Library FAQ
What is the special allowance for external experts acting in their personal capacity?
A special allowance of EUR 450 per day will be paid to experts appointed in their personal capacity.
What type of action is the competition classified as and what is the indicative budget for the challenge prize?
Type of Action: Recognition Prize. Indicative budget for the challenge prize (3 winners) is EUR 150,000.
Where can further details on evaluation and award criteria be found?
Further details will be specified in the rules for the contest published at the launch of the yearly contest.
Who can apply for an EIC Booster grant and how are proposals evaluated?
EIC Awardees or other potential beneficiaries (Technology Transfer Offices, EIC Inventors and others) can be invited to apply after a positive recommendation; proposals are evaluated by a committee of 3 evaluators and selected if they receive at least two GO.
Are digital and AI-based tools for transport in scope?
Yes; breakthroughs in digital tools such as sensors and AI to enhance autonomous transport, sustainable energy use, connectivity and efficiency, including capacity management and smart bi‑directional charging, are in scope.
Are links with industrial partnerships encouraged?
Yes; links with relevant industrial partnerships and alliances are encouraged, including the Renewable and Low‑Carbon Fuels Value Chain Industrial Alliance.
Are sustainable fuels part of the Challenge scope?
Yes; sustainable fuels for hard‑to‑abate sectors such as aviation and maritime, including retrofitting solutions, are in scope.
Are there specific requirements for proposals involving AI?
Yes; AI‑based systems must be developed in a safe, secure and reliable manner, be technically robust (resilient to attack, secure and safe, with fallback plans, accurate, reliable and reproducible) and demonstrate compliance with Trustworthy Artificial Intelli...
Is there a limit on the number of consortium participants?
Yes; consortia of more than five eligible entities will be deemed ineligible.
Must projects comply with the 'Do No Significant Harm' principle?
Yes; projects must comply with the Do No Significant Harm principle (see Introduction) and comply with Article 17 of the EU Taxonomy Regulation as part of the eligibility criteria.
What are the specific objectives applicants should address?
Applicants must address at least one of: breakthroughs in design/manufacture/assembly/operation of road, waterborne, aircraft or rail to reduce environmental footprint; disruptive technologies improving operational efficiency and reducing GHG, other emissions...
What environmental design and assessment frameworks must projects consider?
Projects must take into account the Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) framework, including Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and circularity approaches.
What is the indicative budget for this Challenge?
EUR 50 million (indicative).
What is the scope of this Challenge call regarding energy vectors?
Energy vectors based on electrification and hydrogen fall outside the scope of this Challenge call, but they can be supported through the EIC Accelerator Open calls; digital tools for charging and capacity management are in scope.
What must applicants develop to be eligible for this Challenge?
Cost-effective and scalable solutions addressing at least one of the specified objectives in the mobility sector.
What outcomes and impacts are expected from this Challenge?
Expected outcomes include increasing competitiveness and economic autonomy of EU companies across the mobility value chain; scaling up technologies that materially reduce mobility‑related emissions or improve efficiency and affordability/inclusivity; improving...
When will the call open?
The call will open on 22 April 2025; the Director‑General responsible may open the call up to one month prior to or after this date and may delay deadlines by up to two months.
Who is this Challenge targeted at?
Start-ups and SMEs.
Will applicants to Accelerator Challenges receive any STEP-related recognition?
Yes; all Accelerator Challenges in the 2025 EIC Work Programme support technologies within the scope of the STEP legislation, and applicants to all Challenges will be awarded the Sovereignty (STEP) Seal in accordance with the provisions in Section IV.
Are Booster grants allowed to fund research or activities already funded by other EIC instruments?
No. EIC Booster grants do not fund research or activities already foreseen in the original project or already funded by other EIC instruments.
Can the EIC Programme Manager request preliminary findings and results from awardees?
Yes. At any time the EIC Programme Manager may request an EIC awardee to make available through the EIC Marketplace information on preliminary findings and results generated by the action, subject to confidentiality provisions and other conditions in the Annex...
How are applicants invited to apply for a Booster grant and how are proposals assessed?
EIC Awardees or other potential beneficiaries can be invited to apply following a positive recommendation from an EIC Programme Manager or a project review. Each proposal is assessed in accordance with Article 29(2) of the Horizon Europe Regulation, using spec...
How are Plug-in applicants treated after submission to the Agency?
Once submitted to the Agency, Plug-in applicants are treated the same as other applicants who passed the short proposal stage of the EIC Accelerator evaluation and may submit full applications to any cut-offs in the 12-month period following their Plug-in subm...
How is the term “programme” defined in this context?
“Programme” is understood broadly to mean systems and institutions of organised services, activities and opportunities to support and scale up high-impact innovations at national or regional level.