Library FAQ
What are the gender participation statistics mentioned?
To date 16% of applicants and 19% of successful companies are led by women CEOs; under Pathfinder 28% of project Coordinators and 27% of participants are female.
What does the Co-Investment Support Programme do?
It helps EIC beneficiaries become investor ready and access investors via pitching events and a database of over 800 investors, including VCs and business angels, and supports co-investment opportunities.
What has the EIC Pathfinder achieved so far?
Including Horizon 2020 predecessors, €2.3 billion of funding supported 438 Pathfinder projects that generated 1,686 unique innovations; under Horizon Europe the Pathfinder has supported over 275 early-stage projects.
What internationalisation services does the EIC offer?
Support that brings EIC innovators to trade fairs within and outside Europe and offers soft-landing support in the United States.
What is attosecond science and how is it supported by the EIC?
Attosecond science studies electronic response of matter on attosecond timescales; an EIC Transition project built on ERC-funded basic science and a spin-out, Sphere Ultrafast Photonics, to industrialise ultrafast laser tools for real-time analysis of femtosec...
What is EIC Transition and what funding does it provide?
A Horizon Europe instrument to turn deep tech research into innovations, providing up to €2.5 million for technology maturation, demonstration and business plan development aimed at commercialisation.
What is Tech 2 Market?
A programme to help researchers and innovators from EIC Pathfinder and Transition projects move from lab to market, offering tailored support via Entrepreneurship and Venture Building approaches.
What is the EIC Scaling Club?
A programme launched in 2023 to support 100 deep-tech companies from the EIC portfolio and beyond to help them grow into European tech champions and unicorns; the first cohort launches in April 2024.
What is the First Movers Coalition (FMC)?
An initiative that leverages members’ collective purchasing power to advance critical emerging climate technologies and send a credible demand signal to accelerate adoption in heavy-emitting sectors.
What is the Innovation Procurement Programme?
A programme that supports innovators in accessing markets in Europe and globally by connecting EIC-funded deep tech innovations with corporate buyers, utilities, hospitals and cities to achieve market or policy goals.
What is the NEMO-BMI project supported by the EIC Pathfinder?
A project coordinated by CEA developing a Brain-Computer Interface system based on WIMAGINE® and a brain signal decoder; coupled with spinal cord stimulation it enabled a paraplegic individual to walk naturally and received EIC Transition support for further t...
What is the size of the EIC portfolio since 2021?
Since 2021 the EIC has provided over €4.5 billion supporting over 275 Pathfinder projects, 140 Transition projects and over 500 start-ups and SMEs under the Accelerator.
What key innovation metrics are reported for Pathfinder projects?
27% of innovations have potential to create new markets, 50% target emerging markets, >1,150 are judged very or obviously innovative, 40% of projects had at least one industry partner, 25% reported a patent application, and 12% led to a spin-off.
How are 'women-led SMEs' and 'women-led consortia' defined?
Women-led SMEs have a woman as CEO, CTO or CSO at time of application, interview and award. Women-led consortia have a woman as consortium coordinator and at least 50% of Work Package leaders (including the coordinator) are women at time of application, interv...
How does the EIC define 'deep tech'?
Deep tech is technology based on cutting-edge scientific advances, requiring constant interaction with new ideas and lab results. It has potential for transformative solutions rooted in cutting-edge science, technology and engineering, possibly combining advan...
How does the EIC define Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs)?
SMEs are enterprises with fewer than 250 persons and either an annual turnover not exceeding EUR 50 million or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding EUR 43 million. Under the EIC, this category includes start-ups.
What are EIC Business Acceleration Services (BAS)?
BAS are support services for EIC Awardees and other eligible organisations to aid innovation development and commercialisation, including access to coaches and training, services of EIC Ecosystem Partners, and access to global partners (corporates, investors,...
What are EIC business coaches?
EIC business coaches are independent external experts with entrepreneurial and investment backgrounds who provide business development insights and guidance to EIC Awardees and applicants.
What are Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) and how are TRL1–TRL9 described?
TRLs guide the stage of development and accompany market and business readiness. TRL1: Basic principles observed. TRL2: Technology concept formulated. TRL3: Experimental proof of concept. TRL4: Technology validated in lab. TRL5: Technology validated in relevan...
What are the gatekeepers for applying to EIC Pathfinder Open?
Proposals must show a convincing long-term vision of a radically new technology with transformative potential, a concrete novel ambitious science-towards-technology breakthrough advancing the envisioned technology, and a high-risk/high-gain research approach w...
What are the Seal of Excellence and the Sovereignty (STEP) Seal?
The Seal of Excellence is a quality label for excellent proposals not funded due to lack of budget and helps access other funding and BAS. The STEP Seal is awarded to proposals meeting thresholds in calls contributing to the Strategic Technologies for Europe P...
What does the EIC Fund Manager do and where are its guidelines found?
The EIC Fund Manager makes investment and divestment decisions on companies selected through the EIC Accelerator call, following due diligence by the EIB according to the EIC Investment Guidelines. More information is available in the EIC Investment Guidelines...
What EU rules does the EIC apply regarding money laundering, terrorism financing and tax offences?
The EIC applies EU rules, policies and procedures addressing money laundering, terrorism financing, tax avoidance, tax fraud and tax evasion contained in Article 158(2)(a) of the Financial Regulation, and complies with prohibitions on entering into operations...
What is EIC Pathfinder Open and who should apply?
EIC Pathfinder Open supports early-stage development of radical future technologies (typically TRL1–4) based on high-risk/high-gain science-towards-technology research. You should apply if you have an ambitious vision for a novel technology, a plausible way to...