European Innovation Council (EIC)

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).

The funding and support consists of 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
• 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 funding scheme, the direct financial support to innovators is augmented with access to a range of Business Acceleration Services. The three main EIC instruments offer both bottom-up calls and calls with predefined thematic priorities (challenges). In addition to these instruments there are the EIC Prizes, which reward innovative solutions offered by companies/organisations for pre-defined societal challenges or specific target audiences, such as women innovators, innovative cities, public or private procurers or social innovation.