European Innovation Council (EIC) Work Programme 2023

Who should read this document

This document is the annual European Innovation Council (EIC) Work Programme funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. It is the legal document which sets out how the EIC will allocate its funding for the corresponding year. It is prepared following the advice of the EIC Board and adopted by the European Commission.

The EIC aims to identify and support breakthrough technologies and game-changing innovations with the potential to scale up internationally and become market leaders. It supports all stages of innovation from research and development on the scientific underpinnings of breakthrough technologies, from validation and demonstration of breakthrough technologies and innovations to meet real world needs, to the development and scaling up of start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Financial support is provided through three main funding schemes: the EIC Pathfinder for advanced research on breakthrough/game-changing technologies; EIC Transition for transforming research results into innovation opportunities; and the EIC Accelerator for individual companies to develop and scale up breakthrough innovations with high risk and high impact. All EIC Awardees, as well as selected applicants, have access to a range of EIC Business Acceleration Services providing access to leading expertise, corporates, investors and ecosystem actors. The EIC also provides additional activities such as prizes.

Potential applicants, and those interested in the EIC in general, can find more information, including the background to the EIC mission, organisation and practical guidance, on the EIC website: EIC website

Potential applicants who wish to apply for EIC funding will need to apply through the EU Funding and Tender Opportunities portal ( EU Funding and Tenders Opportunities portal), which can also be accessed via the EIC website ( EIC website). This contains all the information necessary as well as details of the relevant National Contact Point who can provide information and personalised support for applicants from the country.

Introduction

Strategic goals and Key Performance Indicators

The EIC was established to identify, develop and scale up breakthrough technologies and companies, which are critical for EU policies to achieve the green and digital transition and help ensure future open strategic autonomy in critical technologies.

The EIC Board provides strategic advice for the EIC Work Programme. 1 For the period 2021-27 the EIC Board has recommended six strategic goals, with associated Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), in order to provide clear direction, track progress, and guide implementation and potential new actions. 2 The baselines and progress against KPI targets will be included in the annual EIC impact reports. The KPIs represent mid to long term targets.

Six Strategic Goals for the EIC

Overview of the 2023 Work Programme

This is the Work Programme for the implementation of European Innovation Council (EIC) activities in 2023.

The funding and support is organised into three main funding schemes: the EIC Pathfinder for advanced research to develop the scientific basis to underpin breakthrough technologies (Section II); the EIC Transition to validate technologies and develop business plans for specific applications (Section III); 3 and the EIC Accelerator to support companies (SMEs, start-ups, spin-outs and in exceptional cases small mid-caps) to bring their innovations to market and scale up (Section IV). In each case, the direct financial support to innovators is augmented with access to a range of Business Acceleration Services (Section V).

Linkages between these funding schemes will be maximised through proactive management and new approaches, such as additional ‘Booster’ grants to ongoing EIC Pathfinder and EIC Transition projects (Annex 5), a future Marketplace to connect preliminary and final research results with entrepreneurs and investors, and the Fast Track scheme to accelerate the access of successful projects from EIC Pathfinder and EIC Transition to the EIC Accelerator (Annex 3).

This Work Programme has been prepared in coordination with the first Horizon Europe Strategic Plan 2021-2024 and the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2023-2024, 4 and in particular its part on European Innovation Ecosystems, with the aim of integrating the direct support to innovators through the EIC with improvements to the overall European ecosystem. The EIC will also link with other components of Horizon Europe, including the European Research Council (ERC), the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) and its Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs), and with other Union funding programmes, such as InvestEU.

The majority of funding will be awarded through open calls with no predefined thematic priorities (‘EIC Open’). 5 The EIC Open funding is designed to enable support for any technologies and innovations that cut across different scientific, technological, sectoral and application fields or represent novel combinations.

Table 1. Summary of main calls in 2023 6

Main changes with respect to the EIC Work Programme 2022

In this Work Programme the main provisions of the EIC Open calls and EIC Prizes continue to remain stable, while incorporating necessary improvements, notably (see call texts for full details):

The areas defined for the EIC Challenges are, for the most part, different from the Challenges included in the two previous EIC EIT Work Programmes. A number of the Challenges have been designed to support broader EU policy objectives such as RePowerEU, the Chips Act, food security and EU missions. The methodology for the selection of these challenges as well as information on a wider range of areas considered for EIC challenges is provided in the EIC Emerging Technologies Report. 9

This Work Programme will pilot a number of actions in support of the Commission Communication on the New European Innovation Agenda 10 which underlines the importance of deep tech innovation for achieving EU priorities and sets out an important role for the EIC to implement various actions including:

Key features of EIC support

A combination of financial and non-financial support to accelerate and grow EIC innovations and companies

The EIC support goes far beyond funding and it aims at supporting the emergence, acceleration and growth of EIC innovations and deep tech companies. In order to further leverage the EIC investments, all EIC Awardees will be provided with access to a range of externally contracted, bespoke EIC Business Acceleration Services (BAS) at any stage of development of their activities.

The EIC uses its pan-European reach to connect EIC Awardees with partners from all around Europe and beyond, thereby also contributing to further develop the innovation ecosystem in Europe by providing access to and from a deal flow of top-level European innovators.

A number of support actions included in this Work Programme will allow the integration and development of current EIC services such as the integration of the EIC Accelerator AI platform and the EIC Community platform into a wider virtual space, the ‘Innospace Platform’, that is being developed following the tender funded by the EIC Work Programme 2021 and is expected to start operating in the course of 2023. Innospace Platform will include as a subcomponent the EIC Space, dedicated to the implementation and management of all EIC operations, including the EIC Accelerator AI Platform, the upcoming EIC Marketplace, the EIC Community platform, etc.

The Innospace Platform will be open to all interested stakeholders and parties, to stimulate the European innovation ecosystem by fostering the circulation of ideas, bringing actors together to further develop innovations and bridge them with funding opportunities, public or private including the EIC. The aim is to develop further synergies with other EU, national and regional programmes, as well as interested innovation agencies to overall enhance support to innovation across the Union.

Proactive project and portfolio management by EIC Programme Managers

Support awarded by the EIC, and in particular by the EIC Pathfinder, is more than a one-off funding of a research project. By covering the full innovation cycle, whenever possible EIC intends to push results to higher Technology Readiness Levels (TRL).

EIC Pathfinder Awardees will bear no obligation regarding the development of innovation as part of their project, the EIC will encourage and stimulate further maturation of preliminary findings and results by providing guidance but also additional and continuous support, including financial.

Moreover, the EIC takes a proactive approach of project and programme management to develop business and technology-based visions. This is performed by EIC Programme Managers, 11 whose task is to identify, develop and implement such visions and to nurture potential market-creating innovations out of EIC funded projects and activities. Proactive management applies to EIC Pathfinder, EIC Transition and EIC Accelerator projects and consists of the following:

A tailored approach to proposal evaluation

The EIC approach to the evaluation of proposals is tailored to the objectives of each of the EIC funding schemes. For the most mature technologies, when business and market readiness levels are close to market funding, greater emphasis is put on face to face interviews with applicants and a simplified binary scoring (GO/NO GO).

For the EIC Pathfinder, which supports science-towards-technology breakthrough research, the evaluation follows a peer review method where proposals are evaluated, scored and ranked by experts based on weighted criteria and thresholds (see Section II).

For the EIC Transition, which funds innovation activities that go beyond the experimental proof of concept, proposals will first be evaluated remotely, scored and ranked based on criteria and thresholds. For the top ranked applicants which are invited to the face to face interview, the jury will decide based on a binary scoring (GO/NO GO, see Section III).

For the EIC Accelerator, which supports high risk/high gain innovations to go to the market and scale up, proposals will be evaluated remotely and at face to face interviews based on a binary scoring (GO/NO GO). 12 (see Section IV).

Policy of open access and Intellectual Property rights 13

For the EIC Pathfinder, provisions will be applied to ensure open access to scientific publications and promote the uptake of research results (see Annex 2 on open science).

Moreover, the EIC aims to stimulate the cross-fertilisation and exploitation of results from EIC supported projects. Therefore, EIC Pathfinder and EIC Transition projects may be requested by EIC Programme Managers to actively share information about results (including preliminary findings), within their EIC Portfolio and with other relevant EIC projects and parties, as detailed in Annex 6.

The goal is to stimulate and nurture potential innovation out of EIC Pathfinder or EIC Transition results and explore pathways to further development. This exchange of information between EIC Awardees will be without prejudice to their own legitimate interests to exploit the results or findings. To ensure full confidentiality, such sharing will be subject to non-disclosure obligations regarding confidential results, with EIC Awardees retaining the right on a case by case basis to fully disclose or not their intellectual property.

Without prejudice to ownership of results (including preliminary findings) by EIC Pathfinder and EIC Transition result owners, their inventors will be entrusted with appropriate access for the purpose of further development and exploitation and be eligible to additional financial support and services offered by EIC, as further detailed in Annex 6.

EIC-EIT Collaboration

The EIC is progressively increasing collaboration and synergies with the EIT and its Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) with the overall aim of strengthening the European Innovation Ecosystem. In this context, the EIC and the EIT agreed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 8 January 2021 identifying a range of areas to strengthen collaboration.

A number of these areas are already supported through this and previous Work Programme(s), such as the implementation of the FastTrack process by EIT KICs, the integration of relevant advisory services provided by KICs into the EIC Business Acceleration Services, and the continued work on joint communication materials and data sharing. The New European Innovation Agenda presents a new momentum to take the collaboration forward as it contains a number of actions on which the EIC and EIT are called to collaborate, notably the launch of an innovation intern scheme, opening the EIC’s Women Leadership Programme to women-led deep-tech start-ups from the EIT, and a coordination of the woman innovators prizes. Further measures will be considered in the future.

Outlook for 2024 and future years

The EIC has been set up as an agile organisation and the activities are expected to evolve and develop in each annual Work Programme based on advice from the EIC Board, experience from implementation and the dynamics of the world of innovation.

The main provisions of the EIC Open calls are expected to remain relatively stable to provide a significant level of predictability for applicants, while incorporating necessary improvements. The selection of EIC Challenges will continue to react to current technological, market and policy developments, including but not limited to the areas identified by the EIC Emerging Technologies report.

This Work Programme is the last one to include a financial contribution from the Next Generation EU budget and as a consequence the annual budget for future EIC Work Programmes will be lower. This will continue to ensure a balance between Open and Challenge funding.

Glossary 14

The EIC Board oversees the strategy and implementation of EIC activities and provides advice on EIC Work Programmes. It comprises 20 leading innovators and innovative researchers, including the EIC President, and is appointed by the European Commission following an open call for expressions of interest. The EIC Board members are subject to strict rules concerning conflicts of interest and confidentiality.

The Agency entrusted by the European Commission with the implementation of Horizon Europe EIC activities is the European Innovation Council and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Executive Agency (EISMEA).

The EIC Fund is an alternative investment fund (AIF) that has been established for the specific purpose of investing in companies selected by through EIC Accelerator calls. An external alternative investment fund manager (AIFM, the “EIC Fund Manager”) manages the EIC Fund. The European Investment Bank (EIB) supports the EIC Fund as Investment Advisor.

The EIC Fund Manager makes investment and divestment decisions on the companies selected through the EIC Accelerator call by following a due diligence performed by the EIB according to the EIC Investment Guidelines. 15 The EIC Fund Manager manages the EIC portfolio of invested companies, supported by the EIB, and in close coordination with the grant support provided to investee companies by the European Commission and managed by the Agency, as well as the provision of Business Acceleration Services (including access to other potential investors via the EIC Co-Investment Platform) and the performance of technology due diligence by the Agency.

The EIC Forum brings different innovation drivers and levels of governance closer together to discuss openly and informally relevant policy issues. 16 The policy recommendations and activities of the EIC Forum will aim at supporting and complementing initiatives undertaken in Horizon Europe.

The EIC Awardees are the consortia, institutions, natural persons and/or companies named in an EIC grant agreement (for EIC Pathfinder, EIC Transition) or EIC contract or investment agreement for EIC Accelerator, as well as winners of EIC Prizes. In the agreements and contracts, the legal entities receiving support (including but not limited to companies, research and technology organisations) are called ‘beneficiaries’.

The Horizon Europe model grant agreements and contracts are available on the EIC website.

