Horizon Europe Pillar III Innovative Europe
Pillar III of Horizon Europe strengthens Europe’s innovation capacity by supporting the development, scaling, and market uptake of breakthrough technologies and high-potential innovations. It is designed to help researchers, start-ups, SMEs, and innovation-driven organisations transform excellent research into commercially and societally impactful solutions.
The pillar is built around three main components:
European Innovation Council (EIC)
Supports breakthrough technologies and high-risk innovations through Pathfinder, Transition, and Accelerator schemes
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European Innovation Ecosystem (EIE)
Connects regional and national innovation actors to strengthen collaboration and scale-up opportunities
European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT)
Integrates education, research, and business to accelerate innovation and entrepreneurship
Successful Pillar III proposals require much more than strong research results – they must demonstrate a clear and credible path from innovation to real-world impact and market uptake.
- A clear innovation narrative, focusing on what is truly novel, disruptive, and differentiating (not only scientific excellence)
- Strong market and user need validation, demonstrating that the problem is real, relevant, and demand-driven
- A credible business and exploitation strategy, outlining how results will be developed, protected, and brought to market
- Clear evidence of scalability and investment readiness, including growth potential and alignment with funding or investment pathways
- A strong, complementary team with both technical and commercial credibility, capable of delivering innovation beyond the laboratory