Building a European EdTech accelerator.
EkoHacks is forming a consortium for the next round of the Digital Europe Programme EdTech accelerator call. We are looking for three partner organisations, each in a different EU or associated country, to prepare the bid with us.
An accelerator for European EdTech
The call funds one consortium to build and operate an EdTech accelerator that selects, mentors, pilots and scales European EdTech startups and SMEs. Most of the budget passes directly to those startups through open calls, as financial support to third parties (FSTP).
The programme puts a strong focus on the ethical use of generative AI in education, in line with the GenAI4EU initiative, and on extended reality. Each round sets its own budget, duration and funding rate in its call.
Three roles complete the consortium
EkoHacks covers the technical and pedagogical core. The roles below complete the rest, and we welcome additional technical and software companies who want to collaborate.
Coordinator, priority
Accelerator or innovation operator
Runs the programme operations and manages the cascade funding passed to startups, the open calls, compliance, transparency and reporting. Prior EU FSTP or accelerator experience is essential, and a natural candidate to lead the consortium.
Evidence and pilots
Education or research institution
Designs the pilots in real educational settings and collects the quantitative and qualitative evidence on usability and learning impact. A university, research institute or education network with reach into schools, vocational training and lifelong learning.
Go to market
Market or investor network
Leads the go to market work after piloting. Investor readiness, navigating procurement, matchmaking events and connections to buyers and capital. A venture fund, business network or scale up agency.
EkoHacks, the technical anchor
EkoHacks is a working software engineering studio and a coding institute, teaching professional engineering through real projects. In the consortium it owns the acceleration curriculum, hands on technical mentoring, technical due diligence in selection, build and integration support for the pilots, and AI and XR engineering support.
Technical and software companies
The call actively encourages companies to join. If you build software, AI or XR and want to mentor cohort startups, help run expert clinics or add technical depth, there is room to collaborate alongside the core roles.
Other relevant partners
NGOs, public bodies and education or training providers are also encouraged. If your organisation can strengthen the programme or its European reach, we would like to hear from you.
A funded vehicle to grow European EdTech
Funded participation
Each partner's work in the project is paid for by the grant, on the terms the call sets.
European reach and visibility
A flagship Digital Europe project, with annual events and outputs published on the Digital Skills and Jobs Platform.
Deal flow and network
Direct access to the EdTech startups the accelerator selects, and to a pan European network of ministries, institutions and investors.
Clear, complementary roles
Each partner owns a clear work package, with balanced effort and budget.
What we ask, and the steps
We ask each partner to
- Be a validated legal entity in an eligible EU or associated country.
- Register in the EU Participant Register early, validation can take weeks.
- Co author the work package section of the proposal that you will own.
- Confirm your interest early, so that roles and the budget are agreed before the call opens.
The steps
- Now
- Confirm partners, agree roles and the budget split
- Before the call opens
- Register and validate every entity, and outline the proposal
- While the call is open
- Co write the proposal and submit it
- After submission
- Evaluation results, then the grant agreement and the start of the project
Interested in joining?
Get in touch to discuss your role, work package and budget. We are happy to share the full proposal outline and answer your questions.