EIC Programme Managers are high-level experts in specific fields of technology, business and innovation and who manage one or more EIC Portfolios. They are appointed to work in the Agency for a limited duration, to develop visions for breakthrough technologies and innovations, and to proactively manage portfolios of projects to achieve these breakthroughs. They are supported by EIC Project Officers as well as by EIC Tech to Market advisers. The EIC Programme Managers are subject to strict rules concerning conflicts of interest and confidentiality

EIC Tech to Market Advisers are agents employed by the Agency to assist primarily the EIC Transition projects, in agreement with EIC Programme Managers and in cooperation with Project Officers, with the design and the execution of the transition plan and to facilitate access to, and follow-up of, the relevant Business Acceleration Service offerings

EIC Project Officers are officials and other agents appointed by the Agency to manage an action

EIC expert evaluators are external independent experts in their field who assess proposals for funding against the criteria defined in the Work Programme. The EIC expert evaluators are selected from the Funding and Tender Opportunities portal Expert Database

EIC Juries are panels of specifically selected EIC experts evaluators (including, for example, independent investors, business angels and entrepreneurs) who conduct face to face interviews with applicants to the EIC Transition and EIC Accelerator calls as part of the evaluation procedure. EIC Programme Managers and, in the case of the EIC Accelerator representatives of the EIB as Investment Adviser to the EIC Fund, may participate in jury interviews as observers, but will not be members of the jury and will not take part in the jury’s decisions. Face to face interviews may take place in either a physical or virtual setting

EIC expert monitors are external independent experts in their field who assist the Agency and in some cases EIC Programme Managers in the monitoring of projects

EIC evaluation committees are panels of EIC expert evaluators who evaluate proposals and rank those that have passed the applicable thresholds. In the case of EIC Pathfinder Challenges, EIC Programme Managers participate as members in some evaluation committees as specified in the call texts

EIC Business Acceleration Services (BAS) are externally contracted services provided to the EIC Awardees and other eligible organisations to support the commercialisation of EIC innovations and the scaling up of EIC companies, namely access to coaches and training, especially through the services of the EIC Ecosystem Partners, and access to global partners (leading corporates, investors, procurers, distributors, clients), see Section V for more detail

EIC business coaches are independent external experts with entrepreneurial and fundraising background who provide business development insights and improvement guidance to EIC Awardees, and applicants. They are part of the EIC Business Acceleration Services.

EIC Community platform is a platform available to all EIC Awardees, facilitating links to Business Acceleration Services as well as enabling discussions, exchanges and match making. The EIC Community platform is a virtual meeting place where EIC Awardees can connect with peer inventors, researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs as well as other actors from the ecosystem, including corporates, investors, business angels, mentors and coaches, innovation procurers, innovation agencies, business associations, clusters, accelerators, incubators, technology transfer offices and many more. The EIC Community Platform will become part of Innospace Platform.

EIC Ecosystem Partners are organisations that have been selected to provide EIC Business Acceleration Services or other support to EIC Awardees. EIC Ecosystem Partners can include, for example, investors, business angels, mentors and coaches, innovation agencies, business associations, clusters, accelerators, incubators, technology transfer offices, venture builders, etc. They may also include the Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) of the EIT, members of the Enterprise Europe Network and Startup Europe, and the European IP Helpdesk

The EIC Marketplace will be a trusted IT platform between EIC Community members for exchange of information and data on EIC Pathfinder and Transition projects, in order to cross-fertilise activities and stimulate and nurture potential innovation. The EIC Marketplace is expected to become available during the course of 2023 as part of Innospace Platform.

EIC Portfolio is a set of actions presenting thematic similarities (Thematic Portfolio) or contributing to the same EIC Challenge (Challenge Portfolio)

EIC Innospace Platform will be a virtual platform allowing interactions and collaborations among European innovators. Starting from 2023, the Innospace Platform will be open to all interested stakeholders and parties to stimulate the European innovation ecosystem by fostering the circulation of ideas, bringing actors

together to further develop innovations and bridge them with funding opportunities, public or private including the EIC. The aim is to develop further synergies with other EU, national and regional programmes, as well as interested innovation agencies to overall enhance support to innovation across the Union. The EIC Innospace Platform will include the EIC Space to support the management of EIC operations including different modules, such as the future EIC Marketplace, and the current EIC Community platform and EIC Accelerator AI platform.

National Contact Points (NCPs) are appointed by Member States and Associated Countries to provide guidance, practical information and assistance to applicants on all aspects of participation in Horizon Europe

The Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) is a network of business intermediary organisations (chambers of commerce, technology poles, innovation support organisations, universities and research institutes, regional development organisations) that help Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) innovate and grow internationally.

Deep tech is technology that is based on cutting-edge scientific advances and discoveries and is characterised by the need to stay at the technological forefront by constant interaction with new ideas and results from the lab. Deep tech is distinct from ‘high tech’ which tends to refer only to R&D intensity

Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) provide a guide to the stage of development. TRLs are used in the Work Programme for guidance, but do not preclude support for non-technological innovations. A strong degree of importance will also be given to market readiness and business readiness, 17 as described in the award criteria of the call texts. The following definitions of TRLs apply, recognising that there are important differences between technological fields: 18

TRL1 - basic principles observed

TRL2 - technology concept formulated TRL3 - experimental proof of concept TRL4 - technology validated in lab

TRL5 - technology validated in relevant environment TRL6 - technology demonstrated in relevant environment

TRL7 - system prototype demonstration in operational environment TRL8 - system complete and qualified

TRL9 - actual system proven in operational environment

Seal of Excellence: is a quality label which shows that a proposal submitted to a call for proposals exceeded all of the evaluation thresholds set out in the work programme. It is awarded to individual SMEs that apply for EIC Transition or EIC Accelerator funding and are assessed to meet the relevant evaluation criteria as defined in the call text, but which are not directly funded by the EIC. 19

The EIC Seal of Excellence provides access to EIC Business Acceleration Services and facilitates funding from other sources. The Seal of Excellence for the EIC Transition and EIC Accelerator is only awarded to those applicants who agree to share the data about their proposal (basic information on the proposal, the call and the proposer) with other alternative funding bodies which may decide to fund the project.

The grant component of projects awarded a Seal of Excellence is exempted under the General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER) 20 from State Aid notification requirements under the same funding rates as those applicable to the EIC. The investment component of projects awarded a Seal of Excellence may be supported by other funders, including public funders in accordance with the State Aid rules.

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) is a category of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. It consists of enterprises that employ fewer than 250 persons and have either an annual turnover not exceeding EUR 50 million, or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding EUR 43 million. A full definition is provided in Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC. 21 Under the EIC, this category includes start-ups.

Small mid-cap means an enterprise employing up to 499 employees. 22

Women-led SMEs (including start-ups) means companies where the position of either the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Technology Officer or Chief Scientific Officer is held by a woman at the time of application, interview and award of the EU financial support

Women-led consortia means consortia where the consortium coordinator is a woman and at least 50% of Work Package leaders, including the consortium coordinator, are women

EIC Pathfinder

The overall objective of the EIC Pathfinder for advanced research is to develop the scientific basis to underpin breakthrough technologies. It provides support for the earliest stages of scientific, technological or deep-tech research and development. Pathfinder projects aim to build on new, cutting-edge directions in science and technology to disrupt a field and a market or create new opportunities by realising innovative technological solutions through:

EIC Pathfinder Open

If the answer to each one of these questions is ‘yes’, then EIC Pathfinder Open may be the right call for you.

Why should you apply

You should apply if you are looking for support from EIC Pathfinder Open to realise an ambitious vision for radically new technology, with potential to create new markets and/or to address global challenges. EIC Pathfinder Open supports early stage development of such future technologies (e.g. various activities at low Technology Readiness Levels 1-4), based on high-risk/high-gain science-towards-technology breakthrough research (including ‘deep-tech’). This research must provide the foundations of the technology you are envisioning.

EIC Pathfinder Open may support your work, especially if it is highly risky: you may set out to try things that will not work; you may be faced with questions that nobody knows the answer to yet; you may realise that there are many aspects of the problem that you do not master. On the contrary, if the approach you want to follow is incremental by nature or known, EIC Pathfinder Open will not support you.

Before applying to this call you should verify that your proposal meets all the following essential characteristics (‘Gatekeepers’):

EIC Pathfinder Open involves interdisciplinary research and development. By bringing diverse areas of research together, often with different perspectives, terminologies and methodologies, within individual projects and within a portfolio of projects, really new things can be generated and entirely new areas of research can be opened up. It is up to you to compose the team that you need, that you can learn from, and that you can move forward with.

The expected output of your project is the proof of principle that the main ideas of the envisioned future technology are feasible, thus validating its scientific and technological basis. Project results should include top-level scientific publications in open access. While your vision is expected to be worthwhile because of its potential for future impact, for instance to create new markets, improve our lives, or address global challenges, these are not expected to be addressed or achieved in the course of your EIC Pathfinder Open project. However, you are expected to take the necessary measures to allow future uptake to take place, for instance through an adequate formal protection of the generated Intellectual Property (IP). 23

In addition, you are encouraged to involve and empower in your team key actors that have the potential to become future leaders in their field such as excellent early-career researchers or promising high-tech SMEs, including start-ups. Your project should reinforce their mind-set for targeted research and development aimed at high-impact applied results. This will strengthen Europe’s capacity for exploiting the scientific discoveries made in Europe throughout the steps to market success or for solving global challenges. You are particularly encouraged to empower female researchers in your project and to achieve gender balance among your work package leaders.

Can you apply

This call is open for collaborative research. Your proposal must be submitted by the coordinator, on behalf of a consortium including as beneficiaries, at least three legal entities, independent from each other and each established in a different country as follows:

The legal entities may for example be universities, research organisations, SMEs, start-ups, industrial partners or natural persons. The eligibility of associated countries and third countries is detailed in Annex 2. The standard admissibility and eligibility conditions are detailed in Annex 2. The scope of proposals should be in line with the Do Not Significant Harm principle (see Annex 2). Research proposals within the scope of Annex I to the Euratom Treaty, namely those directed towards nuclear energy applications, must be submitted to relevant calls under the Euratom Research and Training Programme.

What support will you receive if your proposal is funded

The total indicative budget for this call is EUR 179.5 million.

You will receive a grant for a Research and Innovation Action to cover the eligible costs, necessary for the implementation of your project. For this call, the EIC considers proposals with a requested EU contribution of up to EUR 3 million as appropriate. Nonetheless, this does not preclude you to request larger amounts, if duly justified. The funding rate of this grant will be 100% of the eligible costs.

In addition to funding, successful applicants will receive tailor-made access to a wide range of Business Acceleration Services (see Section V) and interactions with EIC Programme Managers (see Section I).

Projects funded through EIC Pathfinder (including grants resulting from certain EIC pilot Pathfinder, FET-Open and Proactive calls) may be eligible: 24

The Model Grant Agreement can be found on the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal.

How do you apply; how long does it take

The deadline for submitting your proposal is 7 March 2023 at 17h00 Brussels local time. 25 You must submit your proposal via the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal before the given deadline.

Sections 1 to 3 of the part B of your proposal, corresponding respectively to the award criteria Excellence, Impact, and Quality and Efficiency of the Implementation, must consist of a maximum of 17 format A4 pages.

You will be informed about the outcome of the evaluation within 5 months from the call deadline (indicative), and, if your proposal is selected for funding, you can expect your grant agreement to be signed by 8 months after the call deadline (indicative).

How does the EIC decide if your proposal will be funded

Your proposal will be first evaluated and scored remotely by at least four EIC expert evaluators with respect to the award criteria. The remote score for each award criterion will be the median of the evaluators’ scores. The overall remote score will be the weighted sum of the three median scores from the three award criteria.

A rebuttal procedure after the remote phase will provide you with the opportunity to reply with a strict page limit (maximum two A4 pages) to the evaluators’ comments, which you will receive approximately 1.5-2.5 months after the call deadline via the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal. The deadline for sending your replies will be eight calendar days (at 17h00 Brussels local time) after you have received the evaluators’ comments.

Your replies cannot be used to alter or add to the content of the proposals, but must strictly focus on responding to potential misunderstandings or errors by the evaluators. Your replies will be made available to the evaluation committee.

The evaluation committee, which will be composed of EIC expert evaluators different than those who evaluated the proposals remotely, will decide on the final score on the basis of the remote score and the outcome of its consensus discussions, taking into consideration the comments from the rebuttal procedure, if any.

These discussions will focus on proposals with diverging evaluators’ opinions that have a realistic chance of getting funded. The Evaluation Summary Report will comprise the final score, a comment that summarises the assessment by the evaluation committee as well as any additional comments.

EIC Pathfinder Challenges

EIC Pathfinder Challenges aim to build on new, cutting-edge directions in science and technology to disrupt a field and a market or create new opportunities by realising innovative technological solutions grounded in high-risk/high-gain research and development.

With each specific Challenge, a portfolio of projects will be established that explore different perspectives, competing approaches or complementary aspects of the Challenge. The complexity and high-risk nature of this research will require multi-disciplinary collaborations.

A dedicated Programme Manager, who establishes a common roadmap and proactively steers the portfolio towards the goals of each Challenge, oversees a specific EIC Pathfinder Challenge. Projects in a Challenge portfolio are expected to interact and exchange, remaining flexible and reactive in the light of developments within the portfolio or in the relevant global scientific or industrial community.

They will progress together towards common goals and create new opportunities for radical innovation. This section refers to common criteria for all EIC Pathfinder Challenges. Please refer to the description below of each Challenge for specific information and requirements.

Why should you apply

You should apply if you have a potential cutting-edge project that would contribute to the specific objectives of the respective Challenge. Specifically, your project must aim to deliver by its end the expected outcomes defined in the respective Challenge.

Project results should also include top-level scientific publications as well as an adequate formal protection of the generated intellectual property (IP). You are encouraged to involve and empower in your team key actors that have the potential to become future leaders in their fields such as excellent early-career researchers or promising high-tech SMEs, including start-ups.

Before you decide to apply, you are strongly encouraged to read the respective EIC Pathfinder Challenge Guide that will be published on the EIC website and the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal after the call opening. The Challenge Guides will provide you with more information about the objectives of the Challenges, technical information underpinning the objectives and portfolio considerations used for the final selection of proposals to be funded.

Can you apply

In order to apply, your proposal must meet the general eligibility requirements (see Annex 2) as well as specific eligibility requirements for the Challenge (if applicable). The EIC Pathfinder Challenges support collaborative or individual research and innovation from consortia or from single legal entities established in a Member State or an Associated Country (unless stated otherwise in the specific Challenge chapter).

