Biotechnology for Healthy Ageing

EIC Pathfinder Challenges 2026:Biotechnology for Healthy Ageing (call HORIZON-EIC) funds proof-of-concept projects developing biotechnology or pharmaceutical interventions, biomarker-based tools, or new approach methodologies to prevent, delay or reverse age-related diseases. Single-stage applications open 22 July 2026 and close 28 October 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time, with typical grant requests from €500,000 to €4,000,000 under a lump sum funding model and a recommended project duration of five years to enable portfolio activities. Eligible applicants are single legal entities or consortia established in EU Member States or Associated Countries including universities, research organisations, SMEs and start-ups, and proposals will be evaluated on excellence, impact and quality and efficiency of implementation with portfolio composition constraints and mandatory ethics, data protection and reporting requirements.

What the call funds

Scope and expected outcomes

Grants to develop proof-of-concept research (TRL up to TRL3/4) addressing healthy ageing through three routes: biotechnology or pharmaceutical interventions validated in physiologically aged vertebrate models; biomarker-based tools (based on previously identified candidates, not discovery) validated retrospectively in longevity cohorts; and New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) that capture aged status across tissues and benchmark against animal models. Projects are expected to deliver TRL3 proof-of-concept, tools or NAMs and approaches to regulatory and societal adoption.

Call identifier and deadline:HORIZON-EIC — single-stage. Deadline 28 October 2026, 17:00 Brussels time. Planned opening 22 July 2026.

1. 1What is funded: research to deliver TRL3 proof-of-concepts, validated biomarker tools or NAMs, plus portfolio activities across funded projects
2. 2Who may apply: single legal entities or consortia established in an EU Member State or Associated Country; consortia rules: 2 entities from 2 countries (min) or 3 entities from 3 different countries for larger consortia (see call for full eligibility)
3. 3Requested grant size: indicative contribution per project €500,000 to €4,000,000; total challenge budget share within EIC pathfinder challenges (call-level budget ~€96M)

Consortia selected under this Challenge will be managed as a portfolio (mutual learning, shared working groups on science, regulatory pathways and societal engagement). Projects should allocate resources to portfolio activities; the Challenge Guide provides further portfolio composition constraints (max ~5 interventions, 3 biomarker projects, 2 NAMs).

Key administrative points:Lump-sum grants: the action is funded under the Horizon Lump Sum Model Grant Agreement. Proposals must include a detailed lump-sum budget table used to justify requested shares; evaluation checks both scientific quality and the plausibility of budget estimates ¹.

1. 1Admissibility: follow Part B page limits and submission rules in the topic description
2. 2Ethics and security: projects with human, animal, personal data or sensitive elements must include the required ethics/clinical-study annexes and follow ethics appraisal procedures
3. 3Open science and IPR: open access to publications and responsible data management (FAIR) apply; include an exploitation and dissemination plan in the proposal

Footnotes

1. 1Guidance on lump-sum grants, detailed budget tables and how they are evaluated is available in the Horizon guidance: Lump sum funding — what do I need to know? Lump sum guidance.

Call overview

Call identifier HORIZON-EIC (EIC Pathfinder Challenges 2026). Opening date: planned 22 July 2026. Deadline: 28 October 2026, 17:00 Brussels time. Type of action HORIZON EIC Grants. Type of Model Grant Agreement Lump Sum Grant (HORIZON-AG-LS). Deadline model single-stage.

Funding range:Each proposal may request an EU contribution typically between €500,000 and €4,000,000; larger amounts may be considered if duly justified. The indicative total budget for the three Pathfinder Challenge topics in 2026 is €96,000,000, to be allocated across Challenge topics and winners ¹.

Purpose, expected outcomes and impact

This Challenge seeks ambitious, high-risk high-gain projects that translate ageing research into tangible biotechnology-based or pharmaceutical solutions. The expected outcomes are: proof-of-concepts at or beyond TRL3 in physiologically aged vertebrate models for interventions targeting fundamental molecular or cellular ageing processes; biomarker-based tools that enable responsible deployment of ageing-related interventions (based on previously identified biomarker candidates or ageing clocks, discovery excluded); and New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) that capture systemic aged status across multiple tissues and are benchmarked against relevant animal models. The intended impacts are accelerating clinically validated interventions for healthy ageing, enabling personalised care via molecular phenotyping, informing regulatory pathways for ageing-targeted interventions and improving citizen longevity literacy.

