Advanced Materials for Miniaturised Energy Harvesting Systems

EIC Pathfinder Challenges 2026 — Advanced Materials for Miniaturised Energy Harvesting Systems is a single-stage Horizon Europe lump-sum call supporting high-risk/high-gain research to develop novel advanced materials and miniaturised energy-harvesting modules for energetically autonomous IoT devices and sensors. Projects must address four mandatory objectives: discovery of materials exploiting new physical/chemical phenomena while reducing reliance on critical raw materials, implementation in miniaturised harvesting modules, integration into autonomous systems, and laboratory benchmarking to TRL 4, and selected projects will engage in mandatory portfolio activities including benchmarking and working groups. The indicative call budget is €96 million with typical grants in the range €500K–€4M (100% funding via lump sum); eligible applicants are legal entities established in EU Member States or Associated Countries (single entities or consortia) and must submit Part B (max 30 A4 pages) plus a detailed lump-sum budget annex via the Funding & Tenders Portal. The call is planned to open on 22 July 2026 with a deadline of 28 October 2026 17:00 Brussels time, evaluation applies Excellence/Impact/Implementation thresholds and portfolio selection, and applicants should consult the EIC Work Programme 2026 and the Challenge Guide for full conditions.

Advanced Materials for Miniaturised Energy Harvesting Systems — EIC Pathfinder Challenges 2026

What the call funds

Grants for early-stage deep-tech research projects developing advanced materials and miniaturised energy-harvesting modules integrated into energetically autonomous systems. Projects must reach laboratory validation of integrated systems (TRL 4) and contribute to a Challenge portfolio addressing multiple harvesting phenomena, materials compositions and application fields.

Who can apply:Single legal entities (Member State or Associated Country) or consortia; consortia of two must include independent entities from two different Member States or Associated Countries; consortia of three or more must include at least three independent legal entities each established in a different country (at least one in a Member State). Eligible applicants include universities, research organisations, SMEs, start-ups and natural persons. Mid-caps and larger companies are not permitted for single-beneficiary Pathfinder Challenge projects ¹ .

1. 1Scope: identify and develop innovative advanced materials for energy harvesting and implement them in miniaturised modules (solar, thermoelectric, piezoelectric, nanotribological, EM harvesting, etc.)
2. 2Demonstrate integration in an energetically autonomous system and benchmark in a representative lab use case at TRL 4

Key facts and funding

Call:EIC Pathfinder Challenges 2026 — topic HORIZON-EIC-PATHFINDERCHALLENGES-01-01. Single-stage submission. Projects must address all Challenge objectives and participate in portfolio activities if selected.

Funding is provided as lump-sum contributions per work package. Proposals must include a detailed budget table (cost estimates) used to calculate the lump-sum breakdown; mandatory open-science and ethics provisions apply.

Evaluation and portfolio approach:Proposals are evaluated on Excellence, Impact and Quality/Implementation; those above thresholds are mapped into a Challenge portfolio to ensure thematic and technological diversity and synergies (benchmarks, joint working groups, dissemination, transition support) ¹.

Apply via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Prepare:Part A registration, Part B technical proposal (max 30 A4 pages for Pathfinder Challenges), the detailed lump-sum budget annex, ethics/self-assessment if relevant, and any call-specific attachments.

1. 1Prepare strong technical plan with clear work packages and TRL milestones to reach TRL 4 (lab validation)
2. 2Include market analysis and exploitation pathway; consider CRM reduction, sustainability and potential for hybrid complementary modules

Footnotes

1. 1See the Challenge Guide and EIC Work Programme 2026 for portfolio rules, mandatory work package on portfolio activities and details on lump-sum submission and evaluation: Challenge Guide - Advanced Materials

Call identifiers, deadlines and administrative facts

Essential call data

Call title:Advanced Materials for Miniaturised Energy Harvesting Systems. Call identifier: HORIZON-EIC-PATHFINDERCHALLENGES-01-01 within the EIC Pathfinder Challenges 2026 (HORIZON-EIC-2026-PATHFINDERCHALLENGES-01). Type of action: HORIZON EIC Grants under Horizon Europe; Type of Model Grant Agreement: HORIZON Lump Sum Grant (HORIZON-AG-LS). Planned opening date: 22 July 2026. Submission deadline: 28 October 2026, 17:00 Brussels time. Deadline model: single-stage. Planned number of grants and total indicative budget for the three EIC Pathfinder Challenges call package: total indicative budget for the EIC Pathfinder Challenges call package €96,000,000 for 2026, individual grants indicative size €500,000 to €4,000,000 (lump-sum grants). The expected TRL outcome for awarded projects under this Challenge is TRL4 at project end. The Challenge Guide and full call topic text must be read carefully; the Challenge Guide provides portfolio management, mandatory portfolio activities and template work package for portfolio activities.

