Horizon Europe · Startup Europe
Accelerating Europe's deep tech scaleups
ACCEND is a Horizon Europe project connecting ten innovation organisations across six countries to help deep tech scaleups grow across borders. In 2026 we accelerated 80 companies building solutions for smarter, greener and more liveable cities.
ACCEND Accelerator · 2026 in numbers
80
deep tech scaleups accelerated
19
countries
10
partners in 6 countries
51
experts in our Working Groups
One programme, many ecosystems
Europe has strong innovation hubs, but a scaleup's support often stops at its own regional border. ACCEND brings accelerators, research centres, regional agencies and city networks together to offer a single, joined-up route to growth.
Every ACCEND company is matched with a dedicated Guide from our consortium. Together they build a tailored journey through four kinds of support: access to finance, piloting in real-world testbeds, public procurement of innovation, and global growth coaching.
Alongside the accelerator, we are testing whether this way of working can last beyond the project, so that cross-border support becomes the norm rather than the exception.
Read about the projectFind your way in
ACCEND brings together scaleups and the organisations that help them grow. Start with what describes you best.
Deep tech scaleups
Find out who ACCEND is for and what companies get.
Is ACCEND for you?Cities and public buyers
Meet scaleups with solutions to urban challenges.
Work with usInvestors
Discover revenue-generating deep tech scaleups.
Work with usTestbeds and support organisations
Join the network of organisations helping scaleups grow.
Work with usPolicymakers and researchers
See what ACCEND is learning about cross-border growth.
See our resultsFour routes to scale
Each company's Guide builds a journey from four kinds of support, delivered by partners across Europe.
Access to Finance
Investor matchmaking and help getting investment-ready.
More on financePiloting
Testing technology in living labs and testbeds across Europe.
More on pilotingPublic Procurement of Innovation
Routes to public buyers and city partners.
More on procurementGlobal Growth Coaching
Expert support for expanding into new markets.
More on global growthTechnology for cities
ACCEND supports deep tech scaleups working across three major themes.
Smart Cities
Built environment, mobility, circular economy, education, social services, health and wellbeing.
Net Zero Cities
Clean tech and other solutions that cut cities' emissions.
Regenerative Cities
Deep tech that reduces environmental damage, restores biodiversity and manages natural resources better.
80 companies, two cohorts. Cohort 1 (27 companies) ran from February to June 2026; Cohort 2 (53) runs from June to December. Nearly half are based in emerging or moderate innovation regions, and a third are female-founded.
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Who we are
ACCEND is delivered by ten organisations, coordinated by the University of Edinburgh.
- University of Edinburgh · UK, coordinator
- 28Digital · Finland
- Cámara de Comercio de Cáceres · Spain
- CodeBase · UK
- EdTechHub · Poland
- NCSR Demokritos · Greece
- Open & Agile Smart Cities · Belgium
- Regional Development Fund of Western Greece · Greece
- Startup Poland · Poland
- Vrije Universiteit Brussel · Belgium
Project at a glance
Key facts for funders, reviewers and other projects.
| Programme | Horizon Europe, Startup Europe (Coordination and Support Action) |
|---|---|
| Grant agreement | 101193504 |
| Duration | January 2025 – December 2026 |
| Coordinator | University of Edinburgh |
| Partners | 10 organisations in 6 countries |
| More | ACCEND on CORDIS |
Follow ACCEND
Hear about our results, events and the companies we work with.