Acceleration of advanced materials development and upscaling along the value chain

The Horizon Europe EIC Accelerator 2025 call, specifically focused on the acceleration of advanced materials development and upscaling along the value chain, aims to support innovative SMEs and startups in Europe. The call invites proposals from entities involved in these sectors, with a total budget of €634 million allocated for 2025. The funding mechanism combines grants and equity investments, offering up to €2.5 million in grants and varying equity contributions ranging from €0.5 million to €30 million for projects demonstrating high scalability potential.

Eligible applicants include startups and SMEs engaged in advanced materials, with no consortium requirement, allowing for applications from single entities. The geographic scope primarily includes EU Member States and associated countries, although provisions exist for the participation of non-EU countries under specific conditions. The projects sought should be at the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6-8, focusing on validation to commercialization rather than early-stage research.

The call follows a multiple cut-off deadline model, with submission deadlines on March 12, 2025, and October 1, 2025. Supported projects will receive both financial and non-financial assistance, including business acceleration services such as coaching and networking. The evaluation process consists of three stages: submission of a short proposal, followed by a full proposal, and an interview with the EIC jury. Historical data suggests a highly competitive environment with low success rates, typically under 10%.

Overall, the EIC Accelerator 2025 call represents a substantial funding opportunity for projects that can significantly disrupt traditional markets through advanced material solutions in strategic areas like energy, mobility, electronics, and construction. Applicants are advised to consult relevant guidelines and support resources to navigate the application process effectively.

The Horizon Europe EIC Accelerator 2025 call, specifically topic HORIZON-EIC-2025-ACCELERATOR-02-CHALLENGES-01, focuses on the acceleration of advanced materials development and upscaling along the value chain. This call is part of the broader Horizon Europe program and falls under the EIC Accelerator funding scheme. The type of action is HORIZON-EIC-ACC, indicating a HORIZON EIC Accelerator project. The Model Grant Agreement (MGA) type is a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS].

The call employs a multiple cut-off deadline model. The planned opening date for the submission system is 26 November 2024. There are two deadline dates for submissions: 12 March 2025 at 17:00:00 Brussels time and 01 October 2025 at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The total budget allocated to this topic and year (2025) is EUR 634,000,000. The expected contribution per project ranges from EUR 500,000 to EUR 17,500,000. The indicative number of grants to be awarded is 15 for HORIZON-EIC-2025-ACCELERATOR-02-CHALLENGES-05, 15 for HORIZON-EIC-2025-ACCELERATOR-02-CHALLENGES-04, 15 for HORIZON-EIC-2025-ACCELERATOR-02-CHALLENGES-02, 65 for HORIZON-EIC-2025-ACCELERATOR-02-OPEN-01, 15 for HORIZON-EIC-2025-ACCELERATOR-02-CHALLENGES-03, and 15 for HORIZON-EIC-2025-ACCELERATOR-02-CHALLENGES-01.

Regarding admissibility conditions, the proposal page limits and layout are detailed in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes, as well as in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System. Eligible countries are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. Notably, some non-EU/non-Associated Countries have specific provisions for funding their participants in Horizon Europe projects, as detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide. Other eligible conditions are also described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria are outlined in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes. The evaluation and award process, including award criteria, scoring, and thresholds, are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes. Submission and evaluation processes are detailed in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual. The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is also described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes. The legal and financial setup of the grants is described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

A variety of application form templates are available in the Submission System, including standard forms for HE RIA, IA, CSA, RI, PCP, PPI, COFUND, FPA, MSCA DN, PF, SE, COFUND, ERC STG, COG, ADG, POC, SYG, EIC PATHFINDER CHALLENGES, EIC PATHFINDER OPEN, and EIC TRANSITION. Evaluation form templates, which will be adapted as necessary, are also available for HE RIA, IA, CSA, PCP PPI, COFUND, FPA, MSCA, EIC PATHFINDER CHALLENGES, EIC PATHFINDER OPEN, EIC TRANSITION, and EIC Accelerator stage 1 and stage 2 proposals.

Guidance documents include the HE Programme Guide, Model Grant Agreements (HE MGA, HE Unit MGA, Lump Sum MGA, Operating Grants MGA, Framework Partnership Agreement FPA), call-specific instructions, a detailed budget table (HE LS), information on financial support to third parties (HE), information on clinical studies (HE), and guidance on lump sums.

Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2023–2025 sections on General Introduction, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, Research Infrastructures, Health, Culture, creativity and inclusive society, Civil Security for Society, Digital, Industry and Space, Climate, Energy and Mobility, Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment, European Innovation Ecosystems (EIE), Widening participation and strengthening the European Research Area, Missions, and General Annexes. Further reference documents are the HE Programme Guide, HE Framework Programme 2021/695, HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764, EU Financial Regulation 2018/1046, Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, EU Grants AGA Annotated Model Grant Agreement, Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions, and Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

Partner search announcements can be viewed and edited by LEARs, Account Administrators, or self-registrants who can publish partner requests for open and forthcoming topics after logging into the portal. The submission system is planned to open on 26 November 2024.