Call documents and key guidance:Applicants must consult the EIC Work Programme 2026, the Challenge Guide for Advanced Materials for Miniaturised Energy Harvesting Systems, the standard application form (HE EIC Pathfinder Challenges), the standard evaluation form, the Lump Sum Model Grant Agreement and the detailed budget table template for lump sums. The Challenge Guide explains portfolio requirements, the expectation to include a portfolio work package (recommended minimum 10 person-months) and the portfolio strategic plan process Challenge Guide - Advanced Materials ¹

Opportunity description and objectives

Scope, expected outcomes and portfolio approach

Scope:The Challenge targets the development of a new generation of advanced materials to deliver miniaturised integrated energy harvesting modules (e.g. miniaturised solar cells, thermoelectric generators, piezo / nanotribological devices, electromagnetic wave harvesting devices) and their integration into energetically autonomous systems (for example wireless integrated sensors). The Challenge addresses the environmental sustainability and growth of IoT, with an ambition to reduce reliance on batteries and critical raw materials, and to achieve significant improvements in energy harvested compared to the state of the art. Expected outcomes: identification of next-generation advanced materials for miniaturised energy harvesting modules and demonstration of TRL4 energetically autonomous systems (benchmarked laboratory representative use case). Portfolio approach: selection will aim to create a diversified portfolio across three classification axes: (I) phenomena exploited (solar, thermoelectric, piezoelectric, nanotribological, electromagnetic wave harvesting, etc.), (II) composition / families of advanced materials (e.g., topological materials, new perovskites, nanostructured materials, polymers/nanocomposites, low-dimensional materials (1D/2D)), and (III) field of application (automotive, industrial monitoring, health/point-of-care, wearables, smart city sensors, energy management, agrifood, drones, security sensors etc.). Selected projects will be required to participate in portfolio activities including benchmarking, scientific exchanges, integration insights, hybrid multi-module approaches for complementary energy harvesting and communication & outreach to investors and corporates.

1. 1Primary Challenge objectives (applicants must address all): identification and development of innovative advanced materials for energy harvesting harnessing new physical/chemical phenomena while reducing reliance on Critical Raw Materials (CRMs).
2. 2Implementation of the advanced materials in a miniaturised energy harvesting module (examples: micro-PV, TEG, piezo/nanotribological micro-devices, electromagnetic wave harvesters).
3. 3Integration of the miniaturised modules into energetically autonomous systems (e.g. wireless sensors).
4. 4Benchmarking in a representative laboratory use-case to TRL4 demonstrating significant efficiency improvements vs state of the art.

Proposers are encouraged to leverage digital tools including AI for accelerated identification, design, fabrication and characterisation of materials, and must identify potential market applications and impacts. Projects will be required to join working groups and the portfolio strategic plan, to contribute to deliverables and to report on portfolio activities (reports are deliverables in the grant).

Who can apply and how to structure proposals

Eligibility, consortium and budget rules

Eligible applicants:single legal entities or consortia established in an EU Member State or an Associated Country (standard EIC Pathfinder Challenges eligibility and Annex 2 of the EIC Work Programme apply). Single-entity applications are allowed only if submitted by legal entities established in a Member State or an Associated Country; single-beneficiary projects cannot be led by mid-caps or larger companies under EIC Pathfinder Challenges. Consortium rules: consortia of two entities must be independent legal entities established in two different Member States or Associated Countries. Consortia of three or more entities must include at least three independent legal entities each established in different countries: at least one legal entity in an EU Member State and at least two other independent entities each established in different Member States or Associated Countries. Participating legal entities can include universities, research organisations, SMEs, start-ups, natural persons (as applicable per topic conditions).

Lump-sum funding model:The action uses the HORIZON Lump Sum Grant model. Applicants must submit a Part B technical proposal (maximum 30 A4 pages for sections 1-3) and the detailed lump-sum budget table annex (Excel) estimating costs per work package and participant. The evaluators and the EIC use the submitted cost estimations to derive the lump-sum breakdown per work package and beneficiary for Annex 2 of the grant agreement. Eligible contributions and lump-sum payments are tied to completed work packages and the delivery of required deliverables. Guidance on lump-sum preparation and the budget table is provided in the EIC and Horizon guidance documents; applicants should follow the Lump Sum MGA, the detailed budget template and the Lump Sum guidance Lump Sum Guidance.

