EIC Challenges 2027: 7 Deep Tech Challenges

Published: 12/11/2026

The European Innovation Council (EIC) has announced seven EIC Challenges for 2027, allocating a combined €232 million to breakthrough research and deep-tech innovation. Under the adopted EIC Work Programme 2027, these funding opportunities target strategic technologies including artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, advanced materials, clean energy, ocean observation and climate action.

The EIC Challenges 2027 complement the EIC Open calls by targeting specific technological and societal priorities. They are divided into two programmes: EIC Accelerator, supporting companies bringing breakthrough innovations to market, and EIC Pathfinder, supporting early-stage, high-risk research.

Discover the seven EIC Accelerator Challenges 2027 and EIC Pathfinder Challenges 2027, including their objectives, budgets, eligibility requirements and application deadlines.

EIC Accelerator Challenges 2027: €150 Million for Breakthrough Innovations

The EIC Accelerator Challenges 2027 support start-ups and SMEs developing high-impact innovations in predefined strategic areas. These Challenges aim to accelerate the commercialisation and scaling of technologies that can strengthen Europe’s competitiveness and technological sovereignty.

• Budget: €150 million across four Challenges.
• Funding: A grant component below €2.5 million, generally covering 70% of eligible innovation costs, and/or an investment component of €1 million to €10 million, subject to the applicable conditions.
• Deadlines: 20 January, 17 March, 1 September and 4 November 2027, at 17:00 Brussels time.
• Eligibility: Primarily individual start-ups and SMEs, with other applicant categories eligible under specific conditions.
• Technology maturity: All aspects of TRL 5 should be completed, except for the Fusion Challenge, which accepts TRL 4–6 at application.

1. Advanced in-situ Ocean Observation Technologies for Scalable, High-Resolution Marine Monitoring

Indicative budget: €30 million.

This Challenge aims to transform ocean observation through advanced technologies capable of delivering continuous, scalable, cost-effective and high-resolution marine monitoring.

It supports innovations including:

• Autonomous underwater vehicles, sensor networks and integrated ocean observation systems.
• Advanced marine monitoring platforms and interoperable, AI-ready data solutions.
• Persistent observation technologies for environmental monitoring and maritime applications.
• Scalable biodiversity monitoring, including environmental DNA (eDNA) and AI-enabled approaches.

The objective is to enable more integrated, scalable and commercially viable ocean observation capabilities, supporting applications in marine conservation, offshore operations and sustainable ocean management.

2. Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities

Indicative budget: €50 million.

This EIC Accelerator Challenge supports innovative solutions that accelerate the transition towards climate-neutral, resilient and sustainable European cities.

Projects should address one of three main areas:

• Energy and buildings: Building energy efficiency, renewable energy integration, smart energy systems and related technologies.
• Transport and mobility: Sustainable urban mobility and technologies supporting the decarbonisation of transport.
• Resource management: Solutions improving urban resource efficiency, circularity and sustainability.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to engage with cities participating in the EU Mission for Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities, helping to demonstrate the relevance of their innovations for real-world urban needs.

3. Alternative Concepts and Key Enabling Technologies for Fusion Power Plants

Indicative budget: €20 million.

Fusion energy has the potential to contribute to Europe’s future low-carbon energy supply. However, significant scientific, technological and engineering challenges remain before commercial fusion power plants can become a reality.

This Challenge supports innovative approaches to fusion technologies, including:

• Alternative fusion reactor concepts.
• Key enabling technologies for future fusion power plants.
• Advanced materials and components capable of operating under demanding fusion conditions.
• Innovations addressing major technological barriers to fusion energy deployment.

Important eligibility difference: This Challenge accepts projects at TRL 4–6 at the application stage, unlike the standard EIC Accelerator maturity requirements.

The Challenge is supported through the Euratom Research and Training Programme and is subject to its specific funding and eligibility conditions.

4. Carbon removal and utilisation for climate change mitigation and EU industrial resilience

Indicative budget: €50 million.

