Library FAQ
What funding and support does the EIC provide?
The EIC provides integrated support across technology maturity stages via grants, equity investments and Business Acceleration Services through its core schemes: Pathfinder, Transition, Accelerator and since 2025, STEP.
What impact has the Transition programme had?
Transition projects have led to startups being established (20 completed with others forming), capital raised by beneficiaries, commercial partnerships and acceleration of nearly 100 ERC Proof of Concept projects.
What is EU Inc.?
EU Inc. is a proposed pan-European legal status enabling companies to operate across the Single Market under one simplified framework to help start-ups scale faster and compete globally.
What is STEP (EIC Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform)?
Since 2025, STEP provides larger investments in strategically important companies to support scale-up in areas such as quantum, AI and other strategic technologies.
What is the EIC Fund?
The EIC Fund is the investment arm of the EIC that provides direct equity investments alongside grant support; it has invested in around 350 start-ups and SMEs and mobilised close to €5 billion in co-investment.
What is the EIC Pathfinder programme?
Pathfinder funds early-stage, high-risk, high-gain interdisciplinary research (low TRLs) to generate breakthrough technologies and has supported 476 projects (2021–2025).
What is the EIC Transition programme?
Transition helps turn research results into innovation opportunities, providing up to €2.5 million for maturation, validation and business development; 217 projects were funded in 2021–25.
What is the European Innovation Council (EIC)?
The EIC is a flagship European Commission initiative under Horizon Europe (2021–2027) that supports turning disruptive European science into commercially scalable deep tech, with a budget of over €10 billion.
What is the Scaleup Europe Fund?
The Scaleup Europe Fund is a new €5 billion fund designed to invest hundreds of millions of euros into single companies to help Europe’s next-generation champions scale globally while remaining anchored in Europe.
What measurable impacts have EIC-supported companies experienced?
Tracking over 1,600 EIC-supported companies shows average two-year growth of 68% employment and 142% revenue; econometric analysis of Accelerator cohorts (2018–2021) found EIC Fund investees had 119% higher sales, 91% higher wage bill and 94% higher employment...
What outcomes have Pathfinder projects delivered?
Completed Pathfinder (and predecessor) projects have delivered over 1,700 innovations (75% market-creating or targeting emerging markets), 550+ patent applications, 120+ startups established, and nearly 50 licensing deals.
What portfolio-scale outcomes has the EIC Fund achieved?
The EIC Fund’s portfolio approaches 350 companies (including 117 from the 2019–20 pilot), mobilised over €5 billion in co-investments from 1,000+ investors, and leveraged about €3.5 for each euro invested from the EU budget.
Are there limits on the number of Booster grants per project?
Yes. A maximum of three Booster grants per Pathfinder project (more only exceptionally) and a maximum of one per Transition project (more only exceptionally).
Can personal data be made public from EIC projects?
No. Personal data must not be made public without explicit consent, in line with GDPR.
Can previous grant beneficiaries use Fast Track to request grant-only support?
No. For previous beneficiaries of a grant, the Fast Track scheme cannot be used to request grant-only support.
Can the granting authority object to transfers or exclusive licensing of results?
Yes. For Horizon Europe EIC actions the granting authority may, up to 4 years after the end of the action, object to a transfer of ownership or to the exclusive licensing of results under the conditions set out in Article 40(4) of the Horizon Europe Regulation...
Does the Commission offset EU debts against grant payments?
Yes. Offsetting of EU debts applies (Article 22).
How are interim and final payments handled?
Interim payments follow periodic reports; the final payment is made after the final report, with recovery if needed.
How are national or regional programmes certified for the Plug-in scheme?
Programmes are certified by the Commission based on independent experts’ assessment in collaboration with EIC Plug-in contact points; a list of certified programmes is available on the EIC website and certification may be withdrawn if provisions are not met.
Must EIC projects prepare a data management plan (DMP)?
Yes. All EIC funded projects generating or reusing research data or other outputs must develop and update a data management plan and comply with GDPR and applicable frameworks.
What are Booster grants for EIC Pathfinder and Transition awardees?
Booster grants are fixed amounts not exceeding EUR 50,000 awarded outside calls to EIC Awardees, Technology Transfer Offices, EIC Inventors and other third parties linked to selected Pathfinder or Transition projects to support complementary innovation or port...
What implementation provisions must EIC projects observe?
Key provisions include proper implementation (Article 11), conflict of interest (Article 12), confidentiality and security including EUCI (Article 13, Annex 5), ethics and values (Article 14, Annex 5), data protection (Article 15), and IPR (Article 16, Annex 5...
What is the Fast Track scheme for the EIC Accelerator?
Fast Track provides specific treatment for proposals resulting from existing Horizon Europe or Horizon 2020 projects: a project review by the responsible granting authority assesses suitability for EIC Accelerator support and, if positive, the outcome can be s...
What is the liability regime for recoveries?
Liability for recoveries is individual financial responsibility (Data Sheet point 4.4 and Article 22).