About the project
A more joined-up Europe for deep tech scaleups
ACCEND brings together ten organisations from six countries, including accelerators, research centres, regional development agencies and city networks, to make it easier for Europe's deep tech scaleups to get the support they need to grow, wherever they are based.
Why ACCEND exists
Europe has world-class innovation hubs, but scaleup support is still largely organised region by region. A company's accelerator, investor network and public-sector contacts often stop at its own border, and organisations that could complement each other end up working in isolation.
ACCEND set out to change that. Instead of each partner offering its own programme, we align our services, share expertise and give companies one route into support across all of our regions, so each region plays to its strengths and the partnership is stronger than its parts.
Objective 1
Strengthening collaboration across Europe's deep tech ecosystems
Our first objective is to build a shared foundation for long-term collaboration: a joint, cross-border directory of scaleup services, and a common way of recording, accessing and adding to them.
The result is the ACCEND Service Directory, a guide to organisations offering scaleup support across Europe, organised around four service areas: Access to Finance, Piloting, Public Procurement of Innovation and Global Growth Coaching.
The services were co-designed by specialist Working Groups bringing together experts from across the partnership and the wider ecosystem, from investors and programme managers to city representatives and business strategists.
295
organisations in the Service Directory
7
Working Groups
50+
experts shaping our services
Service Working Groups
One for each of the four service areas, co-designing what ACCEND offers and how it is delivered.
Inclusion
A dedicated Inclusion Working Group, chaired by the University of Edinburgh, keeps inclusion part of every service rather than a separate track.
Business development
Senior leaders from across the ecosystem guide joint business development and the partnership's long-term direction.
Objective 2
Launching the ACCEND Accelerator pilot
Our second objective puts the shared directory into practice. The ACCEND Accelerator gives deep tech scaleups working on smarter, greener and more liveable cities a dedicated Guide and tailored, cross-border support from across the partnership.
Every cohort is also a test of the model. What we learn from companies feeds back into the services themselves, so each round leaves Europe's scaleup support a little stronger. How ACCEND works
80
deep tech scaleups accelerated
2
cohorts in 2026
19
countries
Beyond the project
ACCEND is a pilot for a long-term way of working. The Service Directory will remain available after the project ends, hosted by Startup Poland and in a project repository at the University of Edinburgh, and partners are exploring how to continue working together.