What can you expect as part of EIC Pathfinder?

With its Pathfinder programme the EIC supports the exploration of bold ideas for radically new technologies. It welcomes the high-risk / high gain and interdisciplinary cutting-edge science collaborations that underpin technological breakthroughs. 

Pathfinder goes beyond what is already known. Visionary thinking can open up promising avenues towards powerful new technologies.

Applicants participating in EIC Pathfinder projects are typically visionary scientists and entrepreneurial researchers from universities, research organisations, start-ups, high-tech SMEs or industrial stakeholders interested in technological research and innovation.

Projects typically involve consortia of researchers and other partners from at least three different countries, but there are also opportunities for individual teams and small consortia (two partners).

Grants of up to 3 to 4 million euro support early stage development of future technologies (e.g. various activities at low Technology Readiness Levels 1-3), up to proof of concept. Pathfinder projects can also receive additional funding for testing the innovation potential of their research outputs.
EIC Work Programme 2023

The EIC Work Programme opens funding opportunities worth over €1.6 billion in 2023.

For the EIC Pathfinder, €343million is available for multi-disciplinary research teams to undertake visionary research with the potential to lead to technology breakthroughs.

The EIC Pathfinder programme consists of a combination of both open and challenge driven funding. EIC Pathfinder Open provides funding for projects in any field of science or technology, based on high-risk/high-gain science-towards-technology breakthrough interdisciplinary research. The next call will be in 2024. EIC Pathfinder funding which is available for specific challenges that are typically steered by an EIC Programme Manager is still open in 2023 for the following EIC Pathfinder Challenges.

Strategic EIC Pathfinder Challenges

•     Clean and efficient cooling
•     Architecture, Engineering and Construction digitalisation for a novel triad of design, fabrication, and materials
•     Precision nutrition
•     Responsible electronics
•     In-space solar energy harvesting for innovative space applications 

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.

The call opened on 20 June 2023 and it will be closed on 18 October 2023 at 17h00 Brussels local time.

For more information, please consult the source page of this call announcement: https://eic.ec.europa.eu/eic-funding-opportunities/eic-pathfinder_en