EIC Pathfinder Grants

EIC Pathfinder Open

The majority of funding is allocated to Pathfinder Open calls, which are completely 'bottom-up', allowing the applicant consortia complete freedom to choose the area of research. In this way they aim to target the unexpected - identifying promising new areas, developments and trends, wherever they come from. The calls for proposals are therefore entirely non-prescriptive with regards to the nature or purpose of the technologies that are envisaged.

To be eligible for Pathfinder Open calls you need a consortium of at least three different independent legal entities established in at least three different eligible countries (EU member states and associated countries). Grants of up to EUR 3 million are available

The next Pathfinder Open deadline is May 21st 2025.

Is Pathfinder Open the right programme for your project?

Although Pathfinder Open has no pre-determined scientific priorities, in order to succeed your proposal does need to be very well-matched to the aims of the programme.

Pathfinder Open requires excellent science, but the reviewers are also looking for quite specific features in both the research and the consortium. EIC Pathfinder Open supports early-stage development of future technologies (e.g., various activities at low Technology Readiness Levels from 1 to 4), based on high-risk/high-gain science-towards-technology breakthrough research. They are not looking for blue-sky research, but it should be high risk and far beyond what would be expected as the next step. It is very important that the consortium is strongly multidisciplinary – much more so than in many other Horizon Europe programmes – and that you can show there will be synergy and mutual learning between the partners, not just one partner handing over their results to the next. And it must be clear that the research project could lead to a new technology. The expected output of your project is the proof of principle that the main ideas of the envisioned future technology are feasible, thus validating its scientific and technological basis.

These features are the so-called ‘gatekeepers', and to be competitive your proposal needs to fulfil each one of them:

• Convincing long-term vision of a radically new technology that has the potential to have a transformative positive effect to our economy and society.
• Concrete, novel and ambitious science-towards-technology breakthrough, providing advancement towards the envisioned technology.
• High-risk/high-gain research approach and methodology, with concrete and plausible objectives.

EIC Pathfinder Challenges

Pathfinder Challenges calls provide funding to to support coherent portfolios of projects within predefined thematic areas, with the aim to achieve specific objectives for each Challenge. These challenges take into account EU priorities for transitioning to a green, digital and healthy society, as well as the overall strategic planning for Horizon Europe. 

Applications to a Pathfinder Challenges call are expected to describe a cutting-edge project that would contribute to the specific objectives of the respective Challenge, and deliver the expected outcomes defined in the respective Challenge. In general, the starting point of a proposal answering to a Pathfinder Challenge is early TRL (e.g., 2) to up to proof of concept or validation in the lab (e.g., TRL 3 or 4).

Pathfinder Challenges calls can be open to applications from both individual applicants and consortia, but this varies and it is important to check the requirements of the specific call and topic in which you are interested. Grants of up to EUR 4 million are available.

The next Pathfinder Challenges call deadline is October 29th 2025. The planned topics are:

• Biotech for Climate Resilient Crops and Plant-Based Biomanufacturing
• Generative-AI based Agents to Revolutionize Medical Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer
• Towards autonomous robot collectives delivering collaborative tasks in dynamic unstructured construction environments
• Waste-to-value devices: Circular production of renewable fuels, chemicals and materials 

Guides to each topic, as well as recorded presentations on each, can be found on the EIC website here.

Submitting an application

More specific information on Pathfinder calls can be found in the current EIC Work Programme. Call documents, including application templates, can be found on the Horizon Europe Funding and Tenders Portal, from which the application is submitted.

The budget information and template provided by Grants Office for Horizon Europe Pillar II collaborative calls can also be used to help you prepare the budget for your Pathfinder application.

Contact and Support at KI

If you are interested to apply to the EIC Pathfinder programme and would like to discuss your application, or have any questions, please contact charlotta.lindquist@ki.se.