In case of a consortium your proposal must be submitted by the coordinator on behalf of the consortium. Consortia of two entities must be comprised of independent legal entities from two different Member States or Associated Countries. Consortia of three or more entities must include as beneficiaries at least three legal entities, independent from each other and each established in a different country as follows:

The legal entities may for example be universities, research organisations, SMEs, start-ups, natural persons. In the case of single beneficiary projects, mid-caps and larger companies will not be permitted. The standard admissibility and eligibility conditions and the eligibility of applicants from third countries are detailed in Annex 2. The scope of proposals should be in line with the Do Not Significant Harm principle (see Annex 2).

What support will you receive if your proposal is funded

The total indicative budget for this call is EUR 163.5 million which is expected to be allocated in approximately equal shares across the Challenges.

You will receive a grant for a Research and Innovation Action to cover the eligible costs, necessary for the implementation of your project, including the portfolio activities. For this call, the EIC considers proposals with an EU contribution of up to EUR 4 million as appropriate. Nonetheless, this does not preclude you to request larger amounts, if duly justified or stated otherwise in the specific Challenge. The funding rate of this grant will be 100% of the eligible costs.

In addition to funding, successful applicants will receive tailor-made access to a wide range of Business Acceleration Services (see Section V) and interactions with EIC Programme Managers and other actions in the portfolio of projects selected (see Section I). Projects funded through EIC Pathfinder (including grants resulting from certain EIC pilot Pathfinder, FET-Open and Proactive calls) may be eligible: 26

The Model Grant Agreement can be found on the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal.

How do you apply; how long does it take

The call deadline for submitting your proposal is 18 October 2023 at 17h00 Brussels local time. 27 You must submit your proposal via the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal.

Sections 1 to 3 of the part B of your proposal, corresponding respectively to the award criteria Excellence, Impact, and Quality and Efficiency of the Implementation, must consist of a maximum of 25 format A4 pages.

You will be informed about the outcome of the evaluation by 5 months after call deadline (indicative), and, if your proposal is accepted for funding, you can expect your grant agreement to be signed by 8 months after the call deadline (indicative).

How does the EIC decide if your proposal will be funded

After the submission of your proposal it will be evaluated in two steps: a remote evaluation by EIC expert evaluators will assess each proposal separately against the award criteria (including a rebuttal procedure), and an EIC evaluation committee will consider all proposals passing the first step together in order to assess the best portfolio of projects to achieve the specific objectives of the Challenge.

Your proposal will be first evaluated and scored remotely by at least three EIC expert evaluators with respect to the award criteria. The remote score for each award criterion will be the median of the evaluators’ scores. The overall remote score will be the weighted sum of the three median scores from the three award criteria.

A rebuttal procedure after the remote phase will provide you with the opportunity to reply with a strict page limit (maximum two format A4 pages) to the evaluators’ comments, which you will receive about 1.5-2.5 months after the call deadline via the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal.

The evaluation committee, which will be composed of EIC expert evaluators and EIC Programme Managers, will decide on the final score on the basis of the remote score and the outcome of its consensus discussions, taking into consideration the comments from the rebuttal procedure, if any.

What happens after a proposal is evaluated and retained for funding

The coordinator of the proposal will receive a letter announcing the proposal has been retained for funding and the next steps regarding grant agreement signature. Grant agreement preparation and signature is expected to be finished within three months but shorter timelines may be specified.

The Project Officer and relevant EIC Programme Manager will contact and support you during the grant agreement preparation to plan the portfolio activities for which you will be expected to collaborate with the other projects in the Challenge Portfolio and to start the preparation of the Challenge roadmap which will define the collective deliverables, activities and objectives of the portfolio of projects selected.

During the execution of the project you will interact continuously with the Project Officer assigned to your project and the EIC Programme Manager, assigned to the Challenge Portfolio of your project, who will oversee all the portfolio projects.

EIC Pathfinder Challenge: Clean and efficient cooling

Background and scope

Cooling is an essential process across many areas of society, important for human well-being, economic growth, sustainable urbanisation, reduction of food scarcity, and for socio-economic development. It presents relevant applications in sectors such as built environment (HVAC, building health and comfort, interoperable urban energy systems), data centres, electronics and superconductors, food production, processing, storage and refrigerated transport, cold energy carriers production, transport and network integration, hard to abate industries and medical applications (e.g. vaccines that need refrigeration).

Vapour compression is the most widely applied method for air-conditioning and refrigeration. Alternative methods have been developed or are under active development including thermochemical (e.g. sorption) and solid-state (e.g. magnetic, electrochemical, thermo-acoustic, thermo-elastic) based cooling solutions. The need for mechanical cooling can also be mitigated by nature-based solutions, passive cooling techniques, the use of natural energy, and behavioural changes or other demand-based technologies.

The demand for cooling is rising and cooling processes often result in significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, due to the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) or fossil fuel to power cooling equipment. The global energy market disruption and increasing costs of energy supply are threatening the competitiveness of several high cooling demand sectors, so that the availability of super-efficient and low-cost cold technologies is crucial.

This Challenge is strategic for the European Green Deal 28 and the REPowerEU plan, 29 Renewable Energy Directive (RED II), and Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) EU policy objectives.

Overall goal and specific objectives

This EIC Pathfinder Challenge aims at advancing scientific knowledge and technological development of novel, clean and efficient cooling solutions that fully underpin a “cold economy” vision. The portfolio of projects should explore the potentials of new devices, processes, components and materials for clean cooling generation, storage and/or transport.

Technologies to be integrated in products and services shall demonstrate their potential to reduce investment/operational costs, increase efficiency, operational reliability and interoperability, avoid the use of critical raw materials 30 or harmful refrigerants and pursue circularity by design approaches, low environmental impact and low carbon footprint. Proposed solutions should aim to achieve single stage temperature gradients higher than 5°C at a competitive COP, referenced to the max theoretical COP of the inverse Carnot cycle.

The proposals may include smart interoperability solutions for electricity, heating and cooling networks integration, including reversible heating and cooling infrastructures, or cold-to-power solutions with waste heat and cold energy streams recovery from industrial processes, data centres and/or air conditioning of buildings.

Expected outcomes and impacts

Projects shall provide proof of concepts for unconventional approaches (at materials, component, process or device level) that can convincingly impact the energy consumption, emission reduction and cost reduction of the cooling sector. The portfolio should contribute to impacts such as increased EU technological leadership, improved building comfort and health, increased operational security of computing facilities, reduced carbon footprint of energy systems, climate change adaptation and food security, and reduced dependency on critical materials supply.

EIC Pathfinder Challenge: Architecture, Engineering and Construction digitalisation for a novel triad of design, fabrication, and materials

Background and scope

Life cycle GHG emissions of buildings show a clear reduction trend due to improved operational energy performance. However, LCA analyses reveal an increase in contributions of GHG emissions embodied in new buildings. Achieving net GHG emission reductions by at least 55% by 2030 31 and net zero by 2050 will require changes in the built environment and AEC value chains. Initiatives such as the European Green Deal 32 or the New European Bauhaus 33 offer context and targets in this domain.

Novel digital technologies in computational design, physics simulation, agent-based modelling, topology optimisation, and digital fabrication, combined with advanced materials, can enable disruptive pathways of design and fabrication. This Challenge seeks research and early innovations with breakthrough potential related to the triad of design, fabrication and materials enabled by novel algorithms and advanced digitalisation.

Overall goal and specific objectives

This Challenge seeks the realisation of disruptive solutions for AEC in one or more of the following areas: computational design, digital fabrication, and alternative materials, aiming to reduce embodied CO2 emissions. Innovations should be at least as effective in reducing operational carbon emissions as the technologies they substitute by market adoption time.

Expected outcomes and impacts

Projects must achieve a proof of principle and validate the scientific basis of the breakthrough technology. Interdisciplinary and collaborative approaches are expected, fostering new R&I communities and ecosystems and inspiring higher quality jobs and a transformation of the built environment in line with the European Green Deal and the New European Bauhaus.

EIC Pathfinder Challenge: Precision nutrition

Background and scope

Dietary guidelines provide recommendations to achieve reference intakes of nutrients, prevent chronic diseases and maintain overall health in the general population. However, dietary recommendations are not sufficiently stratified across different categories such as age, gender, ethnicity, genetic predisposition to certain Food-related Health Conditions (FrHCs) and Noncommunicable Chronic Diseases (NCDs).

The role of diet in human health is increasingly being researched, including its pro-inflammatory effects and interactions with the immune system, glycome, and the gut microbiome. Despite current knowledge, additional interdisciplinary research is needed to clarify interactions among nutrition, the human gut microbiome and glycans.

This Challenge will fund multi-disciplinary research proposals that include at least nutritional, microbiome and glycan research aspects. Proposals are expected to investigate interactions among nutrition, human gut microbiome and glycans beyond the state-of-the-art and consider regulatory aspects, building on the work carried out by EFSA.

Overall goal and specific objectives

Expected outcomes and impacts

Understanding and establishing relationships between diet and the pathology of FrHCs and NCDs would enable the prevention and alleviation of the consequences of these conditions through changes in diet. This is foreseen through an evidence-based upgrade of current dietary guidelines and, in the long run, development of novel foods and processes which might decrease the incidence of FrHCs and NCDs.

EIC Pathfinder Challenge: Responsible electronics

Background and scope

Responsible electronics represents an opportunity for the future of EU industrial autonomy in a decarbonised and digital society. By 2050, electronics production and raw material usage are predicted to rise dramatically, increasing electronic waste. Responsible electronics can reduce environmental load by shifting to innovative methods and materials with lower environmental impact, in line with the EU Circular Economy Action Plan 34 and complementary to the European Chips Act. 35

Innovations such as sustainable manufacturing or bio-inspired electronic systems can help Europe overcome the chips crisis by reducing dependency on critical raw materials 36 and traditional high energy demanding semiconductor processes, benefiting the entire ecosystem and supporting EU technology sovereignty.

Overall goal and specific objectives

The goal is to discover environmentally friendly electronic materials and processes that reduce environmental impact and the need for critical raw materials and hazardous chemicals. Projects are expected to develop advanced electronic materials and processes suitable for unconventional devices and applications including IoT, while applying the life-cycle thinking approach.

Expected outcomes and impacts

This Challenge is expected to contribute to the development of materials with new properties or replacing materials used in current electronic devices that reduce dependency on critical raw materials and are sustainable with a low environmental footprint. It aims to support the move from traditional materials and manufacturing processes to less environmentally impactful ones.

Projects with multidisciplinary and cross-sectorial approaches are welcome. The safe and sustainable use of non-critical raw materials or the full recycle/reuse of them is mandatory, with life cycle analysis and methodology to measure environmental and/or carbon footprint of the proof of principles developed.

EIC Pathfinder Challenge: In-space solar energy harvesting for innovative space applications

Background and scope

Thermonuclear reactions in the Sun are practically an unlimited source of energy, but only a fraction is exploited. Increased satellite launches, LEO mega constellations, in orbit satellite servicing and active debris removal demonstrate the need for energy to fuel growing spacecraft in-space mobility. Future spacecraft will need innovative propulsion capabilities for reliable, affordable, and scalable solutions.

The visionary idea to collect solar energy in space and transmit it to various in-space recipients could enable renewable and self-sustainable in-space mobility solutions. This includes green propulsion solutions for orbital manoeuvres and energy transmission to the lunar surface for ISRU.

Overall goal and specific objectives

The overall goal includes developing technologies required for in-space energy harvesting and transmission, and novel propulsion technologies that will use such harvested energy. Targeted R&D is necessary for scalable energy collection and storage, conversion for long-distance transmission, efficient wireless and secure power transmission via a grid of re-transmitting stations, and innovative green propulsion solutions for in-space mobility.

Expected outcomes and impacts

The development of viable technologies in this area will significantly increase EU strategic autonomy, enable potential fuel cost savings, clean energy solutions in space, and innovative in-space robotic and assembly solutions. It will support in-space manufacturing and assembly with wide applications and likely terrestrial spin-offs, improve in-space mobility, extend satellite lifetimes and support European leadership in space clean energy.

Expected outcomes and impacts

Understanding and establishing relationships between diet and the pathology of Food-related Health Conditions and Noncommunicable Chronic Diseases would enable the prevention and alleviation of the consequences of FrHCs and NCDs on health and well-being through changes in diet. This is foreseen through the evidence-based upgrade of the current dietary guidelines.

In the long run, it is expected that project results will be the basis for the development of novel foods and processes which might decrease the incidence of FrHCs and NCDs among the general population, and a better quality of life for the individuals affected by these conditions.

EIC Pathfinder Challenge: Responsible electronics — Background and scope

Responsible electronics represents a unique opportunity for the future of EU industrial autonomy in a decarbonised and digital society, however fundamental scientific and technological challenges remain to be addressed. It has been predicted that by 2050, the production of electronics components and devices will rise exponentially and thus the use of raw materials in the sector will increase accordingly. As a result, the amount of electronic waste is also set to rise massively.

Responsible electronics can contribute to drastically reducing the environmental load of the electronic industry by shifting from traditional manufacturing industrial methods to innovative methods and materials with a lower environmental impact. This is in line with the EU Circular Economy Action Plan 34 fostering research towards a circular economy with effective waste and carbon recycling strategies as well as complementary with the objectives of the European Chips Act 35.

