EIC Pathfinder Open 2026 Results: All 43 Selected Projects

The European Innovation Council selected 43 projects under EIC Pathfinder Open 2026, bringing together 218 organisations across 30 countries to investigate technologies ranging from engineered bacteria for lung cancer to quantum computing, holographic manufacturing and materials that deliver atmospheric moisture to plant roots. The announcement of 14 October 2026 describes grants of up to €4 million per project. All selected teams have been notified and are preparing their grant agreements; funding depends on those agreements being signed.

The results follow a call that attracted 2,103 proposals requesting more than €8.2 billion. The 2.04% selection ratio amounts to approximately one selected project for every 49 proposals submitted. The complete list identifies all selected projects, their coordinating organisations, coordinator countries and planned durations.

In This Article

• The results and funding figures
• Competition for funding
• Who participates: universities, research organisations and companies
• The four technologies highlighted by the EIC
• All 43 selected projects, coordinators and durations
• Coordinator countries and project timelines
• Research themes across the complete selection
• Grant preparation, further support and the 2027 outlook
• What future applicants can learn
• Frequently asked questions and sources

EIC Pathfinder Open 2026: The Results at a Glance

The €166 million figure is the indicative call budget published by the EIC. Individual grant amounts and the final total allocation have not been announced.

How Competitive Was the 2026 Call?

In its submission announcement of 20 May 2026, the EIC reported 2,103 proposals, 12,399 beneficiary participations and 4,633 unique applicant organisations. The call closed on 12 May 2026 and attracted participants from 76 countries. Applicants sought more than €8.2 billion against an indicative budget of €166 million.

Proposal numbers reached a record for the second consecutive year. With 43 projects selected from 2,103 submissions, the overall selection ratio was 2.04%, underscoring the intensity of competition for early-stage deep-tech funding.

Demand exceeded the indicative budget by more than 49 times, showing the scale of the gap between research demand and the resources available in this round.

Who Is Taking Part in the Selected Projects?

The selected portfolio contains 218 distinct organisations but 266 consortium participations. An organisation can participate in more than one selected project, so a count of project memberships exceeds a count of unique institutions and companies. The portfolio averages approximately 6.19 participations per project.

Education establishments and research organisations account for a combined 72% of consortium participations, reflecting the focus on establishing the scientific foundations of new technologies.

Private companies account for a quarter of consortium participations. SMEs take part in 34 of the 43 projects, approximately 79.1% of the selection, giving smaller businesses a prominent role alongside research partners.

The participation of both research institutions and companies illustrates the interdisciplinary character of Pathfinder Open, bringing fundamental science together with expertise in future applications.

Four Selected Projects That Show the Breadth of Pathfinder Open

The EIC highlighted four projects that illustrate the breadth of the programme. Each addresses a different scientific challenge through early-stage research aimed at establishing a new technological approach.

LUNGBOT: Producing Cancer Treatments at the Tumour

LUNGBOT, or LUNG-targeted Biohybrid Onco-Therapy, is coordinated by France's Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale, INSERM, with a planned duration of 48 months. The EIC describes an approach in which inhalable engineered bacteria reach lung tumours and produce therapeutic molecules at the site where treatment is needed.

The proposed change concerns the location of drug production. Instead of relying only on medicines distributed through the body, the project aims to use a biological delivery system that generates treatment locally. The EIC presents this as a route toward more targeted cancer therapy and a way to address limitations of conventional treatment.

The research will need to establish whether the engineered bacteria can reach the intended tissue, produce a controlled therapeutic effect and meet the safety requirements for further development. The published selection material does not report patient outcomes, a clinical trial schedule or demonstrated treatment efficacy.

NoBIQu: Reducing the Hardware Burden of Reliable Quantum Computing

NoBIQu is coordinated by Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg in Germany and is planned to run for 42 months. The official list uses the acronym NOBIQU and gives its title as fault-tolerant quantum computing with fast, noise-biased qubits and parity codes.

The EIC describes a new architecture combining superconducting quantum bits with more efficient error correction. The aim is to reduce the hardware needed for reliable computation and advance the prospects for large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers.

The distinction between adding more quantum hardware and improving the efficiency of error correction is central to the project's stated ambition. The announcement does not provide a qubit count, a numerical reduction in hardware overhead, benchmark results or a date for a commercial machine.

