Library FAQ
What are the TRL requirements to apply to EIC Transition?
Your proposal must build on results from an eligible project that are at least at experimental proof of concept (all elements of TRL3); ideally results are validated at lab level (TRL4). Projects based on other TRL levels are not eligible.
What broader impacts are expected from the Challenge portfolio?
Expected impacts include local energy and resource supply for communities and remote areas, increased share of recycled waste and reduced landfilling/incineration, micro-/nano-plastic removal, and decentralised circular production of fuels, chemicals and mater...
What funding and support does EIC Transition provide?
The call's indicative budget is EUR 98 million. Grants are Research and Innovation Actions with 100% funding of eligible costs paid as a lump sum. Requested contributions above EUR 0.5M and below EUR 2.5M (1–3 year duration) are considered appropriate. Project...
What IP or access commitments are required when applying?
If you were part of the eligible project you must confirm you are the IPR owner or holder with necessary rights for the EIC Transition duration. If not, you must include a commitment letter from the result owner(s) confirming intent to negotiate fair, reasonab...
What is EIC Transition and when is it appropriate?
EIC Transition funds innovation activities that go beyond experimental proof of principle (projects must have completed all elements of TRL3), supporting maturation and validation to relevant application environments and parallel market/business development to...
What must proposals in Area 1 (fully integrated waste-to-value devices) deliver?
Proposals must present fully integrated devices that convert waste streams into feedstock for fuels, chemicals and materials or perform remediation, operate solely on renewable energy (preferably sunlight), selectively produce added-value products (not only hy...
What must proposals include regarding benchmarking for Area 1?
Proposals must clearly indicate how the proposed solution benchmarks against industrially deployed recycling methods and emerging recycling methods.
What operational characteristics are required for Area 1 systems?
Systems must be robust, easy-to-handle, operable independently of large-scale infrastructure, have extended lifetimes, and be capable of treating real-life waste streams with minimal sorting and pre-treatment.
What performance and sustainability requirements apply to Area 1 devices?
Devices must reach TRL4 within a 3–4-year project, create products of higher economic and environmental value (no down-cycling), be energy- and material-efficient, minimise energy/water/chemicals/land footprints, use environmentally safe stable materials with...
What specific device types/examples are mentioned for Area 1?
Examples include fully integrated solar reforming or synthetic biology devices for synthetic polymer treatment, integrated capture-and-conversion devices for flue gas or wastewater, membrane-based/electrochemical brine-mining for desalination brines, and ex-si...
Which originating projects are eligible as the basis for an EIC Transition proposal?
Eligible origins include EIC Pathfinder projects (and relevant Horizon 2020 FET calls), ERC Proof of Concept projects funded under Horizon 2020 or Horizon Europe, certain Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Actions with eligible TRLs, and E...
Who can apply to EIC Transition and in what formats?
Applications can be submitted by a single legal entity established in an EU Member State or Associated Country (mono-beneficiary) if a start-up, SME or research performing organisation; as a small consortium of two independent legal entities from two different...
Will proposals addressing only parts of the waste-to-value process be considered?
No. Proposals addressing only parts of the full waste-to-value process (e.g., half reactions) will not be considered; full integration is required.
How are full proposals evaluated before face-to-face interviews?
Full proposals undergo a remote evaluation by three EIC expert evaluators matched to the technology/application area; each evaluator gives a GO or NO GO per award criterion. If all three give GO for all criteria, the proposal is invited to a face-to-face inter...
How is the budget allocated across cut-offs?
Indicatively, the budget is allocated approximately equally between cut-offs. If GO applicants in a cut-off require less than the available budget, remaining funds roll to the next cut-off; if GO applicants exceed the budget, some applicants will be funded usi...
How is the 'risk level of the investment' assessed?
By determining whether the nature and level of risk mean European market actors are unwilling to commit the full amount alone, and whether there is evidence that market actors would invest alongside the EIC or later. Small mid-caps are expected to provide docu...
What are the award criteria at the full proposal and interview stage?
Award criteria include Excellence (breakthrough nature, timing, technological feasibility, intellectual property), Impact (scale-up potential, broader impact; for Challenges: contribution to Challenge objectives), Market fit and competitor analysis, Commercial...
What are the Intellectual Property expectations for applicants?
Applicants must demonstrate necessary Intellectual Property Rights to ensure freedom to operate and adequate protection of the idea.
What are the objectives of the EIC Accelerator Challenge on Technologies for Open Strategic Autonomy?
The Challenge seeks technologies and innovations that preserve and strengthen Europe’s supply and value chains for strategically important deep-tech solutions to reduce dependency on other regions, supporting areas such as pharmaceutical components and manufac...
What are the resubmission limitations for short proposals?
If a short proposal is rejected once, you may resubmit at any time but are expected to have made improvements. If rejected a second time, you cannot submit another proposal for 12 months from the revised short proposal submission date, after which only a new o...
What are the resubmission rules for full proposals and face-to-face interviews?
If a full proposal is rejected once, you may resubmit directly to remote evaluation at a following cut-off but should have made improvements; a second rejection bars submission for 12 months, after which only a new or significantly improved short proposal is a...
What are the short proposal stage evaluation criteria for the EIC Accelerator?
Short proposals are assessed on Excellence (breakthrough/market-creating nature and timing), Impact (scale-up potential and broader societal/economic/environmental/climate impacts), and Level of risk, implementation and need for Union support (team capability,...
What happens during the face-to-face interview stage?
The EIC jury reviews the short and full proposals and remote evaluation results, plus EIC AI-platform analyses and possibly an independent specialist assessment; the jury may focus the interview based on these materials and can recommend funding, adjust grant...
What is assessed under 'Technological feasibility'?
Whether the innovation is based on technology adequately assessed in laboratory and relevant environments (at least TRL 5/6), and whether the technology is developed in a safe, secure and reliable manner.