European Innovation Council (EIC)

European Innovation Council (EIC) funding schemes diagram: Pathfinder, Transition, and Accelerator programs mapped by TRL levels (1-9), funding amounts, drivers, and evaluation impacts.
EIC Pathfinder: Supports high-risk, breakthrough, science-to-technology research at early Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs), laying the scientific foundation for future disruptive technologies. Funding is typically up to €4 million through both Open and Challenge calls.

EIC Transition: Supports the maturation of results from eligible EU-funded projects by combining technology validation with business modelling and market preparation. Grants range from €0.5 million to €2.5 million, typically advancing innovations from TRL 3/4 to TRL 5/6.

EIC Accelerator: The flagship European Innovation Council instrument for start-ups and SMEs bringing game-changing innovations to market and scale. Support includes grants of up to €2.5 million, combined with equity investments ranging from €0.5 million to €10 million, or investment-only support for rapid scale-up

EIC Advanced Innovation Challenges: A new two-stage pilot instrument designed to support high-risk, demand-driven deep-tech innovations in areas where strong scientific foundations exist but commercial uptake remains limited.
  • Stage 1 (2026): Lump-sum grant of €300,000, focused on feasibility, benchmarking, and early validation, typically at TRL 3–4.
  • Stage 2 (2027, by invitation only): Up to €2.5 million for real-world development, testing, and user validation, typically advancing from TRL 4–6+.

EIC Pathfinder & Transition & Advanced Innovation Challenges

We support early-stage breakthrough innovation and technology maturation projects by:

  • Shaping a strong and credible breakthrough innovation narrative
  • Strengthening the scientific and technological ambition of the proposal
  • Structuring the transition from research results to innovation readiness
  • Enhancing TRL progression logic and validation pathways
  • Aligning proposals with EU expectations on high-risk/high-gain innovation

EIC Accelerator & STEP Scale-Up

We support start-ups and SMEs preparing market-oriented and scale-up applications by:

  • Developing strong business, exploitation, and commercialisation strategies
  • Strengthening market validation, user needs, and competitive positioning
  • Improving investor readiness and funding strategy coherence
  • Refining pitch materials and value proposition
  • Preparing applicants for Stage 2 interviews and panel interactions
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