EIC Pathfinder Open
Funds bottom-up research for breakthrough deep-tech, any field of science.
EIC Pathfinder Open is the European Innovation Council's bottom-up early-stage research funding instrument, supporting collaborative research consortia working to develop the scientific and technological foundations for radical breakthrough innovations. It operates without predefined thematic priorities, accepting proposals from any field of science, technology, or application — from quantum infor…
Any field of science, technology or application without predefined thematic priorities. Aimed at radically new technologies via high-risk/high-gain science-towards-technology research.
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Guides for this application
All guides →Horizon Europe Grants for Startups: A Founder Guide
A practical guide to Horizon Europe grants for startups, including EIC, consortia, eligibility, Funding & Tenders, TRL, budgets, and EU strategy.
Where to applyGrants for Biotech Startups: NIH, NSF, SBIR/STTR, and Non-Dilutive Funding
A practical guide to grants for biotech startups, including NIH SBIR/STTR, NSF, translational funding, evidence, regulatory readiness, and budgets.
Where to applyGrants for Robotics Startups: SBIR, Defense, NSF, and Pilot Funding
A practical guide to grants for robotics startups, including SBIR/STTR, NSF, DoD, NASA, field validation, TRL, pilot evidence, budgets, and commercialization strategy.
Start hereTRL Levels Explained for Deeptech Founders
Learn what TRL levels mean, how to estimate technology readiness, and how TRL affects grants, EIC Accelerator, SBIR/STTR, funding stage, and application evidence.
More from EIC
All grants from this funder →EIC Pathfinder Challenge: Advanced Materials for Miniaturised Energy Harvesting Systems
🇪🇺EIC · European Union
Supports developing advanced materials for miniaturised energy harvesters to power IoT and sensor networks autonomously.
EIC Pathfinder Challenge: Biotechnology for Healthy Ageing
🇪🇺EIC · European Union
Supports translating decades of ageing biology into biotech or pharma proofs-of-concept that prevent, delay or revert age-related disease.
EIC Pathfinder Challenge: DeepRAP — Deep Reasoning, Abstraction and Planning towards trustworthy Cognitive AI
🇪🇺EIC · European Union
Supports cognitive AI development focused on trustworthy deep reasoning, abstraction, and planning capabilities.
EIC Pathfinder Challenges
🇪🇺EIC · European Union
Funds European consortia developing breakthrough solutions across AI, climate, energy, materials, medical, and quantum fields.
EIC Pathfinder Challenges 2026
🇪🇺EIC · European Union
Funds deep-tech research consortia with EIC Pathfinder grants up to €4 million.
EIC Accelerator Challenge: Advanced Materials for Renewable Energy and Energy Storage Systems
🇪🇺EIC · European Union
Supports scaling advanced materials for EU strategic autonomy in energy generation and storage.
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EIC Pathfinder Challenges
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Funds breakthrough research teams tackling bold technology questions from concept through proof-of-concept under the European Innovation Council framework.
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🇬🇧BBSRC · United Kingdom
Supports United Kingdom industry-academia teams through partnership awards for precommercial innovation experiments.
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Supports United Kingdom university and industry teams through LINK grants that share innovation ownership and risk.
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Supports United Kingdom bioscience researchers through responsive grants that fund investigator-led foundational innovation.
Horizon Europe EIC Accelerator — Estonian Applicant Support
🇪🇪EIS · Estonia
Funds research teams and institutions for Horizon Europe EIC Accelerator Estonian Applicant Support in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and climate technology.
Space Partnership: Connected Earth Observation and SatCom
🇪🇺European Commission · European Union
Funds €1.5–3M projects linking Earth observation and SatCom technologies for resilient, secure and commercially useful space services.