European Innovation Council (EIC) published its 2023 Work Programme

The European Commission adopted the 2023 work programme for the European Innovation Council. It opens funding opportunities worth over €1.6 billion in 2023 for breakthrough innovators to scale up and create new markets.

Funding and support in 2023

EIC Pathfinder (€343 million) for multi-disciplinary research teams to undertake visionary research with the potential to lead to technology breakthroughs. 

• Research teams can apply for up to €3 or €4 million in grants. Calls will open on 7 December (Pathfinder Open) and 20 June (Pathfinder Challenges)
• The bulk of the funding is awarded through open calls with no predefined thematic priorities, while €163.5 million is allocated to tackle five challenges: clean and efficient cooling, construction digitalisation, precision nutrition, responsible electronics, in-space solar energy

EIC Transition (€128.3 million) to turn research results into innovation opportunities.

• Calls focus on results generated by EIC Pathfinder projects and European Research Council Proof of Concept projects, to mature the technologies and build a business case for specific applications. Apply anytime (cut-off dates: 12 April, 27 September)
• €60.5 million is allocated to tackle three Transition Challenges: micro-nano-bio devices, environmental intelligence, chip-scale optical frequency combs

EIC Accelerator (€1.13 billion) for start-ups and SMEs to develop and scale up high impact innovations with the potential to create new markets or disrupt existing ones.

• Grants below €2.5 million, equity investments from €0.5 up to €15 million. Apply anytime (cut-off dates: 11 January 2023 (Accelerator Open only), 22 March 2023, 7 June 2023, 4 October 2023)
• €525 million earmarked for next generation technologies in strategic areas for Europe, including: biomarkers for cancer, decontamination for pandemic management, energy storage, New European Bauhaus, quantum or semiconductor components, resilient agriculture, space technologies and services.

All projects of the European Innovation Council have access to Business Acceleration Services, which provides coaches, mentors and expertise, partnering opportunities with corporates, investors and others, and a range of other services and events.

Novelties

• A set of eight challenges for start-ups and SMEs to become global leaders in strategic areas of technology, with budget for grants and investments of €525 million
• A new scheme to increase the flow of innovative talent into deep tech start-ups through internships of promising researchers
• Enhanced support to women innovators, linking the EIC Accelerator to companies supported by Women TechEU initiative
• Support to test EIC innovations among public and private procurers
• Further collaborations with the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), through opening up business acceleration services and launching a joint EIC-EIT woman innovators prize.

Support to EU priorities

The 2023 EIC work programme sets out an updated set of ‘EIC Challenges’. Over half a billion euro is made available for start-ups to develop future technologies that will contribute to EU objectives to accelerate the roll-out of renewables, ensure security of semiconductors supply and safety of food supply chains, as well as environment friendly construction. The challenges will directly support EU policy objectives such as REPowerEU, the Chips Act, New European Bauhaus, food security and EU Missions in Horizon Europe.

Source: European Commission, 2023