EIC opens €1.7 billion 2022 funding round to push deep tech from lab to market
- ›The European Innovation Council opened funding opportunities worth over €1.7 billion under the 2022 EIC Work Programme.
- ›Calls include EIC Pathfinder for early visionary research, EIC Transition to mature lab results toward applications, and the continuously open EIC Accelerator for startups and SMEs.
- ›EIC Transition allocates €60.5 million to three targeted challenges: green digital devices, integration of clean energy technologies, and RNA based therapies and diagnostics.
- ›The 2022 work programme introduces measures to identify and back the most promising scaleups, larger equity tickets for strategic projects, and actions to increase women innovators participation.
- ›The EIC offers grants and equity and provides business acceleration services, but applicants face intense competition and must still secure downstream private capital to scale.
EIC opens 2022 calls worth over €1.7 billion to help innovators scale and reach global markets
On 1 March 2022 the European Commission published calls under the European Innovation Council work programme for 2022, making more than €1.7 billion of funding opportunities available to researchers, startups and small and medium sized enterprises. The announcement followed formal adoption of the EIC 2022 work programme and covers three primary instruments designed to move technologies from visionary research to commercial scale.
Which calls opened and what they target
The funding opened in March 2022 spans three EIC instruments. Each instrument targets a different stage of the innovation pathway. The calls are not a single pot that applicants can mix at will. Rather each instrument has eligibility rules, scope and expected outcomes that align with technology readiness levels and market preparation.
| Instrument | Purpose and target applicants | Typical technology readiness level | Funding available per project in 2022 |
| EIC Pathfinder | Support multi disciplinary research teams pursuing visionary research that could lead to technology breakthroughs. Targeted at research teams and consortia. | Early research, TRL 1 to 4 | Grants up to €3 million under the 1 March 2022 calls |
| EIC Transition | Help turn research results into mature technologies and credible business cases, focused on outputs from EIC Pathfinder and ERC Proof of Concept projects. Targeted at SMEs, startups, spin outs and research organisations. | Moving from proof of concept towards validation, typically TRL 3 to 6 | Grants up to €2.5 million, with €60.5 million allocated to three Transition Challenges |
| EIC Accelerator | Support startups and SMEs to scale deep tech and capture markets, offering blended finance options of grants and equity or equity only. | Scale up stage, TRL 6 to 8 | Continuous submission for grants and equity investments with variable amounts depending on project and investment needs |
The three Transition Challenges named in the 1 March 2022 announcement received dedicated funding. They are: green digital devices for the future, process and system integration of clean energy technologies, and RNA based therapies and diagnostics for complex or rare genetic diseases. These thematic choices reflect emerging industrial, climate and health priorities.
New elements in the 2022 work programme and the wider EIC approach
The 2022 EIC work programme introduced several policy and delivery changes intended to increase the impact of EU funding on scaling deep tech. Many of these were presented as simplifications or as measures to steer capital to strategically important technologies.
| Feature | What it is | Practical effect for applicants |
| EIC Scale Up 100 initiative | An initiative to identify 100 promising deep tech companies with unicorn potential | Intended to spotlight high potential firms and direct additional support and visibility, though selection criteria and downstream support details matter for real impact |
| Larger equity tickets above €15 million | EIC Accelerator allowed investments above €15 million for technologies of strategic interest | Enables funding for capital intensive scale ups, but private co investors remain essential |
| Stronger support for women innovators | Development of a gender and diversity index and extra prizes in the Women Innovators awards | Aims to improve data and incentives for diversity, though systemic barriers in VC and entrepreneurship persist |
| Seal of Excellence for unfunded high quality projects | Outstanding proposals that cannot be funded due to budget limits receive a Seal of Excellence | Helps applicants to seek alternative funding from national, regional or private sources |
The EIC also emphasized that successful applicants have access to Business Acceleration Services. These services include coaching, mentoring, investor introductions and partnering opportunities. That support is designed to increase the odds that R D outputs become viable businesses, but it does not guarantee follow up private investment or rapid commercial success.
Context and cautions for applicants and policymakers
The EIC is an ambitious instrument within Horizon Europe with the explicit objective of backing breakthrough technologies that can become market leaders in Europe. The Commission and EIC officials have framed the instrument as a means to create more European centaurs and unicorns. That narrative is attractive, but caution is warranted.
First, competition is intense. The EIC receives many more proposals than it can fund. Second, grant funding and EU equity are partial solutions. Scaling deep tech requires follow on private capital, international customers and regulatory navigation. Third, milestones and selection criteria evolve. Applicants should weigh the administrative burden of EU proposals against the strategic value of the label, the coaching and the potential co investment.
Practical next steps and dates
Following publication of the 2022 work programme the EIC scheduled information sessions to explain how the instruments work, who can apply and what the selection process looks like. For 2022 an information day was announced for 22 February to provide details on the calls and the novelties of the programme. Applicants should consult the Funding and Tender Opportunities portal and the EIC webpages for the most recent deadlines and detailed templates.
Applicants should also plan for: time to prepare a clear business case and evidence of market need, IP landscape checks, and conversations with potential co investors or corporate partners. Where relevant, use the Fast Track and Plug In schemes if applying from an ongoing national or Horizon project that qualifies.
What to watch
Policy watchers and innovators should watch how the EIC balances direct equity and grant support, how effectively the Seal of Excellence becomes a conduit to regional public funding, and whether efforts to improve gender and geographic diversity translate into measurable changes in portfolios. The EIC is a major EU tool to strengthen European deep tech capacity, but its headline budget is only one part of the scaling equation.
For innovators the practical question remains whether EIC backing will materially improve access to later stage capital and customers. For policymakers the challenge is ensuring that the EIC supports systemic pipelines of investment and that national, regional and private funders actually follow up where EU support creates validated opportunities.
Where to find the calls and more information
Specific open calls and application templates are published on the European Commission Funding and Tender Opportunities portal and on the EIC and EISMEA websites. Applicants should use official portals for templates, deadlines and submission. The EIC also publishes work programmes and factsheets that explain instrument rules and evaluation procedures.