1. 1Proposal page limit and layout: Part B sections 1-3 (Excellence, Impact, Implementation) max 30 A4 pages. Excess pages are invisible to evaluators.
2. 2Recommended: include a dedicated portfolio management work package (use template in Challenge Guide) and allocate at least 10 person-months to portfolio activities.
3. 3Funding rate and amounts: EIC Pathfinder lump-sum awards considered appropriate in range €500,000–€4,000,000 per project; funding rate for these lump-sum EIC Pathfinder grants is 100% of eligible contributions (lump sum).
4. 4Reporting and payments: single-stage call. Payments (prefinancing, interim and final) are managed under the Lump Sum Model Grant Agreement. Payments are triggered by completion and approval of work packages and standard project reporting (continuous reporting tool and periodic reports).

Evaluation, portfolio selection and post-award management

Evaluation:this Challenge follows the EIC Pathfinder Challenges two-step evaluation: 1) individual peer review against award criteria (Excellence, Impact, Implementation) with thresholds (Excellence 4/5; Impact 3.5/5; Quality and efficiency of implementation 3/5) and weighting (Excellence 50%, Impact 30%, Implementation 20%); 2) proposals that pass thresholds are mapped by the EIC evaluation committee and selected into a coherent portfolio using portfolio considerations (diversification by phenomena used, advanced material families, application fields) to maximise the Challenge impact. The Challenge Guide describes mapping categories and portfolio rules (e.g. no more than two projects addressing the same subcategory unless they differ in other categories).

Post-award portfolio management:projects accepted to the Challenge must engage with an EIC Programme Manager to develop a Challenge Strategic Plan (common roadmap), nominate representatives to the working groups (Technology/Science; Regulatory issues; Transition to innovation; Communication/dissemination), participate in quarterly WG meetings and an annual in-presence portfolio meeting, and deliver portfolio reports (sensitive or public versions as specified). Additional support mechanisms include Booster grants (up to €50K), access to EIC Business Acceleration Services, Fast Track to EIC Accelerator and possible EIC Transition call access.

Evaluation criteria summary and thresholds:Award criteria: Excellence (threshold 4/5; weight 50%) covering vision, novelty and plausibility of methodology; Impact (threshold 3.5/5; weight 30%) covering potential outcomes, innovation potential and communication/dissemination; Quality and efficiency of implementation (threshold 3/5; weight 20%) covering work plan, allocation of resources and quality of consortium. Evaluation uses expert panels and consensus groups; for Challenges the evaluation committee applies portfolio considerations in step 2.

Structured extraction — answers to categorisation questions

Eligible Applicant Types

Eligible applicants and participant types (based on the call and EIC Work Programme):universities/higher education institutions; research organisations and institutes; start-ups; SMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises); larger companies (for consortia as appropriate, but single-beneficiary mid-caps and larger companies are not permitted for single-applicant Pathfinder projects); natural persons (in specified cases); non-profit organisations; technology transfer offices; public bodies and authorities; affiliated entities linked to beneficiaries (where permitted by the call). Participation is limited to legal entities established in Member States or Associated Countries unless otherwise specified in the work programme or call text; eligibility of third countries and other special cases is governed by Annex 2 of the EIC Work Programme.

Funding Type

Primary funding mechanism:competitive grant (Project grant) provided as a Lump Sum Model Grant Agreement (HORIZON Lump Sum Grant). This is a lump-sum grant action where payments correspond to completed work packages and approved deliverables, not reimbursement of actual eligible costs.

Consortium Requirement

Consortium model:Both single legal entity and multi-party consortia are allowed. Multi-party consortia of 2 entities must include independent legal entities established in two different Member States or Associated Countries. Consortia of three or more must include at least three independent legal entities each established in different countries: at least one in a Member State and at least two other independent legal entities established in different Member States or Associated Countries. For single-entity projects, the single entity must be established in a Member State or Associated Country and must not be a mid-cap or larger company (single-beneficiary projects exclude mid-caps/larger companies).