This Challenge supports breakthrough technologies that contribute to climate change mitigation through carbon dioxide removal and utilisation, while reinforcing the resilience of European industrial value chains.

Priority areas include:

• Carbon dioxide removal: Technologies that remove CO₂ from the atmosphere or other eligible sources, including direct air capture and relevant ocean-based approaches.
• Carbon capture and utilisation: Innovative processes that transform captured carbon into useful products or materials.
• Monitoring and verification: Technologies that improve the measurement, monitoring and verification of carbon removal and its environmental impact.
• Industrial applications: Solutions that enable the commercial deployment and scaling of carbon removal and utilisation technologies.

The Challenge aims to strengthen Europe’s carbon removal value chains and support the development of commercially viable climate technologies.

Out of scope: Solutions focused exclusively on storing captured fossil CO₂ as a gas without chemical transformation, as well as hydrogen production technologies.

For the complete scope and specific conditions of each topic, consult the official EIC Accelerator Challenges 2027 page.

EIC Pathfinder Challenges 2027: €82 Million for Breakthrough Research

The EIC Pathfinder Challenges 2027 support high-risk, high-gain research addressing specific scientific and technological challenges.

Unlike the Accelerator, EIC Pathfinder focuses on the earliest stages of breakthrough technology development, supporting ambitious research that could create entirely new technological opportunities.

• Budget: €82 million, expected to be allocated in approximately equal shares across three Challenges.
• Funding: Grants of up to €4 million, covering 100% of eligible costs. Higher amounts may be requested when duly justified.
• Envisaged opening: 27 May 2027.
• Deadline: 29 September 2027, at 17:00 Brussels time.
• Eligibility: Eligible single entities, consortia of two independent entities or consortia of three or more entities, subject to the programme’s participation requirements.
• Technology maturity: Typically starting at an early TRL, such as TRL 2, and aiming for proof of concept or laboratory validation at TRL 3–4.

1. Breakthroughs in Advanced Materials for Electricity Generation, Storage and Transmission

This Challenge focuses on developing advanced materials capable of transforming electricity generation, energy storage and transmission, while improving sustainability, efficiency and Europe’s strategic autonomy.

Projects should address one of three areas:

• Electricity generation: Advanced materials and devices capable of improving energy conversion and generation performance.
• Energy storage: Novel materials and solutions that enhance storage efficiency, performance, sustainability and operational lifetime.
• Electricity transmission: Materials and technologies contributing to more efficient, resilient and reliable electricity networks.

Projects are expected to validate advanced-material-based devices in the laboratory and outline a pathway towards their potential integration into electricity systems.

The Challenge also aims to reduce dependencies on critical raw materials and support the development of more sustainable European energy technologies.

2. Safe and Controlled Continual Learning in Open World for Reliable AI Agents (CLOWAI)

Artificial intelligence systems often operate in changing environments where unexpected situations, new information and evolving conditions can affect their reliability.

The CLOWAI Challenge aims to establish scientific foundations for AI agents that can continue learning and adapting after deployment while maintaining safety, reliability, transparency and appropriate oversight.

Research priorities include:

• Safe and controlled adaptation of AI systems to changing environments.
• Methods for detecting and managing unexpected situations and data distribution changes.
• Techniques to prevent catastrophic forgetting and uncontrolled model drift.
• Transparent, explainable and auditable processes for updating AI models.
• Validation methods that demonstrate the long-term reliability of continually learning AI agents.

The Challenge targets reliable AI systems operating in open-world environments, including cloud, edge and hybrid infrastructures.

Projects should demonstrate their technologies across at least two application domains, unless a single-domain approach is adequately justified under the Challenge conditions.

3. Quantum Energetics

Quantum technologies could transform computing, communications and sensing, but their future large-scale deployment raises important questions about energy consumption and environmental impact.

The Quantum Energetics Challenge aims to develop more energy-efficient quantum technologies and reliable approaches for measuring and comparing their energy performance.

