European Innovation Council (EIC) Work Programme 2025

The European Commission has announced the adoption of the 2025 Work Programme for the European Innovation Council (EIC), introducing over €1.4 billion in funding opportunities. This programme aims to accelerate Europe’s progress in strategic technologies and support high-growth companies, focusing on innovation with significant potential for market disruption and societal impact.

Key Funding Schemes in the 2025 Programme

The 2025 EIC work programme allocates funding across four major schemes:

1. EIC Pathfinder
   Funding: €262 million
   Grants up to €4 million will be awarded to multi-disciplinary research teams tackling visionary, high-risk projects that have the potential to deliver breakthrough technologies.
2. EIC Transition
   Funding: €98 million
   Aimed at turning research results into viable innovation opportunities, the EIC Transition scheme will offer grants of up to €2.5 million to further develop promising results from EIC Pathfinder projects, ERC Proof of Concept, and Horizon Pillar 2 collaborative projects.
3. EIC Accelerator
   Funding: €634 million
   Designed to help start-ups and SMEs develop and scale high-impact innovations, EIC Accelerator will provide grants of up to €2.5 million, along with equity investments ranging from €0.5 million to €10 million. This scheme focuses on innovations with potential to create new markets or transform existing ones.
4. STEP Scale Up
   Funding: €300 million
   The STEP Scale Up programme will provide additional equity funding to promising SMEs, start-ups, spin-offs, and small mid-caps operating in critical technology areas. Investments range from €10 million to €30 million, helping these companies secure private co-investment for further scaling.

Supporting Innovation Across Europe

The EIC 2025 programme offers numerous resources to support applicants and highlight the programme’s impact, including information days, downloadable factsheets, FAQs, and a dedicated podcast series. The programme also includes videos on key challenges and statements from the EIC Board, all aimed at guiding innovators toward realizing their potential in strategic sectors.
More info here