Horizon Europe · European Innovation Council

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EIC: Accelerator, Pathfinder, Transition

The largest EU grants for breakthrough technologies. The competition is demanding and multi-stage, so we start with an eligibility assessment: which scheme suits you, whether the team and the technology are ready, and which cut-off to target.

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Start with a one-hour consultation: we check eligibility and map out the route to a full application.

About the programme

What the programme is and who it is for

What it funds

Grant and investment instruments of the European Innovation Council for breakthrough technologies: from early-stage research (Pathfinder) and validation of results (Transition) to company scale-up (Accelerator).

Who funds it

The European Union through the Horizon Europe programme; the investment component is provided by the EIC Fund. Ukraine is associated to Horizon Europe.

Who it suits

  • Deep-tech start-ups and scaling SMEs (Accelerator)
  • Research consortia, universities, laboratories (Pathfinder)
  • A single organisation with a result of a previous EU project at TRL 4 (Transition)
Official pages: EIC Accelerator EIC Pathfinder EIC Transition EIC 2027 Work Programme (05.11.2026) EIC: €1.8 billion for 2027 (05.11.2026) EIC Accelerator FAQ EIC STEP Scale Up
In depth

The programme in detail

The European Innovation Council (EIC) is the third pillar of Horizon Europe, “Innovative Europe”. Its 2027 work programme, adopted on 5 November 2026, amounts to more than €1.8 billion, including: Pathfinder €248 million, Transition €92 million, Accelerator €578 million, STEP Scale Up €290 million, STEP Scale Up Defence €100 million and €400 million for the Scaleup Europe Fund. The EIC funds technologies that are too risky for banks and venture capital funds, yet already too applied for conventional research grants.

The three schemes are steps on the technology maturity ladder. Pathfinder funds the validation of a new scientific principle (TRL 1–4) and usually requires an international consortium. Transition takes the result of a previous EU project and brings it to validation in real-world conditions and a business case (from TRL 4 to TRL 5 and above). The Accelerator works with a single company bringing an innovation to market (TRL 6–8): it provides a grant and, where needed, an equity investment through the EIC Fund.

The main difference from regular Horizon Europe topics: the Accelerator assesses neither a consortium nor scientific novelty, but the company – its team, market, risk and the reason why private investors will not finance this stage on their own. Because of the investment component, the EU may become a minority shareholder, so the final say rests with a jury of investors and entrepreneurs.

Ukraine is associated to Horizon Europe, so Ukrainian companies, universities and research institutions apply directly, without a legal entity in the EU. Two caveats: in Pathfinder Open consortia at least one participant must be from an EU Member State (from 2027, Transition is for a single applicant only); and access of a Ukrainian company to EIC Fund investment must be checked against the annexes to the work programme and the list of countries on the Funding & Tenders Portal. Realistically, the EIC suits teams with an already validated technology and a readiness for tough competition, not ideas without a prototype or ordinary business expansion.

Application status: Open on a rolling basis

EIC Accelerator short applications are accepted on a continuous basis. On 5 November 2026 the European Commission adopted the EIC 2027 Work Programme: Accelerator full applications – 20 January, 17 March, 1 September and 4 November 2027; Pathfinder Open – 25 February (stage 1) and 16 September 2027 (stage 2), Pathfinder Challenges – 29 September, Transition – 14 September 2027 (to be confirmed: the Work Programme text says 16 September).

Programme terms

Key facts about “EIC: Accelerator, Pathfinder, Transition”

Only what is confirmed in the official programme sources, as of 06.11.2026.

Accelerator

Start-ups and SMEs with an innovation at TRL 6–8. A grant of up to €2.5 million for 24 months plus an EIC Fund investment of €1–10 million. The grant can be received only once under Horizon Europe, and no more than three unsuccessful submissions are allowed.

Pathfinder

Early-stage breakthrough research at TRL 1–4. Pathfinder Open requires a consortium of at least 3 independent organisations, one of them from an EU Member State. In Pathfinder Challenges, a single applicant or two applicants may apply. Grant of up to €4 million.

Transition

Takes the result of an eligible previous project (Pathfinder, ERC Proof of Concept, Horizon research actions and others) from TRL 4 to TRL 5 and above and to market readiness. A grant of more than €0.5 million and less than €2.5 million for 1–3 years; from 2027 only a single participant applies, and affiliated entities and subcontractors are allowed.