Scope, objectives and topics

Applicants must propose a proof-of-concept project in one of three categories:(1) Biotechnology- or pharmaceutical-based intervention that prevents, delays or reverts a specific age-related disease and (a) targets a hallmark or fundamental mechanism of ageing, (b) tests generalisability on at least one distinct ageing trait, (c) demonstrates proof-of-concept via an interventional study in a physiologically aged vertebrate animal model, and (d) develops an exploitation plan considering ethics, economic viability and regulatory approval. Projects are encouraged to include small-scale clinical interventional studies or plan for feasibility in clinical settings. At least two application areas relevant for the intended intervention must be assessed in depth. (2) A biomarker-based tool to enable responsible deployment of ageing-related interventions, based on previously identified biomarkers and ageing clocks, integrating multimodal measurements, robust to inter- and intra-individual variability, and assessed in an initial retrospective study with access to suitable longevity cohorts. Biomarker discovery is explicitly excluded. (3) New Approach Methodology (NAM) that robustly captures aged status systemically (more than one molecular or cellular aspect and more than one tissue type), benchmarked against relevant animal ageing models and tested for a specific use case (e.g., pre-clinical or regulatory use). Precision nutrition, new ageing clocks and wellness apps are out of scope. All proposals must consider biological sex and gender-specific health determinants and may include reproductive ageing.

Portfolio composition and collaborative activities

The evaluation will apply portfolio considerations:the selection committee will build a coherent Challenge Portfolio from the highest-ranked proposals above thresholds to ensure coverage and complementarity across interventions, biomarkers and NAMs. Portfolio guidelines for this Challenge: interventions — no more than 5 projects collectively addressing a variety of molecular/cellular ageing processes and different age-related diseases; biomarkers — no more than 3 projects capturing diverse application areas (diagnostic, predictive, prognostic) with preference for at least one diagnostic biomarker; NAMs — no more than 2 projects capturing diverse approaches, tissues and use cases. Selected projects will be expected to participate in portfolio-level activities, mutual learning, working groups and a strategic plan guided by the Programme Manager.

1. 1Portfolio activities include four working groups: WG1 Scientific & technological synergies, WG2 Market deployment (regulatory pathways, IP, business models, deployment feasibility), WG3 Ethical and societal considerations (acceptance, longevity literacy), and WG4 Outreach and communication.
2. 2Selected consortia must allocate portfolio effort (recommended minimum 10 person-months) and are encouraged to propose a project duration of five years to align with portfolio activities; inclusion of a dedicated work package for portfolio activities is recommended during proposal preparation or will be requested during grant preparation.
3. 3Projects will be invited to collaborate on shared challenges: preclinical models, biomarkers of healthy/unhealthy ageing, regulatory pathways and societal acceptance.

Eligibility and consortium rules

Standard EIC Pathfinder Challenges admissibility and eligibility apply. Proposals may be mono-beneficiary or consortia. Consortia of two independent legal entities must be from two different Member States or Associated Countries. Consortia of three or more entities must include at least three independent legal entities each established in a different country, with at least one in an EU Member State and two others in different Member States or Associated Countries. Single legal entity projects are only acceptable when allowed by the specific Challenge chapter; for single-beneficiary submissions mid-caps and larger companies may not be permitted. Legal entities include universities, research organisations, SMEs, startups and natural persons. Applicants from third countries and the exact list of eligible countries are described in Annex 2 of the EIC Work Programme and in the Funding & Tenders Portal reference documents.

Admissibility: proposal page limit:Sections 1-3 (Excellence, Impact, Quality & Efficiency of Implementation) of the Part B application must not exceed 30 pages (A4); excess pages will be automatically made invisible and not considered by evaluators.

Funding modality, budgeting and financial rules

This call uses Lump Sum Model Grant Agreements. The grant is a lump sum action grant. Applicants must submit a detailed budget table as an annex to Part B; the table is used to define the proposed lump sums per work package and per beneficiary during evaluation and grant preparation. The funding rate for EIC Pathfinder grants is 100% of eligible costs, but under lump sums the requested contribution must be justified with estimated costs in the detailed budget table. Lump sums are fixed in the grant agreement per work package and beneficiary (Annex 2) and will be paid upon acceptance of completed work packages as declared in periodic reporting. The financial controls focus on completion of work packages, deliverables and compliance with contractual obligations rather than on ex-post verification of actual costs. Projects may be eligible for additional support services (Business Acceleration Services), small Booster grants (up to €50,000) and access paths to EIC Transition or EIC Accelerator Fast Track where relevant.

