EIC Pathfinder Open - European Innovation Council

What if the next breakthrough in quantum computing, synthetic biology, or neuromorphic chips emerged from your lab? The EIC Pathfinder Open funds the earliest, most ambitious stages of deep tech research—when ideas are too radical for conventional funding but have the potential to create entirely new technological paradigms.

At a Glance

What is EIC Pathfinder?

EIC Pathfinder is the European Innovation Council’s program for advanced research on breakthrough technologies. It supports the earliest stages of scientific and technological research, funding ideas that challenge existing paradigms and could create new markets.

Pathfinder Open vs. Pathfinder Challenges

Pathfinder Open is truly open—any visionary research fitting the program’s spirit can apply.

What EIC Pathfinder Looks For

The “High-Risk/High-Gain” Philosophy

Pathfinder explicitly seeks projects that:

• Challenge existing paradigms: Not incremental improvements but fundamental reimagining
• Cross disciplinary boundaries: Novel combinations of fields
• Could fail completely: If success is guaranteed, it’s not ambitious enough
• Would transform technology if successful: 10x improvements, not 10% improvements

Examples of Past Winners

• Novel computing architectures beyond silicon
• Synthetic biology for material production
• Brain-inspired computing systems
• Quantum sensing technologies
• Revolutionary energy storage concepts
• Artificial photosynthesis systems

What Does NOT Fit Pathfinder

• Applied research or product development (that’s EIC Transition)
• Optimization of existing technologies
• Research with clear, predictable outcomes
• Projects primarily focused on clinical trials
• Software development without foundational research

Eligibility Requirements

Consortium Composition

Eligible Organizations

• Universities and research institutes
• Small, medium, and large enterprises
• Non-profit organizations
• Public bodies (except EU institutions)

Associated Countries (2024-2025)

Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Faroe Islands, Georgia, Iceland, Israel, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine (under specific conditions), and UK (under Horizon Europe association).

Single Applicants?

Pathfinder Open requires consortia. Single entities should consider:

• Pathfinder Challenges (some allow single applicants)
• National deep tech programs
• ERC grants (for individual researchers)

The Application: Key Components

Part A: Administrative Forms

Submitted through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal:

• Consortium information
• Budget breakdown per partner
• Keywords and abstract

Part B: Technical Description (17 pages maximum)

Section 1: Excellence (Weight: 60%)

• Long-term vision: What transformative technology emerges if fully successful?
• Breakthrough nature: How does this challenge current paradigms?
• Scientific/technological objectives: Concrete goals for the project period
• Novelty: What’s fundamentally new vs. state of the art?
• High-risk nature: Why might this fail? Why is the potential worth the risk?
• Interdisciplinarity: How do disciplines combine in novel ways?

Section 2: Impact (Weight: 20%)

• Future transformation potential: Markets, society, policy affected
• Innovation potential: IP, standards, spin-offs possible
• Communication and dissemination: How will results reach relevant audiences?

Section 3: Implementation (Weight: 20%)

• Work plan: Work packages, tasks, deliverables, milestones
• Consortium composition: Why these partners? What does each bring?
• Resources: Personnel, equipment, budget justification

Budget Construction

100% Funding Rate: Pathfinder covers all eligible costs—no co-financing required.

Evaluation Process

Stage 1: Individual Evaluation

Each proposal is assessed by at least 4 expert evaluators:

• At least one from academia, one from industry
• Score each criterion (0-5 scale)
• Written comments with strengths and weaknesses

Stage 2: Consensus Meeting

Evaluators discuss and agree on consensus scores for each criterion:

Stage 3: Panel Review

High-scoring proposals go to a panel for ranking. The panel considers:

• Portfolio balance across technologies
• Strategic priorities
• Final funding recommendations

Timeline

• Submission: Mid-March (2025-03-12)
• Evaluation: April-June (approximately 3 months)
• Results: July-August
• Grant Agreement Preparation: 2-3 months
• Project Start: Late 2025/Early 2026

Writing a Competitive Proposal

What Evaluators Want to See

In Excellence (most important):

• A crystal-clear long-term vision—what does the world look like if this works?
• Genuine paradigm shift, not incremental improvement
• Deep scientific grounding with specific, measurable objectives
• Honest acknowledgment of risks and uncertainties
• True interdisciplinarity, not just researchers from different fields working separately

In Impact:

• Realistic but transformative potential outcomes
• Understanding of the innovation pathway beyond the project
• Concrete dissemination plans (not generic statements)

In Implementation:

• Each partner has a clear, essential role
• Work plan shows logical progression
• Budget matches proposed activities

Structuring Excellence

The 60% weight on Excellence means this section makes or breaks your proposal:

