EIC Pathfinder Beneficiaries' Day 2024: Online briefing on exploitation services and proactive project management
- ›The EIC Pathfinder Beneficiaries' Day 2024 will take place online on 20 November 2024 and targets all researchers involved in EIC Pathfinder projects.
- ›Sessions will present the range of support services for exploitation and early commercialisation, including EIC Business Acceleration, Women Leadership Programme, Horizon Results Booster, EUIPO, European IP Helpdesk and EMA services.
- ›Attendance is free but invitation based. Project coordinators will receive invitations to register up to four participants and places are limited and allocated on a first come first served basis until 31 October 2024 or until capacity is reached.
- ›The event will explain obligations on protection and exploitation of Key Exploitable Results KERs and the first practical steps for moving a KER toward market.
- ›Speakers will include the EIC Board President and EIC programme staff who will outline proactive project and portfolio management for Pathfinder projects.
What the EIC Pathfinder Beneficiaries' Day 2024 is and who it is for
The Pathfinder Unit of the European Innovation Council is organising an online Beneficiaries' Day on 20 November 2024. The target audience is the full spectrum of researchers working on EIC Pathfinder grants. The invitation extends from graduate students and post doctoral researchers to senior researchers, team leaders and project coordinators. The event aims to explain the services and support available to help beneficiaries protect, exploit and, where relevant, take early stage discoveries toward market.
Event objectives and headline programme
Organisers say the event will introduce the range of services that can ease the first steps of translating Pathfinder results into products or services. The programme opens with remarks from the EIC Board President and then moves into feature sessions covering business acceleration, leadership training, intellectual property support, regulatory pathways and targeted exploitation services. Attendees will hear when and how to apply for each service, who is eligible and what outputs to expect.
Key technical and administrative themes to be addressed
Speakers will address obligations of EIC Pathfinder grantees concerning protection and exploitation of Key Exploitable Results commonly referred to as KERs. The programme will cover practical questions researchers face when they try to turn an early research result into a marketable product or service. Topics include intellectual property rights, developing a value proposition, choosing business models, conducting market analysis, building a team and navigating regulatory requirements. There will also be specific guidance for early career researchers and for Associated Partners who want to commercialise research outputs.
How interaction during the online event will work
Participants will be able to submit questions to speakers via Slido during the event. Sessions will aim to be practical and to direct researchers to the right follow up support depending on their stage and needs. The event will explain which services are suitable for different roles within a project, including graduate students, post doctoral researchers, senior team members and Associated Partners.
Logistics, registration and capacity rules
| Item | Detail | Deadline or note |
| Event date | Online on 20 November 2024 | |
| Registration | Free but invitation based. Coordinators receive an invitation to register up to four researchers and team leaders including themselves | Registration open until capacity is reached or by 31 October 2024 |
| Capacity | Limited, first come first served | Organisers will stop registrations once maximum capacity is reached |
| If you did not receive an invitation | Project coordinators who did not receive the invitation are asked to contact the EIC helpdesk using the category EIC Pathfinder Beneficiaries' Day | |
| Agenda | Agenda provided as an attachment in the original announcement | Agenda file was named EIC Pathfinder Beneficiaries' Day Agenda.pdf |
Where to follow updates
Organisers advise following the event page, the EISMEA LinkedIn account, and the EISMEA and EIC accounts on X for news and updates about the Beneficiaries' Day. The agenda was attached to the original announcement and can be downloaded from the EIC Community media section.
Practical advice for prospective attendees
If you are a project coordinator, nominate up to four participants early to secure a place. If you are an early career researcher interested in commercialisation, expect sessions to signpost services suitable for your situation and to provide initial steps for evaluating and protecting a KER. If you are part of an Associated Partner check the sessions that specifically address partner rights and options under EIC rules.
Context and why this matters
The EIC Pathfinder programme supports early stage deep technology research under Horizon Europe. Translating discovery into impact typically requires targeted business support, intellectual property strategy and regulatory planning. The Beneficiaries' Day bundles introductory briefings to reduce search costs for grantees and to clarify the link between grant obligations and available exploitation services. For researchers unfamiliar with EU innovation support, the event provides a practical orientation to existing agency level offerings.
Critical considerations and limitations
The event is a useful single day orientation, but it does not replace sustained support during commercialisation. Capacity limits and invitation based registration mean access will be shaped by how coordinators select participants and by how quickly places fill. The quality of follow up depends on how well teams translate high level advice into funded development work and suitable IP and regulatory strategies. Researchers should use the event to map the services they need next and to secure more in depth, project specific support where required.
Contact and disclaimer
If a coordinator did not receive an invitation they are encouraged to contact the EIC helpdesk under the category EIC Pathfinder Beneficiaries' Day. The original announcement included a standard disclaimer that the information is provided for knowledge sharing and should not be interpreted as the official view of the European Commission or any other organisation.