UniScool
Founded in 2022 as a spin-off from the University of Lleida, UniSCool is a Catalan deep-tech startup developing highly efficient liquid cooling systems for data centres, secured €2.5 million in grant funding through the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator. With tailored support from ACCIÓ, member of the Enterprise Europe Network, the company strengthened its application and successfully prepared for the final interview in Brussels. Thanks to the European Commission's “Plug-in” recognition awarded to ACCIÓ's Startup Capital scheme, UniSCool was also able to fast-track the selection process. The funding will accelerate the commercialisation of a technology capable of reducing energy consumption in data centres by up to 50%.
From Startup Capital to EIC Accelerator: UniSCool secures €2.5 million to revolutionise data centre cooling
Founded in 2022 as a spin-off from the University of Lleida, UniSCool develops adaptive direct liquid cooling systems for data centres. Its technology delivers cooling only where and when it’s needed, helping data centres reduce their energy consumption by up to 50% compared to conventional solutions.
As demand for computing power and AI applications continues to grow, data centres are under increasing pressure to improve their energy efficiency. UniSCool was created to address this challenge and has developed an innovative solution with the potential to significantly reduce the environmental impact of digital infrastructure.
As the company moved from technology development towards market deployment, securing funding became a key priority. The team decided to apply for the EIC Accelerator, one of Europe's most competitive funding programmes for innovative startups and SMEs.
UniSCool had already worked with ACCIÓ through the Startup Capital programme and turned again to the Enterprise Europe Network team for support during the application process. Building on the experience gained through Startup Capital, the EEN team provided strategic guidance to strengthen the company's proposal and prepare for the final interview before the EIC jury in Brussels. Particular attention was given to presenting not only the technical strengths of the solution, but also its commercial potential, scalability and expected market impact.
The effort paid off. UniSCool was selected by the European Commission among only 61 companies funded in the second EIC Accelerator cut-off of 2025, securing a €2.5 million grant and becoming eligible for up to €2.5 million in additional equity investment from the EIC Fund. The funding will enable the company to accelerate the commercialisation of its technology, scale up its operations and strengthen its position in the rapidly growing data centre market.