1. Start with the vision (1-2 pages): Paint the picture of success
2. Establish the breakthrough (2-3 pages): Why is this fundamentally different?
3. Define objectives (2-3 pages): Specific, measurable, achievable in the timeframe
4. Demonstrate novelty (2-3 pages): Rigorous literature review, clear positioning
5. Address risk (1 page): Honest about what could go wrong, why it’s worth trying
6. Show interdisciplinarity (1 page): How fields combine synergistically

Insider Tips

Consortium Building

• Start 12+ months before deadline: Strong consortia take time to build
• Balance is key: Mix established institutions with innovative SMEs/startups
• Choose complementary expertise: Partners should fill gaps, not overlap
• Ensure commitment: All partners must actively contribute; no “flag of convenience” participants

Vision Articulation

• Think 20+ years ahead: Where does this technology lead ultimately?
• Be specific and concrete: “Revolutionize computing” is weak; “Enable room-temperature quantum computers for drug discovery” is strong
• Use the “newspaper test”: Would a science journalist find this exciting and understandable?

Demonstrating High Risk

Paradoxically, you must show why success is uncertain while convincing evaluators to fund you:

• Identify specific scientific/technical barriers
• Explain your approach to overcoming them
• Acknowledge alternative outcomes that would still advance knowledge

Portal Tips

• Register all partners early: ECAS registration and legal entity validation take time
• Use the template: Deviation from section structure frustrates evaluators
• Page limits are strict: 17 pages for Part B; anything beyond is not read
• Submit 48+ hours early: Portal crashes are common near deadlines

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Fatal Errors

• Incremental research disguised as breakthrough: Evaluators recognize optimization projects
• Unclear long-term vision: If you can’t articulate the transformation, you won’t score well
• Poor consortium logic: Partners without clear roles, or missing essential expertise
• Ignoring TRL: Pathfinder is TRL 1-3; if you’re closer to market, apply to Transition instead

Scoring Killers

• Generic impact statements: “Will benefit society” scores poorly; specifics score well
• Overambitious workplans: Promising too much signals lack of realism
• Underdeveloped risk analysis: Not acknowledging what could fail suggests naivety
• Copy-paste from previous proposals: Evaluators often spot recycled text

Administrative Problems

• Partner eligibility issues: Non-associated country partners, ineligible organization types
• Budget errors: Miscalculations, ineligible costs, imbalanced allocations
• Late submission: There is no grace period; 17:00 Brussels time is absolute

After Funding: Project Lifecycle

What EIC Expects

• Scientific progress: Achieve milestones toward the long-term vision
• Flexibility: Pivot if initial approaches don’t work (this is expected in high-risk research)
• Reporting: Periodic technical and financial reports
• Portfolio activities: Participate in EIC community events, collaborate with other Pathfinder projects

EIC Program Managers

Your project will be assigned an EIC Program Manager who:

• Monitors scientific progress
• Provides strategic guidance
• Connects you with other relevant projects
• Helps identify transition opportunities (to Pathfinder Transition or Accelerator)

Path to Market

Successful Pathfinder projects can apply for:

• EIC Pathfinder Transition: Bridge from research to validated technology (up to €2.5M)
• EIC Accelerator: Scale-up funding for market-ready innovations (up to €2.5M grant + €15M equity)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many proposals are funded annually?

Typically 40-60 projects from ~600-800 proposals (7-8% success rate).

Can SMEs or startups apply?

Yes, and they often add strength to proposals by demonstrating commercialization potential. However, they must contribute genuine research capacity.

What if we’re already close to a product?

Pathfinder is wrong. Consider EIC Transition (for validating technology) or EIC Accelerator (for market-ready innovations).

Can we change direction during the project?

Yes—Pathfinder explicitly allows pivoting if scientific findings suggest different approaches. Document the reasoning and discuss with your Program Manager.

Is preliminary data required?

Not mandatory, but proposals with initial results demonstrating feasibility score better. The key is showing you’ve thought deeply about the challenges.

How important is the coordinator?

Very. The coordinator manages the grant, ensures compliance, and serves as EIC’s primary contact. Choose an organization with EU grant management experience.

What happens if one partner drops out?

Notify EIC immediately. Minor changes may require grant amendment; major changes could affect the project’s viability.

Is EIC Pathfinder Right for You?

Strong fit if:

• Your research could create entirely new technological capabilities
• You’re in early-stage (TRL 1-3), pre-competitive research
• You have or can build a strong European consortium
• You’re willing to spend 3-4 months on a thorough proposal
• Your vision is genuinely ambitious—10x improvements, not 10%

Not the right fit if:

• You’re optimizing existing technologies
• You’re developing a product for near-term market
• You need funding for applied research or clinical trials
• You cannot form a European consortium

EIC Pathfinder Open represents Europe’s boldest bet on scientific research—funding ideas that might fail but could, if successful, reshape technological possibilities entirely.