Caroline Bergaud

Helping exceptional European deep tech startups raise public and private funding. EIC Accelerator expert. Step-mum of 4.

[Caroline Bergaud @carolinebergaud]

@EUeic Could you indicate how many characters applicants have for each single question? That would be really helpful for those who will only get the go/no go end of May. Thanks.

[Caroline Bergaud @carolinebergaud]

""L'innovation de rupture ne sort pas de nulle part. Plus encore que l'innovation classique, elle se construit car elle s'ancre typiquement dans 10, 15, 20 ans de R&D."" https://t.co/tVyf1W401T via @lecho

[Caroline Bergaud @carolinebergaud]

@Gmoralescid @EUeic I know, Gabriel. I'm just asking for an official confirmation from @EUeic once they are all out.

[Caroline Bergaud @carolinebergaud]

Could you send a tweet once all #EICAccelerator interview invitations have been sent @EUeic ? 4000+ applicants will be disappointed and will want to know too.

[Caroline Bergaud @carolinebergaud]

@eu_innovconsult @EUeic c) We should be ready to pay evaluators more. The level of expertise required is not trivial and quality has a cost.

I couldn't agree more that "evaluators must be bound to the same levels of excellence as the applicants".
If not, we will be wasting billions.

[Caroline Bergaud @carolinebergaud]

@eu_innovconsult @EUeic b) Both ERC laureates and @EIF_EU funded business angels and VCs make for a natural pool of deep tech innovation evaluators which should be tapped into. We should use all those whom the European ecosystem has collectively already identified as being excellent.

[Caroline Bergaud @carolinebergaud]

@eu_innovconsult @EUeic I agree with all recommendations except for 3 points:
a) Your go/no go system at full proposal stage will yield too many short-listed applicants for the interview.I would have 3 evaluators at that stage instead of 2 & require that all 3 score "go" to regulate the interview influx

[Caroline Bergaud @carolinebergaud]

@labs_innovation @EUeic @EUScienceInnov @EU_Growth @JeanDavidMALO1 @DSMeu @KingaStan1 @Lauragestefani @RobertoVerganti @ana_maiques @FredrikHrstedt @GabrielMariya I fully agree. When I check some experts profiles on LinkedIn, I have serious concerns about their legitimacy to decide on Europe's future so clearly, that legitimacy must be assessed on an ongoing basis. The stakes are too high for Europe to run the risk of getting this wrong.

[Caroline Bergaud @carolinebergaud]

@labs_innovation @EUeic @EUScienceInnov @EU_Growth @JeanDavidMALO1 @DSMeu @KingaStan1 @Lauragestefani @RobertoVerganti @ana_maiques @FredrikHrstedt @GabrielMariya Because they will know that they will be kicked out if there are too many applicants requesting a redress in relation to their evaluations. The beginnings would be rocky but that's a pragmatic way of shining a light on which evaluators don't read or understand what they read.

[Caroline Bergaud @carolinebergaud]

@labs_innovation @EUeic @EUScienceInnov @EU_Growth @JeanDavidMALO1 @DSMeu @KingaStan1 @Lauragestefani @RobertoVerganti @ana_maiques @FredrikHrstedt @GabrielMariya That's largely why even former Commissioners come to people like you and me after stepping down: they know about the political messaging but have very limited understanding of how all these programmes work at an operational level.

[Caroline Bergaud @carolinebergaud]

@labs_innovation @EUeic @EUScienceInnov @EU_Growth @JeanDavidMALO1 @DSMeu @KingaStan1 @Lauragestefani @RobertoVerganti @ana_maiques @FredrikHrstedt @GabrielMariya I agree that the root of the problem is evaluation and that a vision only stands a chance of becoming a reality if you work relentlessly at its execution. It's just like in the start-up world: execution is key.

[Caroline Bergaud @carolinebergaud]

@EUeic @EUScienceInnov @EU_Growth @JeanDavidMALO1 @DSMeu @KingaStan1 @Lauragestefani @RobertoVerganti @ana_maiques @FredrikHrstedt @GabrielMariya I hope this is helpful and thank the #EUeic Advisory Board again for this push in the right direction. Let's roll up our sleeves and get going now !

[Caroline Bergaud @carolinebergaud]

@EUeic @EUScienceInnov @EU_Growth @JeanDavidMALO1 @DSMeu @KingaStan1 @Lauragestefani @RobertoVerganti @ana_maiques @FredrikHrstedt @GabrielMariya In terms of branding, why doesn't @GabrielMariya, @JeanDavidMALO1 or the Chief Programme Manager do a #TEDTalk upon launching #HorizonEU to maximise the #EUeic's world-wide visibility & send a strong signal to those who think Europe is already out of the innovation race? 13/

[Caroline Bergaud @carolinebergaud]

@EUeic @EUScienceInnov @EU_Growth @JeanDavidMALO1 @DSMeu @KingaStan1 @Lauragestefani @RobertoVerganti @ana_maiques @FredrikHrstedt @GabrielMariya An improved "Seal of Excellence" involving synergies with EU Structural Funds would indeed make sense & help compensate the fact that #EICAccelerator has been a winner-takes-all programme for western Europe. 12/

[Caroline Bergaud @carolinebergaud]

@EUeic @EUScienceInnov @EU_Growth @JeanDavidMALO1 @DSMeu @KingaStan1 @Lauragestefani @RobertoVerganti @ana_maiques @FredrikHrstedt @GabrielMariya Wouldn't it make sense for @EIF_EU to be involved in the selection of programme managers? The latters' high quality & sufficient quantity are key to achieving the desired results & synergies within & across programmes with the @EU_Commission & @EIB + with VC's and corporates. 11/

[Caroline Bergaud @carolinebergaud]

@EUeic @EUScienceInnov @EU_Growth @JeanDavidMALO1 @DSMeu @KingaStan1 @Lauragestefani @RobertoVerganti @ana_maiques @FredrikHrstedt @GabrielMariya The use of AI would also be most welcome indeed, from harmonising proposal scores across the evaluator pool in order to minimise at times unacceptable variance to spotting copy-pasted proposal sections and benchmarking proposal budgets. 10/

[Caroline Bergaud @carolinebergaud]

@EUeic @EUScienceInnov @EU_Growth @JeanDavidMALO1 @DSMeu @KingaStan1 @Lauragestefani @RobertoVerganti @ana_maiques @FredrikHrstedt @GabrielMariya Similarly, why don't we request that all @EIF_EU-backed VCs contribute 2 team members to programme evaluation & coaching on an ongoing basis? This would maximise the chances of crowding in primarily from European investors and thus the macro-economic ROI for Europe @PatGresko 9/

[Caroline Bergaud @carolinebergaud]

@EUeic @EUScienceInnov @EU_Growth @JeanDavidMALO1 @DSMeu @KingaStan1 @Lauragestefani @RobertoVerganti @ana_maiques @FredrikHrstedt @GabrielMariya Why couldn't we involve ERC laureates & their peers at national level as well as all European Nobel laureates in the tech/scientific evaluation of proposals, which would by the same token give the EIC programme the high profile we are looking for? 8/

[Caroline Bergaud @carolinebergaud]

@EUeic @EUScienceInnov @EU_Growth @JeanDavidMALO1 @DSMeu @KingaStan1 @Lauragestefani @RobertoVerganti @ana_maiques @FredrikHrstedt @GabrielMariya Further to this, what is your recommendation to maximise the quality of recruitment & training of evaluators and jurists, which is absolutely core to the programme's success? How do we make sure every single one has been briefed and knows exactly what is expected of them? 6/