EIC Board backs the 2023 Work Programme but flags legal, management and inclusion concerns
- ›The European Innovation Council Board welcomes the EIC 2023 Work Programme which opens over EUR 1.6 billion in funding for deep tech.
- ›Key lines include EIC Pathfinder, EIC Transition and the EIC Accelerator with a combined headline budget of roughly EUR 1.6 billion.
- ›The programme introduces targeted 'challenges', a procurement testing scheme, and an innovation internship initiative.
- ›The Board supports several novelties but warns of legal ambiguities on equity support, potential risks from moving to indirect management of the EIC Fund, and the need to reach more women and innovators in widening countries.
- ›The Board has formed a working group to review IP terms and asks for issues to be addressed in the Horizon Europe mid-term review.
EIC Board welcomes the 2023 Work Programme but presses for fixes on legal and management details
The European Innovation Council Board publicly welcomed the European Innovation Council's Work Programme for 2023 on 8 December 2022. The programme opens funding opportunities worth over €1.6 billion aimed at deep tech research teams, start-ups and scaling companies across Europe. The Board praised a number of new measures which it had recommended including more targeted challenge funding, pilot schemes for testing innovations with public and private procurers, and an innovation internship scheme developed with the European Research Council and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology. At the same time the Board signalled several implementation and legal issues that it believes must be resolved to meet the EIC's objectives.
What the 2023 Work Programme funds and how
| Programme | Headline 2023 allocation | Purpose and key features | Notes and call schedule |
| EIC Pathfinder | EUR 343 million | Supports multi disciplinary visionary research that could lead to technology breakthroughs. Open calls and challenge calls. | Grants up to EUR 3 million or EUR 4 million. Pathfinder Open call 7 December. Pathfinder Challenges call 20 June. |
| EIC Transition | EUR 128.3 million | Matures research results into innovation opportunities and business cases. Focuses on outputs from EIC Pathfinder and ERC Proof of Concept. | Apply anytime with cut-offs 12 April and 27 September. EUR 60.5 million allocated to three Transition Challenges. |
| EIC Accelerator | EUR 1.13 billion | Targets start-ups and SMEs to develop and scale high impact innovations. Mix of grants and equity investments. | Grants below EUR 2.5 million. Equity investments from EUR 0.5 million to EUR 15 million. Apply anytime with several cut-off dates across 2023. |
| EIC Accelerator Challenges | EUR 525 million (earmarked) | Focused funding for strategic areas including energy storage, semiconductors and space technologies. | List includes biomarkers for cancer, pandemic decontamination, New European Bauhaus related projects and others. |
| Business Acceleration Services and Prizes | Not a single figure | Coaching, mentoring, investor and corporate matching and prizes for innovators including Women Innovators prize. | Prizes award up to EUR 1 million to winners in five categories. |
Novelties introduced in 2023 and how they fit EU policy priorities
The 2023 Work Programme introduced several new elements intended to sharpen the EIC's focus and improve the flow of talent into deep tech start-ups. The most visible novelties are a set of challenge lines for the Accelerator with €525 million earmarked for strategic domains, a new procurement testing scheme to enable start-ups to pilot with public and private buyers, and an innovation internship scheme designed to channel research talent into start-ups. The programme also expands support to women innovators and strengthens collaboration with the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, including a joint women innovators prize.
These priorities echo wider EU objectives including REPowerEU and the Chips Act. The Board praised the targeted approach but warned that political alignment does not remove the need for rigorous selection and measurable outcomes. Deploying public money into later stage, capital intensive areas such as semiconductors will require patient capital and co investment from private sector partners.
Calls, timelines and administrative details
| Call or milestone | Dates in 2023 and specifics |
| EIC Pathfinder Open | Calls opened 7 December 2022 for Pathfinder Open. Pathfinder Challenges call on 20 June 2023. |
| EIC Transition | Apply anytime with two cut-offs on 12 April and 27 September 2023. |
| EIC Accelerator | Apply anytime. Cut-off dates included 11 January 2023 (Accelerator Open only), 22 March 2023, 7 June 2023 and 19 October 2023. |
| Information day | An EIC information day to explain procedures and novelties took place on 13 December 2022. |
EIC Board reaction and outstanding governance and legal questions
The EIC Board welcomed the Work Programme and said several of its recommendations were adopted. The Board highlighted improvements it regards as important including a reported rapid reduction in time to grant and what it described as early success of a restructured EIC Fund making faster investment decisions. The 2022 EIC Impact Report was cited as evidence the EIC is on track on many KPIs, including an assertion that EIC Accelerator supported companies have attracted about €10 billion in additional private investment. The Board nonetheless flagged three areas needing attention.
The Board also noted feedback from external organisations and has established a working group to review intellectual property conditions attached to EIC funding. It proposed that the issues it raised should be comprehensively addressed in the Horizon Europe mid term review so the EIC can better meet its goal of accelerating European deep tech in line with the New European Innovation Agenda.
Practical implications for applicants and the innovation ecosystem
Applicants should note the mixed instrument model. Accelerator applicants may receive a grant for R D type development and, if eligible, an equity investment for scaling. Successful short proposals are invited to prepare a full proposal and can request business coaching to improve commercial readiness. The programme offers a Seal of Excellence route to help applicants access alternative national or regional funding bodies, but the effectiveness of Seal of Excellence depends on how NCPs and national authorities act on the referrals.
The Board's references to faster time to grant and quicker investment decisions are encouraging. At the same time these performance claims deserve continued scrutiny. Time to grant improvements must be sustained across diverse technology areas and geographies. For capital intensive domains such as semiconductor components or space services the success of the EIC will depend on blended finance and credible co investment from private partners and national schemes.
What to watch next
Stakeholders should monitor several developments. First, whether legal clarifications on the scope of equity support are adopted either by Commission guidance or legislative change. Second, any final decisions on the management model of the EIC Fund and the safeguards attached to indirect management. Third, the outcomes of the Board working group on IP conditions and any changes proposed for the mid term review of Horizon Europe. Fourth, evidence that the programme is widening participation to women founders and innovators from less well served member states. Finally, independent verification of time to grant and investment decision metrics will be important for confidence among applicants and private co investors.
Further information including the Work Programme document, factsheets, challenge descriptions and practical guidance was published by the EIC and EISMEA. An information day was scheduled on 13 December 2022 to explain the application process, eligibility and the new features in the 2023 Work Programme.