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility)

Primary geographic eligibility:legal entities established in EU Member States and countries associated to Horizon Europe (Associated Countries). Participation from non-associated third countries is possible but is subject to Annex 2 eligibility rules or specific call conditions. The Challenge Guide and EIC Work Programme set detailed rules on third-country participation, security and restrictions related to strategic assets and communication network evolution. Overseas Countries and Territories linked to Member States participate under special conditions; consult the List of Participating Countries in Horizon Europe and Annex 2.

Target Sector

Thematic / industry sectors addressed:advanced materials, energy harvesting, cleantech, IoT/embedded sensing, sensors and sensor networks, electronics/semiconductors (miniaturised electronic modules), manufacturing and microfabrication, materials science (nanostructured materials, perovskites, topological materials, polymers/nanocomposites, 1D/2D materials), health monitoring (point-of-care devices), wearables, smart city management, energy management, industrial monitoring, agriculture/agrifood (sensor networks), automotive (autonomous driving sensors), drones and security sensors. Cross-cutting: artificial intelligence and digital design tools to accelerate materials discovery and characterization are explicitly encouraged.

Mentioned Countries

Countries explicitly referenced in the topic text and Challenge Guide:EU and Associated Countries (regionally specified). No individual Member States are singled out in the topic text. The text refers to global IoT device forecasts and includes references to global statistics and sources but does not restrict applications to specific countries beyond EU Member States and Associated Countries. Applicants from third countries should consult Annex 2 and call-specific rules for eligibility. Associated countries and third-country eligibility lists are maintained in the Funding & Tenders Portal and EIC Work Programme.

Project Stage

Expected maturity:research-to-proof-of-concept and validation stage. EIC Pathfinder Challenges fund early-stage high-risk/high-gain research progressing the scientific basis towards technologies: projects are expected to bring innovations to at least TRL 3–4 during the project lifetime and the Challenge specifically expects TRL 4 for the integrated energetically autonomous systems at project end (lab-scale validated systems).

Funding Amount

Indicative funding per project:€500,000 to €4,000,000 (lump sum). Total indicative budget for the EIC Pathfinder Challenges call package 2026: €96,000,000. The exact lump-sum awarded per project will be fixed in Annex 2 of the grant agreement based on the published evaluation outcome and the detailed budget table submitted (type 2 lump-sum proposals) or derived from call parameters if type 1.

Application Type

Submission method:single-stage open call (open call). Proposals must be submitted via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal online submission system. Applicants must use the Part A (administrative) web forms and upload Part B (technical narrative) as PDF plus the detailed lump-sum budget Excel annex. The submission system opens on the planned opening date; check the topic page for opening/closing and possible shifts.

Nature of Support

Support provided:monetary grant funding (lump-sum payments linked to completed work packages). Additional non-monetary support expected for awardees includes access to EIC Business Acceleration Services (coaching, mentoring, investor introductions), inclusion in the Challenge Portfolio (portfolio activities, working groups, strategic plan), and possible access to Booster grants, EIC Transition, or Fast Track to EIC Accelerator services.

Application Stages

Number of formal stages to obtain funding:single-stage submission with two-step evaluation process: 1) individual expert peer review and consensus; 2) evaluation committee mapping and portfolio selection. If selected, applicants enter grant agreement preparation (may include negotiating addition of portfolio WP). indicative timeline: notification of evaluation outcome within 5 months of call deadline (indicative); grant signature within 8 months after call deadline (indicative).

Success Rates

Reported success rates:not specified in the topic text. Success rates for EIC Pathfinder Challenges vary by call, budget and quality of submissions; the EIC evaluation committee maps proposals above threshold into a balanced portfolio, meaning ranking is not the sole determinant: high-scoring proposals without portfolio synergies could be excluded. Historically, EIC Pathfinder acceptance rates are competitive (single-digit to low double-digit percentages depending on call and budget); apply strong novelty, TRL feasibility, clear portfolio fit and a robust implementation plan to improve chances.

Co-funding Requirement

Co-funding in the sense of mandatory own cash contribution:Not required in the EIC Pathfinder lump sum model. The grant is a lump sum covering eligible contributions. However, applicants must propose a realistic and justifiable lump-sum estimate in the detailed budget table (type 2 proposals) based on their usual accounting practices. The project must be implemented within the lump-sum amount: if additional activities are requested during grant preparation (e.g. portfolio activities), beneficiaries must reallocate their budget or find complementary resources within the fixed maximum grant amount. If additional resources are required for portfolio activities (e.g. a mandated portfolio WP added in grant negotiation), the beneficiary must fund these within the agreed lump sum. Other co-investment sources (private, national, regional funds) can be used but are not required by default.

