Horizon Europe: European Innovation Council (EIC) Transition 2026

The European Innovation Council (European Innovation Council, EIC) supports breakthrough innovations with disruptive impact and the potential for international scaling. 

Projects from all scientific disciplines and technology sectors without predefined thematic focuses.  However, transition projects must already be able to demonstrate EU-funded project results with high commercial potential. At the start of the transition project, the technology should be at a TRL of 3 or 4 . To assess the TRL, you can refer to the TRL Assessment with examples from various disciplines and fields of application.

The goal of EIC transition projects is to reach TRL 5 to 6, with the technologies being further developed and validated from the laboratory through to the relevant application environments, while at the same time a sustainable business plan and business model for commercialization in high-potential markets is being developed.

Information about EIC transition, including the current work programme, can be found at the European Commission website .

Individual applicants (SMEs, spin-offs, startups, research institutions, universities) or small consortia (max. 5 partners). Applications must build on results from eligible EU projects. These results must not date back more than 24 months prior to the submission deadline for the relevant EIC Transition Call and must originate from one of the following instruments and programs: 

• EIC Pathfinder
• ERC Proof-of-Concept
• Research and Innovation Actions under Horizon 2020’s “Societal Challenges” and “Leadership in Industrial Technologies” programmes, Horizon Europe Pillar II, the European Defence Fund (focusing solely on civilian applications, including dual-use applications), and Horizon Europe or Horizon 2020 Research Infrastructures. 

The list of projects approved for the current call can be found on the European Commission website can be downloaded. 
 

The grant amounts to up to 2.5 million euros and covers up to 100% of the costs.

Transition projects must 

• already demonstrate EU-funded project results with high commercial potential that could serve as the foundation for innovations and promising new companies. At the start of a transition project, the technology should be a TRL of 3 or 4. To assess the TRL, you can refer to the TRL Assessment with examples from various disciplines and fields of application.
• have set their sights on a new, promising technology that is ready to be further developed and validated for specific, promising commercial applications
• have conducted initial market research to identify potential markets for their innovation and potential competitors
• build a motivated and entrepreneurial team with diverse skills that will develop the idea further and can lead it to commercial success.

1. The proposal (22 pages) must be submitted via the European Commission’s EU Funding & Tender Portal by the specified deadline.
2. After an 8- to 9-week evaluation phase, selected applicants will be invited to a personal interview with the EIC jury.

To the Assistance when preparing the application, you can use the annotated version created by the NCP Access2EIC project Template use.

No later than 5 months after the submission deadline