EIC posts recordings and slide decks from Work Programme 2025 info days; Accelerator challenge videos also released

Brussels, November 15th 2024

Summary

›Recordings and presentation slide decks from the EIC Work Programme 2025 info days (5 and 6 November 2024) are now available for playback and download.
›The 6 November session focused on five EIC Accelerator Challenges and the Commission published short promotional videos for each challenge.
›Questions submitted during the events via Slido will be used to update the official EIC Work Programme 2025 FAQs.
›Prospective applicants should consult the full Work Programme documents, FAQs and Business Acceleration Services rather than relying only on event recordings or promotional clips.
›A further info day for EIC Pathfinder Challenges is scheduled for later in the year and applicants are advised to follow EIC channels for updates.

Recordings and slides from EIC Work Programme 2025 info days now available

The European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA) has posted the full recordings and the slide presentations from its online information days about the European Innovation Council Work Programme 2025. Two events were held: a general Work Programme info day on 5 November 2024 and a focused EIC Accelerator Challenges info day on 6 November 2024. Both recordings and the corresponding presentation files are downloadable from the EIC event pages.

What was published and where to find it

EISMEA published the full video recordings of both online events and the slide decks used by speakers. The general info day covers the overall Work Programme 2025, lessons from past cycles and the services available to awardees. The second day drills into five specific Accelerator Challenges under the 2025 programme. All materials are accessible from the EIC events pages and the EIC website’s Work Programme 2025 section.

The five Accelerator Challenges covered on 6 November

During the 6 November session representatives from EISMEA and several Commission directorates presented five challenge topics. For each challenge the event included a policy context slide set and an explanation of what the call will look for. The Commission also published short promotional videos for each challenge to summarise objectives for a broader audience.

Challenge	Short title used by EIC	Format published
Advanced materials	Acceleration of advanced materials development and upscaling along the value chain	Presentation slides and short promo video
Low emission food and feed	Biotechnology driven low emission food and feed production systems	Presentation slides and short promo video
Generative AI	GenAI4EU: Creating European Champions in Generative AI	Presentation slides and short promo video
Space technologies	Innovative in-space servicing, operations, robotics and technologies for resilient EU space infrastructure	Presentation slides and short promo video
Future mobility	Breakthrough innovations for future mobility	Presentation slides and short promo video

What the recordings and videos are good for — and their limits

The recordings and short videos are useful entry points for prospective applicants. They explain high level goals and showcase the Commission’s priorities and expectations for applicants. However, they are not a substitute for the official Work Programme text, the detailed call topics and the FAQ documents. Promotional videos and slide decks are necessarily brief. Applicants should prioritise reading the full Work Programme 2025 documents, the call-specific texts once published and the FAQs before preparing proposals.

Why read the Work Programme and FAQs:The Work Programme contains the legal and financial details, eligibility rules, evaluation criteria and contract arrangements that govern funding. FAQs capture clarifications that matter in practice. Relying only on video summaries risks missing crucial eligibility conditions, budget rules, or tightening submission requirements.

How questions from the events will be handled

Questions submitted during the sessions via Slido will be used to update the EIC Work Programme 2025 Frequently Asked Questions page. Not every question asked live receives a response during the event. The updated FAQs are the authoritative place for answers to interpretation and application questions and should be checked regularly by applicants.

Practical next steps for prospective applicants

If you missed the live sessions or want to revisit particular segments, watch the recordings, download the associated slide decks and then consult the Work Programme and call texts. Make use of Business Acceleration Services offered by the EIC and its partners. For calls that include an investment component, expect an additional investment due diligence and contracting track alongside the grant process. Keep an eye on the EIC channels for the forthcoming info day on EIC Pathfinder Challenges.

Business Acceleration Services (BAS):BAS provide coaching, investor introductions, access to corporates, mentoring and other non-financial support to winners and shortlisted applicants. These services can materially improve a proposal’s route to market but they do not change contractual or eligibility requirements in the Work Programme.

Context: how the 2025 Work Programme arranges EIC funding

To help readers place the info days in context, the EIC Work Programme 2025 organises funding across distinct schemes. The headline amounts and scheme descriptions below are taken from the EIC's 2025 work programme material and are useful context for applicants planning where to target proposals.

Scheme	2025 budget (EUR, headline)	Purpose
EIC Pathfinder	€262 million	Grants for multidisciplinary early research to develop breakthrough technologies and prototypes.
EIC Transition	€98 million	Support to turn research results into innovation opportunities and prepare for market steps.
EIC Accelerator	€634 million	Grants and equity to scale start‑ups and SMEs that can create new markets or disrupt existing ones.
STEP Scale Up	€300 million (2025) with plans to scale up	Larger equity investments (€10–30 million) to help promising companies secure more private co‑investment for scaling strategic technologies.

The STEP initiative is framed by the Commission as a response to a perceived funding gap for deep tech scale ups in Europe. STEP, Accelerator grants and the EIC Fund are intended to operate together to combine grant, equity and business support. Applicants should note that obtaining equity from STEP or the EIC Fund typically triggers additional investor due diligence and contractual obligations beyond grant rules.

Quick explanations of key EIC terms

EIC Accelerator:A scheme combining grants and equity to help start‑ups and SMEs take high‑risk, high‑impact innovations to market. Calls may include themed 'Challenges' addressing priority areas where the Commission wants to focus funding.

STEP Scale Up:A newer EIC strand that targets larger equity investments to help companies deploy strategic technologies at scale and attract significant private co‑investment.

Seal of Excellence:A quality label awarded to proposals that meet EIC quality thresholds but cannot be funded under a specific call due to budget limits. The Seal is intended to help access alternative funding, including national or regional sources or EIC business services.

EIC Pathfinder and EIC Transition:Pathfinder funds early stage, high‑risk research; Transition funds the maturation of research outputs into marketable innovations. Pathfinder tends to be technology and research focused while Transition focuses on demonstration and commercial readiness.

A cautious note for applicants

The EIC is a prominent source of public support for deep tech in Europe and attracts many applicants. That translates into strong competition and detailed scrutiny of both technical and business arguments. Promotional summaries and videos highlight priorities and success stories but they do not reduce the need for rigorous proposal drafting. Applicants should verify eligibility, read the Work Programme call text and FAQs, and use preparatory services such as BAS and National Contact Points. If an application includes an equity track, prepare for investor‑style due diligence in addition to grant compliance checks.

Where to keep following the EIC

EISMEA and the EIC publish updates on their website, social channels and newsletters. The agency pointed attendees to the EIC X (Twitter) account, the EISMEA LinkedIn page and the EIC newsletter as the channels for upcoming info days, calls and FAQs updates. The EIC will also hold a dedicated info day on Pathfinder Challenges later in the year.

If you have specific questions after consulting the Work Programme and FAQs, the EIC suggested contacting EISMEA communications and helpdesk addresses shown on the EIC website. Questions collected during the events will inform the official FAQs so checking that page after the Slido updates is recommended.

Useful documents and materials referenced

Available now: recordings of the 5 November Work Programme info day and the 6 November Accelerator Challenges info day, plus the slide decks used in those sessions and short promotional videos for the five Accelerator Challenges. For formal rules, budgets and call language consult the EIC Work Programme 2025 and the specific call texts published on the Funding and Tenders Portal.