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EIC Accelerator Q1 2026: 38 companies funded from 87 interviewed, a record 44% interview-to-win rate. What the data means for Irish applicants.
The first cohort of EIC Accelerator results under the 2026 Work Programme has landed, covering the January and March full-application cut-offs. 38 companies were selected from 87 that made it to interview: a 44% interview-to-win rate.
That's the highest ever recorded, and it tells you something significant about where the programme is heading. Here's what the data shows, and what it means if you're preparing to apply.
44% of interviewed companies won funding. To put that in context: the historic norm has sat at roughly 25–30%, and 2025's record of 37% has already been surpassed after just one cohort.
The total estimated budget for Q1 is €292 million: €90 million in grants, with a further €202 million provisioned for equity investments. 84% of selected companies are eligible for blended finance, meaning they'll receive a combination of grant and equity rather than one or the other.
The EIC's stated target for 2026 was to allocate enough budget for around 40% of interviewed companies. Q1 delivered on that promise in the first round.
The headline rate doesn't mean much without context. Myriad's analysis of the 2024 and 2025 data shows how the programme has shifted in a short period.
In 2024, the face-to-face (F2F) rate hit a record 36%, partly inflated by the consensus meeting rule introduced that year, and the full application-to-win rate was 6%. In 2025, a tighter filter at the full application stage brought the F2F rate down sharply, to 13% at the October cut-off. But the flip side of that filter was a then-record F2F-to-win rate of 37%. Fewer companies were reaching interview; more were winning once they got there.
Q1 2026 pushes that pattern further. The filter is tighter still, and the reward for making it through is higher than it's ever been.
Application volumes also appear to be falling year-on-year. The October 2024 cut-off saw 1,211 full applications; by October 2025 that had dropped to 923, a reduction of nearly 25% in a single year. Early indicators suggest 2026 will continue this trend, driven at least in part by the three-max-submissions rule removing repeat applicants from the pool.
Q1 2026 is the first real-world test of the 2026 Work Programme's structural changes. The key differences from previous years:
The 44% F2F-to-win rate suggests the new ranking approach is working as intended. A smaller, better-filtered group is reaching interview, and a higher proportion is winning. If that pattern holds across the remaining 2026 cut-offs, it'll confirm that the process reform has improved signal quality in a meaningful way.
Q1 2026's top performers by number of funded companies: France (6), UK (5), Germany (4), Sweden (4), and Switzerland (4). Across all 38 companies, 16 countries are represented, spanning 12 EU Member States and 4 Associated Countries.
Cumulatively across all years, Germany, France, and the Netherlands have led the table. Among Associated Countries, the UK has now overtaken Israel. It’s worth noting that UK companies can only access grant-only funding under current rules, and all 5 UK companies in Q1 received grants without an equity component.
For Irish applicants: one Irish company was funded in this round. Pilot Photonics Ltd received blended finance of €2.5 million for its Photonic Integrated Converter Oscillator project. After a difficult 2024 (Ireland's worst year since 2021, with just one success), the country recovered to three wins in 2025. Irish companies can definitely compete at this level, as recent Myriad-supported EIC wins have shown, but it takes preparation.
21% of Q1 2026 companies are women-led, defined as having a female CEO, CTO, or CSO. That's consistent with 2024's figure (also 21%), but down from roughly 30% in 2025.
One data point isn't a trend reversal; 2025's 30% was itself a notable high, and Q1 is a single cohort. It's worth monitoring across the remaining 2026 cut-offs before drawing conclusions.
The Q1 2026 data reinforces a pattern that's been forming for two years. If you're preparing an EIC Accelerator application, three things are worth holding onto.
First, the interview stage is increasingly the signal that counts. A 44% F2F-to-win rate means that if you're invited to interview, you're nearly as likely to win as not. That's an indicator of quality, and it should shape how seriously you approach your full application.
Second, the filter before interview is stricter than it's ever been. Your full application now needs to earn a top score in a ranked list, not just clear a threshold. The reduction to 20 pages removes filler but means every section must work harder to stand out.
Third, the three-max-submissions rule still applies. A weak application costs one of your three attempts under Horizon Europe. That's not a reason to hold back but you should only apply when you're genuinely ready.
The next cut-off deadlines are May and July, with interviews scheduled for October/November 2026. If you're thinking about applying for that window, now is the time to start building your submission.
If you'd like an honest assessment of where your company stands before you commit to an application, get in touch with Myriad's team.
EIC Accelerator Q1 2026: 38 companies funded from 87 interviewed, a record 44% interview-to-win rate. What the data means for Irish applicants.
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