EIC 2026 Pathfinder Open

The EIC Pathfinder Open 2026 is a funding initiative under the Horizon Europe program, aimed at supporting collaborative research projects that focus on high-risk, high-gain technologies with the potential for significant impact. The program encourages consortia made up of at least three independent legal entities from different EU Member States or associated countries, including universities, research organizations, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), startups, and industrial partners.

Funding for successful projects will be provided as lump-sum grants ranging from €1 million to €4 million, with a total budget of €166 million allocated across approximately 50 grants. The initiative is designed to foster interdisciplinary research and development without predefined thematic priorities, allowing for diverse scientific and technological applications, particularly in early-stage research and development at Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 1-4.

The call opens on February 5, 2026, with a submission deadline of May 12, 2026. This is a single-stage application process. Successful applicants will receive not only financial resources but also access to Business Acceleration Services, which include mentoring, coaching, and connections to innovation ecosystems. The success rate for applicants is exceedingly competitive, estimated at around 2-3%.

The focus of projects should be on achieving proof-of-principle for new technologies, validating their scientific and technological underpinnings, and not necessarily on immediate market readiness. This program also emphasizes the inclusion of early-career researchers and gender balance in project teams, recognizing the importance of nurturing future leaders in deep-tech.

Overall, the EIC Pathfinder Open 2026 represents a prestigious funding opportunity for innovative researchers aiming to contribute groundbreaking advancements in technology, with significant support for both scientific exploration and potential commercialization in the long run.

The EIC Pathfinder Open 2026, under the Horizon Europe program, is a call for proposals aimed at supporting high-risk, high-gain research and development of radically new technologies with the potential to create new markets and address global challenges. This initiative provides funding for early-stage development, specifically activities at Technology Readiness Levels 1 to 4, focusing on science-towards-technology breakthrough research, also known as deep tech.

The primary objective of the EIC Pathfinder is to foster the scientific foundation necessary for breakthrough technologies. It supports cutting-edge research and development to disrupt existing fields, create new opportunities, and realize innovative technological solutions. The EIC Pathfinder Open is open to projects in any field of science, technology, or application without predefined thematic priorities. There is also the EIC Pathfinder Challenges which supports coherent portfolios of projects within predefined thematic areas with the aim to achieve specific objectives for each Challenge.

The scope of this call encourages applicants with ambitious visions for novel future technologies that can significantly impact lives. It targets those who see a plausible path to achieving scientific breakthroughs and are willing to collaborate in interdisciplinary teams to validate the scientific basis of their technology, realize a proof of principle, and explore paths to impact.

Applicants should consider the following essential characteristics, referred to as "Gatekeepers": a convincing long-term vision of a radically new technology with transformative potential, a concrete, novel, and ambitious science-towards-technology breakthrough, and a high-risk/high-gain research approach with concrete and plausible objectives.

The EIC Pathfinder Open promotes interdisciplinary research and development, encouraging the integration of diverse research areas with varied perspectives, terminologies, and methodologies. The call is open for collaborative research, requiring proposals to be submitted by a coordinator on behalf of a consortium. The consortium must include at least three legal entities that are independent of each other and established in different eligible countries. These entities can be universities, research organizations, SMEs, startups, industrial partners, or natural persons.

Regarding admissibility conditions, the proposal must adhere to specific page limits and layout guidelines as described in Part B of the Application Form, which is available in the Submission System. Sections 1 to 3 of Part B, which correspond to the award criteria of Excellence, Impact, and Quality and Efficiency of the Implementation, must not exceed 22 A4 pages. Excess pages will be automatically excluded from evaluation.

Eligible countries are detailed in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. Furthermore, some non-EU/non-Associated Countries have provisions for funding their participants in Horizon Europe projects, as detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide. Other eligibility conditions are described in Annex 2 of the EIC Work Programme 2026.

The financial and operational capacity of applicants, as well as exclusion criteria, are described in Annex 2 of the EIC Work Programme 2026. The award criteria and scoring thresholds are outlined in Section II of the EIC Work Programme 2026 (pages 30-31). The submission and evaluation processes are detailed in Section II of the EIC Work Programme 2026 and the Online Manual. The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is described in the EIC Work Programme 2026 and Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.

