A new EIC Transition cohort with broader recognition for unfunded proposals

The European Innovation Council selected 40 projects under the 2025 EIC Transition call. Awards provide grants up to €2.5 million per project to validate technology in application relevant environments and to develop credible business plans. The selection came from 611 submissions and includes participants from 17 EU Member States and Horizon Europe associated countries. For the first time in Transition, 228 proposals that met excellence thresholds but could not be funded received a Seal of Excellence to support redirection to national, regional or other EU funding streams.

The portfolio covers a wide range of disciplines. Examples include hardware acceleration for computing on encrypted data, metabolic support to improve embryo development in IVF, and renewable based ammonia synthesis targeted for farm scale demonstration. While the range is welcome, most claims will still require rigorous validation in relevant environments, navigation of regulatory pathways, and credible routes to market adoption.

What EIC Transition funds and where results can originate

EIC Transition projects build on results generated by several EU research instruments and related programmes. These include EIC Pathfinder and its predecessor FET, European Research Council Proof of Concept projects, Research and Innovation Actions funded under Horizon 2020 Societal Challenges and Leadership in Industrial Technologies and under Horizon Europe pillar II, and the European Defence Fund including its Preparatory Action on Defence Research for civil applications including dual use. Funding is devoted to maturing technologies and shaping a business case for specific applications. The selected projects also gain access to Business Acceleration Services for coaching, mentoring and partnering. They are eligible for a fast track scheme to the EIC Accelerator for commercialisation and scale up.

Selection metrics and first time Seals of Excellence

The call attracted 611 submissions, 130 of which originated from ERC Proof of Concept projects. The EIC selected 40 for grant preparation. For the first time in Transition, 228 proposals received a Seal of Excellence indicating high quality and recommending support from alternative EU, national or regional funds. In previous EU programmes, uptake of Seals has varied by country and agency, so real world impact depends on whether national or regional programmes reserve budgets to act on these recommendations.

Highlighted projects and the validation still needed

Encrypted data processing at hardware speed

BELFORT ASIC proposes a hardware accelerator for Fully Homomorphic Encryption to compute on encrypted data without decryption. The team reports speedups up to 2000 times over general purpose processors and compatibility with established FHE software stacks. If verified across standard workloads, this could lower barriers to privacy preserving analytics in finance, health and public sector data.

Healthy skepticism is warranted. Reported speedups depend on workload, precision, scheme parameters and how results compare to high end CPUs and GPUs. Interoperability with libraries like OpenFHE or PALISADE and standardized benchmarking will be important. Energy efficiency, memory bandwidth and integration into secure cloud workflows are likely gating factors for adoption.

Targeting IVF bottlenecks by improving embryo development conditions

OFFSPRING aims to improve IVF outcomes by tailoring culture conditions to the specific metabolic needs of fertilised eggs, shifting focus from selecting the best embryos to improving overall embryo quality. If successful, it would increase the number of viable embryos and potentially reduce the number of cycles needed, cutting costs and stress for patients and clinics.

Claims must be supported by robust clinical evidence. Any medium or protocol changes that influence embryo development will face regulatory scrutiny and will need clear safety and efficacy data. Adoption in clinics depends on reproducibility across patient cohorts and alignment with national regulations on assisted reproduction.

Renewable ammonia production at lower pressure and temperature

EASY looks to advance the Atmonia process to produce ammonia from air and water with renewable electricity and without the high pressure and temperature of Haber Bosch. The team targets a working prototype, on farm demonstration, a market confirmed business plan and a clear permitting pathway for fertilizer and e fuel markets by project end.

Decentralised ammonia is attractive for intermittency and logistics, but scale, cost per tonne, and lifecycle emissions must be proven in field conditions. Regulatory clarity on storage and handling, and access to affordable renewable electricity will determine feasibility.

Portfolio snapshot across deep tech domains

The portfolio spans photonics, quantum and neuromorphic computing, advanced materials, semiconductors and chiplets, biomedical imaging and diagnostics, robotics and automation, climate and industrial processes, and data and software security. Project durations are mostly 24 to 36 months. Budgets cluster near the €2.5 million ceiling, which reflects the cost of integrated validation and market readiness work. A detailed list with acronyms, coordinators, durations and recommended budgets follows.

Support services and pathways after the grant

Selected teams are eligible for EIC Business Acceleration Services, which typically include coaching, mentoring, and introductions to corporates, investors and peers. Projects can access a fast track to the EIC Accelerator to finance commercialisation and scaling. This pathway has potential advantages on timing but does not remove the need to pass due diligence and to meet investment and grant criteria.

Risks and bottlenecks to watch

The Seal of Excellence only unlocks impact if national or regional funders activate budgets to support sealed projects. Administrative burdens can discourage applicants from pursuing multiple instruments. The wide disciplinary spread is a strength, but it increases the need for tailored regulatory strategies, from medical devices and advanced therapeutics to chemicals and energy storage. IP management and freedom to operate analysis will be critical as projects move closer to markets. For projects rooted in EDF outcomes, civil focus and dual use considerations must be explicit to avoid procurement or export control issues.

Timeline and next call

The next EIC Transition application deadline is 16 September 2026. Applicants should align technical validation plans with clear market hypotheses, plan for regulatory and certification needs early, and consider how Business Acceleration Services and the Accelerator fast track could be leveraged if milestones are met.