1. 1Budget preparation: Applicants must complete and upload the detailed budget table (Excel template) indicating person-months and estimated cost items per work package and beneficiary. The template produces the lump sum breakdown automatically.
2. 2Payments and reporting: pre-financing payment(s) to coordinator; interim payments and final payment are made according to reporting periods (prefinancing, periodic reporting, acceptance of completed work packages). Final payments may be reduced if work packages are rejected after reviews or audits.
3. 3Budget flexibility: Transfers between work packages are possible but require an amendment when beneficiaries wish the change recorded in the grant agreement; transfers are only allowed while work packages are not completed and must be justified by technical implementation.

Application and evaluation process

Submission through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Standard application form (Part A) and Part B (technical description template for EIC Pathfinder Challenges) apply. Proposals are evaluated in two steps: Step 1 individual expert evaluation (Excellence, Impact, Quality & Efficiency of implementation) with numerical thresholds; Step 2 mapping above-threshold proposals to categories and selection of a coherent portfolio based on portfolio considerations and diversity needs. Evaluators will be EIC experts and Programme Managers participate during Step 2. The expected evaluation timeline: applicants informed within about five months of the call deadline; grant signature within approximately eight months after the deadline (indicative).

1. 1Award criteria and thresholds: Excellence (threshold 4/5; weight 50%), Impact (threshold 3.5/5; weight 30%), Quality & Efficiency of Implementation (threshold 3/5; weight 20%).
2. 2Portfolio mapping: proposals will be classified as Interventions, Biomarker-based tools or NAMs per the Challenge Guide and selected to ensure the portfolio composition guidelines.
3. 3Evaluation outcomes: proposals may receive an Evaluation Summary Report with scores and observations; for proposals retained but requiring portfolio alignment the Programme Manager may request adjustments during grant preparation.

Science, technology and regulatory requirements

Intervention projects must target mechanisms consistent with hallmarks of ageing (e.g., senescence, stem cell exhaustion, proteostasis, metabolic fitness, inflammation) and must demonstrate: mechanistic rationale, generalisability testing on a distinct ageing trait, and in vivo interventional proof-of-concept in physiologically aged vertebrate animal models (TRL3 proof-of-concept completed in animals). Biomarker projects must use previously identified biomarker candidates and ageing clocks (discovery excluded), integrate multimodal measures, link signatures to mechanisms and clinical features, demonstrate robustness and provide an initial retrospective validation using suitable longevity cohorts. NAMs must capture aged status across multiple aspects and tissues, be benchmarked against relevant animal ageing models and validated for a specified use case such as regulatory or drug discovery settings.

Pre-clinical and clinical studies; regulatory considerations

Projects involving interventional animal studies must use physiologically aged vertebrate models and follow animal welfare and ethical rules. Projects including or planning clinical intervention studies must provide detailed information and, where applicable, complete the EU template 'Information on Clinical Studies' as an annex to the proposal. Proposals should discuss the regulatory path, exploitation plans and alignment with regulatory frameworks (e.g., how to define ageing as a target, biomarkers as diagnostics or companion diagnostics). Projects are expected to develop recommendations to facilitate regulatory approval and adoption.

Ethics, security, data and open science

All proposals must complete an Ethics Self-Assessment and the Ethics Issues Table. Proposals with human subjects, human biological samples, personal data, genetic data, or animal procedures will proceed through ethics screening and, if appropriate, in-depth ethics assessment. Clinical studies require pre-approval and dedicated reporting deliverables. Security-sensitive elements will be reviewed under the Horizon Europe security appraisal procedure and may require specific mitigation measures. Data management is mandatory for projects generating or re-using data: a Data Management Plan (DMP) is required and must follow FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable). Open science practices are mandatory where specified; open access to publications is mandatory and data should be 'as open as possible, as closed as necessary'.

Intellectual property and exploitation:Applicants must include a strategy for IP management and protection in their exploitation plan, address ownership of results, plan for IPR, licensing or spinout options and indicate how results will be transferred to market or policy. A consortium agreement is strongly recommended and should address ownership, access rights, confidentiality and exploitation strategies.

Administrative and legal: model grant agreement and obligations

The action will be funded under the Lump Sum Model Grant Agreement for Horizon actions. The MGA sets obligations on proper implementation, confidentiality, ethics, data protection, IP, dissemination and reporting. Lump sum grants pay fixed contributions for completed work packages once accepted by the Commission/agency. The Model Lump Sum MGA includes provisions on checks, audits, recoveries, suspension and termination, and obligations applicable to beneficiaries, affiliated entities, subcontractors and third parties. The EIC Work Programme and Annex 2 detail country eligibility, financial and operational capacity, exclusion and legal rules.