The legal and financial setup of the grants is based on the Lump Sum Model Grant Agreement (Lump Sum MGA) used for Lump Sum EIC actions under Horizon Europe and Annex 2 of the EIC Work Programme 2026.

Call-specific documents include the EIC 2026 work programme, frequently asked questions, and a list of Pathfinder Open Descriptors. Application and evaluation forms, as well as the model grant agreement, are available in the Submission System. Guidance documents include the HE Programme Guide, Lump Sum MGA, call-specific instructions, a detailed budget table, information on clinical studies and security issues, and guidance on lump sums. Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 General Annexes, HE Framework Programme 2021/695, HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, and various rules and agreements related to legal entity validation, financial capacity assessment, and grant management.

The budget for the HORIZON-EIC-2026-PATHFINDEROPEN call is EUR 166,039,670. The call follows a single-stage submission process, with the opening date planned for February 5, 2026, and a deadline of May 12, 2026, at 17:00 Brussels time. The expected contribution per project ranges from EUR 1,000,000 to EUR 4,000,000, with an indicative number of 50 grants to be awarded.

The expected impact of projects funded under this call is the validation of the scientific and technological basis of envisioned future technologies through proof-of-principle results. Project outcomes should include top-level scientific publications in open access. While immediate market creation or solutions to global challenges are not expected within the project's duration, projects must take necessary measures for future uptake, including intellectual property protection, exploitation plans, and regulatory assessments.

The EIC Pathfinder Open 2026 is a funding opportunity for researchers and innovators with ambitious ideas for future technologies. It supports high-risk, high-reward projects that aim to achieve scientific breakthroughs and lay the groundwork for transformative innovations. By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and providing resources for early-stage development, the EIC Pathfinder Open seeks to drive technological advancements and address pressing societal challenges.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types include universities, research organizations, SMEs, startups, industrial partners, and natural persons. The call is open for collaborative research, and the proposal must be submitted by the coordinator on behalf of a consortium. The consortium must include as beneficiaries at least three legal entities, independent from each other and each established in a different country. The consortium must include at least one legal entity established in a Member State and at least two other independent legal entities, each established in different Member States or Associated Countries.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a HORIZON EIC Grant, with a HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG] Model Grant Agreement (MGA). The funding is provided as a lump sum.

Consortium Requirement: A consortium of multiple applicants is required. The consortium must include at least three legal entities, independent from each other and each established in a different country.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU member states and associated countries. 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.

Target Sector: The program targets all fields of science, technology, or application without predefined thematic priorities. It supports early-stage development of future technologies, specifically high-risk/high-gain science-towards-technology breakthrough research ('deep tech') at Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) from 1 to 4.

Mentioned Countries: EU member states, associated countries, and third countries are mentioned in the context of eligibility.

Project Stage: The project stage is early-stage development, specifically activities at Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) from 1 to 4. The expected output is a proof of principle that the main ideas of the envisioned future technology are feasible, thus validating its scientific and technological basis.

Funding Amount: The funding range is between EUR 1,000,000 and EUR 4,000,000. The total budget for the topic is EUR 166,039,670, and the indicative number of grants is 50.

Application Type: The application type is an open call with a single-stage submission process.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a grant.

Application Stages: The application process is a single-stage process.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the call indicates that 50 grants are expected to be awarded from a total budget of EUR 166,039,670.

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

Summary:

The EIC Pathfinder Open 2026 is a Horizon Europe program that provides grants to consortia for early-stage research and development of radically new technologies. The program aims to support high-risk, high-gain projects that can lead to breakthrough innovations across any field of science, technology, or application. To be eligible, a consortium must include at least three independent legal entities from different countries, including at least one EU member state. The projects should focus on achieving a proof of principle for the envisioned technology and should aim for top-level scientific publications in open access. The funding range is between EUR 1,000,000 and EUR 4,000,000 per project. The call encourages the involvement of early-career researchers, high-tech SMEs, and female researchers. The application process is a single-stage submission, and the deadline for applications is May 12, 2026. The EIC Pathfinder Open is designed to support projects with a convincing long-term vision, concrete science-towards-technology breakthroughs, and a high-risk/high-gain research approach. The program aims to strengthen Europe's capacity for exploiting scientific discoveries and addressing global challenges.