Templates and Application Forms

Application templates and supporting documents (applicants must use these):the standard application form (Part A web forms and Part B PDF narrative template HE EIC Pathfinder Challenges); standard evaluation form; detailed budget table for lump sum (Excel template to be filled and uploaded as annex to Part B); Lump Sum Model Grant Agreement (MGA); Challenge Guide (specific to topic); Online Manual and Programme Guide. The Part B template requires sections on Excellence (including methodology and open science practices), Impact (including exploitation/dissemination strategy) and Quality and Efficiency of Implementation (work plan, WP descriptions, deliverables, milestones and risk mitigation). For lump-sum proposals type 2 applicants must attach the detailed budget Excel file as a separate annex to Part B; the template calculates the derived lump-sum breakdown (Annex 2).

1. 1Part B: three sections mapping to evaluation criteria; sections 1-3 combined page limit 30 A4 pages.
2. 2Detailed budget table (Excel): mandatory annex for type 2 lump-sum proposals; enter personnel item-months and cost per item, subcontracting and purchase cost estimations per WP and beneficiary; the file auto-produces the lump-sum breakdown used in grant preparation; follow guidance and use the most recent template from the Portal.
3. 3Challenge Guide: requires a portfolio work package template (Annex 1 of Challenge Guide) and the proposal must provide a self-assessment how the project maps to portfolio categories.

Practical notes and tips for applicants (key items you must not overlook):

1. 1Read the EIC Work Programme 2026 and the topic-specific Challenge Guide in full. The Challenge Guide contains critical portfolio rules, the recommended portfolio WP template and the obligation to collaborate on a common strategic plan.
2. 2Use the official Part B template (max 30 A4 pages for sections 1-3). Do not exceed page limits. Include a clear statement mapping your project to the portfolio categories (phenomena exploited, material families, application field) as requested in the Guide.
3. 3If using type 2 lump sum: download and complete the detailed budget table Excel annex from the submission system and upload it as a separate annex to Part B. Enter realistic estimates reflecting your usual accounting practices. Justify high personnel costs and significant subcontracting/purchase items in the Excel annex and Part B where required.
4. 4Plan a dedicated portfolio management WP (recommend at least 10 person-months) using the Annex 1 template in the Challenge Guide; indicate willingness to join working groups and to provide reports/inputs to the portfolio strategic plan.
5. 5Address open science, research data management (DMP to be delivered within 6 months of project start), ethics issues (complete the Ethics Issues table in Part A and the Ethics Self-Assessment if applicable), security screening questionnaire (if applicable), and exploitation routes/market analysis.
6. 6If your proposal relies on third-country partners or sensitive technologies, verify eligibility in Annex 2 and EIC Work Programme sections on economic security and potential restrictions (e.g. critical technology areas, communications network evolution restrictions).
7. 7If selected, be prepared to accept portfolio obligations: contribution to the strategic plan, working group participation, and reporting on portfolio activities. Additional supports such as Booster grants up to €50K and access to Business Acceleration Services are possible.

Summary:What is this opportunity about and how would you explain it?

This is an EIC Pathfinder Challenge call (2026) seeking highly ambitious, high-risk/high-gain research proposals that identify and develop novel advanced materials and embed them into miniaturised energy-harvesting modules and energetically autonomous systems for sensor and IoT applications. The projects should produce laboratory-validated demonstrators at TRL4 and will join a managed portfolio of projects to share benchmarking, scientific findings and integration approaches. Funding is via a Horizon lump-sum EIC grant (€500K–€4Mindicative), requires detailed technical proposals and a detailed lump-sum budget annex, and will demand active engagement with portfolio activities, reporting, and EIC support services. Applicants should be legal entities established in EU Member States or Associated Countries (single-entity or consortium), carefully address ethics, open science and security (if applicable), and demonstrate how their work maps to the portfolio categories and advances both scientific knowledge and the path to market adoption.

Footnotes

1. 1The Challenge Guide provides mandatory portfolio requirements and a template work package for portfolio activities. See Challenge Guide: Advanced Materials for Miniaturised Energy Harvesting Systems Challenge Guide.

