Open Call: EU-LAC Digital Accelerator Programme

The EU-LAC Digital Accelerator is an initiative funded by the European Commission and part of the EU-LAC Digital Alliance, the first regional digital partnership between the Latin America and the Caribbean countries (LAC) and the European Union (EU), 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, TECNALIAVentures, Inter-American Development Bank IDB-Lab, TECNALIA-Colombia and Caribbean Export.

What they offer?

• 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.
• Selected applications will go through a programme structured into three main phases:
  • Phase 1: Develop your acceleration roadmap
    • Benefit: Guidance and follow-up to define a roadmap and receive the required services to reach the goals and objectives of the partnership.
  • Phase 2: Receive customised acceleration services
    • Benefit: Hands-on support to deploy your partnership, from proof-of-concept to business modelling and scaling up.
  • Phase 3: Gain visibility as a successful EU-LAC Partnership
    • Benefit: Access to an extended network of entrepreneurs, corporates and investors aiming to back EU-LAC Partnerships.

Who can apply?

• To be considered into evaluation, all partnerships must fulfil the following criteria:
  • The partnership must be stablished with at least one corporation and one start-up or innovative SME, and all partners must be legally established in any country from the European Union, Latin America, or the Caribbean. The criteria which define a start-up or SME according to the EU definition are:
    • Be independent (not linked or owned by another enterprise), in accordance with Recommendation 2003/361/EC.
    • Have a headcount in Annual Work Unit (AWU) less than 250.
    • Have an annual turnover less or equal to EUR50 million OR annual balance sheet total less or equal to EUR43 million.
  • Companies that do not have the values of the annual turnover or balance sheets yet are also considered eligible given that they fulfil the criteria.
  • 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.

For more information, visit EU-LAC Digital Accelerator.