GSS EU Science Funding Gateway

The EIC is established under Pillar 3 of Horizon Europe to support game changing innovations throughout the lifecycle from early stage research, to proof of concept, technology transfer, and the financing and scale up of start-ups and SMEs. Additionally, it was created to identify and develop future technologies as well as to tackle specific technological developments.

The overall objective of the EIC is to identify, develop and deploy high risk innovations of all kind with a particular focus on breakthrough, market-creating and deep-tech innovations. It aims to support the rapid scale up of innovative technologies and companies (mainly start-ups and SMEs) at EU and international level along the pathway from ideas to market. In this context the EIC is also an initiative contributing the EU technology sovereignty.

The majority of funding will be awarded through open calls and within more analysis, the EIC three main funding schemes are:

• The EIC Pathfinder for advanced research to develop the scientific basis to underpin breakthrough technologies.
• The EIC Transition to validate technologies and develop business plans for specific applications Ø The EIC Accelerator to support companies (SMEs, start-ups, spin-offs and in exceptional cases small mid-caps) to bring their innovations to market and scale up.

The aforementioned funding schemes follow both bottom – up and top to bottom approaches. The bottom – up or “Open” calls do not have predefined thematic priorities and as such proposals can be submitted for any field of science, technology or application.

The top to bottom or “Challenge based” calls offer funding opportunities for specific strategic priorities for 2021 known as challenges. Specifically, the Pathfinder challenge driven call has the following challenges:

• Awareness Inside
•  Tools to measure and stimulate activity in brain tissue
•  Emerging Technologies in Cell and Gene therapy
• Novel routes to green hydrogen production
•  Engineered Living Materials

The Transition challenge driven call has the following challenges:

• Medical Technology and Devices-from Lab to Patient
• Energy harvesting and storage technologies

Similarly, the challenges for the Accelerator challenge driven call are:

•  Strategic Digital and Health Technologies
• Green Deal innovations for the Economic Recovery.

According to the recommendations of the EIC pilot Advisory Board the specific programme engages with the improvement of the gender balance and the promotion of women innovators as well as the improvement of the balance across geographical regions and in particular the ‘’widening’’ Countries (based on the draft Regulation established by Horizon Europe).