https://www.eu-startups.com/2025/11/startup-corporate-partnerships-in-europe-interview-with-michiel-scheffer-president-of-the-european-innovation-council-board/
Ever wondered how startups and large corporations can join forces to turn breakthrough ideas into real-world solutions? The European Innovation Council (EIC) is the EU’s flagship body for identifying, funding, and scaling disruptive technologies. Within it, the Corporate Partnership Programme (CPP) brings together deep-tech startups and major industry players to accelerate commercial collaboration across Europe and beyond.
Today, we speak with Michiel Scheffer, President of the Board of the European Innovation Council. In the interview, we ask him about the evolution and impact of the EIC CPP, the insights behind the newly released corporate–startup collaboration **report,** success stories and key metrics, the future “Corporates Network,” and the growing international dimension of the programme – including the recent mission to Japan. Let’s dive right into it!
For our readers who have never heard of it before, in one sentence, what is the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme (CPP) all about?
The EIC CPP is a programme to connect deeptech startups to corporates, in order to establish commercial contracts.
Why should innovators and companies be excited about the newly released EIC report, Unlocking innovation through Corporate-Startup collaboration? What makes this report a must-read?
The report provides an analysis of the activities the EIC developed in the last years through its EIC CPP with large corporations, and offers a clear roadmap for effective corporate-startup collaboration that can be extended and replicated.
It demonstrates that corporate venturing attains a high traction of both corporates and startups. It is successful in creating meaningful contacts and contracts between both parties, covering pilot tests, joint development and sometimes financial participation.
Can you share some key statistics on corporate participation and business deals facilitated by the programme?
Since its launch in 2017, the Programme has facilitated over 1,600 engagements between EIC-backed startups and more than 120 leading corporations such as Airbus, Bayer, Galp, Roche, Siemens and Telefónica, resulting in more than 130 business deals, +600 structured follow-ups, and a 92% satisfaction rate among participants. Covering a wide range of sectors, from environment and energy to software, fintech, and quantum, the EIC CPP has organised so far 87 Corporate business activities ((Multi-)Corporate Days) across 15 Member States and Japan, engaging over 5,500 participants, including 3,684 corporate insiders and 1,521 innovative SMEs.
What makes the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme unique from other corporate-startup collaboration initiatives?
The EIC CPP is unique in its European scale, focus on disruptive technologies, structured multi-phase approach and exclusivity. Only startups and scaleups that have passed the highly competitive EIC selection (around 5% success rate) can join, ensuring a cohort with proven, exceptional potential.
The programme goes beyond classic networking or one-off pitch events. Interactions are curated over several months, before and after pitching. Corporates commit to structured follow-ups with clear objectives and measurable outcomes, while startups receive targeted training and mentoring to sharpen their value proposition and align with corporate needs. A data-driven matchmaking process allows corporates to select startups that fit their innovation priorities, building trust and enabling long-term, strategic collaboration.
What factors contribute to a successful corporate-startup partnership?
Commitment of both players, quality of preparation, empathy for the other party, contractual ease, and availability of technical facilities.
How do you measure the impact of the programme on startups and corporations? What have been some of the biggest success stories from the programme?
The EIC CPP is a business acceleration programme designed to catalyse high-value collaborations, and its impact is primarily assessed through the number of business follow-ups initiated and the deals concluded between startups and corporate partners.
Among the many success stories, one particularly noteworthy example is the strategic partnership between Holcim, global leader in sustainable building solutions, and Nanolike, a French EIC-backed deep-tech startup specialising in IoT-enabled inventory management. This collaboration illustrates the key stages of an effective Corporate Venturing strategy and clearly demonstrates the objectives and proven impact of the EIC CPP.