Applicants are encouraged to carefully read all provisions before preparing their application. The Online Manual serves as a guide for procedures from proposal submission to grant management. The Horizon Europe Programme Guide provides detailed guidance on the structure, budget, and political priorities of Horizon Europe. The Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ addresses frequently asked questions on proposal submission, evaluation, and grant management. The Research Enquiry Service can answer questions about European research in general and the EU Research Framework Programmes in particular. National Contact Points (NCPs) offer guidance, practical information, and assistance on participation in Horizon Europe, including in non-EU and non-associated countries. The Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) provides advice to businesses, especially SMEs, including guidance on EU research funding. The IT Helpdesk addresses technical questions related to the Funding & Tenders Portal. The European IPR Helpdesk assists with intellectual property issues. CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk advise on standardisation in project proposals. The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment outline the roles, responsibilities, and entitlements of researchers, employers, and funders. A Partner Search tool is available to help find partner organisations for proposals.

In summary, this Horizon Europe EIC Accelerator call aims to fund projects that accelerate the development and upscaling of advanced materials. It provides substantial funding, ranging from EUR 500,000 to EUR 17,500,000, and is open to a wide range of participants, with specific provisions for non-EU countries. The application process is detailed and requires adherence to specific guidelines and templates, with ample support resources available to assist applicants. The call operates on a multiple cut-off deadline system, providing two opportunities for submission in 2025.

Eligible Applicant Types: While the specific types of eligible applicants are not explicitly listed in the provided text, the mention of "Enterprise Europe Network – contact your EEN national contact for advice to businesses with special focus on SMEs" suggests that SMEs are definitely eligible. The availability of different application forms (HE RIA, IA, CSA, RI, PCP, PPI, COFUND, FPA, MSCA DN/PF/SE/COFUND, ERC STG/COG/ADG/POC/SYG, EIC PATHFINDER CHALLENGES/OPEN/TRANSITION) indicates a broad range of eligible applicants, including those involved in research, innovation, and coordination activities. Therefore, eligible applicant types likely include SMEs, large enterprises, universities, research institutes, and other organizations involved in research and innovation activities.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically a "HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS]". This is indicated under the "Type of MGA" (Model Grant Agreement) section.

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required. However, the presence of a "Partner Search" function and the availability of various application forms (HE RIA, IA, CSA, etc.) suggest that both single applicants and consortia may be eligible, depending on the specific topic requirements within the EIC Accelerator program.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The text indicates that eligible countries are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. It also mentions that "A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects." This suggests that the primary geographic eligibility is for EU and associated countries, but with possibilities for non-EU/non-associated countries to participate under specific conditions.

Target Sector: The call "Acceleration of advanced materials development and upscaling along the value chain" explicitly targets the advanced materials sector. Additionally, the various work program sections listed (Health, Culture, Digital, Industry, Space, Climate, Energy, Mobility, Food, Bioeconomy, Security, Innovation Ecosystems, etc.) suggest a broad scope, but this specific call is focused on advanced materials.

Mentioned Countries: The text refers to "EU and non-associated countries (‘third-countries’)" and "non-EU/non-Associated Countries". No specific countries are named, but the geographic scope includes the EU, associated countries, and potentially other third countries under specific provisions.

Project Stage: The call is part of the EIC Accelerator program, which typically targets projects at the commercialization and scale-up stages. The focus on "acceleration of advanced materials development and upscaling along the value chain" indicates that the projects should be beyond the initial research phase and closer to market deployment.

Funding Amount: The budget overview indicates a funding range of "500000 to 17500000" EUR for the listed topics. The total budget for the call is 634,000,000 EUR.

Application Type: The application type is an "open call" with "multiple cut-off" dates. This means there are several deadlines for submission throughout the year.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant.

Application Stages: The call is for a "Full application", suggesting that there might be a previous stage (e.g., a short proposal or initial assessment). The evaluation process is described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.

Success Rates: The provided text does not contain information about success rates.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement.

Summary:

This is a Horizon Europe EIC Accelerator call for proposals focused on "Acceleration of advanced materials development and upscaling along the value chain". The call is open to a variety of applicants, including SMEs, large enterprises, universities, and research institutes, primarily from EU and associated countries, with potential for third-country participation. The funding mechanism is a lump sum grant, with individual projects potentially receiving between 500,000 EUR and 17,500,000 EUR from a total budget of 634,000,000 EUR. The call follows a multiple cut-off deadline model, with submission deadlines on March 12, 2025, and October 1, 2025. The projects targeted are expected to be at the commercialization or scale-up stage, rather than basic research. Applicants should consult the Horizon Europe Programme Guide and the Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual for detailed information on eligibility, evaluation criteria, and the submission process. Partner search tools are available to help applicants form consortia if needed.