The European Commission has adopted the 2022 work programme of the European Innovation Council (EIC)! In 2022, it will provide €1.7 billion for breakthrough innovators to scale up and create new markets.
EIC Pathfinder
Firstly, the EIC Pathfinder will receive €350 million to fund early-stage technology research. €183 million will be awarded through Pathfinder Open, with submissions open from 1st March until 4th May. The remaining €167 million aims to tackle the following six challenges:
- Carbon dioxide and nitrogen management and valorisation
- Mid-long term, systems-integrated energy storage
- Cardiogenomics
- Healthcare continuum technologies
- DNA-based digital data storage
- Alternative approaches to quantum information processing, communication, and sensing.
These calls will open from 15th June until 19th October.
EIC Transition
Secondly, the EIC Transition will receive €131 million to fund technology validation and spin-out. It will focus on promising results generated by both EIC Pathfinder and European Research Council Proof of Concept projects. Calls open from 1st March, with €70.9 million allocated to EIC Transition Open and €60.5 million to the following Transition Challenges:
- Green digital devices for the future
- Process and system integration of clean energy technologies
- RNA-based therapies and diagnostics for complex or rare genetic diseases
EIC Accelerator
Lastly, the EIC Accelerator will provide €1.16 billion for start-ups and SMEs to develop and scale up high impact innovations. Applicants can submit a short application at any time. Then, the cut-off dates for full applications are 23rd March, 15th June, and 5th October.
What’s new in the 2022 EIC Work Programme?
- A new EIC-Scale Up 100 Initiative to identify 100 potential deep-tech unicorns.
- Equity investments above €15 million for technologies of strategic European interest.
- Stronger support for women innovators through the development of an innovation gender and diversity index.
- The EU Prize for Women Innovators includes two new prizes for innovators under 35.
- More frequent application deadlines.
- Second-time applicants to the EIC Accelerator can describe and defend the improvements made to their resubmission.
More Information
Further information on each of the calls is available in the EIC Work Programme 2022. There will also be an Information Day on 22nd February. If you are planning to apply for funding and would like bid writing support, please contact us in order to arrange a free consultation.
