The EIC Pathfinder programme 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. 

Applicants participating in EIC Pathfinder projects are typically visionary scientists and entrepreneurial researchers from universities, research organisations, start-ups, high-tech SMEs or industrial stakeholders interested in technological research and innovation.

The EIC Work Programme opens funding opportunities worth over €1.6 billion in 2023. For the EIC Pathfinder, €343million is available for multi-disciplinary research teams to undertake visionary research with the potential to lead to technology breakthroughs.

EIC Pathfinder funding is also available for specific challenges that are typically steered by an EIC Programme Manager.

The 2023 EIC Pathfinder Challenges are:

 - Clean and efficient cooling

 - Architecture, Engineering and Construction digitalisation for a novel triad of design, fabrication, and materials

 - Precision nutrition

 - Responsible electronics

 - In-space solar energy harvesting for innovative space applications

The total indicative budget for this call is EUR 163.5 million which is expected to be allocated in approximately equal shares across the Challenges. The call will open on 20 June 2023 and it will be closed on the 18 October 2023 at 17h00 Brussels local time.

The Commission invite attendance at the upcoming information days which are organised by the Programme Managers. This gives you the opportunity to understand the challenges, to present questions and clarification on any aspect of the challenge before you start the application process for EIC Pathfinder challenges.

The full schedule for the info days is as follows:

26 January 2023

EIC Accelerator Challenge - Customer-driven, innovative space technologies and services 

EIC Pathfinder Challenge - In-space solar energy harvesting for innovative space applications

All the Info Days below will be web streamed and no registration is required. You can access the Web streaming clicking on each event page below:

 31 January 2023

EIC Accelerator Challenge - Novel technologies for resilient agriculture

EIC Pathfinder Challenge -  Precision nutrition

1 February 2023

EIC Transition Challenge - Environmental intelligence

EIC Accelerator Challenge - Energy storage

2 February 2023

EIC Pathfinder Challenge - Architecture, engineering and construction digitalisation for a novel triad of design, fabrication, and materials

EIC Accelerator Challenge - New European Bauhaus and Architecture, Engineering and Construction digitalisation for decarbonisation 

EIC Transition Challenge - Full scale Micro-Nano-Bio devices for medical and medical research applications 

EIC Accelerator Challenge - Aerosol and surface decontamination for pandemic management 

3 February 2023

EIC Accelerator Challenge - Novel biomarker-based assays to guide personalised cancer treatment

 9 February 2023

EIC Pathfinder Challenge - Responsible electronics 

EIC Transition Challenge - Chip-scale optical frequency combs

EIC Accelerator Challenge - Emerging semiconductor and Quantum technology components

15 March 2023

EIC Pathfinder Challenge - Clean and efficient cooling 

The Horizon Europe EIC team are here to help - Horizon Europe, Ireland's National Support Network