The European Innovation Council (EIC), under the Horizon Europe Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, offers a suite of funding instruments designed to identify and support breakthrough technologies and game-changing innovators. These programs aim to help scale up companies with the potential to create new markets or disrupt existing ones, contributing to Europe’s strategic autonomy and leadership in critical industries. The initiatives provide substantial financial support, coaching, and networking opportunities to bridge the gap from high-risk, deep-tech research to market uptake.
EIC Advanced Innovation Challenges
This pilot program is designed to support high-risk, demand-driven deep tech innovation with transformative potential, particularly in areas with extensive research but a lack of commercial adoption. It assesses whether competitive, stage-gated support and early integration of demand-side actors can accelerate the path to market for breakthrough solutions. The challenges are shaped and steered by EIC Programme Managers in collaboration with users and ecosystem actors.
Funding and Support
• Stage 1 Funding: A €300,000 lump sum for up to nine months to prepare and benchmark solutions and explore their feasibility.
• Stage 2 Funding: Up to €2.5 million lump sum for up to 2.5 years to further develop and test the most promising solutions in real-world environments.
• Business Acceleration Services (BAS): Beneficiaries gain access to tailor-made support, including access to global partners, coaches, mentors, expertise, training, and innovation ecosystems.
Eligibility Criteria
• Stage 1 (2026): Open to a single legal entity (mono-beneficiary) established in a Member State or an Associated Country. Eligible entities include start-ups, SMEs, or research performing organisations such as universities, research or technology organisations, teams, individual Principal Investigators, and inventors. Larger companies are not eligible to apply as a single entity.
• Stage 2 (2027): Only proposals selected for funding under Stage 1 are eligible. Applicants can be a single legal entity as defined in Stage 1; a small consortium of two independent legal entities from two different Member States or Associated Countries; or a consortium of up to three eligible independent legal entities.
2026 Challenges
• Challenge 1 - Accelerating Physical AI: Aims to accelerate the development, integration, and commercialisation of breakthrough Physical AI solutions for AI-powered robotics.
• Challenge 2 - Translating Disruptive New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) into Practice: Seeks to accelerate the adoption of NAMs in biomedicine to replace, reduce, or refine animal use in testing medicinal products.
Application Process
• Stage 1 Deadline: Proposals must be submitted via the Funding & Tenders Portal by 26 February 2026 at 17:00 Brussels local time.
• Stage 2 Deadline: The indicative deadline for proposals is 18 June 2027 at 17:00 Brussels local time, submitted via the Funding & Tenders Portal.
Support for Applicants
• National Contact Points (NCPs): A network providing guidance, practical information, and assistance on all aspects of participation in Horizon Europe.
• FAQs: A resource to find answers to frequently asked questions about funding types, eligibility, and proposal submission.
• Business Acceleration Services (BAS): All EIC-supported projects and companies receive access to coaching, mentoring, partnering, and other acceleration services.
The EIC Advanced Innovation Challenges pilot offers a practical pathway for moving deep tech innovation from research to real world adoption by combining phased funding and validation support, while reinforcing Europe’s broader goal of scaling breakthrough technologies in strategically important sectors.