EIC Programme Managers unveil strategic plans for Pathfinder challenge portfolios

Programme Managers of the European Innovation Council have introduced five strategic plans aimed at strengthening the pathway from excellent research to marketable innovation within the 2021 EIC Pathfinder Challenge portfolios. The plans define a set of portfolio level activities and collaborations intended to help projects move beyond laboratory results toward market opportunities. The documents reflect a portfolio management approach that bundles complementary projects and coordinates crosscutting activities that are hard for single projects to deliver alone.

What the strategic plans set out to do

Each strategic plan combines technical, organisational and ecosystem actions. At the technical level the plans propose joint roadmaps and data sharing. For technology transition they list activities that increase market readiness such as market analysis, contacts with investors and training in IP management. Communication and dissemination activities are included to raise visibility and attract partners. The plans also explicitly address ethics issues and regulatory constraints, and in many cases recommend mapping the current regulatory framework to inform both technical development and commercialisation strategies.

Who designs and runs the plans

The strategic plans are the result of agreements between individual portfolio projects and were developed under the leadership of EIC Programme Managers. Programme Managers work with Project Officers and portfolio steering committees to design and implement the plans. Their remit covers both strategic visioning and active portfolio management to push projects toward technological and commercial breakthroughs.

Examples of portfolio strategic plans and timelines

The EIC has published strategic plans or portfolio pages across a range of thematic areas. These documents vary in format and depth but share the goal of coordinating projects around a common set of objectives and activities. The following table lists representative portfolios that have public strategic plans or strategy documents.

How collaboration and ecosystem links are intended to work

The plans are built on collaboration agreements between projects. Programme Managers and Project Officers coordinate portfolio steering committees that set priorities and approve joint activities. Where relevant, the plans include cooperation with national contact points, regional innovation actors and investor networks. The design assumes that projects will both share data and jointly pursue outreach and investor engagement to build larger, more coherent technology value chains.

Implications and outstanding questions

Strategic plans are a necessary first step to move research closer to market but they are not a guarantee of impact. The plans identify sensible crosscutting actions but their effectiveness will depend on consistent implementation, resourcing and measurable targets. Common obstacles are short project lifetimes, limited follow‑on funding, fragmentation of IP ownership across partners and regulatory hurdles that vary across member states. Without clear KPIs and sustained support beyond individual grants, coordination risks becoming administrative activity rather than a driver of commercialisation.

What to expect next

The Programme Managers, together with Project Officers and steering committees, are responsible for developing and implementing the strategic plans. The EIC has published the plans and related documents and will update portfolios over time. Observers should look for concrete milestones such as joint demonstrations, shared data repositories, investor events and changes in follow on funding or regulatory outcomes that can be traced to portfolio activity.

For stakeholders in the EU innovation ecosystem the plans are a signal that the EIC is attempting to move beyond single project funding toward coordinated portfolio management. Success will require both administrative coordination and operational follow through. The EIC may use its convening power to accelerate market pathways but real commercialisation ultimately depends on private finance, national policies and the ability of consortia to manage IP and regulatory complexity.

Further context on EIC Programme Managers

Programme Managers are in-house experts who lead portfolios in thematic areas such as health, digital, green technologies, space and semiconductors. They identify challenges, engage stakeholders, create awareness among potential applicants and actively manage selected portfolios to promote translation of research into innovation. They work across EIC instruments and support pathways between Pathfinder, Transition and Accelerator funding streams.