Open call – Make your innovation go global with the EIC: Silicon Valley and Singapore

The EIC Global Business Expansion Programme has just announced its flagship expansion programmes for Silicon Valley and Singapore in October 2026. EIC-backed startups, scaleups and SMEs can now apply for the programme that best matches their ambition: Silicon Valley, the global epicentre of artificial intelligence and venture capital, or Singapore, Asia's gateway to the climate and energy transition. Both Expansion Programmes are designed to help you unlock real business opportunities, build strategic partnerships and accelerate international expansion, while keeping your core operations and value creation firmly in Europe. With the support of the EIC, you can now scale in a major market with the right partners, and the optimal chance to secure real business and investment opportunities.  

Apply now!

 SINGAPORE Expansion Programme apply here

SILICON VALLEY Expansion Programme apply here

Deadline: 26 June 2026

The two Expansion Programmes at a glance

Expansion Programme for Silicon Valley for selected EIC-backed AI-powered scale-ups

On-site Mission week: 12–16 October 2026

Anchored around: TechCrunch Disrupt

Silicon Valley is not just a market, it is the centre of gravity for artificial intelligence and venture capital. In 2025, roughly one in every two venture capital dollars worldwide went into AI, and the San Francisco Bay Area alone captured around 60% of all global AI funding, which means some USD 126 billion. Nowhere else on earth offers this density of investors, technology corporates, research institutions and AI talent.

This mission is built around a clear, confident positioning: European deep tech belongs at the table in Silicon Valley not as a recipient of attention, but as an essential partner. Europe's strengths in trustworthy AI, industrial and life-science applications, semiconductors and quantum are precisely the capabilities the Valley needs to build the next wave of AI. This is your opportunity to be seen, and to be sought after.

This mission is built for EIC-backed companies in:

• Core AI and deep digital technologies
• AI-enabled life sciences
• AI-enabled manufacturing
• Semiconductor and compute infrastructure
• AI-enabled energy

On the ground, you can expect:

• A policy and market-trends workshop with a leading Stanford AI institution
• Investor pitch sessions and curated matchmaking with top Bay Area venture capital
• Corporate and ecosystem visits across the Bay Area
• Full participation in TechCrunch Disrupt, including Startup Alley, investor meetings and high-visibility networking
• A flagship "European Innovation in the Spotlight" networking event with investors, corporates, researchers and ecosystem leaders
  
   

Expansion Programme for Singapore for climate and energy future technologies

On-site Mission week: 26–30 October 2026

Anchored around: SIEW–ACES and SWITCH

Singapore is the smartest single point of entry to one of the fastest-growing regions on the planet. It is the EU's largest trade partner in ASEAN, backed by the EU–Singapore Free Trade Agreement, and home to around 59% of all Asia-Pacific multinational regional headquarters. This means the decision-makers who run operations across Southeast Asia are concentrated in one city.

It is also where the energy transition is becoming serious commercial business. Singapore has committed to net-zero by 2050 under the Singapore Green Plan 2030. It was the first country in Southeast Asia to introduce a carbon tax, rising progressively toward SGD 50–80 per tonne of CO₂e by 2030. That creates real, near-term demand for decarbonisation, optimisation and emissions-reduction technologies across hard-to-abate sectors: manufacturing, logistics, cooling and the built environment.

Critically, Singapore is not only a market, it is a launchpad into the broader ASEAN region, where infrastructure demand and energy-transition needs are accelerating fast.

This mission is built for companies in:

• Industrial decarbonisation
• Energy AI and optimisation
• Grid, storage and electrification
• Built environment and urban energy systems

On the ground, you can expect:

• Sector-specific exposure across SIEW–ACES and SWITCH, two major ecosystem platforms in a single week
• Site and trade visits, expert sessions and pilot discussions
• Curated matchmaking with investors, corporates, public agencies and innovation partners
• A flagship "European Innovation Night" to raise your visibility and deepen business conversations

What every participant gets

Both missions run on the same high-impact EIC Global Business Expansion structure. This means support for a complete market-entry pathway, including:

• A 6–8 week online academy led by top industry experts and mentors
• 12 weeks of individual mentoring and tailored market-entry preparation
• A one-week on-site mission in the target hub, reserved for the 12 most promising companies per mission
• Tailored matchmaking with partners, customers, investors and procurers
• Investor-readiness support and market intelligence specific to your target market
• Post-mission follow-up to help you convert momentum into concrete results

Who should apply

The EIC Global Business Expansion Programme is an exclusive service for EIC-backed startups, scaleups and SMEs, with particular focus on EIC Fund–invested ("blended") companies that have already gained traction and are ready to expand internationally without overextending their resources at home.

How to apply

Choose your market and apply now.

Application deadline: 26 June 2026

Apply here for the Silicon Valley Expansion Programme

Apply here for the Singapore Expansion Programme

We strongly encourage all eligible EIC-backed companies to seize this opportunity. The world's most important innovation markets are ready for European deep tech and the EIC is opening the doors.

Silicon Valley or Singapore, decide now where your next step for global growth will take you.

About the EIC Global Business Expansion Programme

The EIC Global Business Expansion (GBE) Programme is part of the EIC Business Acceleration Services (BAS) and builds on the success of previous EIC Soft-Landing activities. It is designed for EIC-backed companies that are ready to go global, maintaining their focus on core European domestic operations, and want hands-on support to enter some of the world’s most competitive and opportunity-rich innovation hubs, while avoiding overextending upfront their resources.

Need help?

Should you have any questions on the Programme, please do not hesitate to contact us through the EIC Community Helpdesk by selecting "EVENT – EIC Silicon Valley 2026" or "EVENT – EIC Singapore 2026"as the subject in the "Category" field.

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