Besides reducing the environmental impact of the electronics sector, innovations such as sustainable manufacturing or bio-inspired electronic systems can help Europe overcome the current chips crisis by reducing the dependency on critical raw materials 36 and traditional high energy demanding semiconductor processes. Moreover, investing in responsible electronics would be beneficial for the entire semiconductor ecosystem in Europe and will uphold the EU technology sovereignty.

Overall goal and specific objectives

The overall goal of this Challenge is to create opportunities for discovery of new environmentally friendly electronic materials, thus reducing its environmental impact and the need for critical raw materials and hazardous chemicals.

The projects supported under this Challenge are expected to offer either materials with improved properties (such as flexibility, durability, end of life recyclability/reusability), materials processed with low energy consumption and low carbon footprint processing (such as printing instead of photolithography, avoiding use of fluorinated gases for patterning), or alternatives, including nano-sized ones, to replace common electronic materials such as silicon and silicon nitride.

The specific objectives of this Challenge are to support the scientific community in reaching breakthroughs in development/discovery of:

Advanced electronic materials for unconventional devices:

Advanced processes:

Unconventional applications including e-textile/e-skin:

Particularly those suitable for Internet-of-Thing (IoT) applications, while applying the life-cycle thinking approach.

Expected outcomes and impacts

This Challenge is expected to contribute to the development of materials with new properties or replacing materials used in current electronic devices with materials, which:

The overall outcome of this Challenge is to support the move from traditional materials and manufacturing processes to less environmental impactful ones. It is expected that the Challenge will lead to the development of lab-scale validated proof of concept devices based on the developed innovative materials and manufacturing processes, which may represent a potential application of a more sustainable, trusted and secure electronics.

Specific conditions

Projects with multidisciplinary and cross-sectorial approaches, looking for inspiration, ideas and knowledge in a broad range of disciplines are particularly welcome.

The safe and sustainable use of non-critical raw materials or the full recycle/reuse of them is mandatory. All projects are expected to conduct a full life cycle analysis of the proposed solutions and they shall apply or identify a methodology to measure the environmental and/or carbon footprint of the proof of principle/s that will be developed during the project.

Applicants should ensure that the proposed method/technology/material/s is not harmful to the natural ecosystems. Packaging and durability should be taken into consideration.

EIC Pathfinder Challenge: In-space solar energy harvesting for innovative space applications — Background and scope

Thermonuclear reactions in the Sun are practically an unlimited source of energy, however only a tiny fraction of it is so far being exploited. At the same time, increased satellite launches and advancements of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) mega constellations, emergence of in-orbit satellite servicing (IOS), and active debris removal (ADR) services demonstrate the need for energy to fuel ever increasing spacecraft in-space mobility.

Satellite owners are expected to launch in multiple orbits, service satellites, perform collision avoidance manoeuvres, and move their satellites or space tugs into the desired orbits. Therefore, future spacecraft will need innovative propulsion capabilities in order to achieve long-term reliable, affordable, and scalable solutions for in-space mobility.

The visionary idea to find a way to collect solar energy in space and transmit it, possibly via an appropriate grid of re-translators, to various in-space recipients to be utilised for various in-space applications and novel propulsion approaches will result in emerging breakthrough innovations for renewable and self-sustainable in-space mobility solutions and bring substantial benefits for the European satellite owners.

There is an exponential growth of activities in orbit that will require in-space mobility with game-changing novel propulsion methods and energy to be utilised for this propulsion. In-space energy harvesting could offer continuous energy to spacecraft in orbit for in-space mobility, provided that a proper propulsion system is developed. These could be green propulsion solutions, utilizing the transformed and transmitted energy for orbital manoeuvres.

In addition, the lack of atmosphere will make possible the transmission of this green energy to the lunar surface for various in-space applications e.g., In Situ Resource Utilisation (ISRU). Mastering all the necessary technologies for developing innovative in-space applications would support the EU strategic autonomy in the critical field of energy, green propulsion for in-space mobility, and in-space transportation.

Overall goal and specific objectives

The overall goal of this Challenge includes the development of technologies required for in-space energy harvesting and transmission, and of novel propulsion technologies that will use such harvested energy.

To achieve such a breakthrough, the scientific and technological challenges to be overcome are enormous, since there are many obstacles and bottlenecks requiring game-changing solutions. The proposals submitted to this Challenge should address at least one of the fields below. In particular, targeted research and development is necessary in order to come up with:

Expected outcomes and impacts

This Challenge aims at developing and as such making related impacts in:

The development of viable technologies in this area as a basis for space-based energy harvesting will significantly increase the EU strategic autonomy. Direct benefits will be potential fuel cost savings, in-space clean energy solutions and innovative in-space robotic and assembly solutions. It will allow satellite owners to improve in-space mobility, extend the lifetime of their satellites, decommission their old satellites, and potentially generate fuel cost savings.

Offering continuous energy and encouraging innovative green propulsion solutions for in-space applications contribute to European leadership in space clean energy, while increasing competitiveness and autonomy of the EU space economy.

Specific conditions

Submitted proposals must follow interdisciplinary and cross-sectorial approaches, looking for inspiration, ideas, and knowledge in a broad range of disciplines. Space sustainability is of critical importance for Europe and therefore proposals should incorporate considerations for sustainable space debris management. The safe and sustainable use of non-critical raw materials is crucial, and the projects should include a full life cycle analysis of the proposed solutions and their impact on Europe’s decarbonisation goals.

EIC Transition

Have you identified promising EU-funded project results that could be the basis for ground-breaking innovations and new businesses?

If the answer to each and every one of these questions is ‘yes’, then EIC Transition may be the right call for you.

Why should you apply

EIC Transition funds innovation activities that go beyond the experimental proof of principle in laboratory. It supports both the maturation and validation of your novel technology from the lab to the relevant application environments as well as explorations and development of a sustainable business case and business model towards commercialisation.

Your proposed activities must include further technology development on the results achieved in a previous project and follow user-centric methodologies to increase chances of the innovation’s future success in the market. EIC Transition projects should address, in a balanced way, both technology and market/business development, possibly including iterative learning processes based on early customer or user feedback.

These activities should include, subject to the level of maturity of the technology, a suitable mix of technology development and validation activities to increase the maturity of the technology beyond proof of concept to viable demonstrators of the technology in the intended field of application (i.e., from TRL 4 up to Technology Readiness Level 5 to 6). The activities must in all cases address market readiness towards commercialisation and deployment and aspects of regulation, certification and standardisation (if relevant), aimed at getting both the technology and the business idea investment ready.

EIC Transition aims at maturing both your technology and business idea thus increasing its technology and market readiness. The expected outcomes of your EIC Transition project are a) a technology that is demonstrated to be effective for its intended application and b) a business model, its initial validation and a business plan for its development to market.

EIC Transition can support several different pathways beyond fundamental research, from technology development and product design to business modelling and commercialisation strategy to reach the market. Some non-exhaustive illustrative examples include:

Applicants to EIC Transition can submit proposals through:

Can you apply

Your proposal must build on results (at least experimental proof of concept TRL 3, ideally technology validated in the lab TRL 4) already achieved within an eligible project. EIC Transition is restricted to proposals based on results generated by the following eligible projects:

You can apply as a single legal entity if you are a start-up, SME or research performing organisation, or as a small consortium of two independent legal entities from two different Member States or Associated Countries, or as a consortium of minimum three and maximum five independent legal entities (multi-beneficiary) following standard rules. 42 43

Consortia may include start-ups, SMEs, research organisations, larger companies, user/customer organisations or potential end users. The standard admissibility and eligibility conditions are detailed in Annex 2.

What support will you receive if your proposal is funded

The total indicative budget for this call is EUR 128.36 million. EUR 67.86 million of the total indicative budget will be allocated to Transition Open and EUR 60.5 million to Transition Challenges, with a component funded through Next Generation EU. 44

If successful, you will receive a grant for a Research and Innovation Action to cover the eligible costs necessary for the implementation of your project. The EIC considers proposals with a requested EU contribution of more than EUR 0.5 million and less than EUR 2.5 million and duration between 1 and 3 years as appropriate, with exceptions possible if duly justified.

The projects funded through EIC Transition are eligible to receive EIC Booster grants of up to EUR 50 000 to undertake complementary activities to explore potential pathways to commercialisation or for portfolio activities, and to submit an EIC Accelerator proposal via the Fast Track scheme.

How do you apply; how long does it take

The cut-off dates 45 for 2023 are:

You must submit your proposal via the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal before the given cut-off. Sections 1 to 3 and the cover page of part B of your proposal must consist of a maximum of 20 A4 pages.

Your proposal will be evaluated first by EIC expert evaluators. If your proposal passes this first evaluation phase, you will be invited for a face-to-face interview with a panel of up to six EIC Jury members. If successful, you can expect your grant agreement to be signed within 6 months from the call deadline and you are expected to start your project within 2 months after signing.

How does the EIC decide if your proposal will be funded

In a first step, at least three EIC expert evaluators will evaluate and score your proposal against each award criterion. Starting with the highest scoring, a pool of the best ranked proposals requesting an aggregated financial support equal to approximately double the budget available 46 will be invited to the next step and composed to ensure at least 30% women-led SMEs or consortia, if possible. 47

The second step is a face-to-face interview with an EIC jury. At the interview your proposal may be represented by a maximum of five persons. 48 The budget allocation between cut-offs may be adjusted within limits and additional budget may be made available. 49 Proposals involving AI must demonstrate robustness and compliance with Trustworthy AI principles. 50

You will receive an Evaluation Summary Report from the first evaluation step. If you submit your proposal as an individual SME and it meets all evaluation thresholds at the first step but is not selected for funding, it may be awarded a Seal of Excellence.

EIC Transition Challenges

The total indicative budget for this call is EUR 60.5 million, a component of which will be funded through Next Generation EU, allocated approximately equally between the three Challenges. 51

EIC Transition Challenge: Full scale Micro-Nano-Bio devices for medical and medical research applications — Background and scope

Technologies at the intersection of micro-electronics, nanotechnology, bio-sensing, microfluidics and analytics have demonstrated great potential where high-throughput, scalability, miniaturisation and automation are required for increasingly complex clinical and R&D tasks.

Previously completed projects funded by various EU programmes have advanced the state-of-the-art of Micro-Nano-Bio systems, often achieving experimental proof of concept with validation in the lab. Yet, transitioning these developments into market-ready full devices and systems, addressing high-impact user needs, with a cost-benefit balance and usability features aligned with market requirements, has proven challenging.

Opportunities for impact abound in research and clinical settings, including enabling comprehensive diagnostics panels at point-of-care and accelerating patient stratification for personalised therapeutics compatible with time and cost limitations. 51

Overall goal and specific objectives

The overall goal of the Challenge is the completion of Micro-Nano-Bio technology suitable for transition to market.

Specific objectives include realising and validating a fully functional integrated Micro-Nano-Bio device or system based on previously developed modules, and driving high-impact technological developments driven by market needs.

Sufficient data should be gathered to demonstrate that cost, technical features, workflow and performance in relevant environments are aligned with the requirements of potential users and future purchasers. By the end of the project, a business plan and pitch deck suitable to approach private investors and industrial partners should be produced and backed by the fully functional device.

Expected outcomes and impacts

Expected outcomes include significant progress in Micro-Nano-Bio systems to a level of technological maturity suitable for exploitation and positioning European ecosystems at the leading edge of product innovation. An exploitation strategy, a credible business model with initial validation and a business plan are also expected outcomes.

Specific conditions

Ethics, safety and sustainability/circularity should be taken into account by design (eco-design of disposables). Gender-specificity should be addressed. Opportunities for policy development and standardisation should be identified and pursued within the Challenge portfolio.

EIC Transition Challenge: Environmental intelligence — Background and scope

Increasing environmental pollution poses serious risks for the health of soil, hydrosphere, air, and human beings. There is a constant need for innovative sensors, devices or technologies that can monitor and detect an ever-increasing range of pollutants efficiently and effectively, as well as technologies to remove contaminants from hydrosphere, air or soil.

Detection of key environmental parameters through biological, chemical, and physical sensors (including bio-inspired and/or nature-based) integrated into complex networks or technology platforms will allow gathering wide-ranging data, distributed information processing, and modelling with a goal of monitoring, early detection and warning.

To commercialise and deploy at scale next generation environmental solutions there is also a need for successful and sustainable business models.

Overall goal and specific objectives

Proposals should focus on demonstrating novel devices, sensors or technologies that have a clear and quantifiable advantage over existing alternatives for the following issues:

Applicants should identify the limits of current paradigms, propose relevant metrics or KPIs to track progress, and demonstrate success or a superior paradigm compared with the current state of the art.

Expected outcomes and impacts

In the medium term, the expected outcome is the commercial emergence of a new class of environmental technologies that radically improve or solve one or several of the issues mentioned. A business model, its initial validation and a business plan are also expected outcomes.

At the end of the project, you should deliver a mature technology prototype validated or demonstrated in a relevant environment (TRL 5/6) and demonstrate the proposed advantage in a specific environment (e.g., air, soil, water) or in a more general-purpose device that can unlock the full potential of the field and generate high impact economically and environmentally.

