European Innovation Council logo
EIC Accelerator

EIC Accelerator Challenge: Alternative Concepts and Key Enabling Technologies for Fusion Power Plants

Supports European startups developing enabling technologies for alternative fusion power plant concepts.

OpenEuropean Innovation CouncilEUAlbaniaArmeniaBosnia and HerzegovinaFaroe IslandsGeorgiaIsraelIcelandLiechtensteinMoroccoMoldovaMontenegroNorth MacedoniaNorwaySerbiaTunisiaTรผrkiyeUkraineUnited KingdomKosovo

The EIC Accelerator Challenge on Alternative Concepts and Key Enabling Technologies for Fusion Power Plants is the smallest of the five 2026 EIC Accelerator Challenges by budget, with โ‚ฌ20 million allocated for 2026 awards and a further โ‚ฌ10 million reserved for 2027 disbursements โ€” a two-tranche structure not used by the other four challenges. Its mandate is to accelerate the transition from demonsโ€ฆ

Accelerating the transition from achieving fusion energy gain to the full commercialisation of fusion energy, positioning Europe as a global leader in the field.

CycleiHow often this grant runs - e.g. annually, on a rolling basis, or a one-off call.Multiple per year
Next deadlineiThe next date applications are due. Rolling means you can apply any time.4 Nov 2026
Decision timeiTypical time from the deadline to the funder's decision.20 weeks
Project durationiHow long the funded work is expected to run.-
Award typeiThe form of funding - grant, equity, loan, tax credit, etc.Grant + Equity
Match fundingiThe share of project costs you must cover yourself. 0% = fully funded.0%
Funding pooliThe total budget available across all awards in this round.โ‚ฌ44M

Sign up free to see the funding breakdown

Sign up free to see the industries in scope

Sign up free to see the full eligibility

Sign up free to see how to apply

Sign up free to see what you submit

Sign up free to see how they score you

Sign up free to see the timeline

Sign up free to see where teams trip up

Guides for this application

All guides โ†’
European Innovation Council logo
Open

EIC Pathfinder Challenge: Advanced Materials for Miniaturised Energy Harvesting Systems

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บEIC ยท European Union

Supports developing advanced materials for miniaturised energy harvesters to power IoT and sensor networks autonomously.

Climate TechEnergy Tech+2
โ‚ฌ4MOct'26
European Innovation Council logo
Open

EIC Pathfinder Challenge: Biotechnology for Healthy Ageing

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บEIC ยท European Union

Supports translating decades of ageing biology into biotech or pharma proofs-of-concept that prevent, delay or revert age-related disease.

BiotechMedtech+1
โ‚ฌ4MOct'26
European Innovation Council logo
Open

EIC Pathfinder Challenge: DeepRAP โ€” Deep Reasoning, Abstraction and Planning towards trustworthy Cognitive AI

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บEIC ยท European Union

Supports cognitive AI development focused on trustworthy deep reasoning, abstraction, and planning capabilities.

AICybersecurity
โ‚ฌ4MOct'26
European Innovation Council logo
Open

EIC Pathfinder Challenges

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บEIC ยท European Union

Funds European consortia developing breakthrough solutions across AI, climate, energy, materials, medical, and quantum fields.

AIBiotech+5
โ‚ฌ4MOct'26
European Innovation Council logo
Open

EIC Pathfinder Challenges 2026

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บEIC ยท European Union

Funds deep-tech research consortia with EIC Pathfinder grants up to โ‚ฌ4 million.

โ‚ฌ4MOct'26
European Innovation Council logo
Open

EIC Accelerator Challenge: Advanced Materials for Renewable Energy and Energy Storage Systems

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บEIC ยท European Union

Supports scaling advanced materials for EU strategic autonomy in energy generation and storage.

Climate TechEnergy Tech+1
โ‚ฌ1M โ€“ โ‚ฌ12.5MNov'26
European Commission logo
Scheduled

Clean Technologies for Climate Action

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บEuropean Commission ยท European Union

Funds eight โ‚ฌ15โ€“25M Innovation Actions that deploy clean technologies for a competitive, climate-neutral European industry.

Climate TechEnergy Tech+2
โ‚ฌ15M โ€“ โ‚ฌ25MSep'27
UAB ILTE โ€” Investments for the Lithuanian Economy (formerly INVEGA) logo
Open

Loans Perspective (Perspektyva)

๐Ÿ‡ฑ๐Ÿ‡นILTE / INVEGA ยท Lithuania

Provides innovation-focused loans for Lithuanian firms pursuing research development and pilot commercialization with supportive repayment terms.

AIBiotech+6
โ‚ฌ10MJun'29
Ministero delle Imprese e del Made in Italy logo
Open

Green New Deal

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡นMIMIT ยท Italy

Invests Italy firms in ecological transition and circular innovation investments through structured financing and growth-oriented milestones.

Climate TechEnergy Tech+3
โ‚ฌ3M โ€“ โ‚ฌ40M
Ministero delle Imprese e del Made in Italy logo
Closed

STEP / Critical and Emerging Technologies โ€” 14 (Tecnologie Critiche ed Emergenti)

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡นMIMIT ยท Italy

Funds Italian companies in southern regions to develop critical innovation in climate, health, and materials.

AIClimate Tech+6
โ‚ฌ800K โ€“ โ‚ฌ17M
Israel-Europe Research & Innovation Directorate (ISERD) logo
Open

EIC Accelerator โ€” Short Proposal

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฑISERD ยท Israel

Supports small and medium firms in early-stage deep technologies through public proposals and commercialization mentoring.

AIBiotech+12
โ‚ช2.5MDec'26
Danish Energy Agency logo
Open

EUDP-I โ€” Energy Technology Development and Demonstration

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ฐEnergistyrelsen ยท Denmark

Invests research teams and institutions for EUDP I Energy Technology Development and Demonstration in energy systems, climate technology, and materials science.

Energy TechClimate Tech+1