Open call for EU-LAC Digital Accelerator

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, TECNALIAVentures, Inter-American Development Bank IDB-Lab, TECNALIA-Colombia and Caribbean Export.

Scope of the Open Call #1

• 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.

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.

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.
• The services available for selected beneficiaries is structured into four main categories:
  • Phase: Road mapping
    • Objective: Define your customised plan and services to achieve your goals.
  • Phase: Proof-of concept
    • Objective: Find the problem-solution fit to decide how to address your business opportunity.
  • Phase: Business Case
    • Objective: Identify the product-market fit to define how to implement your business opportunity.
  • Phase: Investment & Scaling
    • Objective: Define your growth plan and connect with investors.

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.

Who can apply to the Open Call #1?

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 (a) and (b).
• 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 Alliance.