The EIC Transition grant is a key component of the European Innovation Council (EIC) program, designed to bridge the gap between laboratory research and market introduction. The EIC Transition grant focuses on maturing and validating innovative technologies, preparing them for wider application and commercialization. It is intended for projects that have already achieved initial confirmation of their scientific principles but are not yet ready for commercial use.
Who is it for?
The EIC Transition is available to startups, SMEs, and research organizations, including universities and technology institutes. These organizations can apply either individually or in small consortia of two to five independent legal entities. It is crucial that these projects have already achieved a certain level of technological validation, typically between TRL 3 (experimental proof of concept) and TRL 4 (technology validated in lab).
The EIC Transition grant aims to transform research into innovation opportunities and often builds on projects from the EIC Pathfinder. The EIC Transition is also open to projects funded by certain Horizon grants.
What is it for?
EIC Transition supports activities such as building prototypes, user testing, and developing a business case. This is intended to validate technologies that have the potential to be applied on a commercial scale. The program offers grants up to €2.5 million to validate and demonstrate technology in a relevant application environment, aimed at reaching TRL 5/6, and to develop business and market readiness. There are also booster grants available up to €50,000 for additional activities that further explore commercial potential.
On this website, you can find examples of projects funded with EIC Transition.
What can you receive?
With the EIC Transition, you can receive up to 100% of the project costs for the demonstration of new technologies, up to an amount of €2.5 million. The aim is to progress from TRL 3/4 to TRL 5/6. The total budget for the EIC Transition Open in 2024 is €94 million.
How can you get it?
The application process for the EIC Transition includes three steps: writing a proposal, an evaluation by an EIC jury, and an interview with the jury. The proposal must be submitted through the European Commission's Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal. After an initial evaluation, which includes feedback, successful applications can move to an interview round. The outcome of the interview determines whether funding is granted.
The EIC Transition grant is highly competitive and focuses on further developing projects that have already achieved a proof of concept. Applicants must demonstrate that they own the intellectual property rights or have the necessary rights to commercialize the results. Moreover, projects must build on results from previous EU-funded projects, such as EIC Pathfinder or Horizon 2020. The projects must show a clear route to market, including validation in relevant environments and a strong business plan.
PS. In this post, we explain more about the EIC Pathfinder and here we