EIC Advanced Innovation Challenges 2027 Stage 2 is a restricted competition for projects selected and funded through Stage 1 of the 2026 pilot. New applicants cannot enter directly at Stage 2. The adopted work programme assigns €25 million to develop the strongest Physical AI and New Approach Methodologies solutions toward real-world deployment.
Deadlines / EIC Advanced Innovation Challenges 2026
- EIC Advanced Innovation Challenges
- Stage 2 cut-off 2027: June 15th 2027
The adopted EIC Work Programme 2027 (Commission Decision C(2026)7629) lists 15 June 2027. The official pilot page gave an indicative 18 June 2027 deadline in October 2026. Confirm the date against the final call conditions.
Who Is Eligible for Stage 2?
Only projects that participated in and were selected through Advanced Innovation Challenges Stage 1 can apply. A selected applicant can continue as one eligible entity, form a two-entity consortium across two eligible countries, or form a consortium of up to three entities that satisfies the applicable country rules.
Funding and Duration
- Maximum grant: €2.5 million.
- Maximum duration: 2.5 years.
- Funding rate: 100% through a lump sum.
- Stage 2 budget: €25 million.
- Application length: 22 pages for the cover and Sections 1–3 of Part B.
What Must the Application Demonstrate?
Stage 2 is not a repetition of the original concept. Applicants must show what Stage 1 proved, how users, customers or regulators responded, which uncertainties remain and how the next project will reach an application-relevant demonstration.
The application is accompanied by a PDF presentation for a live pitch. It should explain Stage 1 results, user validation, development and deployment milestones, scalability, regulatory work and the initial business plan. Updated letters of intent can substantiate access to users, data, infrastructure and future adoption routes.
Physical AI Stage 2
Physical AI solutions combine intelligent perception, learning, autonomous decisions, human collaboration and novel physical integration through sensors, actuators or materials. The selected systems should complete repeated build-and-test loops in application-relevant environments and progress toward TRL 6–7.
Relevant deployment areas include disaster response and civil security, autonomous laboratories and personal or professional robot assistants. Evaluation will examine autonomy, reliability, safe interaction, resource efficiency, manufacturability, compliance and the route from demonstrator to scalable product.
The adopted text adds biosafety, containment and screening requirements for AI-generated or selected biological sequences, agents and protocols in autonomous or semi-autonomous wet-lab work. Mandatory human authorisation checkpoints remain necessary for the specified high-risk activities.
New Approach Methodologies Stage 2
The NAMs challenge supports human-relevant methods that reduce or replace animal testing in preclinical research and in safety, efficacy or quality testing. Approaches include organoids, organ-on-chip systems, in-chemico methods, digital twins, virtual patients, AI prediction and advanced human tissue models.
Stage 2 should produce a functional and scalable prototype around TRL 6, supported by benchmarking, relevant-use validation, regulator and industry engagement, external testing and a credible standardisation or adoption pathway.
Jury Evaluation
Eligible proposals proceed to a jury of up to six people including the assigned Programme Manager. The adopted text omits the earlier express sentence about user representatives or observers on this jury. The jury tests demonstrated performance, the deployment work plan, market-creation potential, verified user interest, team capability and resources. It can recommend GO, GO Reserve or NO GO.
Read the 2026 Physical AI and NAMs analysis for the Stage 1 foundations and the EIC Work Programme 2027 guide for the complete programme context.
