Library FAQ
What is the submission deadline and format limit for the EIC Pathfinder Open call?
Deadline: 7 March 2023 at 17:00 Brussels time. Submit via the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal. Sections 1–3 of Part B (Excellence, Impact, Quality and Efficiency of Implementation) must be a maximum of 17 A4 pages.
What is the total indicative budget and typical EU contribution for the EIC Pathfinder Open call?
The total indicative budget for this call is EUR 179.5 million. The EIC considers proposals requesting up to EUR 3 million EU contribution as appropriate, though larger amounts may be requested if duly justified. Funding rate is 100% of eligible costs.
What types of legal entities can be beneficiaries?
Legal entities may include universities, research organisations, SMEs, start‑ups, industrial partners or natural persons; further eligibility details are in Annex 2.
When will you be informed of the evaluation outcome and when can you expect the grant agreement to be signed for the Open call?
You will be informed about the evaluation outcome within 5 months from the call deadline (indicative). If selected, you can expect the grant agreement to be signed by 8 months after the call deadline (indicative).
Where can you find the Model Grant Agreement?
The Model Grant Agreement can be found on the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal.
Who should you involve and empower in your project team?
You are encouraged to involve and empower key actors who could become future leaders, such as excellent early-career researchers and promising high‑tech SMEs (including start‑ups), and to particularly empower female researchers and aim for gender balance among...
How are solar sails being used and what recent demonstrations exist?
Solar sails leverage radiation pressure from sunlight for propulsion or braking; recent demonstrations mentioned include the Gama Alpha and ADEO braking sail demonstrators, and space‑based lasers are studied for debris push, de‑tumble and de‑orbit tasks.
How can biomimetic and computational design reduce construction emissions, and which EIC projects illustrate this?
Algorithmic 3D‑printed slabs, fabric‑reinforced shells and hierarchical metamaterials reduce material use; EIC‑supported examples include BOHEME, ADAM^2, Svelte, Odico/SMARTSTAIR and Modvion for engineered timber towers.
How can the discovery and deployment of novel materials be accelerated?
By adopting safe‑and‑sustainable‑by‑design frameworks and materials informatics that couple empirical and computational data, and by leveraging HPC and AI/ML for prediction and optimisation across scales.
How does the EIC portfolio support active debris removal (ADR)?
The EIC supports ADR across TRLs through Pathfinder, Transition and Accelerator instruments and ran an Accelerator Challenge (2023) to scale collision avoidance, debris collection/recovery/transformation, and in‑orbit servicing/ADR.
How is green hydrogen and downstream renewable fuel production supported and exemplified?
The Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking supports green hydrogen via electrolysis; EIC commercialization pathways include INERATEC’s ImPower2X for renewable aviation fuel, Electrochaea’s biomethanation, and projects such as SolarCO2Value and FuturoLEAF for direct...
What alternative low‑carbon or carbon‑negative cement options are discussed?
Alternatives include alkali‑activated binders, RBPC, BYF, carbonatable calcium silicate clinker (CCSC), and magnesium oxides from magnesium silicates (MOMS); MOMS could enable carbon‑negative pathways but need breakthroughs in extraction and processing. MATERR...
What are common AI/ML applications in materials discovery mentioned in the report?
AI/ML is applied to data extraction, descriptor identification, surrogate modeling, digital twins and physics‑informed AI to accelerate discovery for catalysts, photovoltaics, optoelectronics, thermoelectrics and more.
What are electrodynamic tethers (EDTs) and what solution is E.T.PACK developing?
EDTs use a bare photovoltaic tether to harvest energy and generate Lorentz drag for de‑orbiting; E.T.PACK develops a consumable‑less de‑orbit kit based on this concept, providing both power and de‑orbit capability.
What are RFNBOs and why are they important?
Renewable fuels and chemicals (RFNBOs) are produced from renewable energy sources and are critical routes to defossilise hard‑to‑electrify sectors by replacing fossil feedstocks and fuels.
What are the main barriers to scaling low‑carbon construction technologies?
Scaling requires large investments, new plants and robust low‑cost implementations suitable for non‑OECD regions. Public funding examples (e.g., LIFE support for Solidia’s CCSC) needed substantial private co‑investment to reach scale.
What critical raw material (CRM) risks does the report identify?
The report highlights dependence on PGMs (e.g., iridium, platinum) in electrolysers, potential iridium scarcity, and reliance on rare earth elements and cobalt in some systems, posing risks for energy security and deployment.
What energy efficiency, storage and demand‑side technologies are highlighted?
Examples include waste heat recovery and modular thermal energy storage (Kraftblock, EnergyNest), compact molten salt reactors (Seaborg), CO2 batteries for long duration storage (Energy Dome), thermophotovoltaic batteries (THERMOBAT), plasma‑assisted efficient...
What funding focus does the EIC have regarding materials and energy systems?
The EIC funds portfolios on green hydrogen production, CO2 and nitrogen management and valorisation, and systems‑integrated energy storage, with emphasis on CRM‑free materials and circular life cycles.
What high‑throughput methods (HTM) accelerate advanced materials discovery?
HTM includes high‑throughput synthesis, characterisation and data analysis—examples cited are inkjet‑printed catalyst libraries and thin‑film sputtered combinatorial libraries—enabling rapid screening of compositions.
What is Atmosphere Breathing Electric Propulsion (ABEP) and where is it applicable?
ABEP collects residual atmospheric gases at very low Earth orbit (VLEO) altitudes and uses them as propellant for electric thrusters; scenarios include Earth/Mars orbit operations and tug/refuelling missions.
What is meant by “fuels and chemicals from the sun”?
It refers to converting renewable solar energy (e.g., PV) into fuels and chemicals—using processes like artificial photosynthesis and power‑to‑X—to replace fossil resources and turn CO2 into a feedstock.
Which EU initiatives and EIC projects advance solar fuels and related technologies?
EU initiatives include SUNERGY; EIC Pathfinder and Transition projects cited are A‑LEAF, DIACAT, SoFiA and LICROX, which assess feasibility and advance artificial photosynthesis and power‑to‑X pathways.
Why are advanced materials (AMs) important for the energy transition?
AMs enable transformations across green and digital transitions—improving devices like catalysts, photovoltaics and storage—and can reduce dependency on critical raw materials while supporting scalable decarbonisation.