New EIC 2025 work program

Over €1.4 Billion for Strategic Innovation and Scaling Up Europe’s Breakthrough Technologies

The European Innovation Council (EIC) has officially launched and adopted its much-anticipated Work Programme for 2025, unveiling a €1.4 billion budget to drive forward groundbreaking innovations and accelerate the growth of high-impact European companies. With strategic funding schemes and ambitious goals, the EIC continues its commitment to supporting visionary ideas in achieving the EU’s green and digital transition, bolstering Europe’s strategic autonomy in critical technologies.

Overview of the 2025 Work Programme

The EIC’s 2025 Work Programme introduces six strategic goals, each with associated key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure progress and ensure successful implementation. These goals include becoming the “investor of choice” for disruptive innovators across Europe, especially in underrepresented regions; crowding in €30-50 billion in deep tech investment to close financing gaps faced by startups in high-risk fields; and scaling high-potential companies to secure EU leadership in critical technologies. Additionally, the programme aims to increase the number of European unicorns and scale-ups, enhancing global competitiveness, and to catalyse innovation impacts from EU public research, enabling the commercialization of European R&D achievements. Finally, the EIC is focused on achieving operational excellence, ensuring its support systems are streamlined and applicant centric.

The 2025 Work Programme provides funding opportunities across four primary schemes, each designed to support different stages of the innovation lifecycle: EIC Pathfinder for early-stage scientific research, EIC Transition for technology validation and business planning, EIC Accelerator to support companies in bringing their innovations to market and scaling them up, and the EIC STEP Scale-Up pilot to facilitate larger funding rounds in critical tech sectors. Pathfinder, Transition and Accelerators scheme includes “Open” funding for any innovative field. Pathfinder and Accelerator complement the “Open” with a series “Challenges” calls focused on the EU’s strategic priorities, including Net Zero Industry, Critical Raw Materials, the Chips Act, and Health Emergency Responses. Moreover, the STEP call targets the fields of digital technologies, clean and resource efficient technologies and biotechnologies.

The 2025 Work Program offers funding opportunities through four main schemes, designed to support different stages of the innovation lifecycle: EIC Pathfinder for early-stage scientific research; EIC Transition for technology validation and business planning; EIC Accelerator to support companies in commercializing their innovations and scaling them; and the EIC STEP Scale-Up pilot to facilitate more ambitious investment rounds in critical technology sectors. The EIC Pathfinder, EIC Transition and EIC Accelerator programs include “Open” funding for any innovative field. In addition, EIC Pathfinder and EIC Accelerator complement their offer with a series of “Challenges” calls focused on EU strategic priorities. Finally, the EIC STEP Scale-Up call targets the fields of digital technologies, clean and resource-efficient technologies, and biotechnologies.

The scoreboard classifies Member States into four groups: Innovation Leaders, Strong Innovators, Moderate Innovators and Emerging Innovators. This classification helps countries identify their strengths and areas for improvement.

The interactive tool that accompanies the report allows for customized comparisons, enabling stakeholders to visualize country profiles, compare strengths and weaknesses, and explore trends. Overall, the EIS is a crucial tool for policymakers, researchers and companies to understand and improve their innovation ecosystems.

EIC Pathfinder

EIC Transition

Open Call (Only consortia can apply): Grants up to €3 million.
Challenges Call: Consortia and single applicants eligible; grants up to €4 million.
Projects: Achieve proof of concept and validate scientific foundations of high-impact, breakthrough technologies (aiming for TRL 3-4).
Deadlines: 11 March 2025 (Open) and 14 October 2025 (Challenges).
Indicative Budget: €142 million (Open) and €120 million (Challenges).

Applicants: Single entities (SMEs, spin-offs, startups, research organizations, universities) or small consortia (2-5 eligible entities).
Grants: Up to €2.5 million to validate and demonstrate technology in real-world application settings (from TRL 3/4 to 5/6) and to enhance market readiness.
Deadline: 17 September 2025.
Indicative Budget: €98 million.

