Strong interest in EIC Pathfinder Open underlines gap between research ambition and available funding
- ›The EIC Pathfinder Open 2022 call received 863 consortium proposals from 58 countries by the 4 May deadline.
- ›Applicants requested more than €2.6 billion in grants while the call budget was €183 million, implying intense competition.
- ›About 5,202 participants joined the proposals with 27 percent from the private sector and 69 percent of those private participants being SMEs.
- ›With €183 million available the EIC expects to fund roughly 60 projects, yielding an approximate success rate of 7 percent.
- ›The evaluation started and is expected to finish by the end of September 2022 and a separate Pathfinder Challenges call opens on 16 June 2022.
Strong interest for EIC Pathfinder bottom-up science to technology call
The European Innovation Council's Pathfinder Open 2022 call drew strong interest from the research and innovation community. The scheme invites interdisciplinary teams to propose high-risk high-gain 'science-towards-technology' projects across any field. The deadline of 4 May 2022 closed with a high volume of submissions that requested far more grant money than the call had available.
| Metric | Value | Notes |
| Consortia submitted | 863 | Collaborative proposals with multidisciplinary teams |
| Total participants | 5,202 | Researchers, institutions and private sector actors across proposals |
| Countries represented | 58 | Applicants from EU, associated and third countries |
| Private sector share of participants | 27% | Of the 5,202 participants |
| Share of private participants that are SMEs | 69% | Percentage of private sector participant organisations |
| Total grant requested | More than €2.6 billion | Aggregate amount requested by applicants |
| Call budget | €183 million | Budget available for Pathfinder Open 2022 |
| Expected projects funded | Approximately 60 | Estimated by EIC given the budget and award sizes |
| Estimated average requested per proposal | ≈ €3.0 million | Simple division of requested total by number of proposals |
| Estimated average award if 60 projects funded | ≈ €3.05 million | Call aligns with grants up to €3-4 million |
| Indicative success rate | ≈ 7% | 60 funded out of 863 submitted |
What the Pathfinder Open call funds
Pathfinder is designed to support early stage, high-risk research that could lay the foundations for radically new technologies. Awards under this call provide grants typically in the range of €3 to €4 million for projects at low Technology Readiness Levels. The emphasis is on interdisciplinary work that could produce a proof of concept rather than immediate commercialisation.
Participation profile and geographic reach
Applicants came from 58 countries and were dominated by higher education institutions and research organisations. The call also showed a substantial private sector presence. According to the EIC approximately 27 percent of participants were from the private sector and 69 percent of those private organisations were small and medium sized enterprises. That mix reflects the EIC's attempt to bridge academic exploratory research and industry needs early in the research lifecycle.
Evaluation timeline and next steps
The evaluation of proposals began after the deadline and the EIC expected to complete the process by the end of September 2022. Around 60 interdisciplinary teams were expected to be funded from the €183 million budget. Selected teams will move on to early stage development up to proof of concept. The EIC also provides interactions with Programme Managers and access to Business Acceleration Services as part of the full EIC offer.
How Pathfinder fits into the EIC and the wider innovation system
Pathfinder is part of the EIC toolbox intended to create a pipeline from blue sky research to marketable deep tech. By financing high risk foundational research the EIC aims to generate radical options that can be matured through Transition and Accelerator instruments and through private investment. Programme Managers are expected to actively manage portfolios and to broker links to later stage support. However transition from TRL 1 to commercial readiness typically requires several follow on steps and substantially more capital than early stage Pathfinder grants provide.
Analysis and implications
The scale of applications and the gap between requested funding and the available budget highlight several realities. First, there is strong demand for funding to convert ambitious science into potential technology breakthroughs. Second, the EIC's available resources are limited relative to the appetite for high risk research. That leads to lower success rates and high competition which may favour applicants who are already experienced at assembling consortia and preparing competitive proposals. Third, because the grants are targeted at low TRLs additional funding and partnerships will be required to mature ideas beyond proof of concept and to de risk them sufficiently for private investment.
Policymakers and ecosystem actors should take note that ambitious research pipelines need predictable follow on financing and non financial support such as access to prototyping infrastructure and business development services. The EIC provides some of these through Business Acceleration Services and Programme Manager portfolios. Still there is a broader challenge to ensure successful paths to scale for the most promising projects beyond this early stage support.
Practical notes for applicants and observers
Applicants should recognise that Pathfinder Open is strictly for early stage, high risk proposals with a clear science to technology ambition. The EIC Work Programme 2022 and the Funding and Tenders Portal contain the detailed rules on eligibility, evaluation criteria, page limits and submission procedures. The EIC uses a rebuttal opportunity for applicants after remote evaluation to correct factual errors in evaluators' comments. The EIC also encourages successful Pathfinder teams to engage with Programme Managers to explore portfolio actions and further testing funding.
Bottom line
The Pathfinder Open 2022 call demonstrated strong appetite for EU support of high risk science that could enable future technology breakthroughs. Demand far exceeded the available funding which will make selection competitive and place a premium on proposals that convincingly couple scientific novelty with credible pathways to scalable technologies. The call is an early stage intervention in a longer innovation journey that will require additional public and private investment to deliver societal and economic impact.