EIC Transition Challenge: Chip-scale optical frequency combs — Background and scope

Photonic integrated frequency combs are a novel class of on-chip frequency combs, generated by nonlinear parametric gain or other effects. In contrast to laser frequency combs, they are compact, offer large mode spacing that matches the telecommunication grid, can be integrated with other functionality and are compatible with wafer scale integration for semiconductor volume fabrication.

They have demonstrated potential for applications ranging from terabit per second coherent communication and parallel LIDAR to neuromorphic computing, microwave generation, and astrophysical spectrometer calibration. Further applications are emerging in Raman spectroscopy and bio-sensing e.g., medical diagnostics, environmental sensing, and food production.

Basic challenges include development of novel nonlinear platforms, improved conversion efficiencies, better understanding of light states in driven nonlinear systems, extensions to new wavelength ranges, integration with other functionalities, and comb designs compatible with wafer scale manufacturing. The narrow range of existing material platforms needs augmentation to encompass new nonlinear materials such as Gallium Phosphide and Lithium Niobate, complementary with the objectives of the European Chips Act. 53

Overall goal and specific objectives

The overall goal is to advance the technological developments of the light states in driven nonlinear systems and to develop novel platforms for chip-scale frequency combs.

Applicants should identify limits of current paradigms and propose relevant metrics or KPIs to track progress and demonstrate success or a superior paradigm compared with the current state of the art.

Expected outcomes and impacts

This Challenge aims to foster skills, talent, and innovation in semiconductor technologies, specifically for using advanced materials and integrating photonics and microelectronics in cutting-edge chips.

It should lead to deep-tech innovations for next-generation chip technologies enabling new applications and providing competitive advantage for future start-ups and SMEs that the EIC can further support towards scale up. An exploitation strategy, a credible business model with initial validation and a business plan are expected outcomes.

EIC Accelerator

If your answers to the above questions are ‘yes’, then the EIC Accelerator may be the right funding scheme for you.

Why should you apply

The EIC Accelerator supports companies (principally SMEs, including start-ups) to scale up high-impact innovations with the potential to create new markets or disrupt existing ones. It provides a unique combination of funding from EUR 0.5 to EUR 17.5 million and Business Acceleration Services.

It focuses on innovations building on scientific discovery or technological breakthroughs (‘deep tech’) where significant funding is needed over a long timeframe before returns can be generated (‘patient capital’). The technology component must have been tested and validated in a laboratory or other relevant environment (at least TRL 5).

Applicants to EIC Accelerator can submit proposals through: EIC Accelerator Open, which has no predefined thematic priorities and is open to proposals in any field of technology or application 54, and EIC Accelerator Challenges in predefined areas of emerging and strategic technologies.

Can you apply

Eligible applicants include a single SME established within a Member State or an Associated Country; a single small mid-cap (up to 499 employees) established in a Member State or an Associated Country, for exceptional rapid scale up cases; or one or more natural persons or legal entities intending to establish or invest in an SME/small mid-cap in a Member State or Associated Country.

There are limitations on the number of times you can submit a proposal. Fast Track and Plug-in schemes may apply depending on your current projects.

What support will you receive if your proposal is funded

The total indicative budget for this call is EUR 1,135.7 million. EUR 611.7 million will be allocated to Accelerator Open and EUR 523.5 million to Accelerator Challenges.

The EIC Accelerator provides blended finance (Innovation and Market Deployment Action) composed of an investment component and a grant component.

The investment component is usually in the form of direct equity or quasi-equity such as convertible loans. 55 The grant component reimburses eligible costs for innovation activities, typically covering TRL 5 to 8, with specific conditions for Grant Only and Grant First options. 56 57

EIC Accelerator investment component

The minimum investment component is EUR 0.5 million and the maximum is EUR 15 million, with requests above EUR 15 million allowed in duly justified cases. 58 Terms of investment are negotiated on a case-by-case basis and may be revised under certain conditions. 59

EIC Accelerator grant component

Eligible costs for the grant component are reimbursed up to a maximum of 70% within the ceiling of the maximum grant amount. The grant component should normally be less than EUR 2.5 million but may be higher in exceptional cases. 60

Grant Only and Grant First

Grant Only requires evidence of sufficient financial means to finance deployment and scaling up of your innovation. Grant First applies where significant work is still required to validate and demonstrate in relevant environments and may lead to a follow-on equity component subject to milestone assessment. 61

How do you apply; how long does it take

The application process consists of short proposals (submitted at any time and evaluated remotely), full proposals submitted to cut-off dates, face-to-face interviews with an EIC jury, and negotiation of the contract for the grant component along with due diligence for the investment component.

All personal data will be processed in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725. 62 This call is continuously open and applications can be submitted at any time, with specific cut-off dates in 2023. 63 Coaching support is available and optional. 64

Face to face interviews with an EIC Jury

All companies receiving a GO from the remote evaluation stage will be invited to interviews. If the number exceeds planned capacity, prioritisation will consider specific resubmission invitations, gender balance, and submission date/time.

At the interview, assessed by a panel of up to six jury members, you will be informed about the result within approximately two to three weeks.

Invitation to negotiate grant component and due diligence process

If selected for funding, you will negotiate the grant component and start due diligence for the investment component which includes compliance checks and structuring of the potential investment agreement. 65 66

How does the EIC decide if your proposal will be funded

Short proposals are evaluated by four expert evaluators who assess innovativeness, impact and team. If at least two evaluators give a GO, you will be invited to prepare a full proposal. Resubmission and complaint procedures apply in specific cases. 67

Full proposals are assessed remotely by three expert evaluators. If all three give a GO on all criteria, you will be invited to an interview. Resubmission rules apply and may include a fourth expert in specific cases. 69

At interviews, the jury may recommend adjustments to the grant amount or financing mix in duly justified cases, including potential use of reimbursable advances if introduced. 70 Proposals that meet thresholds may receive a Seal of Excellence if not selected for funding. 71

EIC Accelerator Challenges (selection)

Novel biomarker-based assays to guide personalised cancer treatment — Background and scope

Oncology treatments have the lowest success rate compared to other therapeutic areas. There is a huge need to design novel and effective ways to predict, guide and monitor the progression of disease in patients afflicted by refractory cancers. This Challenge aims to improve efficacy, safety and uptake of therapeutic approaches using novel comprehensive predictive, prognostic and companion diagnostic tests, in the context of precision oncology.

This Challenge is relevant to Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and complements the EU Cancer Mission’s objective to optimise diagnostics and treatment, ensuring more patients have access to the latest treatments with minimal secondary effects. 76

Aerosol and surface decontamination for pandemic management — Background and scope

The creation and commercialisation of technologies enabling pandemic-resilient behavioural patterns, particularly in poorly ventilated spaces and at close inter-personal distances, is of critical importance. This Challenge targets solutions such as high-efficiency aerosol capture and deactivation systems, next-generation face mask technologies, and rapid surface decontamination devices, potentially integrated with pathogen profiling sensors. It contributes to the mission of the European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA). 77

Energy storage — Background and scope

Energy storage plays a significant role in ensuring flexibility and security of supply by facilitating the integration of renewable generation, supporting the grid, and shifting energy to when it is most needed. This Challenge targets breakthrough solutions for electrical and thermal energy storage at low cost, high density, high efficiency and enhanced durability, strategic for the REPowerEU plan. 78 79

New European Bauhaus and AEC digitalisation for decarbonisation — Background and scope

To achieve ambitious climate targets under the European Green Deal, the built environment must reduce embodied GHG emissions, not only operational ones. This Challenge supports digital or digitally enabled design and fabrication products to reduce or eliminate embodied CO2 emissions of buildings, aligned with the New European Bauhaus. 80 81 82

Emerging semiconductor or quantum technology components — Background and scope

This Challenge contributes to the objectives of the Chips Act by supporting critical technologies where start-ups and SMEs with disruptive innovations can scale and help ensure the future open strategic autonomy of the Union. Applications may request investment components above EUR 15 million in duly justified cases. 83 84

Quantum technology components focus on hardware for fault-tolerant quantum computing, quantum sensors operating in real environments, and quantum communication devices for practical deployment. It underpins Europe’s Digital Decade targets. 85

Semiconductor chip development targets innovative design and development of analogue and digital integrated circuits and systems, including advanced nodes and domain-specific architectures, to strengthen Europe’s fabless ecosystem and digital autonomy.

Novel technologies for resilient agriculture — Background and scope

External factors such as global warming, biodiversity loss, pollution, and inappropriate agricultural practices threaten Europe’s crops production capacity. Breakthrough innovations are needed for regenerative agriculture, including sustainable fertilisation, innovative crop protection, diversified cropping and improved irrigation and soil management. This Challenge supports the EU Soil Mission, the EU Green Deal, Farm to Fork, Fit for 55 and REPowerEU policies. 86 87 88 89 90

Expected impacts include improved resilience of the European food supply chain and security, while regenerating soil health and ecosystem services and fostering EU technological autonomy.

Customer-driven, innovative space technologies and services — Background and scope

The boom in mega-constellations and aging spacecraft demands innovative in-orbit servicing, active debris removal, in-space logistics, SSA, and related services to inspect, protect and extend satellite lifetimes. The Challenge aims to ensure Europe can service and protect its own space infrastructure and enhance competitiveness.

Applications may request an investment component above EUR 15 million in duly justified cases, with conditions to protect strategic interests. Where relevant, companies may benefit from in-orbit demonstration and validation services supported by Horizon Europe. 91

Escalating – accelerating the growth of highly innovative start-ups and SMEs by establishing innovation friendly legal framework, creating an environment that stimulates growth, private and public investments, resources, diversity and talents; and driving innovation demand through efficient innovation public procurement. In this criterion, among others, the applicant should consider providing information about concrete actions taken to pursue the growth of highly innovative start-ups and SMEs, as well as their quantitative and qualitative implications and/or impact about actions to promote the use of innovation

procurement, or about actions aimed to promote investments and growth within the city. The applicant is expected to provide details on concrete results of the showcased initiatives.

Ecosystem building – unlocking cities potential as local innovation ecosystem facilitators by fostering synergies among different innovation ecosystem players, from public, industry, start-ups, civil society, citizens to academia, to contribute to the development of an innovation ecosystem within the city. In this criterion, among others, the applicant should consider providing information about the role of the city on boosting the city’s innovation ecosystem: e.g. is the city a key actor in these interactions? The applicant is expected to provide details on concrete results of the showcased initiatives

Expanding – acting as a role model for other cities by supporting the dissemination and replication of tested solutions that boost the local innovation ecosystem; by promoting mutual learning, knowledge transfer and capacity building; and by enhancing cooperation and synergies between cities that are front-runners in driving the local innovation ecosystem, and those that are still exploring and testing their role as innovation enablers. In this criterion, among others, the applicant should consider answering to the following questions: e.g. What are the activities and initiatives for which the city can be considered a role model for others? How is the city sharing its knowledge with other cities? Is the city cooperating with other cities in the areas of this competition? The applicant is expected to provide details on concrete results of the showcased initiatives

City innovative vision – applicants should demonstrate their long-term strategic vision/plan, highlighting the innovative initiatives that have positively contributed to the transformation of the city and which will further support the development of a sustainable and resilient innovation ecosystem ensuring the green and digital transition. In this criterion, among others, the applicant should consider answering to these questions: e.g. what was the “point of departure” of the city and what has been achieved by now? What does the city want to achieve, and which are the tangible actions already taken or put in place to get to those objectives? The applicant is expected to provide details on concrete results of the showcased initiatives. Moreover, the applicant is invited to provide information on how all showcased activities follow the innovative vision/strategy

The jury will review and score eligible applications, and invite the shortlisted applicants to a hearing in front of the jury members to defend their application. This hearing may take place remotely.

Further details on the evaluation process and award criteria, as well as promotional activities will be specified in the rules for this contest published at the launch of the yearly contest. For the common rules of contest for prizes, please see the Funding and Opportunities Portal.

Expected results

A European prize to the most innovative cities ecosystems. The award will raise the profile of the cities that have developed and implemented innovative policies; established frameworks that boost breakthrough innovation; enhanced the city attractiveness towards investors, industry, enterprises and talents; helped to open up connections and strengthen links with other cities, promoting the replication of best practices in the innovation field; enhanced citizens' involvement in the decision-making process; and supported cities resilience.

Type of Action: Recognition Prize

Indicative budget: the following 2023 budget will be allocated as follows

Indicative timetable of contest(s)

The European Innovation Procurement Awards

Objectives and scope

Innovation procurement boosts the process of transforming research results and ideas into innovative solutions. It represents an untapped potential to stimulate the demand for innovation. Moreover, it appears to have a positive impact on private spending on research and innovation activities and innovation commercialisation success.

By putting in place dedicated strategies aimed to lift and enhance the use of innovation procurement, the public and private sectors can provide state-of-the-art services and goods to the society and, at the same time, offer new growth and commercialisation opportunities for suppliers of disruptive solutions, particularly start-ups and SMEs.

The new European Innovation Agenda highlights the importance of innovation procurement for the modernisation of the public sector but also for securing Europe’s strategic autonomy and strengthening the European industrial competitiveness globally. 106

The recent circumstances in Europe do not only put forward the need for more circular and source efficient economy but also highlight the urgency to transform the European energy system: ending Europe’s dependence on fossil fuels, and tackling the climate crisis. In this sense the European Union, as reflected among others in the European Green Deal 107 or REPowerEU Plan, 108 has embarked on a clean energy transition based on an efficient and sustainable use of energy.