EIC Accelerator

Applicants: SMEs, startups, and, exceptionally, small mid-caps (fewer than 499 employees).
Grant Component: Below EUR 2.5 million for innovation activities (starting at TRL 5 or 6 aiming at achieving higher TRLs).
Investment Component: €0.5 to €10 million for scaling activities. Investment-only and grant-only options are available under specific conditions.
Deadlines: Short applications – Any time (continuous); Full applications – 12 March 2025 and 1 October 2025.
Indicative Budget: €384 million for the Accelerator Open and €250 million for Accelerator Challenges.

EIC STEP Scale-Up Call (NEW)

- Objectives: €10 to €30 million for scaling high-impact innovations in digital, clean, and biotechnology areas, providing investment-only support.
- Applicants: Startups and SMEs, small mid-caps, investors on behalf of eligible companies
- Application: Continuously open for eligible companies aiming to expand market reach in critical tech fields.

In addition to financial support, the EIC Work Programme 2025 provides awardees with Business Acceleration Services (BAS), giving them access to expert mentoring, investor matchmaking, and ecosystem partners across the EU. The programme also includes proactive project and portfolio management by EIC Programme Managers, ensuring that funded projects progress effectively and meet their milestones. With initiatives like the Fast Track and Booster grants, EIC seeks to accelerate market entry for innovative technologies from other EU-funded projects.

Key Updates and Outlook for 2026 and Beyond

The 2025 Work Programme incorporates a series of strategic adjustments and simplifications, addressing feedback from the EIC Board, budget allocations, and insights gained from past implementation. Among the major changes is the introduction of the EIC STEP Scale-Up pilot, which offers larger-scale investments to companies developing critical technologies. The STEP call not only shortens the evaluation process but also introduces complementary support through Venture Debt from InvestEU implementing partners.

Other notable updates across funding schemes include:

EIC Pathfinder: A new emphasis on proposals that clearly articulate potential solutions for specific technology visions, encouraging projects with defined application outcomes.
EIC Transition: An increased number of applicants will now advance to the jury interview phase, with a new “GO-reserve” status allowing highly ranked projects to be funded if additional budget becomes available. The Seal of Excellence will also now be awarded to all projects that meet evaluation thresholds, broadening recognition beyond just single-applicant SME proposals.
EIC Accelerator: The maximum investment component in “Open” calls is reduced to €10 million, with higher funding needs directed to the STEP call. Short applications (Step 1) will be evaluated on batches in a monthly basis with results expected in 4-6 weeks. Ultimately, unanimous consensus is required in the consensus meeting for applicants to be invited to the jury interview.

The EIC 2025 Work Programme also continues the economic security measures launched in 2024, with safeguards on investment eligibility for Accelerator and STEP Scale-Up calls, especially in high-risk areas like AI and quantum technologies. These measures help protect the EU’s strategic interests in critical tech sectors.

Looking to 2026, the EIC anticipates a continued focus on its core calls—Pathfinder, Transition, and Accelerator—while the STEP call is expected to play an increasingly central role, offering expanded financing for emerging companies in high-impact sectors. Future actions may also be shaped by the Horizon Europe mid-term review, ensuring alignment with evolving EU priorities and maximizing the EIC’s impact within Europe’s innovation landscape.

Complementary Support Through Horizon Europe’s WIDERA Programme

In addition to the EIC Work Programme 2025, the upcoming Horizon Europe Work Programme’s is set to include a Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area (WIDERA) section that will introduce a pilot EIC Pre-Accelerator call. This pilot aims to support early-stage deep tech startups in widening countries, equipping them with the technological development, business planning, and investment-readiness needed to later apply for funding through the EIC Accelerator or attract other investors.

In anticipation of this initiative, the EIC Work Programme 2025 allows beneficiaries under the Pre-Accelerator to access Business Acceleration Services (BAS), and the Fast Track route to the EIC Accelerator.

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