Templates, annexes and supporting documents required

1. 1Part A (online administrative forms) and Part B technical description following the HE EIC Pathfinder Challenges template. Part B Sections 1-3 must not exceed 30 A4 pages.
2. 2Detailed budget table (lump sum Excel template) to be uploaded as separate annex to Part B; used to derive the lump sum breakdown by work package and beneficiary.
3. 3Information on Clinical Studies template (mandatory for calls involving clinical studies) as a separate annex if any clinical study is planned.
4. 4Ethics self-assessment and security issues table (Part A) and, if flagged, any supplementary ethics annexes or security documentation requested during review.
5. 5Model Lump Sum MGA and Challenge Guide documents will be used during grant preparation; applicants should consult the EIC Work Programme 2026, Challenge Guide: Biotechnology for Healthy Ageing and relevant guidance documents.

The Challenge Guide for Biotechnology for Healthy Ageing (published 28‑10‑2025, updated) describes portfolio composition, governance, working group format, the expected strategic portfolio plan and a recommended WP template for portfolio activities, including a recommended WP with around 10 person‑months effort for portfolio management; it also explains support instruments (Booster grants up to €50K, Business Acceleration Services, Fast Track to EIC Accelerator) and governance arrangements for the portfolio.

Applicant support and contact points

Apply via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. National Contact Points (NCPs), the Enterprise Europe Network, and the EIC Helpdesk provide guidance. EIC Programme Manager for this Challenge is named in the Challenge Guide. An EIC Info Session is planned (details in the Challenge Guide) — participation is optional but recommended. Use Portal helpdesk for technical issues. For ethics issues consult the Ethics Review Helpdesk; for security-sensitive proposals consult the guidance How to handle security-sensitive projects.

Templates and application structure (what to prepare in the application)

Use the standard HE EIC Pathfinder Challenges application templates:Part A (administrative data), Part B (technical description) which includes Structured sections 1-3 (Excellence, Impact, Quality & Efficiency of Implementation). Include the detailed budget table (lump sum Excel) as an annex to Part B. If clinical studies are planned, upload the completed Information on Clinical Studies template as a separate annex to Part B. If the ethics self-assessment indicates ethics issues, include the necessary ethics annexes in line with the guidance. If security issues are present, follow the security annex guidance.

1. 1Part A online forms — coordinator and participants, PICs and legal data, ethics and security checklists.
2. 2Part B technical template (max 30 A4 pages for Sections 1-3). Section 3 must include detailed work packages, deliverables, milestones, risks and person-months.
3. 3Detailed budget table (lump sum Excel template) with cost estimates per work package and beneficiary to produce lump sum breakdown.
4. 4If applicable, Information on Clinical Studies annex and ethics and security annexes.

Project stage expectations and eligibility of baseline projects

Expected maturity:applicants should start from early TRLs (idea/research) aiming to deliver proof-of-concept TRL3 completed in vertebrate model systems for interventions; biomarker tools must be able to perform a retrospective validation and NAMs should reach lab validation and benchmarking. For EIC Transition eligibility (separate instrument) the base project must have achieved TRL3 (experimental proof-of-concept); Transition accepts results from EIC Pathfinder, ERC PoC, Horizon Europe Pillar 2 projects and eligible Horizon 2020 projects where the TRL criteria are met. This Challenge itself expects proof-of-concept delivery under the Pathfinder Challenge call.

Co-funding, revenues and financial obligations

This is a grant; lump sum grants do not require reporting of actual costs. The funding rate and maximum grant amounts are specified in the call and grant documents. Any revenues generated by exploitation of results should be declared and may be factored into final calculations where relevant by the granting authority per the MGA. Beneficiaries should assess and declare any financial support to third parties if the call allows it.

Evaluation stages, success rates and selection logic

Evaluation process:single-stage call with two-step selection: individual expert evaluation (Excellence, Impact, Quality & Efficiency of Implementation) producing scores and comments, followed by an evaluation committee and Programme Manager step that maps above-threshold proposals to categories and selects a balanced portfolio. Projects might be ranked lower or not selected if they duplicate other high-ranked proposals or do not show commonalities needed for the portfolio. Success rates depend on call demand and available budget; portfolio composition constraints (e.g. limits per category) mean that scores alone do not guarantee selection.

