Bring your innovative technology closer to the market with
EIC Transition
funding

• Applicants must build on results from previous EU-funded projects and own or have the rights to exploit the relevant Intellectual Property (IP). Eligible project types include:
  • EIC Pathfinder
  • ERC Proof of Concept
  • FET, HE Pillar II, H2020 RIA/LEIT/Societal Challenges
  • Horizon Europe and H2020 Research Infrastructures
  • EDF projects (for civil applications)
• Single applicants: SMEs, spin-offs, start-ups, research organisations, universities
• Small consortia: 2–5 entities from different EU or associated countries
  ❗ Large companies (non-SMEs) cannot apply as single applicants.

There will be one single EIC Transition Open call in 2026, with a budget of €100 million.

• You can apply for grants of up to €2.5 million per project
• With 100% funding of eligible costs
• Additional Booster Grants (up to €50,000) may be available for complementary activities.

• Next Deadline: 16 September 2026, 17:00 Brussels time
• There is usually one cut-off per year, which typically falls in September.

The EIC Transition follows a single-stage application process. You submit the full proposal—Part B and the required annexes—via the Funding & Tenders Portal by the deadline.
(Note: Part A is an internal document and is not submitted.)

The mandatory annexes include:

• Letter of Ownership of IP
• Lump Sum Detailed Budget Table
• Clinical Trials annex (if applicable)
• Ethics annex

If the proposal receives a positive evaluation, the process continues as follows:

1. Invitation to interview with an expert jury (only for top-ranked proposals).
2. The jury makes a GO/NO-GO decision.
3. If successful, you proceed to grant agreement preparation.
4. The final step is the signature of the Grant Agreement and project launch.

Applications are evaluated by independent experts on Excellence, Impact, and Implementation Quality.

Various costs are eligible, such as personnel, equipment, travel, and subcontracting expenses.

The 2026 call expands eligibility to include results from Horizon Europe and Horizon 2020 research infrastructures, sets a single cut-off date on 16 September 2026, and allocates a €100 million budget.

Projects must build on outcomes from EIC Pathfinder, ERC Proof of Concept, Horizon Europe Pillar II or H2020 RIA/LEIT/Societal Challenges, or research infrastructures. Applicants must own or have rights to the IP/results.

The EIC Transition funds up to 100% of eligible costs, plus a 25% flat rate for indirect costs.

 The success rate is approximately 8–12%, varying by year and call volume. Strong proposals that receive the Seal of Excellence can still benefit from visibility and alternative funding.

In the EIC Transition context, the Seal of Excellence (SoE) is a quality label awarded by the European Commission to proposals that were evaluated as excellent during the competitive selection process but could not be funded due to budget limitations.

Projects typically last up to 36 months, but the actual duration depends on project scope and objectives.

Successful applicants gain access to EIC Business Acceleration Services (BAS), including coaching, mentoring, investor matchmaking, and access to testing or scale-up facilities.

The minimum Technology Readiness Level (TRL) required to apply for the EIC Transition programme is TRL 3 (experimental proof of concept), and ideally TRL 4 (technology validated in the lab) at the start of your project. The aim is to reach TRL 5 or 6 by the end of the project—focusing on validation in relevant environments.