F6S NETWORK LIMITED

Their core work

F6S operates one of Europe's largest online platforms for startups and SMEs, providing deal flow, acceleration programme management, and matchmaking services. In H2020 projects, they typically contribute their platform infrastructure and vast startup network to help consortia run open calls, cascade funding, and startup scouting activities. They connect deep-tech innovators with funding, mentors, and market opportunities across sectors ranging from blockchain and IoT to agrifood and manufacturing. Their real value is access — to a database of millions of startups and the operational tools to filter, engage, and accelerate them at scale.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In 2014–2018, F6S focused squarely on startup support fundamentals: investment readiness training, coaching, pitching, IoT accelerators, and helping web entrepreneurs scale across borders (InvestHorizon, DIGISTART, STARTUP-SCALEUP, Soft-Landing). From 2019 onward, their role shifted toward ecosystem orchestration — running matchmaking platforms, managing open calls for cascade funding, and embedding into larger thematic consortia in areas like bioeconomy, circular economy, and media. The transition from "startup accelerator participant" to "ecosystem infrastructure provider" is unmistakable, with the surge in third-party roles (21 total) reflecting demand for their platform as a service rather than their direct project participation.

F6S is evolving from a startup accelerator into a horizontal ecosystem infrastructure provider, increasingly embedded across diverse sectors as the go-to platform for open calls and SME engagement in EU projects.

How they like to work

F6S overwhelmingly operates as a service provider rather than a research performer — 21 of their 40 projects are third-party engagements, meaning consortia bring them in for their platform and network access. They coordinated only 3 projects but partnered with 620 unique organizations across 50 countries, making them one of the most broadly connected SMEs in H2020. This "hub" pattern means partnering with F6S gives you instant reach into a massive startup and SME network, but don't expect them to contribute technical R&D — their value is in deal flow, outreach, and programme operations.

With 620 unique consortium partners across 50 countries, F6S has one of the widest collaboration networks of any SME in H2020. Their reach is genuinely pan-European and beyond, with no strong geographic concentration — they serve as a connector node across the entire EU research and innovation landscape.

What sets them apart

F6S is not a research organization or technology developer — they are the infrastructure layer for startup engagement in EU projects. When a consortium needs to run an open call, scout startups, manage applications from hundreds of SMEs, or distribute cascade funding, F6S is the default choice with an unmatched platform and network. No other H2020 participant offers this combination of reach (millions of startups on their platform), operational tooling, and cross-sector flexibility at comparable scale.

Highlights from their portfolio

• NGI Explorers
  Their largest coordinated project (EUR 1.09M) running a fellowship programme for Next Generation Internet — shows they can lead, not just support.
• XEUROPE
  Coordinated a cross-European matchmaking and ecosystem building programme for deep-tech startups, directly aligned with their core platform capabilities.
• DEMETER
  Demonstrates cross-sector reach — F6S embedded in a major agri-food IoT project, showing their platform works beyond pure digital/startup contexts.