. The selected incubator will gain direct access to a carefully selected pipeline of high-potential GenAI startups from across Europe, allowing it to deepen its expertise in nurturing deep-tech ventures with the potential to drive the next wave of generative AI solutions. Such engagement not only enhances the incubators reputation as a leading enabler of cutting-edge innovation but also strengthens its market position within the highly competitive AI ecosystem.
Beneficiary & submission
Proposal submission:
All proposals shall be submitted at: https://share.hsforms.com/133VDDomZReqeyGTex0VYRwf4os
Proposal template and supporting documents:
The proposal template and supporting documents are available at: https://www.llm-bridge.eu/open-calls-2/
Evaluation process:
Eligible proposals will be evaluated by independent external experts, appointed by the LLM-BRIDGE Consortium, to ensure objectivity and impartiality.
Each proposal will be assessed by at least two experts using the criteria and scoring system defined in the Evaluation Criteria.
Applicants will be notified of the evaluation results within four weeks after completion of the panel ranking.
Each applicant will receive an Evaluation Summary Report (ESR) containing individual scores, comments, and the final consensus assessment.
The successful applicant will be invited to sign a Financial Support Agreement with 28DIGITAL on behalf of the LLM-BRIDGE Consortium.
Evaluation criteria:
The evaluation is based on the following criteria, each with a maximum score and a minimum threshold:
Relevance (maximum score: 10; threshold: 6): Assessment of how well the proposal aligns with the objectives of LLM-BRIDGE, including its capacity to support early-stage Generative AI startups and contribute to European GenAI strategic goals.
Track record (maximum score: 8; threshold: 5): Evaluation of the applicant’s proven experience in incubating and scaling AI or deep-tech ventures, with demonstrated results in terms of startup growth and innovation.
Networks and access (maximum score: 8; threshold: 5): Consideration of the ability to provide startups with access to mentors, investors, and strategic industry partners that can strengthen their market positioning and growth potential.
Adaptability (maximum score: 6; threshold: 4): Evidence of flexibility and capacity to respond to emerging technological and market needs, particularly in the rapidly evolving Generative AI sector.
Monitoring framework (maximum score: 5; threshold: 3): Quality and clarity of the proposed processes and documentation for monitoring and reporting, including well-defined metrics to track startup progress and overall programme performance.
Cost effectiveness (maximum score: 5; threshold: 3): Adequacy and justification of the proposed budget, demonstrating efficient use of resources and value for money.
Each criterion is scored from 0 up to its maximum (10, 8, 6 or 5). Proposals are evaluated according to six qualitative levels.
Not addressed (score 0 in all scales): The proposal fails to address the criterion or cannot be assessed.
Poor (score 1–2 out of 10, 1–2 out of 8, or 1 out of 5/6): The proposal shows serious weaknesses or lacks the required level of detail.
Fair (score 3–4 out of 10, 3–4 out of 8, or 2 out of 5/6): Some strengths are present, but significant weaknesses remain.
Good – threshold level (score 5–6 out of 10, 5 out of 8, or 3–4 out of 5/6): The criterion is adequately addressed, though moderate weaknesses are observed.
Very good (score 7–8 out of 10, 6–7 out of 8, or 4–5 out of 5/6): The criterion is well addressed, with only minor shortcomings.
Excellent (score 9–10 out of 10, 8 out of 8, or 5–6 out of 5/6): The criterion is fully addressed, demonstrating outstanding quality with no or only negligible weaknesses.
Threshold per criterion: 3 to 6 points. Overall minimum score: 26 points (out of 42). Maximum total score: 42 points. Proposals failing to reach the threshold in any criterion or the overall minimum score will not be considered for funding.
Further information
Help desk
All information about the LLMB Open Call can be found at: https://www.llm-bridge.eu/