Imagine you have a great business idea that needs big data — like predicting retail demand or optimizing delivery routes — but you can't afford the servers, software, or expertise to get started. EDI was basically a free launchpad: it gave startups and small companies access to open-source big data tools, hands-on training, business coaching, and up to €5M in equity-free funding across three rounds. Think of it as a boot camp for data-driven companies, backed by 16 real data providers from finance, transport, energy, and retail who opened up their datasets so startups could build real products on real data.
Most European SMEs and startups with data-driven business ideas cannot get off the ground because big data tools require expensive infrastructure, specialized skills, and access to real datasets — resources only large corporations can typically afford. Meanwhile, valuable data sits trapped in organizational silos with no cross-sector exchange, leaving Europe with only 2 of the world's top 20 big data companies.
EDI built and operated a full incubation platform for big data startups: free open-source infrastructure, training programs, business development services, and a cascade-funding mechanism distributing up to €5M in equity-free grants through 3 open calls. It also created the EDI Big Data Innovators Community — a public platform for events, meetings, and knowledge exchange hosted on F6S.
If you are a retailer struggling to make sense of customer behavior data — EDI built an incubation program with free open-source big data tools and training from 16 data providers across sectors including retail. The program supported around 120 companies through a 3-phase process, offering business development services and equity-free funding to turn raw data into competitive advantage.
If you are a fintech company that needs large-scale data infrastructure but cannot afford the upfront capital investment — EDI provided free big data infrastructure, connections to finance-sector data providers, and up to €5M in equity-free funding distributed across 3 calls for proposals. The consortium also committed to raising up to €15M in additional private investment for its incubated companies.
If you are a transport or logistics company sitting on operational data you cannot fully exploit — EDI offered incubation specifically designed to break data out of silos. With 16 data providers including transport-sector partners and the largest online startup network (F6S) in the consortium, the program delivered training on off-the-shelf big data solutions and hands-on business support.
Participation was free. EDI provided free infrastructure with open-source tools, free training, business support services, and equity-free funding — meaning startups kept full ownership of their companies. The project disbursed up to €5M in equity-free grants across 3 calls for proposals.
EDI aimed to incubate around 120 companies through a 3-phase funnel approach across 3 calls for proposals. The consortium also committed to raising up to €15M in additional financing from private investors for incubated companies.
The funding was explicitly equity-free, meaning participating startups retained full ownership of their intellectual property and company equity. The infrastructure was built on open-source tools, so there are no licensing barriers to continued use after the program.
16 data providers from sectors including finance, transport, Industry 4.0, retail, media and content, and energy contributed real datasets to the incubation process. This cross-domain data access was a core part of the program's value proposition.
The project officially closed on June 30, 2021. However, the methodology, open-source tools, and the community built through F6S and the EDI Big Data Innovators Community may still offer value. The project website at edincubator.eu may have archived resources.
EDI offered four pillars: free big data infrastructure with open-source tools, training on well-known off-the-shelf solutions, dedicated business development and support services, and equity-free funding. The consortium included experienced accelerator managers from the FIWARE Accelerate programme and established incubators.
The EDI consortium was heavily industry-oriented, with 17 out of 21 partners (81%) from the private sector and 6 SMEs — a strong signal that this was built for real-world business impact, not academic research. The 10-country spread across Europe (Austria, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Turkey, and the UK) gave the program broad geographic reach. Key players included experienced accelerator operators from the FIWARE Accelerate programme, established incubators like Deusto Entrepreneurship Centre and etventure Seed Lab, and F6S — the largest online startup network. The coordinator, Universidad de Deusto in Spain, brought academic grounding while the rest of the consortium delivered business execution.
Universidad de Deusto (Spain) — search for EDI project coordinator or big data incubation lead at Deusto
Want to replicate EDI's incubation model for your region or sector? SciTransfer can connect you with the consortium partners who built it. Contact us for an introduction.