Ukraine as a participant

Ukraine is associated to Horizon Europe: Ukrainian companies, universities and research institutions apply directly, without a legal entity in the EU. Pathfinder Open consortia require a partner from an EU Member State, and access to EIC Fund investment should be checked in the annexes to the work programme.

How applicants are selected

In the Accelerator: short application (12 pages, pitch deck, video) → full application of 20 pages, assessed in writing by a technology expert and a panel of at least 3 experts → interview with the EIC jury. The technology, market, team and risks are assessed.

What beneficiaries receive besides funding

Coaching and mentoring, booster grants of up to €50,000 for Pathfinder and Transition projects, and access to investors and corporates through the EIC network.

Sources: EIC Accelerator, EIC Pathfinder, EIC Transition, EIC 2027 Work Programme (05.11.2026), EIC: €1.8 billion for 2027 (05.11.2026), EIC Accelerator FAQ, EIC STEP Scale Up.

Check terms and deadlines on the official programme page before applying: they are updated from round to round.

Analysis

Requirements, stages and what to watch for

Our analysis is based on the official programme rules and GetGrant materials. Check the current call before applying: conditions change from round to round.

01Applicant requirements

  • Accelerator: a single start-up or SME, including a spin-out; a natural or legal person intending to establish such a company; a small mid-cap with up to 499 employees – for investment only. Consortia are not foreseen.
  • The company must be established in an EU Member State or an associated country, including Ukraine. An applicant from any other third country must re-register before submitting the full application.
  • Pathfinder Open: a consortium of at least 3 independent organisations, one of which is from an EU Member State and the other two from different EU Member States or associated countries. In Pathfinder Challenges, a single applicant or two applicants may apply.
  • Transition from 2027 – a single participant only: a start-up, spin-out, SME, university or research organisation. Consortia are no longer foreseen, but affiliated entities and subcontractors may be involved.
  • Transition accepts only results of an eligible previous project: EIC Pathfinder and FET (including FET Flagships), ERC Proof of Concept under Horizon Europe, research actions under Horizon 2020 and Pillar II of Horizon Europe, Research Infrastructures, and the European Defence Fund. An ongoing project must have started more than 18 months before the cut-off (ERC Proof of Concept – 6 months), and a completed project must have ended no earlier than 24 months before it.

02What is funded and on what terms

  • Accelerator, grant: a lump sum of up to €2.5 million (up to 70% of costs) for innovation activities lasting up to 24 months. A company can receive a grant without equity only once over the whole of Horizon Europe.
  • Accelerator, investment: from €1 million to €10 million in equity or quasi-equity (for example, a convertible loan) through the EIC Fund – together with the grant (blended finance) or without it. Investment decisions are taken 2–6 months after selection.
  • Pathfinder: a grant of up to €4 million (more if justified) for research at TRL 1–4, paid as a lump sum per work package. In 2027, Open has €166 million and Challenges €82 million.
  • Transition: a grant of more than €0.5 million and less than €2.5 million for 1–3 years to bring the technology to TRL 5 and above, validate it in a relevant environment and draw up a business plan. The 2027 budget is €92 million. After the first year the project is reviewed against the declared KPIs and may be stopped if its objectives have become unattainable.
  • Pathfinder and Transition projects may receive a booster grant of up to €50,000 to explore their commercial potential. Companies supported by the EIC have access to Business Acceleration Services: coaching, mentoring, and meetings with corporates and investors.
  • STEP Scale Up – investment only, from €10 million to €30 million, for SMEs and small mid-caps raising a round of €50–150 million. One qualified investor must confirm at least 20% of the round in advance.

