Library FAQ
How are ties resolved when proposals have the same final score?
Priority is given in order to: higher score under Excellence; higher score under Impact; gender balance among the work package leaders; number of applicants that are SMEs; number of Member States and Associated Countries represented in the consortium; then oth...
What are EIC Pathfinder Challenges and how do they operate?
EIC Pathfinder Challenges build on cutting-edge S&T to disrupt fields or create opportunities via high-risk/high-gain R&I. A portfolio of projects exploring different or complementary approaches is established, overseen by a dedicated Programme Manager who ste...
What are the award criteria, thresholds and weights for EIC Pathfinder calls?
Award criteria are Excellence (threshold 4/5; weight 60%), Impact (threshold 3.5/5; weight 20%) and Quality and efficiency of the implementation (threshold 3/5; weight 20%).
What are the call deadlines mentioned in this chunk?
One call deadline is 7 March 2024 at 17:00 Brussels local time. A Challenge call deadline is 16 October 2024 at 17:00 Brussels local time.
What are the lump sum and project planning requirements?
Applicants must propose the lump sum based on their estimated project costs as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising lump sums. It is advised to include a work package dedicated to portfolio activities and to allocate at least 10 person-months to...
What are the page limits for Part B sections 1–3 of the proposal?
For the first call described, Sections 1–3 of Part B must be a maximum of 20 A4 pages. For the Challenge call, Sections 1–3 of Part B must be a maximum of 30 A4 pages.
What aspects are assessed under Excellence for EIC Pathfinder Challenges?
Excellence for Challenges assesses objectives and relevance to the Challenge, novelty (ambition beyond state-of-the-art), and plausibility of the methodology (including gender dimension and open science practices).
What aspects are assessed under Excellence for EIC Pathfinder Open?
Excellence assesses long-term vision, science-towards-technology breakthrough, the concreteness and plausibility of objectives and methodology (including gender dimension and open science), and the relevance of interdisciplinarity from distant disciplines.
What aspects are assessed under Impact?
Impact assesses long-term or potential impact on economy, environment and society; innovation potential including protection and exploitation measures and involvement of key actors; and communication and dissemination measures to maximise outcomes and raise aw...
What aspects are assessed under Quality and efficiency of the implementation?
This criterion assesses the coherence and effectiveness of the work plan and risk mitigation, allocation of resources (person-months and costs), and the quality and capacity of the consortium or applicant to perform the project tasks.
What funding and support are available if my proposal is funded?
The total indicative budget for this call is EUR 120 million, expected to be allocated approximately equally across Challenges. You will receive a Research and Innovation Action grant; an EU contribution of up to EUR 4 million is considered appropriate, fundin...
What happens after a proposal is retained for funding?
The coordinator receives a letter announcing retention and next steps for grant agreement signature. Project Officer and EIC Programme Manager will support grant agreement preparation, planning of portfolio activities and Challenge roadmap. During project exec...
When will I be informed of the evaluation outcome and when can I expect the grant signed?
You will be informed about the outcome within 5 months after the call deadline (indicative). If selected, you can expect the grant agreement to be signed by 8 months after the call deadline (indicative). For retained Challenge proposals, grant agreement prepar...
Where can I find the Model Grant Agreement?
The Model Grant Agreement can be found on the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal.
Where do I submit an EIC Pathfinder proposal?
You must submit your proposal via the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal before the call deadline.
Who is eligible to apply and what are consortium composition rules?
Proposals must meet the general eligibility requirements (Annex 2) and any Challenge-specific requirements. The Challenges support collaborative consortia or single legal entities established in a Member State or an Associated Country. Consortia of two entitie...
Who should apply to a Pathfinder Challenge and what should projects deliver?
You should apply if you have a cutting-edge project that contributes to the specific objectives of the Challenge and aims to deliver the expected outcomes by project end. Starting TRL is generally early (e.g., TRL 2 up to proof of concept TRL 3–4). Project res...
Are proposers encouraged to use digital tools in Advanced Materials projects?
Yes. Leveraging digital tools such as AI to accelerate identification, design, fabrication and characterisation of new materials is encouraged.
How are proposals evaluated for EIC Pathfinder Challenges?
Evaluation is in two steps: (1) each proposal is assessed separately against the award criteria; (2) portfolio considerations are applied to select a coherent set of projects that together achieve the Challenge's expected outcomes and impacts.
What are important scope and exclusion notes for Healthy Ageing proposals?
All proposals should consider biological sex and gender-specific health determinants (including reproductive ageing). Precision nutrition, novel ageing-clock discovery and wellness applications are explicitly out of scope.
What are the award criteria and their weights for EIC Pathfinder Challenges?
Three criteria: Excellence (weight 50%, threshold 4/5), Impact (weight 30%, threshold 3.5/5), and Quality and efficiency of the implementation (weight 20%, threshold 3/5).
What aspects are assessed under the 'Excellence' criterion?
Objectives and relevance to the Challenge, novelty (ambition beyond state-of-the-art), and plausibility of the methodology including concepts, models, assumptions, gender dimension in research content, and open science practices.
What does 'Quality and efficiency of the implementation' assess?
Coherence and effectiveness of the work plan and risk mitigation, appropriateness of resource allocation (person-months and costs), and the capacity and expertise of the applicant/consortium to perform the project tasks.
What impacts are expected from the Advanced Materials Challenge?
Development of energetically autonomous systems enabling new services (e.g., point-of-care diagnostics, smart cities), support for energy sustainability goals (RePowerEU, Green Deal), and enhanced sustainability of IoT and autonomous systems.