Catalyse NEB is the EIT Community New European Bauhaus accelerator for start-ups integrating sustainability, aesthetics and inclusion into their businesses, products and services – for impact-driven start-ups that want to grow without compromising their values. Built on the foundation of the New European Bauhaus (NEB) – Europe’s creative engine for turning the Green Deal into everyday reality, rethinking how we build our cities, produce materials, and shape communities – Catalyse NEB helps you scale your business and your purpose, while connecting you to Europe’s most vibrant innovation community.
The programme will support 20 start-ups responding to community needs and addressing the strategic focus areas of three KIC (Knowledge and Innovation Community) groups: Climate KIC, EIT Food or EIT Urban Mobility. Applicants who reach stage 3 will be interviewed by the KIC for their strategic focus area before a final decision is made.
Each selected start-up receives a €22,000 grant and a range of accelerator services.
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Both EIT KIC partners and non-partners may apply. Applicants must:
- Be a for-profit start-up incorporated after 1 January 2022 in an eligible country (this includes the UK)
- Have a registered Participant Identification Code (PIC) at the time of application.
- Have generated at least €15,000 in revenue in 2026, secured at least €40,000 in investment, or participated in Ignite NEB.
- Have received, or be seeking, venture funding and be at pre-seed, seed or, exceptionally, Series A stage, with no more than €1 million raised in total.
- Have a TRL/BRL of at least 4, or have participated in Ignite NEB.
- Have more than 50% of shares owned by the founder and/or co-founders.
- Reach at least ambition level 1 for all three NEB core values, as described in the NEB Compass.
- Address at least one strategic focus area of a participating KIC (Climate KIC, EIT Food or EIT Urban Mobility).
Applicants should have raised no more than €1,000,000 in total funding at the time of applying.
Cultural and creative sectors and industries are encouraged to apply where they meet these requirements.
Two cohort places are reserved for eligible Ignite NEB applicants through a dedicated selection process. Remaining Ignite NEB applicants may be considered through the standard process.
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Each selected start-up receives a €22,000 grant and a range of accelerator services:
- Tailored one-to-one business and design mentoring.
- Workshops covering business development, communications and New European Bauhaus values.
- Online and in-person networking activities.
- Visibility opportunities throughout the programme.
Services are tailored to the selected start-ups’ needs and may change accordingly.
The grant supports travel, participation in events, and other goods and services needed for dissemination and exploitation. It is paid in two €11,000 instalments: after signing the required agreements, and at programme end following completion of the required final reports.
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Climate-KIC
- Circular Economy: Packaging, Waste management, Fashion, Textiles, Sustainable materials, Waste to resource technologies, Biomass & waste valorization.
- Built-Environment: Carbon neutral materials, Decarbonized steel, cement etc., Energy Efficient Buildings, Novel Materials, Electrification of heating and cooling, Engineered carbon sinks.
- Food and Agriculture: Regenerative agriculture/farming solutions, Precision Agriculture, Sustainable supply chains, Climate-Smart Crop Breeding, Water Management, Soil health enhancement, Renewable energy integration.
- Decarbonization of industrial processes and manufacturing: Carbon neutral chemistry, Energy distribution systems, New Energy vectors, Carbon capture and utilization.
- Blue Economy: Decarbonization of the maritime industry, Aquaculture, Natural carbon capture, Ocean/Tidal energy, Smart ports & Logistics, Coastal & Habitat protection, Ocean Plastics Reduction and Recycling, Blue Carbon Initiatives, Water treatment.
EIT Food
- Mission1: Net Zero Food System: Accelerates the transition towards net zero by scaling regenerative agriculture, reducing food loss and waste, and growing the circular food economy through packaging and labelling.
- Mission 2: Healthier Lives through Food: Enables healthier, more sustainable diets by improving access to affordable healthy food, diversifying protein choices and optimising nutrient density.
- Mission 3: Food System Resilience: Strengthens food security and safety by building resilient, dependable and digitally enabled food supply chains and reducing risks across the food system.
Key Priority Areas: Protein Diversification, Resilient/Regenerative Agriculture and Agri-food Biotech, supporting the delivery of EIT Food’s three overarching missions.
EIT Urban Mobility
- Active Mobility: Integrated mobility, Fostering Walkability, Safety, Route Planning
- Sustainable City Logistics: Delivery, Waste Management, Circular Freight, Logistics Infrastructure, Shared-vehicle Service for Logistics
- Transport Infrastructure: Inter-modality, Mobility infrastructure, Autonomous Public Transport, On-demand Public Transport, Parking (cars)
- Future Mobility: Traffic management, Waterborne Mobility, Shared Mobility (cars), Urban Air Mobility
- Mobility and Energy: Electrification Cars, Electrification Other, Hydrogen for Mobility, Battery tech
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- Opening call: 26 October 2026
- Information session: 25 November 2026 at 5 pm CET (check the NEB website for details)
- Deadline for call content questions: 2 December 2026
- Call FAQ posting: 9 December 2026
- Closing call: 15th January 2027 (17:00 CET)
- Admissibility and eligibility checks: 29 January 2027
- Round 1 evaluations: 19 February 2027
- Deadline for written confirmation on SAFE signing: 5 March 2027
- Initial consensus: 10 March 2027
- Round 2 interviews: 11 March to 2 April 2027
- Final consensus and communication of final selection to the participants: 7 April 2027
- Deadline to Sign FSA and SAFE: 21 May 2027
- Start of programme: 31 May 2027
- End of programme: 31 December 2027