Horizon Europe, EIC Pathfinder Challenges: breakthrough technologies

This information is no longer up-to-date.

The Horizon Europe programme, part European Innovation Council (EIC), announced a call for proposals of international projects EIC Pathfinder Challenges 2024. Deadline is 16. 10. 2024.

If you plan to participate in a proposal submitted to a Horizon Europe call, please, contact well in advance the Project Management Department (Martina Holíková, martina.holikova@natur.cuni.cz).
See also Horizon Europe – practical information on faculty website.

If you are interested in one of the topics, but you don’t know, how to find a project coordinator or partners, please, contact the Project Management Department and we’ll recommend to you some networking opportunities.

If you consider preparing a proposal as a coordinator, please, contact us IMMEDIATELY.

• EIC Pathfinder Challenges on EIC website – description of this type of projects, relevant documents.
• EIC Work Programme 2024 – detailed information about planned calls, eligibility conditions etc.
• On 15. 1. 2024, a webinar on current EIC calls took place. Event webpage and link to recording.
• About EIC by Czech National Contact Points – news, events etc.

The goal of EIC Pathfinder is to achieve the proof of principle and validate the scientific basis of a breakthrough technology – in case of “Pathfinder Challenges”, projects must focus on one of the thematic areas defined for a given year. The projects can start at low technology readiness levels (e.g. that only basic principles of the potential technology have been observed), aiming at achieving technology readiness levels 3–4: experimental proof of concept, technology validated in a lab, by the time of their conclusion.

Detailed description of EIC Pathfinder Challenges 2024:

• Solar-to-X devices for the decentralized prosumption of renewable fuels, chemicals and materials as climate change mitigation pathway
• Towards cement and concrete as a carbon sink
• Nature inspired alternatives for food packaging and films for agriculture
• Nanoelectronics for energy-efficient smart edge devices
• Strengthening the sustainability and resilience of EU space infrastructure

Projects are to be carried out by international consortia of at least 3 legal entities from 3 different countries (EU member states or countries associated to Horizon Europe), also, single applicants or small consortia of just two partners are also eligible in most Pathfinder Challenges topics. Usual consortia size is 5–7 partners, however, projects carried out by a single entity or by a consortium of 12 partners have also been supported. Recommended maximal total budget of a project is EUR 4 million.

News published by Ludmila Součková on 8. 3. 2024.
Updated 18. 9. 2024 (formulations changed because the call has been open).

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