EIC Pathfinder Open call 2023 closed with high interest

Received 788 project proposals from the research community (4758 participants in total), requesting €2.412 billion of grant support. Applicants are coming from 55 countries

The EIC Pathfinder Open provides funding for projects in any field of science or technology, based on high-risk science-towards-technology breakthrough interdisciplinary research. The European Innovation Council (EIC) received 788 project proposals from the research community by 7 March 2023 deadline (4758 participants in total), requesting €2.412 billion of grant support. Applicants are coming from 55 countries.

The total indicative budget for this call is €179.5 million and it is expected that approximately 60 projects will be funded. The evaluation process has begun and the results will be available in August 2023.

EIC Pathfinder Challenges call will open for interested organisations on 20 June with a deadline of 18 October 2023, 17.00 CET.

Background information

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. 

Grants of up to €3 to €4 million 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 benefit from interactions with EIC Programme Managers and can receive additional funding for testing the innovation potential of their research outputs or for working across projects for portfolio actions.