EIC Work Programme 2021 - European Commission

1 1 European Commission Decision C(2021) 1510 of 17 March 2021 EIC Work Programme 2021 European innovation Council (EIC) established by the European Commission , under the Horizon Europe Programme (2021-27) 2 DISCLAIMER The launching of the calls for proposals contained in this Work Programme is conditional upon the final adoption without significant modifications by the legislative authority of the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing Horizon Europe the Framework Programme for research and innovation , laying down its rules for participation and dissemination (COM(2018)0435 C8-0252/2018 2018/0224(COD)) and of the Decision of the Council on establishing the specific Programme implementing Horizon Europe -the Framework Programme for research and innovation (COM(2018)0436 C8-0253/2018 2018/0225(COD)), as well as to the final adoption without significant modifications by the European Commission of this Work Programme .

2 3 Who should read this document The EIC aims at identifying and supporting breakthrough technologies and game-changing innovations with the potential to scale up internationally and become market leaders. It supports all stages of innovation from R&D on the scientific underpinnings of breakthrough technologies, to validation and demonstration of breakthrough technologies and innovations to meet real world needs, to the development and scaling up of start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This document is the annual work Programme for the European innovation Council (EIC) funded by the European Union s Horizon Europe Framework Programme for research and innovation .

3 It is the legal document which sets out how the EIC will allocate its funding for the corresponding year. It is prepared following the advice of the EIC pilot Advisory Board and adopted by the European Commission . Financial support is provided through three main instruments: the Pathfinder for advanced research on breakthrough / game-changing technologies; Transition for transforming research results into innovation opportunities; and the Accelerator for individual companies to develop and scale up breakthrough innovations with high risk and high impact. All EIC funded projects and companies, as well as selected applicants, have access to a range of EIC Business Acceleration Services providing access to leading expertise, corporates, investors and ecosystem actors.

4 The EIC also provides additional activities such as prizes. Potential applicants, and those interested in the EIC in general, can find more information, including the background to the EIC mission, organisation and practical guidance, on the EIC website: Potential applicants who wish to apply for EIC funding will need to apply through the EIC website ( ) and the EU Funding & Tender Opportunities portal ( ). This contains all the information necessary as well as details of the relevant National Contact Point who can provide information and personalised support in native language. 4 Table of Contents I. Introduction .. 5 Key features of the EIC work Programme .. 5 II. Open Funding.

5 18 EIC Pathfinder Open .. 19 EIC Transition Open .. 24 EIC Accelerator Open .. 31 III. EIC Strategic 45 EIC Pathfinder Challenges .. 46 EIC Transition Challenges .. 63 EIC Accelerator Challenges .. 71 IV. EIC Prizes .. 82 EU Prize for Women Innovators .. 83 The European Capital of innovation Awards (iCapital) .. 86 The European innovation Procurement Awards .. 90 The European Social innovation Competition .. 93 V. EIC Community and Business Acceleration Services .. 97 EIC Business Acceleration Services global offer .. 98 VI. Other Actions .. 104 Communication, outreach, events .. 105 Honoraria and expenses of the European innovation Council (EIC) Board .. 105 Foresight and analysis of emerging technologies and innovation trends.

6 107 EIC Data management and Information systems .. 108 External expertise for monitoring, ethics and policy advice .. 112 Capacity-building and transnational cooperation for National Contact Points (NCPs) 112 Co-Creation with Public and Private Buyers of Innovations .. 114 Expert group on design of EIC Market Place and Tech to Market activities .. 118 Group of experts on the implementation of the EIC plug-in pilot .. 119 Support to the EIC Accelerator by the Enterprise Europe Network .. 120 Enhancing synergies between the EIC and Startup Europe .. 124 Annexes .. 127 Annex 1 Estimated Indicative Budget .. 128 Annex 2 General conditions for applications .. 130 Annex 3 Eligible Associated Countries and Third Countries.

7 141 Annex 4 Fast Track scheme to apply for the EIC 143 Annex 5 Pilot Plug-in scheme to apply for the EIC Accelerator .. 145 Annex 6 Ad hoc grants for EIC Pathfinder and EIC Transition grant 148 Annex 7 Additional provisions concerning Intellectual Property for Pathfinder and Transition actions .. 150 5 I. Introduction Key features of the EIC work Programme This is the first work Programme for the European innovation Council (EIC). It builds on the experience of the EIC pilot under Horizon 2020 and on the advice from the EIC pilot Advisory Board. In accordance with the Horizon Europe legislation, this work Programme implements the following key features. Integrated, agile support across the full innovation spectrum from early stage research to start-up and scale-up.

8 The funding and support is organised into three main funding schemes: the EIC Pathfinder for advanced research to develop the scientific basis to underpin breakthrough technologies; the EIC Transition to validate technologies and develop business plans for specific applications; and the EIC Accelerator to support companies (SMEs, start-ups, spin-outs and in exceptional cases small mid-caps) to bring their innovations to market and scale up. In each case, the direct financial support to innovators is augmented with access to a range of Business Acceleration Services. Linkages between these funding schemes will be maximised through proactive management (see below) and new approaches, such as additional grants to ongoing Pathfinder projects (Section ), a Marketplace to connect preliminary and final research results with entrepreneurs and investors (Section V), and the Fast Track scheme from Pathfinder and Transition to enter the Accelerator (Annex 4).

9 This work Programme has been prepared in coordination with the Horizon Europe strategic plan 1 and work Programme , and in particular the part on European innovation Ecosystems, with the aim of integrating the direct support to innovators through the EIC with improvements to the overall European ecosystem. The EIC will also link with other components of Horizon Europe, including the European research Council (ERC), the European Institute of innovation and Technology (EIT) and its Knowledge and innovation Communities (KICs), and with other Union funding programmes, such as InvestEU. A balance between open funding and challenge driven funding. The majority of funding2 will be awarded through open calls with no predefined thematic priorities ( Open Funding ), and these are presented in Section II.

10 The Open 1 2 As far as MFF budget is concerned ( not taking into account NGEU budget). 6 Funding is designed to enable support for any technologies and innovations that cut across different scientific, technological, sectoral and application fields or represent novel combinations. The challenge driven approach is presented in Section III ( EIC Strategic Challenges ) and provides funding to address specific technological and innovation breakthroughs. These challenges take into account EU priorities for transitioning to a green, digital and healthy society, as well as the overall strategic planning for Horizon Europe, and the inputs of stakeholders, experts and the EIC pilot Advisory Board.