This funding opportunity under the European Innovation Council (EIC) Pathfinder Challenges 2026 targets the development of innovative advanced materials for miniaturised energy harvesting systems to enable energetically autonomous IoT devices and sensors. With an exponential growth in connected objects projected to reach €250 billionby 2030, current battery-dependent solutions pose severe environmental and sustainability challenges, including €80 milliondaily battery replacements by 2040. The challenge seeks to create a new generation of materials that harness novel physical or chemical phenomena, achieving TRL 4 validation while reducing reliance on Critical Raw Materials (CRMs).

Objectives and Scope

Proposals must address all four mandatory objectives:(1) Identification and development of innovative advanced materials harnessing new phenomena for radical performance shifts; (2) Implementation in miniaturised modules such as solar cells, thermoelectric generators (TEG), nanotribological/piezoelectric devices, or electromagnetic wave harvesters; (3) Integration into autonomous systems like wireless sensors; (4) Laboratory benchmarking (TRL 4) demonstrating significant efficiency gains over state-of-the-art. AI and digital tools are encouraged for accelerating material design, fabrication, and characterisation. Proposals must identify potential markets and impacts.

Expected Outcomes and Impacts

Ambitious proposals will deliver a new generation of advanced materials for miniaturised harvesting modules and achieve TRL 4 for autonomous systems. Main impacts include energetically autonomous systems for citizen services (e.g., point-of-care diagnostics, smart cities), alignment with RePowerEU and Green Deal sustainability goals, and enhanced IoT sustainability. OECD-defined advanced materials are rationally designed for new/enhanced properties or structural features to achieve specific functional performance.

Portfolio Approach

Projects form a portfolio ensuring diversity across energy harvesting phenomena (e.g., solar, thermoelectric, piezoelectric), material compositions (e.g., topological, perovskites, 2D/1D materials), and applications (e.g., automotive, health monitoring, smart cities). Selected projects engage in mandatory portfolio activities led by EIC Programme Manager Paolo Bondavalli: benchmarking, scientific sharing, integration insights, hybrid module development, and communication to corporates/investors/public. Applicants must allocate at least 10 person-months to a dedicated portfolio WP and self-assess fit to portfolio categories.

Eligibility and Who Can Apply

• Collaborative or individual research from consortia or single legal entities in EU Member States or Associated Countries.
• Consortia of 2: independent entities from 2 different Member States/Associated Countries.
• Consortia of 3+: at least 1 in a Member State + 2 others in different Member States/Associated Countries (universities, research orgs, SMEs, start-ups, natural persons). Single beneficiary projects exclude mid-caps/larger companies.
• Proposal page limit: max 30 A4 pages (Sections 1-3 of Part B).
• Third-country eligibility per Annex 2 of EIC Work Programme 2026.

Funding Details

Budget and Grant Size:Total call budget: €96 million (€32 million per challenge). Grants up to €4 million (or more if justified) at 100% funding rate via lump sum model. Applicants propose lump sum based on estimated costs per Decision authorising lump sums under Horizon Europe.

Additional Support:Tailor-made Business Acceleration Services; booster grants up to €50K; Fast Track to EIC Accelerator; EIC Transition eligibility; Next Generation Innovation Talents scheme.

Timeline and Submission

1. 1Planned opening: 22 July 2026.
2. 2Deadline: 28 October 2026, 17:00 Brussels time (single-stage).
3. 3Evaluation: 5 months (individual + portfolio step).
4. 4Grant signature: 8 months indicative.
5. 5Submit via Funding & Tenders Portal. Info Day: 30 March 2026 (TBC). Challenge Guide available.

Evaluation Criteria

Two-step evaluation:individual assessment + portfolio building for diversity/synergies. Highest-ranked proposals form coherent portfolio maximising challenge outcomes.

Key Application Tips

• Address all objectives explicitly; self-map to portfolio categories.
• Include dedicated portfolio WP (10 PMs min); justify lump sum via detailed budget table.
• Leverage AI for materials; identify markets/impacts.
• Propose diverse phenomena/materials/applications for portfolio fit.
• Official portal: EU Funding & Tenders Portal. EIC WP 2026: EIC Work Programme 2026. Challenge Guide: Challenge Guide.

Risks and Mitigation

High-risk/high-gain research encouraged; portfolio activities mitigate via benchmarking/sharing. Propose contingency for TRL 4 benchmarking. IP strategy essential for exploitation.

Footnotes

1. 1Sources: EIC Work Programme 2026, Challenge Guide, Funding & Tenders Portal. Dates/budgets indicative; check portal for updates. EIC Pathfinder Challenges.