Open Call: EU-LAC Digital Accelerator Programme 2025

It is a multi-sided platform that connects business opportunities identified by large corporations with solutions proposed by start-ups and innovative SMEs. The accelerator supports partnerships generated between the parties to address these business opportunities jointly. Its objective is to support the development of these partnerships by providing specific services tailored to the needs of each of them.

EU-LAC Digital Accelerator is led by TECNALIA and major international benchmark institutions such as IESE Business School, WAYRA-Telefónica, the European Business and Innovation Centre Network (EBN), the European Business Angels Network (EBAN), Expertise France, OCTANTIS TECNALIA GROUP, Inter-American Development Bank IDB-Lab, TECNALIA-Colombia and Caribbean Export.

Scope of the Open Call

• The EU-LAC Digital Accelerator has stablished a mechanism of Open Calls to support the development of partnerships between large corporations and start-ups or innovative SMEs. Partnerships can be diverse and are not limited to any specific scope. The Open Call is not bound to any specific priority.
• The EU-LAC Digital Accelerator will provide services which are valued up to 30,000 Euros (up to 40,000 Euros if partners from the Caribbean are involved) to selected partnerships. The services will be provided by the partners of the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator. Therefore, no transaction or transfer of funding will be made to the beneficiaries.

Funding Information

• Start-ups, Scale-ups or Innovative SMEs can apply for the following financial support:
  • Proof of Concept (PoC) Development
    • The conditions to apply for the grant are as follows:
      • Only the startup or SME can be beneficiary of the financial support.
      • Each startup can be beneficiary of the financial support only ONCE.
      • EUR 7,000 support will be provided to cover the dedication to proof of-concept development or pilot project preparation, including for the following items:
      • Adaptation.
      • Integration.
      • Testing preparation and execution
  • Travel
    • The conditions to apply for the grant are as follows:
      • The partneships must have signed the Collaboration Agreement.
      • The travel objective must be the execution of a Proof of Concept (P
      • Only the Startup or SME can be beneficiary of the travel grant.
      • In case that more than one person from the startup travels, only one will be eligible for reimbursement.
      • Maximum EUR 2,000 support will be provided for the following items:
        • Transport (business class not eligible).
        • Accommodation.
      • If the travel expenses actually incurred are less than EUR 2 000, the amount actually spent shall be reimbursed.
  • Transportation of equipment
    • The conditions to apply for the grant are as follows:
      • The partneships must have signed the Collaboration Agreement.
      • The objective must be testing technological solutions in a real environment.
      • Only the Startup or SME can be beneficiary of the travel grant.
      • Maximum EUR 1,500 support will be provided for the following items:
        • Transport costs
      • If the expenses actually incurred for the transport of equipment are less than EUR 1,500, the amount actually spent shall be reimbursed.

Outline of the programme

• The EU-LAC Digital Accelerator offers a programme to develop partnerships between large corporations and start-ups or innovative SMEs from the European Union, Latin America or the Caribbean. Eligible geographies and countries are:
  • European Union: 27 member states, including Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
  • Latin America and the Caribbean: 33 countries, including Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Grenada, Guyana, Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, Panama, Dominican Republic, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, St. Lucia, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela and Uruguay.
• The programme will be carried out as follows:
  • Development of the acceleration roadmap
    • This phase will last approximately one month and includes the following activities:
      • Mentor assignment: A mentor from the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator network will be assigned to the beneficiary, supporting the partnership during the programme. The mentor will be assigned based on the needs identified by the applicant.
      • Assessment: Supported by the mentor, the partnership will assess and define the technical, business or investment goals to be reached during the acceleration pathway. A prioritization of goals will be agreed with the mentor.
      • Identification of services: Guided by the mentor, the partnership will identify the services required from the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator. These must be aligned with the roadmap submitted and the available services listed in the catalogue.
      • Signature of the collaboration agreement: Once services have been identified, the partnerships will meet with the providers to adjust the scope of work, signing an agreement which defines the work plan, commitments, and deliverables.
  • Delivery of acceleration services
    • This phase will last approximately five months and includes the following activity:
      • Delivery of acceleration services: The service providers will work together with the partnership in the implementation of the roadmap by providing the agreed services. Followup meetings will be held both with providers and the mentor.
    • All beneficiaries will receive road mapping services, while the rest of the services will be chosen according to the specific needs of the beneficiaries.
  • Visibility as a successful EU-LAC Partnership
    • It will be carried out according to the needs of the participants, by involving them in networking sessions and events or providing visibility on the results of their acceleration. These will be organised by the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator.

Eligibility Criteria

• To be considered into evaluation, all partnerships must fulfil the following criteria:
  • The partnership must be established with at least one start-up or innovative SME and one corporate, and all partners must be legally established in any country from the European Union, Latin America, or the Caribbean.
  • For the purpose of this Open Call:
    • The criteria which define a Start-up are:
      • Have a headcount of minimum 2 employees and no more than 50.
      • Have an annual turnover of minimum EUR 50,000 and no more than EUR 10 million.
      • It´s core business must be the development or integration of digital technologies.
    • The criteria which define a Scale-up or innovative SME are:
      • Have a headcount of no more than 250 employees.
      • Have an annual turnover of no more than EUR 50 million.
      • It´s core business must be the development or integration of digital technologies.
    • The criteria which define a Corporate are:
      • Have a headcount of more than 50 employees.
      • Have an annual turnover of more than EUR 10 million.
      • It must have a digital challenge that requires a technological implementation.
      • It must provide resources (funding, access to infrastructure, distribution network or experts, etc.) for the technological implementation.
  • Partnership members must come from at least two of the following geographical regions: the European Union, Latin America or the Caribbean.
  • Any kind of existing partnership between the parties involved must be declared. Even though the agreement or other confidential information will not be requested, applicants must indicate its scope and date of signature.
  • All applications must be submitted through the online form available on the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator website. Applicants are also required to read and accept the Open Call Application Guidelines and terms and conditions to receive acceleration services.
  • Companies can participate in a maximum of 2 acceleration processes, but with different companies involved in the partnership. This applies both to companies that submit their applications to the Open Call and to partnerships generated through challenges published in EULAC Digital Accelerator and that request the acceleration services.
  • A partnership involving the same companies cannot submit more than one application.

For more information, visit EU-LAC Digital Accelerator.