PARSEC Accelerator

PARSEC Accelerator is a Belgium-based business accelerator that provides equity-free funding and support to SMEs, start-ups, entrepreneurs, and researchers developing Earth Observation (EO)-based products and services for the Food, Energy, and Environment sectors. The two-stage program distributes €2.5 million in grant funding to 100 beneficiaries, helping transform innovative EO ideas into market-ready solutions.

PARSEC is a business accelerator supporting the creation of new Earth Observation (EO) based products and services. The accelerator targets SMEs, start-ups, entrepreneurs and researchers who want to have an impact on the emerging Food, Energy and Environment sectors. With the support of PARSEC, their ideas will be developed into solutions fuelled by the benefits of EO.

The holistic two-stage acceleration programme will distribute a total of €2.5 Million equity-free funding to 100 beneficiaries, alongside other key resources (coaching, matchmaking, promotion) needed to develop and launch 15 new products and services into the global market. PARSEC will also provide a suite of Business Catalysts for transforming data into market-ready services. The first Open Call for applications, held between September 2019 and January 2020, resulted in 100 winners – #100PARSEC – accessing the first stage. The second Open Call, including the PARSEC Demo Days pitch competition, was held between March and July 2020 and selected 15 winning teams of 2-3 SMEs – #15PARSEC. These SMEs are further working on their solutions during the second stage of PARSEC. The acceleration programme will conclude in October 2021.

The PARSEC Accelerator is funded by the “Horizon 2020” Research and Innovation programme of the European Union.