Templates, forms and helpful links

Mandatory templates and forms for applicants are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal:HE EIC Pathfinder Challenges Part B template, EIC Work Programme 2026, Standard evaluation form, Lump Sum MGA and the Challenge Guide: Biotechnology for Healthy Ageing. Applicants should consult the Lump Sum guidance Decision and the Lump Sum MGA annotated guidance, the Online Manual and call-specific instructions. Use the Portal to upload Part B, the detailed budget table, and any required annexes.

How to apply — practical checklist

1. 1Read the EIC Pathfinder Challenges 2026 call page and the Challenge Guide for Biotechnology for Healthy Ageing.
2. 2Check admissibility and eligibility rules in Annex 2 of the EIC Work Programme and the call-specific conditions.
3. 3Assemble consortium (or single applicant if allowed), register legal entities and obtain PICs in the Participant Register.
4. 4Complete Part A online forms on the Funding & Tenders Portal.
5. 5Draft Part B using the HE EIC Pathfinder Challenges template, structuring Sections 1-3, ensuring total ≤ 30 pages.
6. 6Complete the detailed budget table (lump sum Excel annex) with cost estimates per beneficiary and work package and upload it as an annex to Part B.
7. 7Complete ethics self-assessment and clinical study template if required; complete security issues table if relevant.
8. 8Submit via the Portal before the deadline; retain communications and confirmations.

Summary: What this opportunity is about and how to approach it

This EIC Pathfinder Challenges 2026 topic Biotechnology for Healthy Ageing is a targeted, impact-driven single-stage call seeking ambitious proof-of-concept projects that translate fundamental ageing biology into biotechnology or pharmaceutical interventions, biomarker tools, or advanced NAMs that address ageing as a driver of multi-morbidity. Proposals must demonstrate scientific novelty, clear pathways to impact (including regulatory, ethical and societal aspects), and feasibility of delivering TRL3 proof-of-concept in physiologically aged vertebrate models for interventions, or robust retrospective validation for biomarker tools, or NAM benchmarking and use-case validation. The call uses a lump-sum funding model with a compulsory detailed budget table to derive lump sums per work package and beneficiary. Applicants should prepare a short, focused Part B (≤ 30 pages) addressing Excellence, Impact and Implementation; include a detailed budget table; complete ethics and security self-assessments; and plan to participate in portfolio activities if selected. Carefully read the Challenge Guide and EIC Work Programme 2026 annexes for country eligibility, portfolio composition rules, reporting obligations and the Lump Sum MGA terms before submission.

Footnotes

1. 1Budgetary figures and procedural timelines are indicative and based on the EIC Work Programme 2026 and the Biotechnology for Healthy Ageing Challenge Guide. Confirm the exact budgets, opening date and deadlines on the Funding & Tenders Portal topic page before preparing and submitting proposals.

Funding Opportunity Overview

The EIC Pathfinder Challenges 2026 Biotechnology for Healthy Ageing is a competitive funding opportunity designed to accelerate the development and uptake of clinically validated interventions targeting the root causes of age-related diseases. This challenge is part of the European Innovation Council's commitment to translate decades of ageing research into tangible biopharmaceutical solutions. The call aims to establish a coherent portfolio of projects that collectively address multiple molecular and cellular processes of ageing across diverse disease areas.

Call Details and Timeline

Call Identifier:HORIZON-EIC

Opening Date:22 July 2026

Deadline:28 October 2026 at 17:00 Brussels local time

Submission Model:Single-stage evaluation

Programme Manager:Orsolya Symmons

Funding Information

Total Budget:Approximately €32 millioneuros allocated across the three EIC Pathfinder Challenges 2026, with equal distribution expected among challenges

Grant Range per Project:500,000 to 4,000,000 euros. The EIC considers proposals with requested EU contribution up to €4 millioneuros as appropriate, though larger amounts may be justified

Funding Rate:100 percent of eligible costs

Grant Type:Lump sum grants for completion of work packages

Expected Project Duration:5 years recommended to facilitate portfolio synchronization and allow projects to incorporate and benefit from joint work outcomes

Who Can Apply

Eligible Applicants

The EIC Pathfinder Challenges support collaborative research and innovation from consortia or single legal entities. Eligible applicants include universities, research organisations, SMEs, start-ups, and natural persons established in EU Member States or Associated Countries.

Consortium Requirements

• Single beneficiary projects: One legal entity established in a Member State or Associated Country. Mid-caps and larger companies are not permitted as single beneficiaries
• Consortia of two entities: Must comprise independent legal entities from two different Member States or Associated Countries
• Consortia of three or more entities: Must include at least three independent legal entities, each established in a different country, with at least one from a Member State and at least two from different Member States or Associated Countries

All beneficiaries must remain eligible under the EU programme for the entire duration of the action. Lump sum contributions are eligible only as long as the beneficiary and action remain eligible.

