Calls under the European Innovation Council (EIC) are primarily bottom up but also able to support strategic challenges under the Pathfinder and Accelerator calls. The EIC aims to support game changing innovations throughout the lifecycle from early stage research, to proof of concept, technology transfer, and the financing and scale up of start-ups and SMEs.

More information is available on their webpage. The EIC Horizon Work Programme 2024 is available here.

Financial support is provided through three main instruments:

1. ‘Pathfinder’ for advanced research on breakthrough / game-changing technologies;
2. ‘Transition’ for transforming research results into innovation opportunities;
3. ‘Accelerator’ for individual companies (SMEs, start-ups, spin-offs and in exceptional cases small mid-caps) to develop and scale up breakthrough innovations with high risk and high impact.

The EIC also provides additional activities such as prizes.

The Open Funding has no predefined thematic priorities and enables support for any technologies and innovations that cut across different scientific, technological, sectoral and application fields or represent novel combinations.

The Challenge Driven approach provides funding to address specific technological and innovation breakthroughs. These challenges take into account EU priorities for transitioning to a green, digital and healthy society, as well as the overall strategic planning for Horizon Europe and the inputs of stakeholders and experts.

All projects must comply with the ‘do no significant harm’ principle of the EU Sustainable Finance Taxonomy.

Strategic Challenges for Each Programme

EIC Pathfinder:

• II.2.1 Solar-to-X devices for the decentralized presumption of renewable fuels, chemicals and materials as climate change mitigation pathway
• II.2.2 Towards cement and concrete as a carbon sink
• II.2.3 Nature inspired alternatives for food packaging and films for agriculture
• II.2.4 Nanoelectronics for energy-efficient smart edge devices

EIC Transition:

• There are no challenge topics under the Transition call in 2024.

EIC Accelerator:

• IV.2.1 Human Centric Generative AI made in Europe
• IV.2.2 Enabling virtual worlds and augmented interaction in high-impact applications to support the realisation of Industry 5.0
• IV.2.3 Enabling the smart edge and quantum technology components.
• IV.2.4 Food from precision fermentation and algae
• IV.2.5 Monoclonal antibody-based therapeutics for new variants of emerging viruses
• IV.2.6 Renewable energy sources and their whole value chain including materials development and recycling of components

EIC Pathfinder Call Details

Applicants:

• Open call: only consortia of at least three different independent legal entities established in at least three different eligible countries can apply
• Challenges call: smaller consortia (at least two eligible entities) or and single applicants as well as larger consortia

Deadlines:

• Open call (7 March 2024), indicative budget of EUR 136 million
• Challenge driven call (16 October 2024) – full proposal, indicative budget of EUR 120 million

Evaluation:

• Peer review, proposals are evaluated, scored, and ranked by experts based on weighted criteria and thresholds
• The rebuttal pilot has been removed from the EIC Pathfinder evaluation process
• The specific rules on Intellectual Property have been updated following the recommendations of the EIC board

Project scope:

• RIA (starting from early TRLs aiming at achieving TRL 3 or 4), to achieve the proof of principle and validate the scientific basis of breakthrough technology

Funding:

• EIC Pathfinder open: grants of up to EUR 3 million (or more if properly justified)
• EIC Pathfinder Challenge: grants of up to EUR 4 million (or more if properly justified)
• 100% funding rate

EIC Transition Call Details

Applicants:

• Single applicants (SMEs, spin-offs, start-ups, research organisations, universities) or small consortia (two partners) or consortia of three to five different independent legal entities established in at least three different eligible countries
• The eligibility of the EIC Transition Open has been extended to results stemming from Horizon 2020 Societal Challenges and Leadership in Industrial Technologies and from Horizon Europe Pillar II projects fulfilling the eligibility criteria (see call text)

Deadlines:

• Open call deadline (18 September 2024), indicative budget of EUR 94 million

Evaluation:

• Full proposal + interview: proposals are peer-reviewed, evaluated, scored, and ranked by experts based on weighted criteria and thresholds. Top ranked applicants which are invited to the interview, will be further assessed by a panel of maximum 6 EIC jury members

Project scope:

• Starting at TRL 3/4 aiming at achieving TRL 5/6 – To validate and demonstrate technology in application-relevant environment and develop business and market readiness

Funding:

• Grants of up to EUR 2.5 million, or more if properly justified
• 100% funding rate

EIC Accelerator Call Details

Applicants:

• Single start-ups and SMEs (including spin-offs), individuals (intending to launch a start-up/ SME) and in exceptional cases small mid-caps (fewer than 499 employees).

Deadlines:

• Open and Challenges - Short applications any time (continuous)
• Open call and Challenges call - Full applications (13 March 2024), (3 October 2024)
• Open and Challenges call indicative budgets of EUR 375 million and EUR 300 million, respectively

Evaluation:

• Go / No Go; In case of a “No Go” at the jury interview phase, applicants will immediately receive a rejection letter and where eligible be awarded the Seal of Excellence.
• New application resubmission limits apply.
• The criteria to pass the short application stage require 3 out of 4 GOs from the expert evaluators.
• Introduction of consensus meetings for the evaluation of full applications if there are divergent views among evaluators.
• The evaluation criteria for excellence, includes an evaluation element to assess excellence of the company.

Project scope:

• IA (TRL 5/6 up to higher TRLs), Intended for companies to develop and scale up breakthrough innovations with high risk and high impact, Close-to-market Research and Development.

Funding:

• Grant component  below EUR 2.5 million for innovation activities (IA) (starting at TRL 5 or 6 aiming at achieving higher TRLs.); Investment component of EUR 0.5 up to 15 million for scaling up and other activities. Grant only and investment only component under certain conditions.  
• There is no longer the “grant first” form of support, but beneficiaries of “blended finance” may start with grant only funding with the investment component provided at a later stage.

Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) provide a guide to the stage of development. TRLs are used in the work programme for guidance, but do not preclude support for non-technological innovations. A strong degree of importance will also be given to market readiness and business readiness, as described in the evaluation criteria of the call texts.

The following definitions of TRLs apply, recognising that there are important differences between technological fields:

• TRL1 - basic principles observed
• TRL2 - technology concept formulated
• TRL3 - experimental proof of concept
• TRL4 - technology validated in lab
• TRL5 - technology validated in relevant environment
• TRL6 - technology demonstrated in relevant environment
• TRL7 - system prototype demonstration in operational environment
• TRL8 - system complete and qualified
• TRL9 - actual system proven in operational environment