Results

What ACCEND has achieved so far

The first ACCEND cohort of 27 deep tech scaleups took part in the online programme from February to June 2026. This page sets out what they did, what changed for them, and what we learned. Results for Cohort 2 will be added when it finishes in December 2026.

Interim results · Cohort 1 · updated November 2026

Cohort 1 in numbers What we learned Lasting results

Cohort 1 · February to June 2026

Opening doors in new markets

Each company worked with a dedicated Guide, who connected it to pilot sites, public buyers, investors and growth coaching across the partnership. Most of those connections were in another country.

62

piloting opportunities presented to 10 companies

33

pilot matches made between companies and pilot partners

9 of 10

companies that asked for a one-to-one introduction to a city got one

15

companies signed up for investor-readiness and pitching sessions with investors

Cities and public bodies that met Cohort 1 companies one-to-one include Mechelen, Rotterdam, Gothenburg, Tampere, Birmingham and the Provincial Council of Cáceres, as well as a working group of ten cities in nine countries through the Open & Agile Smart Cities network.

In their own words

What companies report

At the end of the programme we asked every Cohort 1 company what had changed for it. Thirteen of the 27 companies answered. Between them, they report:

€617k

investment raised during the programme

€826k

increase in revenue during the programme

46

meetings with investors

17

cross-border collaborations started

16

new partnerships formed

6

new jobs created

Did ACCEND improve your access to…

Cities8 of 13
Investors7 of 13
Procurement opportunities4 of 13

Reading these figures. They are reported by the companies themselves and describe what they achieved while taking part in ACCEND, not all of it because of ACCEND. Four of the 13 companies point to a specific deal, pilot or introduction that they credit to ACCEND. Cohort 1 answered before the autumn's in-person events, so outcomes from those are not yet included.

Learning as we go

What we learned, and what we changed

ACCEND is a pilot, so learning from Cohort 1 matters as much as its results. Companies and Guides told us what worked and what did not, and we changed the programme for Cohort 2.

  • We heardCompanies wanted more individual contact with investors, not just group sessions.
    We changedCompanies going to Slush get a one-to-one preparation session with our investment expert, so they arrive with investor meetings already booked.
  • We heardThe online platform took time to learn, and some companies had trouble with meeting links.
    We changedGuides now introduce the platform in the first meeting, so companies know how to find sessions and contacts from the start.
  • We heardSmall teams struggled to find time for long check-ins.
    We changedThe first Guide call is now 30 minutes, and the mid-point review can be a short call or an email.
  • We heardSome sessions were too general for a company's stage, and it was hard to judge in advance which would be useful.
    We are working onMore targeted sessions for different stages, and clearer descriptions of what each session offers.

Engagement also varied between companies. ACCEND works best when a company stays in regular contact with its Guide, and we have made check-ins shorter and more flexible to support that.

Beyond the accelerator

Results that will outlast the project

ACCEND's first objective is to make cross-border support for scaleups easier to find and use. That work produces results that last beyond the accelerator itself.

295

ACCEND Service Directory

Organisations offering scaleup support across Europe, mapped in one place and kept available after the project ends.

51

Experts in seven Working Groups

Investors, city representatives, programme managers and business strategists who co-designed ACCEND's services.

10

Partners, one way of working

A shared way of recording, accessing and adding to scaleup services across six countries, and work on a long-term plan to continue it.

Coming next

What to expect

Follow ACCEND for results Public reports on CORDIS
How we count

The figures on this page come from three sources:

  • records kept by each company's Guide across three structured meetings;
  • activity logs kept by the partners who lead piloting, public procurement and access to finance; and
  • an end-of-programme survey, answered by 13 of the 27 Cohort 1 companies.

Survey figures are reported as the companies gave them, and we do not attribute an outcome to ACCEND unless the company does. Session counts are mainly registrations, as the online platform records attendance for only some sessions. Full detail is set out in the project's report on Cohort 1 company journeys.

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Get in touch to discuss ACCEND's results or our approach.

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