Research Objectives and Scope

The challenge addresses the critical need to translate decades of ageing research into clinical interventions. The EU faces significant demographic challenges: by 2050, the share of people aged 85 and older is expected to more than double. While life expectancy stands at approximately 81 years, healthy life expectancy is only 70.5 years, creating a substantial gap in years lived with good health. This challenge seeks to develop biotechnology-based or pharmaceutical interventions that prevent, delay, or reverse age-related diseases.

Three Specific Objectives

Applicants must develop a proof of concept in one of the following three areas:

1. 1Innovative preventative or therapeutic biotechnology-based or pharmaceutical intervention that prevents, delays, or reverts the onset of a specific age-related disease. Projects must target a fundamental molecular or cellular process of ageing such as hallmarks of ageing, assess generalisability by demonstrating impact on another distinct ageing-related trait, demonstrate proof of concept through interventional studies in a physiologically aged vertebrate animal model, and develop an exploitation plan considering ethical and societal perception, economic viability, and regulatory approval. At least two of these areas must be assessed in greater depth
2. 2Biomarker-based tool to enable responsible deployment of ageing-related interventions. The tool must be based on previously identified biomarker candidates or ageing clocks, integrate multiple molecular, anatomic, physiologic, biomechanical, or biochemical measurements to comprehensively capture the ageing process, enable clear linkage between clinical features and mechanisms of ageing, be robust to inter-individual and intra-individual variability, be assessed in an initial retrospective study with access to suitable longevity cohorts, and prioritise deployment feasibility with feedback from potential users. Biomarker discovery is explicitly excluded
3. 3New Approach Methodology (NAM) that goes beyond current state-of-the-art to enable future development of interventions for healthy ageing. The NAM must robustly capture aged status and the systemic integrative nature of ageing across multiple molecular or cellular aspects and tissue types, be benchmarked against a relevant animal model of ageing, and be tested in a clearly specified use case such as intervention development or pre-clinical regulatory models

All proposals must consider biological sex and gender-specific health determinants in their development, with reproductive ageing also in scope. Precision nutrition, development of novel ageing clocks, and wellness applications fall outside the scope of this challenge.

Expected Outcomes and Impacts

Project Outcomes

Ambitious proposals are expected to deliver proof-of-concepts at Technology Readiness Level 3 of biotechnology-based or pharmaceutical interventions that prevent, delay, or revert age-related diseases in vertebrate model systems based on hallmarks of ageing. Projects should also deliver tools to facilitate development or adoption of interventions such as proof-of-concept validation of biomarker signatures or suitable pre-clinical models, and approaches to address shared regulatory hurdles and societal challenges linked to ageing-related interventions.

Challenge-Level Impacts

• Deliver biotechnology-based interventions for healthy ageing
• Accelerate implementation of personalised care in ageing based on molecular phenotyping
• Provide recommendations for regulatory pathways addressing ageing as a target to inform developers, regulators, and decision makers
• Improve citizen literacy on longevity

Portfolio Approach and Selection Strategy

The EIC will establish a coherent portfolio of projects ensuring balanced coverage across three categories. Portfolio composition guidelines specify maximum project allocations: no more than 5 projects developing interventions, no more than 3 projects developing biomarker-based tools, and no more than 2 projects developing New Approach Methodologies. The portfolio of intervention projects should collectively address a variety of molecular and cellular processes related to ageing and a variety of different age-related diseases. Biomarker projects should capture different application areas with preference for at least one diagnostic biomarker. NAM projects should capture diversity of approaches to assess aged status, different tissues or cell types, and different use cases.

Selected consortia will benefit from mutual learning and exchange of expertise. Consortia are encouraged to collaborate to address shared challenges including scientific aspects such as preclinical models and biomarkers of healthy and unhealthy ageing, path to market aspects such as defining suitable regulatory pathways, and societal aspects such as acceptance of preventative and therapeutic interventions and improved longevity literacy.

Evaluation Criteria and Process

Two-Step Evaluation

Proposals undergo a two-step evaluation process. In Step 1, EIC expert evaluators assess each proposal separately against award criteria, and the EIC evaluation committee ensures consistency across scores. In Step 2, the evaluation committee considers all proposals passing Step 1 together to assess the best portfolio of projects to achieve the challenge's specific objectives using portfolio considerations.