Dedicated actions at all levels, from local to European, are essential to secure Europe’s strategic autonomy in the energy sector and to tackle the climate crisis. This includes – among others - actions for renewable energy, energy efficiency, fighting energy poverty, energy solidarity, security of energy supply and/or competitiveness, among others.

The European Innovation Procurement Awards 2023-2024 aim to recognise public and private buyers, natural persons and those legal entities supporting these practices across Europe in their efforts to promote and stimulate both procurement of innovative solutions and the innovative ways the solutions are procured.

Categories

In 2023, the European Innovation Procurement Awards will feature the following two categories:

Each category would reward the winner with EUR 75 000 (1st ranked) and one runner-up (ranked 2nd) with EUR 50 000, and one runner-up (ranked 3rd) with EUR 25 000.

Eligibility criteria

Award criteria

The award is launched and managed by the Agency. The prize will be awarded after closure of the yearly contest to the applicants who, on the opinion of the jury, best address the following cumulative criteria:

The jury will review and score eligible applications and will invite the shortlisted applicants to a hearing in front of the jury members to defend their application. This hearing may take place remotely.

Further details on the evaluation process and award criteria, as well as promotional activities, will be specified in the rules for this contest published at the launch of the yearly contest. For the common rules of contest for prizes, please see the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal.

Expected results

The awards aim to:

Indicative timetable of the contest:

Type of Action: Recognition prize

Indicative budget: the following 2023 budget will be allocated as follows

The European Social Innovation Competition 2023

The European Social Innovation Competition aims at stimulating the potential of social innovation to provide solutions to societal challenges that we face and to foster sustainable and inclusive growth in Europe. It will directly support ideas best illustrating this rationale. It will engage people, businesses and start-ups in a large range of sectors, as well as universities, engineering schools and civil society organisations thereby creating new connections, sources of sustainable growth and meaningful job opportunities.

This competition is launched and managed by the Agency.

Objectives and Scope

The European Social Innovation Competition 2023 will focus on ‘Fighting energy poverty’ – Repower EU.

With nearly 34 million Europeans unable to afford keeping their home adequately warm, tackling energy poverty is an urgent task. 109 Energy poverty results from a combination of low income, a high share of available income spent on energy and from poor energy efficiency, especially in buildings. It notably encompasses the "inability to keep homes adequately warm” and covers situations of economic difficulties (e.g. the incapacity to pay the energy bills, insulation problems, or lack of access to materials that keep the household warm in winter or fresh in summer).

In most cases, energy poverty generates serious implications for the health, wellbeing, social inclusion and quality of life of affected citizens. Taking up the challenge of fighting energy poverty can significantly improve the lives of vulnerable consumers and benefit EU societies at large.

Renovation of existing building stock aiming to increase its energy efficiency illustrates this “multiple benefits” approach as benefits of renovation exceed the energy savings benefits. This is especially the case when it comes to inclusion and the need to involve people in renovation projects through social innovative alternatives.

Energy poverty also contributes to the deterioration of the competitive position of small and micro enterprises and to the worsening of their quality of service and the standard of their employees’ living and working conditions.

Furthermore, geopolitical situations of instability at global level generate increases in energy and raw materials prices which in turn has an impact on households, citizens but also small and micro enterprises.

Social innovation has a key role to play in addressing these challenges alongside with technological and green innovation.

Against this background, the European Social Innovation Competition 2023 will support proposed solutions coming from social innovators to fight energy poverty in the broadest sense. Therefore, proposed solutions can focus for example on aspects related to monitoring, awareness raising, specific target groups, pricing models, production, consumption and energy savings, renovations, energy community and joint investments, or investments among others.

In this context, social innovations could result in a new or adapted service or business model or technologic development.

The competition will look for technological and non-technological social innovations. The competition will have a particular focus on breakthrough, market-creating and deep-tech innovations embracing the objectives of this year’s edition, which will contribute to fighting energy poverty and, consequently, will have a positive impact on citizens’ lives and local prosperity.

Three winners (ranked 1st, 2nd, and 3rd) would be rewarded with EUR 50 000 each one.

Eligibility criteria

Award criteria

The award is launched and managed by the Agency. Three prizes will be awarded after closure of the contest to the applicants who, in the opinion of the jury of independent experts, best address the following cumulative criteria:

The jury will review and score eligible applications. On this basis, the jury will propose up to 15 finalists (ranked 1st to 15th) and from them, three winners (ranked 1st, 2nd, and 3rd). Each winner will receive EUR 50 000.

The competition provides other benefits for finalists. In this regard, once the competition will be finished, all finalists will be invited to attend the Social Innovation Academia. This Academia will be an event where the finalists will receive business acceleration services (e.g. mentoring or training) with the aim to help them developing and/or scaling up their applications.

Further details on the evaluation process and award criteria, as well as promotional and supporting activities, will be specified in the rules for this contest published at the launch of the yearly contest. For the common rules of contest for prizes, please see the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal.

Expected results

The European Social Innovation Competition aims at raising awareness about social innovation across a wide audience, sparking the creation of new socially innovative ideas creating a network of like-minded practitioners and supporting finalists to transform their ideas into structured businesses.

Indicative timetable of the competition

Type of Action: Recognition Prize

Indicative budget

The European Prize for Humanitarian Innovation

Objectives and scope

The European Union and its Member States are major humanitarian donors. Humanitarian crises and disasters have increased in number, complexity and severity over the last 25 years. Given the scale of today’s crises and disasters, funding to cover humanitarian needs cannot keep up. The humanitarian system is being challenged to do more, for more people, and at greater cost. Cooperation between international organisations and NGOs responding to crises, end-users and local actors, research and scientific communities and the private sector is crucial in this respect. Innovative solutions for the delivery of humanitarian aid, including digital solutions, are already helping enhance the humanitarian response. Recognising innovators and helping innovations to reach scale is now a key challenge for ensuring their benefits flow to people affected by crises, and particularly those in a most vulnerable situation.

The European Prize for Humanitarian Innovation celebrates the humanitarian organisations, social enterprises, and companies that are developing technology to deliver better quality assistance to vulnerable people affected by natural disasters and man-made crises such as conflicts. The prize recognises innovations and the organisations that develop them so that they may inspire other humanitarian actors to scale up actions that allow more effective and efficient delivery of humanitarian assistance.

The prize will be awarded to the organisations that have developed and are deploying innovative solutions for the delivery of humanitarian aid, that are cost-effective, simple to use and re-use, scalable in different humanitarian aid settings and sectors such as shelter, water and sanitation, energy, heating or cooling, food, hygiene, protection, natural disaster risk reduction and health care and based inter alia on the application of digital technologies.

Solutions should be tested and proven use cases of disruptive innovation, aimed at changing the paradigm and promoting more efficient humanitarian aid delivery and based on advanced technologies and services, including digital technologies demonstrating the added value and potential of one or more advanced technologies. The prize will be awarded to eligible organisations from across the EU and countries associated to Horizon Europe, who have transformed their ideas into disruptive innovations which provide assistance to vulnerable people affected by humanitarian crises.

The prize will reward the winner (ranked 1st) with EUR 250 000 and two runners-up (ranked 2nd and 3rd) with EUR 150 000 and EUR 100 000 respectively.

Eligibility criteria

Award criteria

The award is launched and managed by the Agency. The prizes will be awarded after the closure of the contest to the applicants who, in the opinion of the jury of independent experts, best address the following criteria:

The jury will review and score all eligible applications. On this basis, the jury will propose three winners (ranked 1st, 2nd and 3rd)

Further details on the evaluation and award criteria will be specified in the rules for this contest published at the launch of the contest. For the common ‘Rules of Contest for Prizes’ please see the Funding and Tenders Portal.

Expected results

o Supporting the development and scaling of disruptive innovations with the potential to deliver a more cost-effective, sustainable and higher-quality aid delivery, leading to an optimised use of humanitarian funding and an enhanced response to urgent needs in a humanitarian aid settings, notably for those in a most vulnerable situation, in areas such as shelter, water and sanitation, energy, heating or cooling, food, hygiene, protection, natural disaster risk reduction and health care.

Type of Action: Recognition Prize Indicative Timetable

Indicative Budget

Other Actions

Honoraria and expenses of the EIC Board

As highly qualified, specialised, independent advisors appointed following an open and transparent procedure, the members of the EIC Board will be remunerated for the services they offer from the budget of the EIC work programme.

Remuneration is justified on the grounds of the personal commitment of the members and their work providing high level strategic advice to the Commission and bringing prestige and visibility to the EIC.

Remuneration will be proportionate to the specific tasks to be assigned to EIC Board members and it will closely mirror compensation schemes for other EU, international or national entities of similar nature. Remuneration will take the form of honoraria for their effective participation at the Board’s plenary meetings or any other additional meetings where EIC Board members are asked to attend. It will be accompanied by a compensation for travel (‘travel allowance’) and other expenses (‘per diem’) for in person meetings on location.

These amounts are adapted to high level expert's terms as performed by other entities for similar high level work. Daily expenses other than plenary meetings shall be reimbursed based on time spent and at the request of the Agency, without prejudice to the responsibility of the Commission, of a daily amount of EUR 1000. In accordance with Article 49(2) of the Horizon Europe Regulation, the level of remuneration for EIC Board members is beyond the standard conditions, as the Board consists of high level experts, their role goes beyond that of normal experts, and a daily reimbursement of an amount of EUR 1000 is in line with relevant market standards.

External expertise for monitoring, ethics and policy advice

The EIC uses external independent experts for monitoring of projects 112 and ethics compliance, for other compliance checks (including on Gender Equality Plans), for technology assessments, for policy advice on the optimal achievement of the EIC objectives, as well as for the implementation of scientific/technological/ innovation intelligence, proactive management of EIC activities (including support to BAS activities and to the EIC Programme Managers). The EIC also reimburses the costs of applicants invited to attend face to face interviews during the evaluation of their proposals.

A special allowance of EUR 450/day will be paid to the experts appointed in their personal capacity who act independently and in the public interest.

Outreach and training for EIC Jury member experts

The objective of this action is to train jury members and establish an efficient and fruitful working relationship among EIC jury members, Agency Staff, and the EIC Board and EIC Fund representatives. EIC jury members play an instrumental role in the selection process since they conduct face-to-face interviews with shortlisted companies and projects applying for funding at the last stage of the selection process. The trainings will take place in Brussels and will gather EIC Accelerator and EIC Transition Jury Members with the objective to:

Communication, outreach, events

The success of the EIC lies in attracting highly innovative and diverse companies and researchers that can generate fast and high growth, as well as co-investors and global corporates that can further maximise the impact of EIC support.

The objective of this action is to prepare and implement the communication and outreach activities for the EIC, following advice from the EIC Board, with an objective to strengthen the reputation of the EIC among its stakeholders, potential applicants, policymakers, and the broader EU innovation ecosystem. This action covers the maintenance and management of the EIC website and its social media channels; the creation of relevant informative content and materials; the preparation and development of thematic communication campaigns; media relations and other outreach and stakeholders engagement activities.

In addition, it allows to organise the EIC Summit 2024 which is due to take place in March 2024, EIC Awards Ceremonies and to ensure a more prominent EIC presence at key events, including the EU Research and Innovation Days as well as third parties events. It will also allow to organise the Social Innovation Academia, an event where the finalists of the Social Innovation Competition 2023 will receive business acceleration services (e.g. mentoring or training) with the aim to help them developing and/or scaling up their applications.

This should allow the EIC to become a prominent voice in the ongoing debates relevant to innovation policy in Europe and globally. The communication and outreach campaign should generate awareness and impact at international, European, national, regional and local levels.

Swedish Presidency Conference

The objective of this action is to ensure the support for the organisation of a conference on deep tech and scale ups by the Swedish Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation in June during the Swedish Presidency of the Council (January-June 2023). This action will also cover the organisation of an EIC annual event in 2023 which will take place under the Swedish Presidency event.

Expected outcomes and impacts

Type of Action: Coordination and support action (CSA) / Grant to a named beneficiary (as the implementation of this grant is linked to a Swedish Presidency event in support pf the EIC, it will be awarded to an identified beneficiary according to Article 195 of the Financial Regulation).

Legal entities

Spanish Presidency innovators summit

This action aims to support the organisation of a conference on innovation by the Spanish government during the Spanish Presidency of the Council (July-December 2023). The frame of this high-level event will focus on the contribution of innovative start-ups and SMEs in transferring knowledge and raising awareness of the achievements of the New European Innovation Agenda.

It will be a high-level event with one institutional Conference gathering the public and private representatives in the national, European and international innovation landscape. The session may incorporate political messages and attract examples of global partners that have helped ensure a sustained investment in core capabilities to connect science and business. Additionally, it is expected to have a match-making session for start-ups and funders. Thus the conference may also become a space to present companies' innovations and allow exchanges with investment funds or large incorporations.

Expected outcomes and impacts

Type of Action: Coordination and support action (CSA) / Grant to a named beneficiary (as the implementation of this grant is linked to a Spanish Presidency event in support of the EIC, it will be awarded to an identified beneficiary according to Article 195 of the Financial Regulation)

Legal entity: Fundación Española para la Ciencia y la Tecnología – FECYT

Next Generation Innovation Talents

The objective of the ‘Next Generation Innovation Talents’ scheme is to enable researchers and aspiring innovators to better understand and gain direct experience of the complex process of taking innovation beyond invention and help them develop their entrepreneurial mindset. At the same time, this scheme aims to provide innovative start-ups with access to new ideas and insights from the cutting edge of research, thus accelerating the development of their breakthrough products and services.

