Library FAQ
What is the Innospace Platform and who can access it?
Innospace is a pan-European virtual platform (including the EIC Space subcomponent) to host EIC operations and stimulate the innovation ecosystem by circulating ideas, connecting actors, and linking innovations to funding opportunities; it will be open to all...
What main changes were introduced compared to the 2022 Work Programme?
Key changes include opening Transition eligibility for Challenges to results from European Defence Fund projects; adjustments to Accelerator resubmission conditions and continuation of the pilot allowing investment >€15m when justified; a new approach to Busin...
What pilots and actions support the New European Innovation Agenda in this Work Programme?
Pilots include an internship scheme to bring talent into deep tech start-ups, enhanced support to women innovators (e.g., Fast Track for Women Tech.EU-supported companies and opening the Women Leadership Programme to EIT women-led deep-tech start-ups), a pilot...
Where can I find more information and how do I apply?
More information is on the EIC website (eic.ec.europa.eu). Applicants must apply through the EU Funding and Tender Opportunities portal accessible via the EIC website, which also lists National Contact Points for personalised support.
Which stages of innovation does the EIC support?
Research and development of scientific underpinnings, validation and demonstration of technologies and innovations to meet real-world needs, and development and scaling up of start-ups and SMEs.
Who can apply and what are the indicative budgets and deadlines for the main 2023 calls?
EIC Pathfinder: consortia (at least three entities in three eligible countries) (single applicants/small consortia for Challenges); grants up to €3m (open) or €4m (challenges); deadline 7 March 2023; indicative budget €179.50m (open) and €163.50m (challenges)....
Who provides strategic advice for the EIC Work Programme?
The EIC Board provides strategic advice for the EIC Work Programme.
Who should read this document?
Potential applicants, those interested in the EIC and stakeholders who need the legal annual EIC Work Programme setting out how EIC funding will be allocated for 2023.
How are technologies and sectors to be supported by the EIC assessed?
They must be assessed through an anticipatory lens, starting with a robust analysis of the EIC’s current portfolio of activity.
How does the report define deep tech innovations?
As innovations rooted in cutting-edge science, technology and engineering with potential to deliver transformative solutions addressing major societal challenges and the Green and Digital transitions.
How is EIC funding managed?
High-level domain experts, EIC Programme Managers, develop ambitious proposals for breakthrough technologies and manage one or more EIC portfolios to guide and connect projects and companies.
How many proposals and projects has the EIC attracted and funded under Horizon Europe to date?
The EIC has attracted over 10,000 proposals across its three core programmes and funded over 700 projects.
How much funding does the EIC have?
Over €10 billion of funding.
On which legacy programmes do the EIC schemes build?
They build on the Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) programme, the SME instrument, and EIC Pilot activities under Horizon 2020.
What are the EIC’s three core schemes and their focus?
EIC Pathfinder supports deep tech research and development; EIC Transition carries ideas from lab to business; EIC Accelerator supports startup development and scaling up, including investments via the EIC Fund from seed to early growth.
What did the expert-based horizon-scanning involve?
Qualitative data collection via surveys and eight participatory workshops engaging 155 top-level experts and the ERC, collecting 1,037 initial signals and trends and prioritising 58 top signals for further exploration.
What did the final in-house review focus on and what are Pathfinder figures?
It combined JRC results with an internal review focused on the EIC Pathfinder Open programme; the Pathfinder attracted over 3,000 applications and supported nearly 250 early-stage high-risk/high-gain projects (Horizon Europe 2021–23).
What did the literature review component consist of?
Desk research starting from 170 sources, narrowing to 24 reports for deeper dives, and contributing to a final list of 106 signals and trends mapped by JRC and external experts.
What does Chapter 1 of the report highlight?
Novel technologies and innovations submitted to the EIC under Horizon Europe, with emphasis on early-stage research projects funded after independent expert review, and some areas that attracted high-quality proposals but have not been funded to date.
What does Chapter 2 of the report provide?
The perspectives of the 10 EIC Programme Managers through ‘deep dives’ that consider potential of technologies, overview EIC activity and trends, and provide insights on gaps and barriers.
What is the European Innovation Council (EIC)?
A European Commission initiative, part of the Horizon Europe programme, established as a flagship to identify, develop and scale up emerging deep technologies and breakthrough innovations.
What main methodological streams were used to identify topics for the report?
Text mining and scientometric analysis (JRC TIM Analytics), expert-based horizon-scanning via surveys and workshops, and literature review of third-party reports.
What must the EIC do to achieve its mission?
Be at the forefront of developments in science and technology and identify technologies emerging from the science base that could create new value propositions and/or disrupt existing markets.
What role did JRC TIM Analytics play in the analysis?
It conducted text mining and analysis aggregating algorithmic techniques and scientometric indicators focused on EIC Pathfinder Open and Transition Open calls (2021–22) to detect signals of innovation, validated in a pilot with patent and publication data.