Resubmitting or Applying for the first time
to the EU Innovation Fund?

Many strong Innovation Fund proposals fall short on one key criterion which also moves your proposal from technically strong to genuinely fundable: Financial Maturity. However, with the right expertise, this is one of the fastest and most impactful sections to improve — and we can help you strengthen it.  

Nordic Innovators offers a unique advantage for both new applicants and resubmissions, which is a fully integrated approach combining the deep technical understanding of our Energy, Climate & Circular Bioeconomy (ECC) team with the deal-making and investment expertise of our Corporate Finance specialists. This synergy enables us to deliver exactly what CINEA expects from market-ready, investable projects.

How We Support Your Innovation Fund Resubmission

In recent calls, many technically excellent projects received excellent scores in GHG avoidance, innovation, and scalability — yet ultimately fell short because their financial maturity package did not demonstrate validated assumptions, lender alignment or tangible progress toward full funding. CINEA is increasingly clear that strong technology is not enough; the Fund prioritises projects that show credible, externally substantiated financing readiness.

This is where the integrated collaboration between our ECC team and Nordic Innovators Corporate Finance (NICF) becomes valuable. ECC brings the technical understanding and sector depth needed to frame a coherent decarbonisation case. NICF complements this by leading lender dialogues and securing documentation that reflects real market expectations. Through our established access to institutions such as the Nordic Investment Bank, the European Investment Bank, DNB, Deutsche Bank, BNP Paribas and other project finance lenders, we help applicants obtain materials that demonstrate authentic funder engagement rather than generic expressions of interest.

Together, the Teams Help Applicants Strengthen:

* A credible, investment-ready financial model aligned with realistic lender and investor expectations
* A financing structure refined through dialogue with relevant banks and project finance institutions
* Concrete supporting documents - LOIs, indications of interest or other materials - that evidence actual steps toward financing
* A clear and consistent financial maturity narrative that stands up to evaluator scrutiny.

The impact of this work is reflected in the outcomes. A considerable portion of successful Innovation Fund projects did not pass on their first attempt. They succeeded once financial maturity was reinforced with validated assumptions, clearer structures and lender-backed evidence. Strengthening this area not only raises the likelihood of success with the Innovation Fund but also builds long-term financing resilience for the project.

Who We Support

Whether you are refining a declined submission or preparing an entirely new application, our collaboration across teams ensures that the financial side of your proposal is as robust, credible and well-supported as the technical side. This combined effort enhances confidence among assessors and investors alike.

Our team can help transform a good application into a fundable, investment-ready proposal whether you are:

If you are planning to apply in the next call or optimise a previous proposal, now is the right moment to elevate your financial maturity in line with CINEA’s expectations and the current financing landscape.