Award Criteria

1. 1Excellence (threshold 4/5, weight 50 percent): Evaluated on objectives and relevance to the challenge, novelty and ambition of proposed work, and plausibility of methodology including gender dimension and open science practices
2. 2Impact (threshold 3.5/5, weight 30 percent): Evaluated on potential impact and credibility of pathways to achieve expected outcomes, innovation potential and adequacy of exploitation measures, and communication and dissemination measures
3. 3Quality and efficiency of implementation (threshold 3/5, weight 20 percent): Evaluated on coherence and effectiveness of work plan and risk mitigation, appropriateness and effectiveness of resource allocation, and quality of applicant or consortium expertise and capacity

Proposals must pass individual thresholds in all three criteria to be considered for funding. Each criterion is scored out of 5. The overall score is calculated as a weighted sum of the three average scores.

Proposal Requirements and Submission

Proposal Structure

Proposals must be submitted via the EU Funding and Tenders Portal using the standard Horizon Europe application form. Sections 1 to 3 of Part B, corresponding to Excellence, Impact, and Quality and Efficiency of Implementation, must consist of a maximum of 30 A4 pages. Excess pages will be automatically made invisible and not considered by evaluators.

Budget and Lump Sum Approach

Applicants must provide a detailed budget table as an Excel annex to Part B. This table should contain cost estimations for each cost category per beneficiary and per work package. Cost estimations must be an approximation of actual costs, subject to the same eligibility rules as actual costs grants, in line with normal practices, reasonable and non-excessive, and necessary for proposed activities. The detailed budget table automatically generates the breakdown of lump sum shares per work package and per participant. Applicants should allocate at least 10 person-months to a dedicated work package for portfolio activities.

Work Package Structure

Work packages should be substantial subdivisions of the work plan. Long-duration work packages may be split along reporting period boundaries to allow activities to be reimbursed at intermediate payments. A work package is not a single activity, single task, percentage of progress, or lapse of time. Applicants should include a distinct work package for project management and give due visibility to data management, dissemination and exploitation, and communication activities.

Portfolio Self-Assessment

Applicants must make a self-assessment of how their proposal maps to the categories used for portfolio building by completing a table in their proposal. The evaluation committee will confirm or update this assessment and use it in Step 2 of the evaluation. Applicants should clearly indicate whether their proposal addresses Objective 1 (interventions), Objective 2 (biomarker-based tools), or Objective 3 (New Approach Methodologies), and provide relevant subcategory information.

Key Obligations and Conditions

Consortium Agreement

If required by the granting authority, beneficiaries must have a written consortium agreement covering internal organisation, management of Portal access, distribution keys for payments and financial responsibilities in case of recoveries, additional rules on intellectual property rights and results, settlement of internal disputes, and liability and confidentiality arrangements. The internal arrangements must not contain any provision contrary to the grant agreement.

Portfolio Activities and Governance

Selected consortia will work collectively during implementation under guidance of an EIC Programme Manager. A steering committee with representatives from each project will be established, supported by four working groups: WG1 for scientific and technological synergies, WG2 for market deployment, WG3 for ethical and societal considerations, and WG4 for outreach and communication. Each project must nominate at least one representative for each working group. Working group meetings are expected to be held online approximately every three months, with one annual portfolio meeting held in person.

Reporting and Payment

Beneficiaries must report on progress using the Portal Continuous Reporting tool and provide periodic reports to request payments. The financial statement must contain lump sum contributions for work packages completed during the reporting period. By signing the financial statement, the coordinator confirms that information is complete and reliable, lump sum contributions declared are eligible, and proper implementation can be substantiated by adequate records and supporting documents.

Record-Keeping

Beneficiaries must keep records and supporting documents to prove proper implementation of the action in line with accepted standards in the respective field for at least 5 years after final payment, or 3 years for grants not exceeding 60,000 euros. Records must be made available upon request or in the context of checks, reviews, audits, or investigations. Original documents must be kept; digital and digitalised documents are considered originals if authorised by applicable national law.

Additional Support and Services

Selected projects will receive tailor-made access to Business Acceleration Services and interactions with EIC Programme Managers. Projects may be eligible for Booster grants up to 50,000 euros to undertake complementary activities exploring pathways to commercialisation or portfolio activities. Successful Pathfinder projects may submit EIC Transition proposals or apply to the EIC Accelerator via the Fast Track scheme. Projects may also participate in the Next Generation Innovation Talents scheme, with personnel costs of participating researchers eligible under Pathfinder grants.