03Selection stages and deadlines

  • Accelerator, step 1: a short application of 12 pages, a pitch deck of up to 10 slides and a video of up to 3 minutes. It can be submitted at any time; applications are batched for evaluation on the first Tuesday of each month, with a reply in approximately 4–6 weeks. A GO under the 2026 or 2027 Work Programme is valid for any 2027 cut-off.
  • Step 2: a full application of 20 pages with a pitch deck, video, implementation plan, budget, financial data and cap table, and an IP strategy (FTO analysis if available). It is assessed in writing by a technology expert, then by a panel of at least 3 experts; results come about 8–9 weeks after the cut-off. The EIC advises submitting the short application at least 10 weeks before the chosen cut-off.
  • Step 3: an interview with the EIC jury; the best applications are invited up to a total of 2.5 times the grant budget. In 2027, interview sessions are held twice a year, after every second cut-off. The GO/NO GO decision is communicated in approximately 2–3 weeks. Step 4: the grant agreement or, in the case of blended finance, due diligence of the company by the EIC Fund.
  • Full application cut-offs in 2027: 20 January, 17 March, 1 September and 4 November, at 17:00 Brussels time. A full application may be submitted with a GO on a short application obtained under the 2026 or 2027 work programme.
  • Pathfinder Open in 2027 runs in two stages: a short application by 25 February 2027 (the call opens on 25 November 2026), and a full application for invited applicants by 16 September 2027, with an interview. Pathfinder Challenges – by 29 September 2027, Transition – by 14 September 2027 (the Work Programme text itself says 16 September, so we confirm the date before applying; the call opens on 30 April 2027). The EIC info day on 2027 opportunities takes place on 19 November 2026.

04Specific features and pitfalls

  • In the Accelerator, a company is allowed no more than three unsuccessful submissions at any stage (short application, full application or interview), counted from 1 January 2024. After the third rejection the company can no longer apply to the Accelerator, so resubmitting without fixing the weak criterion is a wasted attempt.
  • Only one Accelerator application can be pending at a time. When resubmitting, applicants state the number of the previous application and explain the changes – the evaluators see the previous evaluations.
  • The Seal of Excellence is awarded to applications that scored at least 13 out of 15 points on the full application but were not invited to the interview, or that received a NO GO from the jury. The Seal itself brings no funding, but it opens access to national and regional programmes that recognise it.
  • Typical reasons for rejection: incremental rather than breakthrough innovation; a TRL below the scheme requirement; no evidence of a market and customers; a team without commercialisation experience; no explanation of why private investors will not finance this stage.
  • Fast Track allows Horizon Europe and Horizon 2020 projects, after a check, to submit a full Accelerator application directly, and Plug-in does the same for participants in certified national and regional programmes. Neither route guarantees funding.
  • Dual use in the Accelerator and STEP Scale Up has been allowed since 17 June 2026, but such applications receive no advantage. The next cut-off of the STEP Scale Up Defence call is 1 June 2027, with a budget of €100 million.

05What to prepare in advance

  • Evidence of the technology level: test results, a prototype, validation in a relevant environment, patents or patent applications, and a freedom-to-operate (FTO) analysis.
  • Market and customers: market size and segments, competitors, letters of intent from customers, partners or investors, pilots. Letters of intent strengthen an Accelerator application considerably, although they are not required; for Transition they are mandatory.
  • Team and company: roles and experience of the CEO, CTO and key people, a capitalisation table (cap table), financial statements and a plan for raising private investment after the grant.
  • Financial model and 24-month work plan: milestones, budget by work package for the lump sum, capital needs and what will happen to the company after the project.
  • A pitch deck of up to 10 slides and a video of up to 3 minutes in English – they are assessed as early as the first step. For Pathfinder Open – EU consortium partners, and for Transition – the number and results of the previous project.
Support

What we do

You are not left alone with the application form: we prepare the document package and support you until the decision.

  1. 1

    Review and eligibility check

    A short call or email exchange: whether you and the project meet the conditions, which programme and amount fit, and what is missing.

  2. 2

    Application in the programme format

    We write the application exactly in the form the programme requires: business plan, technology description, financial plan and budget that are consistent with each other.

  3. 3

    Documents and verification

    We collect annexes: cost estimates, supplier quotes, pitch deck, documents for premises or land. Everything is checked against the requirements before submission.

  4. 4

    Submission and defence

    You sign and submit the application; we stay with you at every step and prepare you for the interview, pitch or jury session.

For this programme

  • We assess eligibility and readiness: TRL, team, market, and whether it is worth applying now.
  • We choose the scheme and the cut-off, and structure the short and full applications, the business plan and the pitch deck.
  • For Pathfinder we look for consortium partners; before the interview we hold a rehearsal with jury questions.
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What we say plainly

  • No grant is guaranteed. The decision is made by the funder: the state, a fund or a jury. We build a strong and consistent package, but we do not influence the decision.
  • You submit the application yourself. The applicant submits and signs the application in Diia, on the USF portal or the EU portal. We prepare the documents and support you, but do not apply on your behalf.
  • We quote the price after the first conversation. The scope depends on the programme, the amount and what you already have. We state the cost and timing before work begins.
Our services

How GetGrant can help with this programme

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