EIC Pathfinder Open 2025 call draws record interest from the research community

The European Innovation Council (EIC) has received an unprecedented 2,087 project proposals under the EIC Pathfinder Open 2025 call, involving participants from 71 countries. The call closed earlier this week on 21 May 2025, with applicants collectively requesting over €6.23 billion in grant funding— demonstrating the growing demand for support in transformative, high-risk research. This marks an impressive 86.5% increase in submissions compared to last year, highlighting the rapidly rising interest in the programme. 

With a total indicative budget of €142 million, the EIC expects to fund a selection of the most promising proposals. The average EU grant requested per project stands at approximately €2.99 million. The evaluation process is now underway, with results expected to be announced in October 2025. 

The EIC Pathfinder Challenges 2025 call opens on 28 July, with submissions due by 29 October, targeting specific breakthrough technologies. Full details will be outlined in the EIC Work Programme. 

About EIC Pathfinder 

The Pathfinder programme supports visionary ideas for radically new technologies. It promotes high-risk/high-gain, interdisciplinary collaborations focused on early-stage technology development (Technology Readiness Levels 1–3), up to proof of concept. 

Funded projects benefit not only from grants of up to €3–4 million, but also from direct engagement with EIC Programme Managers. Additional funding opportunities are available to explore the innovative potential of research results or to support collaborative portfolio actions. 

For more information, consult the EIC Work Programme 2025.