The scheme will allow eligible researchers to carry out an innovation internship in a hosting company, and should be open to:

Additional partner programmes, including international partner programmes, may be included in eligibility for the internship in agreement between the Commission, the beneficiary of this call and the partner programme.

The implementing entity of this call (hereafter ‘Beneficiary’) can be a single legal entity or a consortium of legal entities. 115

Scope

The scheme will be implemented by the beneficiary in close cooperation with each of the original funding schemes (partner programmes) of the researchers (MSCA, EIT, ERC, EIC Pathfinder, the Research Infrastructures part of Horizon Europe). The costs of the internships will be covered by the partner programmes (with the exception of the ERC), in line with the eligibility of costs stipulated by the relevant (partner) work programmes. The hosting companies will not provide any direct payment to the interns. It is expected that approximately 600 innovation internships will be supported under this action, of approximately three to six months each, over a two-year period.

The Scheme has two main streams:

The activities under this call should include as a minimum the following key tasks:

The selection of internships to benefit from this action should include the following procedure:

Step 1: call for expression of interest to eligible companies to host internships. The proposed internships must be assessed for their suitability and relevance to the objectives of this scheme.

Step 2: call for expression of interest to eligible researchers to participate in the proposed internships.

Step 3: matchmaking between the researchers and the internship positions in the host companies. Applicants must specify in their proposals how they intend to undertake this matchmaking (which criteria, how to ensure a geographical and gender balance, etc). The application and matchmaking process must be lean and agile, creating as less as possible administrative burden for the applicants and the companies.

The interns selected for the internships must have the necessary approvals from their institutions and project leaders/ Principal Investigators to participate in the scheme (when relevant).

Financial support to third parties

The reimbursements of internship costs for the researchers funded by MSCA, HE Research Infrastructure, EIT/EIT KICs will be borne by the respective partner programmes.

The beneficiary may provide financial support to third parties (ERC and EIC Pathfinder researchers).

At least 50 percent of the total budget funded by the EIC for this action must be allocated through financial support to third parties in form of lump sums. The maximum amount to be granted to a third party is EUR [15 900].

For researchers working on ERC actions, the cost of all expenses incurred for the internship costs will be reimbursed as financial support to third parties under this action. The amount will be a flat monthly reimbursement of EUR 4300 for PhD students and EUR 5300 for Postdoctoral researcher for a maximum period 3 months (the internships may be of a longer period but without additional reimbursements through this action). 116

For researchers working on EIC Pathfinder actions, the personnel costs are eligible under the Pathfinder grant (as specified in Section II). An additional mobility allowance can be reimbursed as financial support to third parties under this action if the location of the internship is more than [150km] from the location of the normal place of work of the researcher. The amount will be a flat monthly allowance of EUR 2300 per month for a maximum period of 3 months (the internships may be of a longer period but without additional funding through this action).

The beneficiary must ensure sound financial management and applicants must specify in their proposals how the management and control of this financial support will be organised in an effective and efficient way, including avoidance of any abuse.

Expected impacts and outputs

The applicant must provide in its proposal SMART key performance indicators (KPI) to measure the expected impact. These KPIs must measure as a minimum: number of matches and internships, impact and satisfaction rates (companies and interns).

For general award criteria, see Annex 2.

Other conditions

The selected beneficiary should have the knowledge, expertise and means to implement the scheme. In particular, the beneficiary must demonstrate knowledge in H2020/HE funding programmes and experience in: managing grants and multiple stakeholders projects under Horizon 2020/Horizon Europe; human resources advisory services, recruitment and head hunting capacities for start-ups and spin-off; providing legal and accounting services.

Proposals should anticipate that the scheme will be implemented in close cooperation with the European Commission and the relevant funding bodies for the partner programmes. The Beneficiary will be expected to interact on a regular basis with representatives from the partner programmes to receive strategic guidance and to take full account of their inputs and advice for the implementation of the action.

The Agency informed by the Commission and the partner programmes, will provide to the Beneficiary the necessary information concerning the eligible host companies, the eligible research projects for the implementation of the scheme and the respective contact points in each of the partner programmes. The Beneficiary will be expected to conclude the necessary agreements concerning data protection and confidentiality.

The Beneficiary must provide a comprehensive work plan on how each internship will be organised from the match until the follow-up tasks. The matching should take account of the maximum number of interns eligible for reimbursements of expenses as well as ensuring a diversity of interns (including by country and gender) and of host companies (including by thematic area/ sector and country).

The applicant(s) must describe in the proposal the methodology for measuring the effectiveness, satisfaction, and impact of the scheme.

All visual elements produced must be in full compliance with the visual identity of the EIC, the other original funding bodies as well as the European Commission visual identity for its corporate communication.

The evaluation committee will be composed fully by representatives of EU institutions.

Executives–in-Residence ‘XIR’ Pilot Programme

Introduction and scope

Europe’s prosperity and competitiveness in the coming decades depends on strengthening the European scientific and industrial base, in particular turning promising research projects into high growth innovative companies. Enhancing collaboration between these two important pillars of the European economy helps ensure that the European Union accelerates and enables necessary changes to benefit all parts of society, while catching up with its innovation lag 118 in a world with accelerating changes and new emerging competitors.

Fast and targeted support for potential disruptive and market creative ideas that can strengthen industry-research partnerships are a major opportunity to maximise the economic resilience and flexibility of European markets. Tackling this fundamental challenge is the mission the EIC is tasked with, in coordination with Member States’ initiatives, other parts of Horizon Europe (such as the European Innovation Ecosystems work programme) and the European stakeholders’ own efforts.

Since its launch, the EIC funding and support measures are targeting the full innovation spectrum from early-stage cutting-edge research to the scale-up of genuinely innovative SMEs. Yet, in addition to direct financial support, the current set up still lacks sufficient proactive investment-based scrutiny to identify the most promising EIC research results that would benefit from targeted, market-focused expert mentoring and innovation. These complementary (non-financial) support measures are essential for innovators and early stage companies to translate their research results into impactful innovation. To tackle this major challenge, a new pilot action, called “Executives-in-Residence” (XIR) programme will be launched.

Specific objectives

Expected outcomes and impact

EIC Data management and IT systems integration

The purpose of this action is to provide to the EIC the means to achieve the EIC Programme objectives in complementarity with other related actions such as Innospace Platform and with EC Corporate IT tools (eGrants).

This include the development of user stories, functional and technical analysis, IT architecture and development of new functionalities, evolutive maintenance of existing IT components, cloud infrastructure architecture and provisioning, automatic /user testing of new features, IT helpdesk and user support while ensuring adequate IT project and team management, ensure security and IT governance compliance.

The focus in 2023, building on the developments started in 2021-2022 is to advance on the needed improvements and technological upgrade of the EIC IT system to ensure scalability performance and robustness taking also into account the upcoming integration with Innospace Platform. The focus will also be on harnessing the data and information coming from internal and third-party sources to enable data-driven decision-making and strategic intelligence for the proactive management of EIC activities and the efficient and effective delivery of services to EIC applicants, beneficiaries and stakeholders.

Considering the above, the EIC IT developments will focus on the following key components:

The above developments will follow, as much as possible, the principles of open source code and open data standards ensuring that both the tools and data generated can be reused by other institutions, Member States, Associated Countries and relevant third parties.

Foresight, future-oriented assessments and data-driven intelligence

An integrated use of anticipatory analytics and intelligence is essential to the design and deployment of EIC funding, in particular for identifying EIC Challenges, as well as a transformational element in EIC pathways to inform policy and support positive societal impacts. The aim of this action is to increase EIC capacity by combining data-driven and expert-based intelligence in the creation and management of future-oriented knowledge.

Anticipation and monitoring of breakthrough technologies and disruptive innovations

This action will extend the ongoing collaboration with the Joint Research Centre on anticipation and monitoring of breakthrough technologies and disruptive innovation. The goals are to:

Data and analytical studies

This action will enhance EIC exploitation of internal and internal data flows. It is targeted to address current knowledge gaps, including to improve knowledge processes and architectures for foresight and strategic intelligence, to monitor performance, impact and trends of EIC beneficiaries, and to better understand investment patterns and the European venture capital market for deep tech scale ups.

The overall goal is to scope, assess, and develop data-driven and new methodological outputs for operational planning, and stakeholder-centric and experimental research.

Expert group on the Plug-In scheme

This action will support the EIC operation and the implementation of the Plug-in scheme for the EIC Accelerator (see Annex 4).

This expert group will assess the programmes and related evaluation processes submitted by Members States and Associated Countries on an annual basis, and will recommend certification of those programmes suitable for the Plug-In scheme.

The expert group will also conduct a review of the experience from the pilot phase of the Plug-in scheme to develop recommendations for the future development and implementation of the scheme. Finally, the expert group may be requested to provide country specific recommendations for those Member States and Associated Countries who have not proposed relevant programmes or where those programmes have not been certified. The terms of reference will be co-created and co-designed with the Member States under the Working Group of the EIC Forum.

A special allowance of EUR 450/day will be paid to the experts appointed in their personal capacity who act independently and in the public interest. This amount is considered to be proportionate to the specific tasks to be assigned to the experts, including the number of meetings to be attended and possible preparatory work.

Expert group to contribute to the mid-term review of Horizon Europe for the EIC

The European Innovation Council (EIC), the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) and the European Innovation Ecosystems (EIE) programmes have already established synergies and collaboration to ensure the coherent delivery of the ‘Innovative Europe’ Pillar of the Horizon Europe Framework Programme. In particular, actions arising from the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the EIT and the EIC in January 2021 include the fast tracking of EIT KICs projects into the EIC Accelerator and collaboration to support women entrepreneurs.

However, considering the interlinked nature of the three programmes as far as support to innovative companies, innovation ecosystems and talents is concerned, this expert group will review the first 3 years of implementation of the EIC, including its governance and institutional architecture and its relationship with the EIT and the EIE, where relevant making recommendations for improvements. The group will also advise on approaches to simplify operations and improve accessibility to funding and support for the European innovation community stakeholders. . The Expert Group is expected to interact with the EIC Board, the EIT Governing Board and the EIC Forum in undertaking its tasks and developing recommendations. The work of this Expert Group will be complementary to the mid-term review of Horizon Europe and the outputs of the group are expected to feed into the mid-term review.

A special allowance of EUR 450/day will be paid to the experts appointed in their personal capacity who act independently and in the public interest. This amount is considered to be proportionate to the specific tasks to be assigned to the experts, including the number of meetings to be attended and possible preparatory work.

Annexes

Annex 1 Estimated Indicative Budget

(1) The budgets set out in the calls and topics are indicative. Unless otherwise stated, final budgets may change following evaluation. The final figures may change by up to 20% compared to the total budget indicated in this Work Programme. Changes within these limits will not be considered substantial within the meaning of Article 110(5) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 2018/1046.

(2) Max. 1% of the budget dedicated to this call may be used for additional grants (Booster grants -See Annex 5) to existing projects for a fixed amount of EUR 50 000 as set out in the relevant Call section.

(3) The Accelerator is a continuously open call and hence this amount may be increased by any amounts committed but not allocated under the cut-offs of the previous EIC annual Work Programme. The share of the budget dedicated to investments (e.g. equity, equity-like, debt/guarantees, etc.) and grants will be a result of the evaluation and due diligence process for applications to the EIC Accelerator. The contribution from Next Generation EU budget will only be used for the grant component. In case the full budget allocated for investments in year N will not be committed fully in year N+1 at the latest, the unused budget may be reallocated to subsequent EIC Accelerator calls.

(4) The EIC Fund will receive an annual amount from the EIC Work Programme budget to cover administrative expenses and fees. This administrative budget covers the operation and administration expenses of any investment. These costs include any cost in relation to the acquisition, ownership or realisation of the investments. The administrative budget covers, among others, the fees payable to the EIC Fund Manager, other service providers, advisory, compensations to external experts, depositary and administrative agent fees, accounting, auditors, compliance procedures, communication and marketing, litigation or arbitration, statutory or regulatory fees, insurance premiums, taxes and other governmental charges and any other operational and administration costs and expenses as required. This budget will in average not exceed 10 % of the budget transferred for investments purposes. The indicative budget under indirect management is expected to be around EUR 571.000.000.

(5) Amounts from EIC Accelerator calls, including amounts decommitted from proposals awarded funding under the Accelerator calls, may be used for follow-on investments within the same budgetary year either to grant-first beneficiaries or under the provisions set out in Horizon Europe Regulation Article 48(12), including for actions selected under Accelerator calls from previous years. Such follow-on investments will be subject to a valid financing decision and to the provision of information to the EIC and EIE Programme Committee.

Annex 3 Fast Track scheme to apply for the EIC Accelerator

The ‘Fast Track’ scheme is a specific process applicable to the EIC Accelerator. It provides for a specific treatment of proposals that result from existing Horizon Europe or Horizon 2020 projects.

Under the Fast Track scheme, applicants do not apply directly to the EIC Accelerator call (Section IV). Instead, a project review is carried out by the responsible funding body to assess the innovation or market deployment potential of an existing project, and to decide whether the project is suitable for support under the EIC Accelerator.

