Library FAQ
What are indicative 2022 dates for relevant challenge calls?
Indicative dates include 23 March 2022; 15 June 2022; and 5 October 2022. Technologies for Open Strategic Autonomy and for ‘Fit for 55’ share the same indicative dates.
What are some selected EIC 2022 challenge topics?
Examples include carbon dioxide & nitrogen management and valorisation; mid‑long term, systems‑integrated energy storage; cardiogenomics; healthcare continuum technologies; DNA‑based digital data storage; alternative quantum information processing, communicati...
What are the award criteria, thresholds and weights for EIC Pathfinder Open?
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 ‘Gatekeepers’ for EIC Pathfinder Open?
Essential characteristics: a convincing long-term vision for a radically new technology; a concrete, novel and ambitious science‑towards‑technology breakthrough; and a high‑risk/high‑gain research approach with concrete and plausible objectives and sound metho...
What funding is available for EIC Pathfinder projects?
The EIC considers requests up to EUR 3 million appropriate for this call (open), with larger amounts possible if properly justified. The total indicative budget for the call is EUR 183 million.
What funding is available for EIC Transition?
Grants of up to EUR 2.5 million (or more if properly justified) to validate and demonstrate technology in application‑relevant environments and develop market readiness.
What is the Agency implementing EIC activities?
The European Innovation Council and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Executive Agency (EISMEA) is the Agency entrusted by the European Commission with implementation of all Horizon Europe EIC activities and funding.
What is the EIC Board and who appoints it?
The EIC Board oversees strategy and implementation of EIC activities, provides advice on Work Programmes, comprises 15–20 leading innovators and researchers including a President, and is appointed by the European Commission following an open call for expressio...
What is the EIC Transition and who can apply?
EIC Transition supports validation and demonstration in application‑relevant environments (TRL 4 to 5/6) and market readiness. Eligible applicants are single applicants (SMEs, spin‑offs, start‑ups, research organisations, universities), small consortia (two pa...
What is the objective of the EIC Pathfinder?
The overall objective is to develop the scientific basis to underpin breakthrough technologies by supporting the earliest stages of scientific, technological or deep-tech R&D to achieve proof of principle (TRL 1-4).
What is the rebuttal procedure in the evaluation process?
After the remote evaluation phase, applicants have an opportunity to reply to evaluators’ comments within a strict page limit; these comments are considered by the evaluation committee in its final scoring.
What is the Seal of Excellence?
A certification awarded to individual SMEs that meet the relevant evaluation criteria for EIC Transition or EIC Accelerator but are not directly funded by the EIC; it provides access to Business Acceleration Services and facilitates funding from other sources.
What outcomes are expected from EIC Pathfinder projects?
Expected outcomes include proof of principle validating the scientific and technological basis of the envisioned technology, top-level open access scientific publications, and measures to allow future uptake such as adequate formal IP protection.
What types of proposals does EIC Pathfinder support?
EIC Pathfinder Open supports early-stage, high-risk/high-gain science-towards-technology breakthrough research across any field (TRL 1-4). EIC Pathfinder Challenges focus on proposals addressing predefined thematic objectives.
Who can apply to EIC Pathfinder Open?
Collaborative research consortia of at least three independent legal entities, each established in a different Member State or Associated Country, with at least one in a Member State. Legal entities may include universities, research organisations, SMEs, start...
Who is eligible for the EIC Accelerator and what funding does it provide?
Single start-ups and SMEs (including spin-outs), individuals intending to launch a start-up/SME, and in exceptional cases small mid‑caps (fewer than 499 employees). Funding includes up to EUR 2.5 million grant component for technology development (TRL 5/6 to 9...
How do I apply for EIC funding?
Apply through the EIC website (https://eic.ec.europa.eu/) and the EU Funding & Tenders Opportunities portal (https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/home). These sites include all necessary information and details of the relevant...
What are EIC portfolios and Challenge Portfolios?
Portfolios group thematically or challenge-based projects to advance ideas collaboratively. Challenge Portfolio objectives and roadmaps are defined by the EIC Programme Manager in consultation with beneficiaries and may be revised; revisions can lead to reques...
What are some example challenge topics in the 2021 programme?
Examples include: Awareness inside; Tools to measure & stimulate activity in brain tissue; Emerging Technologies in Cell & Gene Therapy; Novel routes to green hydrogen production; Engineered living materials; Medical devices; Energy harvesting and storage tech...
What are the EIC policies on open access and intellectual property?
For Pathfinder, provisions ensure open access to scientific publications. Pathfinder and Transition projects may be requested to share results within portfolios subject to non-disclosure obligations; beneficiaries retain ownership and rights to exploit their r...
What are the EIC's specific objectives?
To identify, develop and deploy high-risk innovations—particularly breakthrough, market-creating and deep-tech innovations—support rapid scale-up of technologies and companies (mainly start-ups and SMEs) at EU and international level, and contribute to EU tech...
What does the EIC Accelerator fund and who can apply?
Accelerator supports single start-ups and SMEs (including spin-outs), individuals intending to launch a start-up/SME and, in exceptional cases, small mid-caps (<500 employees). It offers blended finance: up to EUR 2.5 million grant component (TRL 5/6 to 8)...
What does the EIC Pathfinder fund and who can apply?
Pathfinder funds advanced science-towards-technology research (TRL 1–4) to achieve proof of principle. Grants up to EUR 3 million (open) or EUR 4 million (challenge) are available. Applicants are consortia of at least three independent legal entities establish...
What does the EIC Transition fund and who can apply?
Transition funds activities that validate and demonstrate technology in application-relevant environments (TRL 4 to 5/6) and develop market readiness. Grants up to EUR 2.5 million (or more if justified). Eligible applicants are single applicants (SMEs, spin-of...