Applicants must focus on one of three areas:

• Full-stack quantum computing: Energy-efficient computing architectures, algorithms, control systems and error-correction approaches.
• Quantum communication: Technologies and methods to reduce the energy requirements of quantum communication systems.
• Quantum sensing: Energy-efficient quantum sensing technologies and supporting systems.

Projects should establish measurable approaches to energy consumption and demonstrate improvements against appropriate, comparable technologies.

The overall objective is to support the responsible development and future deployment of quantum technologies while strengthening European scientific and technological capabilities.

For the full objectives and eligibility conditions, consult the official EIC Pathfinder Challenges 2027 page.

EIC Accelerator vs. EIC Pathfinder Challenges 2027: Key Differences

Both programmes support breakthrough technologies, but they target different stages of research, innovation and commercial development.

An important distinction concerns evaluation. EIC Pathfinder Challenges use a portfolio-based selection process, assessing how individual projects contribute to the objectives and diversity of the overall Challenge portfolio. EIC Accelerator Challenges follow the Accelerator evaluation process, including assessment of alignment with the selected Challenge.

How to Prepare for the EIC Challenges 2027

Before applying, companies and research organisations should carefully evaluate whether their proposed innovation aligns with the objectives and expected outcomes of the selected Challenge.

For EIC Accelerator Challenges 2027, applicants should focus on demonstrating their technology’s maturity, commercial potential, competitive advantage and ability to scale.

For EIC Pathfinder Challenges 2027, the emphasis is on scientific novelty, technological ambition, a credible high-risk research methodology and the project’s contribution to the Challenge portfolio.

In both cases, it is essential to read the complete Challenge description in the adopted Work Programme and prepare the application well ahead of the relevant deadline.

EIC Challenges 2027: Frequently Asked Questions

How many EIC Challenges are available in 2027?

There are seven EIC Challenges in 2027: four EIC Accelerator Challenges and three EIC Pathfinder Challenges, with a combined indicative budget of €232 million.

What is the budget for EIC Accelerator Challenges 2027?

The EIC Accelerator Challenges 2027 have an indicative budget of €150 million across four topics, with individual allocations ranging from €20 million to €50 million.

What are the EIC Accelerator Challenges 2027 deadlines?

The full-proposal cut-offs are 20 January, 17 March, 1 September and 4 November 2027, at 17:00 Brussels time. Short proposals may be submitted throughout the year.

What is the EIC Pathfinder Challenges 2027 deadline?

The EIC Pathfinder Challenges 2027 application deadline is 29 September 2027, at 17:00 Brussels time. The envisaged call opening date is 27 May 2027.

How much funding can an EIC Pathfinder Challenge project receive?

EIC Pathfinder Challenges generally consider grants of up to €4 million appropriate, covering 100% of eligible costs. Higher amounts may be requested when duly justified.

What is the difference between EIC Open and EIC Challenges calls?

EIC Open calls support eligible innovations without predefined thematic priorities. EIC Challenges focus on specific scientific or technological objectives identified in the Work Programme, with additional scope requirements for applicants.

Explore EIC Challenges 2027 with Evolution Europe

The EIC Challenges 2027 offer €232 million in targeted funding opportunities for researchers, start-ups and SMEs developing strategic technologies for Europe’s future.

At Evolution Europe, we help innovative companies and research organisations identify suitable European funding programmes, assess eligibility, develop competitive proposals and prepare for evaluation.

Planning to apply for an EIC Challenge in 2027? Book a free diagnostic call or contact our team to explore your funding opportunities.

Sources: European Innovation Council Work Programme 2027, Commission Decision C(2026)7629, Sections II.2 and V.2; official EIC Pathfinder Challenges 2027 and EIC Accelerator Challenges 2027 pages. Budgets are indicative. Call opening dates and deadlines may be adjusted under the Work Programme’s general conditions. Check the EU Funding & Tenders Portal before submitting.