EIC – the European Innovation Council aims to support leading research on the complicated road to commercialization and social impact. Ever since the EU launched its new framework program for research and innovation, Horizon Europe, in 2021, the EU has been financing research in three pillars, called Excellent Science, Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness, and Innovative Europe.
As part of the Innovative Europe pillar, the European Innovation Council has been tasked with promoting excellent research with high innovation potential, along with its own fund of around EUR 10 billion.
From a Swedish and a European perspective, Lund University’s record has been impressive: Seven projects have been awarded money, of which five belong to LTH and two to the Faculty of Medicine. In financial terms, together they represent nearly EUR 5.4 million. Of these, at least five have connections to NanoLund.
Semiconductors, optics and biomaterials
Many of the Lund projects are in the field of nanotechnology and its applications, such as in semiconductors, optics and biomaterials. They are examining completely new possibilities opened up by technology. A condition for receiving funding from the European Innovation Council is that the technology is deemed to be ground-breaking and has innovative potential.
A new round of the EIC Pathfinder Challenges opens in June. This is one of the European Innovation Council’s funding pathways. The deadline for applications is 18 October. The current themes for this round are clean and efficient cooling, digitalisation in construction, precision nutrition, responsible electronics, and in-space solar energy.
Open call – EIC Pathfinder Challenges 2023