European Innovation Council (EIC) Pathfinder: A perspective by Dora Meredith, Innovate UK

What is the EIC Pathfinder?

The EIC Pathfinder sits under Pillar 3 of the Horizon European Funding Framework Programme and was originally known as the Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) programme under its predecessor Horizon 2020 (H2020). The Pathfinder consists of both open and challenge driven funding with the majority of the funding through Open Calls. They enable support for any technologies and innovations that cut across different scientific, technological, sectoral and application fields and have no particular thematic priorities. Open Calls have a deadline of the 19 May 2021 with an indicative budget of €170.10m.

There are also five specific challenges to address technological and innovation breakthroughs with a deadline of 27 October 2021 with an indicative budget of up to a share of €133.60m. The challenges are:

• Awareness inside (consciousness in Artificial Intelligence systems)
• Tools to measure & stimulate activity in brain tissue
• Emerging Technologies in Cell and Gene Therapy
• Novel routes to green hydrogen production
• Engineered living materials

Who can apply?

The EIC Pathfinder aims to identify and support breakthrough technologies and game-changing innovations.

You must be in a Consortia of at least three different independent legal entities (e.g. research organisations, universities, SMEs, industry) and established in at least three different eligible countries.

Single applicants or small consortia (two partners) may be able to apply for Pathfinder
Challenges according to the call specifications.

Where can I find more information?

Visit the European Commission website here and the Work Programme is here. Contact our European Programmes team for further information.

KTN European Programmes Team

Viola Hay

Jane Watkins