The project review – implemented by the funding body responsible for the programme – must be conducted using:

The responsible funding body can submit the outcome of the project review to the EIC Accelerator, if the project review concludes that the following conditions are met:

Fast Track applicants will then be invited to prepare a full proposal for the EIC Accelerator to one of the cut-off dates within the next 12 months following initial review. Applicants are free to decide to which cut-off date (within the next 12 months) they wish to apply. They will receive support through the EIC artificial intelligence based IT platform and coaching as specified in Section IV.

Full proposals to the EIC Accelerator stemming from the Fast Track scheme will be assessed as set out in Section IV, and will be treated in exactly the same way as all other full proposals.

In 2023, the funding bodies and schemes which are eligible for the Fast Track for EIC Accelerator cut-off dates are:

These funding bodies are responsible for implementing the Fast Track scheme in accordance with the above provisions. They may decide not to implement the scheme or to introduce it at a later stage.

Subject to experience with the Fast Track scheme in 2021-2023, the scheme may be opened to other parts of Horizon Europe and Horizon 2020, and to the funding bodies responsible for their implementation.

The EIC website will provide up to date information about how the Fast Track scheme is being implemented by the relevant funding bodies.

Annex 4 Pilot Plug-in scheme to apply for the EIC Accelerator

The pilot Plug-in scheme is a specific process applicable to the EIC Accelerator only. Its process is equivalent to the Fast Track, as described under Annex 3. However, the Plug-in scheme applies to proposals that result from existing national or regional programmes.

Under the Plug-in scheme, applicants do not apply directly to the EIC Accelerator call (Section IV). Instead, a project review is carried out by the certified national or regional programme to assess the innovation or market deployment potential of an existing project supported by the programme, and to decide whether the project is suitable for support under the EIC Accelerator.

The project review – implemented by the funding/managing body responsible for the programme or by another appointed authority under the responsibility of the funding body – must be conducted using:

The responsible funding/managing body, or other appointed authority under the responsibility of the funding body, can submit the outcome of the project review to the EIC Accelerator, if the project review concludes that the following conditions are met:

Applicants will then be invited to prepare a full proposal for the EIC Accelerator to one of the cut-off dates within the next 12 months following initial review. Applicants may decide to which cut-off they apply. They will receive support through the EIC artificial intelligence based IT platform and coaching as specified in Section IV.

Full proposals to the EIC Accelerator stemming from the Plug-in scheme will be assessed as set out in Section IV and will be treated exactly the same way as all other full proposals.

The pilot Plug-in scheme will be implemented by a limited number of programmes, which have been assessed by a group of experts and certified by the Commission. To guarantee the effective implementation of this pilot, only public programmes – both national and regional – have been considered initially. The experts assessed the programmes 143 submitted by the Member States and Associated Countries, their related national or regional evaluation procedures, and whether the project review is equivalent to the assessment of proposals under the EIC Accelerator.

The Commission certifies the programmes that are deemed suitable for the Plug-in scheme based on the experts’ assessment. The experts will collaborate with the EIC Plug-in contact points (representatives of Member States and Associated Countries) who will have to provide accurate information regarding the programmes. Only programmes for which all the key elements and information are provided by the EIC Plug-in contact points will be considered for the certification.

Following the results of a mapping of national and regional programmes, the first set of submission of programmes by Member States, and an independent assessment by experts, a first set of programmes have been certified to be compliant with the requirements of the Plug-in scheme. Further programmes will be assessed during 2023 and, subject to this assessment, may also be certified to be compliant with the Plug-in scheme. A full list of certified programmes for the Plug-in scheme is available on the EIC website.

The Commission services 144 will be notified if any future changes in the criteria and/or evaluation of the regional or national programmes may impact the assessment and certification of those programmes.

The Commission may withdraw the certification, if it finds out that:

The funding/managing bodies in charge of these national/regional programmes, or another appointed authority under the responsibility of the funding body, are responsible for implementing the Plug-in scheme in accordance with the above provisions. They may decide not to implement the scheme or to introduce it at a later stage.

Coordination among the different national and regional funding bodies will have to be ensured at national level to avoid duplication of the proposals.

After the certification process is concluded, the responsible funding/managing bodies, or other appointed authorities under the responsibility of the funding body, will be entitled to present the projects that have passed the project review and were funded under those certified programmes. In the pilot phase, a limitation for the number of projects proposed by each programme and each Member State or Associated Country will be agreed.

Plug-in proposals may be submitted by eligible programmes following the publication of this work programme and once programmes have been certified as eligible from at least two thirds of the Member States. Once submitted to the Agency, Plug-in applicants will then be treated in the same way as other applicants who have passed the short proposal stage of the EIC Accelerator evaluation, and may submit their full applications to any of the cut-offs in the 12 month period following the submission of their Plug-in application.

The pilot Plug-in scheme will be subjected to an assessment after the first implementation to verify the effectiveness of the process and the quality of the proposals, in view of the renewal of the Plug-in process under subsequent cut-offs and possibly the inclusion of other programmes.

Annex 5 EIC Booster grants for EIC Pathfinder and EIC Transition Awardees

In line with Article 47(2) of the Horizon Europe Regulation, 145 with the aim to implement Portfolio coordinating activities or to nurture innovation out of these, EIC Booster grants of a value not exceeding EUR 50 000 may be awarded outside any call for proposal to projects already selected under the Pathfinder or, where relevant, Transition calls.

Potential beneficiaries are the Awardees of EIC Pathfinder projects (including grants resulting from certain EIC pilot Pathfinder, FET-Open and FET-Proactive calls, see Section II) and of EIC Transition projects.

Additionally, and for the purpose of further assessing innovation potentialities and exploring potential pathways to commercialisation out of these projects’ preliminary findings and results, potential beneficiaries may also be Awardees, Technology Transfer Offices, EIC Inventors and other third parties provided with the necessary access rights or entrusted with any such task by the concerned awardee. Booster grants may in particular support the development of potential innovation stemming from the future EIC Market Place. Complementary activities to explore potential pathways to commercialisation could include, but are not limited to:

Portfolio activities could include, but are not limited to:

These EIC Booster grants do not fund research, or activities that were already foreseen in the original project or that are already funded by other EIC instruments. A maximum of three EIC Booster grants can be awarded for each EIC Pathfinder project and more than three may be awarded in exceptional and duly justified cases. A maximum of one EIC Booster grant can be awarded for each EIC Transition project. Any such EIC Booster grant can be awarded to an individual EIC awardee or a group of EIC Awardees.

EIC Awardees or other potential beneficiary as indicated above can be invited to apply for an EIC Booster grant following a positive recommendation from an EIC Programme Manager or a project review. Each proposal will be assessed in accordance with Article 29, paragraph 2, of the Horizon Europe Regulation taking into account the following considerations (award criteria):

For activities to explore potential pathways to commercialisation:

For portfolio activities:

Each proposal will be evaluated by a mixed committee composed of:

The committee will assess whether the proposal meets each of the award criteria and will give a GO or NO GO. Proposals receiving at least two GO will be selected. Proposals not receiving at least two GO will be rejected. The committee may invite a rejected applicant to resubmit an adjusted proposal.

The final decision will be motivated and communicated to the applicant and the Programme Committee will be informed. Successful applicants will be invited for grant preparation, which might take into account adjustments proposed by the EIC Programme Manager.

Following successful grant preparation, the Agency will award the EIC Booster grant (Coordination and Support Action) 147 to cover the eligible costs necessary for the implementation of the proposed activities. The funding rate of this grant will be 100% of the eligible costs. Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025).

Annex 6 Additional provisions concerning Intellectual Property for EIC Pathfinder and EIC Transition

In accordance with the Horizon Europe Regulation, 148 the Work Programme may provide for additional exploitation obligations, in particular to put more emphasis on exploitation of results, and highlight the role the Commission should play in identifying and maximising exploitation opportunities in the Union.

Together with specific intellectual property rules provided for under Annex 2 in relation to emergency situations and standardisation, the following rules will apply to EIC Pathfinder and EIC Transition actions in accordance with the applicable Model Grant Agreement adopted by the Commission.

Definitions

The following definition is complementing those provided in the Glossary in the introductory section of this Work Programme for the purpose of this Annex.

EIC Inventors: with reference to information and results owned by any EIC awardee that is a not-for-profit legal entity, any of their employees and subcontractors, established in a Member State or an Associated Country, and appearing or entitled to appear as inventor in any corresponding publication or patent filing.

Exchange of information for the purpose of EIC portfolio activities

Access to information about preliminary findings and results

Where, based on that confidential information, any of these entities request disclosure or access to the underlying detailed data and results, the EIC awardee may refuse it based on its legitimate interests, including commercial exploitation and any other constraints, such as data protection rules, privacy, confidentiality, trade secrets, Union competitive interests, security rules or intellectual property rights.

Non-disclosure obligations

Where EIC Awardees are informed of or given access or disclosure to any preliminary findings, results or other intellectual property generated by other EIC actions, and where this information is earmarked as confidential in accordance with section 2.1.b, they must:

The EIC awardee may disclose any such information to its employees and, with the prior authorisation of the owner, to its subcontractors established in a Member State or an Associated Country and:

No obligations are imposed upon the EIC awardee where such information:

The restrictions in this section do not apply to the extent that any such information is required to be disclosed by any law or regulation, by any judicial or governmental order or request, or pursuant to disclosure requirements relating to the listing of the stock of the EIC awardee on any recognised stock exchange.

Upon the end or termination of the grant agreement or of the participation of the EIC awardee, it must immediately cease to use the said information, except if otherwise directly agreed with the owner, or if the EIC awardee remains a member of the EIC Community referred to under section 2.1.b.

The provisions of this section will be in force for a period of 60 months following the end or the termination of the grant agreement or of the participation of the EIC awardee, at the end of which period they will cease to have effect.

Specific provisions on intellectual property and related dissemination and exploitation activities

Plan for exploitation and dissemination

EIC Awardees must report to the Agency on their exploitation and dissemination activities:

The Granting Authority may also request an update of the plan for exploitation and dissemination of the results at any time during the implementation of the action.

EIC Awardees must address and agree in their Consortium agreement on all related intellectual property issues, from ownership and co-ownership of results to the consortium’s internal approval process for their dissemination. EIC Awardees must also identify therein any pre-existing technology fitting the action’s needs and objectives and try to reach appropriate licensing agreement between them to prevent research funding redundancy.

The EIC Awardees are deemed to have signed the Consortium agreement at the date of the signature of this grant agreement. The Agency may require a copy at any time in accordance with the grant agreement.

Dissemination activities

Each EIC awardee will propose and undertake dissemination activities of the plan for exploitation and dissemination agreed by the Agency with the aim of supporting innovation in the European Union and fostering the development of the EIC Community, opting for publications as the main route to bring technical and scientific knowledge to the public.

When approving the plan for exploitation and dissemination of the results or any update, the Agency may subject any proposed dissemination activity to one or a combination of the following conditions:

Where the Agency disagrees to a dissemination activity, it will actively assist the EIC Awardees to achieve compliance with the required conditions, without unreasonable delay and in due time, notably by proposing complementary EIC support for exploitation or support of the EIC Business Acceleration Services, as detailed and referred to under section 3.5. Where the Agency agrees to a dissemination activity, it will abide by the grant agreement.

The Agency is hereby entrusted with the right to also disseminate and promote the exploitation of any results that are made public by the EIC awardee or with its assent.

Exploitation of results

EIC Awardees must use their best efforts to exploit their results or have them exploited by a third party, in priority those established in a Member State or an Associated Country, including through transfer or licensing. The granting authority may object to a transfer of ownership or the licensing of results under certain conditions as detailed in the EIC grant agreement.

EIC Awardees must report on any exploitation operation at:

Each EIC awardee agrees that any of its EIC Inventors is entrusted upon signature of the grant agreement with the necessary access rights to the result they have contributed to for the purpose of further developing and exploiting it. If the EIC awardee provides support to the EIC Inventor for any such exploitation, royalties may be shared with the EIC awardee in mutually beneficial terms, provided the conclusion of any such agreement does not prevent the EIC Inventor(s) from exercising their rights. If the awardee does not provide support, or that support is manifestly inadequate, then by default the access rights are royalty-free.

The EIC Inventor must inform the beneficiary in due time before any exploitation activity they intend to undertake, and report to the beneficiary on the implementation of that activity.

If the beneficiary considers that the exploitation activity could negatively affect its own exploitation activities:

Failure to exploit or disseminate

The Agency is entrusted with the right to disseminate and promote the exploitation of results that have not been made public through dissemination activities or patent or protection by any other IPR, where the EIC awardee owning it:

Where the EIC awardee continues to oppose the dissemination by the Agency or refuses to provide any data or document necessary for the said dissemination, the Agency will impose penalties in accordance with the grant agreement.

Possible additional or complementary EIC support for exploitation

Any EIC awardee or group of EIC Awardees or the consortium of an EIC Pathfinder action, including EIC inventors, may be awarded an additional EIC Booster grant of up to EUR 50 000 to undertake limited EIC Transition activities in relation to any of its results as set out in Annex 5.

This additional grant may be shared with or fully awarded to a third party partaking in or undertaking the said activities, under the condition that the said third party respects the ownership rights of the EIC awardee and confidentiality conditions detailed in this Annex.

Beneficiaries, including EIC inventors, are eligible to apply for EIC Transition and EIC Accelerator calls under specific conditions detailed therein and to benefit from EIC Business Acceleration Services as set out in the relevant sections of this Work Programme.