Compliance and Ethical Requirements

All activities must comply with the highest ethical standards and applicable EU, international, and national law on ethical principles. Proposals must include an ethics self-assessment addressing human rights, animal protection, data protection, health and safety, environmental protection, and artificial intelligence considerations. The action must be carried out in line with the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity and respect basic EU values including human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, rule of law, and human rights.

Beneficiaries must process personal data in compliance with applicable EU, international, and national data protection law, particularly Regulation 2016/679. Data must be processed lawfully, fairly, and transparently, collected for specified and explicit purposes, adequate and relevant to purposes, accurate and kept up to date, and kept in a form permitting identification of data subjects no longer than necessary. Beneficiaries must inform persons whose data are transferred to the granting authority and provide them with the Portal Privacy Statement.

Intellectual Property and Dissemination

The granting authority does not obtain ownership of results produced under the action. Beneficiaries must give each other and other participants access to background identified as needed for implementing the action, subject to specific rules. Beneficiaries must use their best efforts to exploit their results or have them exploited by a third party, preferably established in a Member State or Associated Country. If results are not exploited within one year after the end of the action, beneficiaries must use the Horizon Results Platform to find interested parties unless otherwise agreed in writing.

The granting authority has the right to use non-sensitive information relating to the action and materials and documents received from beneficiaries for policy, information, communication, dissemination, and publicity purposes. This right is granted as a royalty-free, non-exclusive, and irrevocable licence including rights to use, distribute, edit, translate, store, archive, and authorise third parties to act on its behalf.

Communication and Visibility

Beneficiaries must promote the action and its results by providing targeted information to multiple audiences including media and the public in a strategic, coherent, and effective manner. Before engaging in communication or dissemination activities expected to have major media impact, beneficiaries must inform the granting authority. Communication activities related to the action must acknowledge EU support and display the European flag and funding statement. The emblem must remain distinct and separate and cannot be modified by adding other visual marks, brands, or text. When displayed with other logos, the emblem must be displayed at least as prominently and visibly as other logos.

Any communication or dissemination activity must use factually accurate information and include a disclaimer stating: Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the granting authority. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

Checks, Reviews, Audits, and Investigations

The granting authority may conduct checks, reviews, and audits on proper implementation of the action and compliance with obligations during the action or afterwards. The granting authority may use its own audit service, delegate audits to a centralised service, or use external audit firms. Beneficiaries must cooperate diligently and provide any information requested within the deadline specified, including complete accounts and personal data. For on-the-spot visits, beneficiaries must allow access to sites and premises and ensure information requested is readily available.

The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO), and European Court of Auditors (ECA) may also carry out checks, reviews, audits, and investigations during the action or afterwards. If requested by these bodies, beneficiaries must provide full, accurate, and complete information in the format requested and allow access to sites and premises for on-the-spot visits or inspections. Beneficiaries must keep all relevant information relating to the action at least until the time-limit specified and in any case until any ongoing checks, reviews, audits, investigations, litigation, or other pursuits of claims have been concluded.

Consequences of Non-Compliance

If a beneficiary breaches obligations under the grant agreement, the grant may be reduced, suspended, or terminated. Specific consequences include rejection of ineligible contributions, grant reduction for breaches of obligations, payment deadline suspension, payment suspension, grant agreement suspension, and grant agreement or beneficiary termination. In case of enforced recovery, amounts due will be increased by late-payment interest at the ECB reference rate plus the percentage specified in the Data Sheet, from the day following the payment date in the debit note up to and including the date full payment is received.

Information Session and Support

The EIC will hold an Info Session on this Pathfinder Challenge topic on 30 March 2026, with the date to be confirmed. Participation in the meeting, although encouraged, is optional and not required for submission of an application. A recording of the Info Session will be made available after the event. Further details will be disseminated through the EIC website.

Applicants seeking support and advice can contact National Contact Points of Horizon Europe in their respective EU Member State or Associated Country, the Enterprise Europe Network for advice to businesses with special focus on SMEs, or the Research Enquiry Service for questions about any aspect of European research and the EU Research Framework Programmes. The European IPR Helpdesk assists on intellectual property issues, and the CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk advise on standardisation in project proposals.

Footnotes

1. 1Technology Readiness Levels provide a guide to the stage of development. TRL3 represents experimental proof of concept, where the basic principles have been observed and reported, and experimental proof of concept has been developed. TRL4 represents technology validated in lab, where technology components are integrated to establish that they will work together.