Brussels, 6 November 2025 — The European Commission has adopted the European Innovation Council (EIC) Work Programme for 2026, earmarking €1.4 billion to support Europe’s most promising deep tech entrepreneurs, researchers, and startups.
This substantial investment aims to strengthen Europe’s position as a global leader in breakthrough technologies, while simplifying access to funding and accelerating the path from lab to market. The 2026 programme introduces several key enhancements, including:
- A streamlined application process for the EIC Accelerator, designed to reduce administrative burden and speed up funding decisions.
- The launch of Advanced Innovation Challenges, pilot initiatives inspired by the U.S. ARPA model, targeting high-risk, high-reward research in strategic areas.
- Expanded support for scale-up funding, cross-border partnerships, and market access across the EU and beyond.
Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, welcomed the new programme:
“With this €1.4 billion investment, we are not only backing Europe’s brightest minds, but also building the foundations for technological sovereignty and sustainable growth.”
The EIC Work Programme 2026 continues to operate under the Horizon Europe framework and will fund projects through its three flagship schemes:
- EIC Pathfinder – for early-stage research on radically new technologies.
- EIC Transition – to mature Pathfinder results and validate business models.
- EIC Accelerator – to support startups and SMEs in scaling up game-changing innovations.
The programme also reinforces the EU’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, with dedicated measures to support women-led startups and innovators from widening countries.
Applications for the first 2026 calls are expected to open in early Q1 2026.
For more information, visit the EIC official website.