DyHoLIT: Dynamic Holographic Lithography for Fine Structures

DyHoLIT is coordinated by SWHL GmbH in Switzerland and has a planned duration of 36 months. Its full title describes dynamic holographic lithography and dynamic three-dimensional imaging across the ultraviolet range.

The project combines programmable optical technologies with mathematical algorithms to explore a new way of making very small, complex structures. The EIC highlights semiconductor technologies and three-dimensional structures for biomedical research as possible applications.

The research ambition spans both the light-patterning method and the ability to translate that method into precise fabrication. The semiconductor and biomedical uses remain proposed applications at this stage.

DEW2ROOT: Moving Atmospheric Moisture into the Root Zone

DEW2ROOT is coordinated by Switzerland's Eidgenössische Materialprüfungs- und Forschungsanstalt, Empa, with a planned duration of 48 months. Its official title describes a capillary-diode wood membrane platform for autonomous root-zone water delivery and drought-resilient plant establishment.

The EIC describes a wood-based material that captures moisture from the atmosphere and transfers water toward plant roots. The diode analogy refers to the intended direction of transport: water should move from the environment toward the soil.

The intended applications are helping young plants establish themselves during drought, supporting climate-resilient agriculture and restoring ecosystems. The announcement gives no water-yield figures, operating humidity range, field-trial results or quantified irrigation savings.

Complete List: All 43 EIC Pathfinder Open 2026 Selections

The complete selection includes the following 43 projects. Countries identify the coordinator, and durations indicate the planned length of each research programme.

Where Are the Coordinators Based, and How Long Will Projects Run?

Coordinators are based in 16 countries. Spain leads six projects, followed by France, Italy and the United Kingdom with five each. Germany and Switzerland each coordinate four.

Planned durations range from three to five years. Most projects have a four-year timetable: 32 will run for 48 months. Five are planned for 36 months, four for 42 months, one for 54 months and one for 60 months.

The full consortia extend across 30 countries, including 24 EU Member States, connecting partners with complementary research and technical expertise.

What the Complete Selection Reveals About the Research Portfolio

The selection spans several overlapping research areas, from engineered therapies and quantum devices to plant science and circular materials.

Cancer, Immunotherapy and Engineered Biological Treatments

Alongside LUNGBOT, projects such as DARK2TCR, GATEWAY, MitoNano, ADVANCE, PREVCAN, INSITE and UNO-TCAR explore different approaches to cancer-related intervention. The titles point to T-cell recognition, mitochondrial inhibition, RNA vaccines, cryptic epitopes, engineered cells and personalised CAR-T therapy. SWIM adds magnetic microswimmers for cancer theranostics, combining a treatment and diagnostic ambition.

They address different biological mechanisms and delivery approaches. What connects them at portfolio level is an attempt to establish new technological foundations for treatment, with substantial scientific uncertainty still to resolve.

Neural Systems, Regenerative Research and Clinical Measurement

SUBSTRATA combines AI design, volumetric bioprinting and MRI validation of living neural grafts. EXPLORE addresses personalised neurorehabilitation through human-robot learning. HAWK concerns a wireless photovoltaic retinal implant, while TARGET focuses on engineered DNA regulatory elements for diseased brain cells. POLARIS addresses monitoring in neurocritical care.

New measurement systems also feature prominently. BRIGHT proposes an AI-driven single-molecule diagnostic microscope; MiCARD focuses on optoacoustic detection of cardiotoxicity; and 8D-SCOPE addresses clinical optical phenotyping endoscopy. METACARE adds research into a metaenhanced test for advanced care.

Quantum Computing, Quantum Light and Advanced Sensing

NOBIQU targets fault-tolerant computing, while BLAST addresses a hybrid quantum-light platform for secure transmission over telecom links. EPPLES concerns entangled-photon spectroscopy for life sciences. MRI-NOVA explores nanoscale magnetic resonance imaging using atomic-like defects in diamond, and ARTEMIS concerns magnetic-field quantum sensing through molecular spintronics. MOSAIC adds an optical superconducting array with integrated circuitry.

The range shows that the quantum-related selections extend across computation, communication, sensing and scientific instrumentation. Each project has a different proposed function and route to further development.

New Computing Architectures, Photonics and Fabrication

KAN-DO-IT investigates nanoelectronic networks for inference and training within the system itself. REMOTION addresses integration of III–V lasers with silicon for wafer-scale photonics. EDGE examines dielectric breakdown in multilayer nitride isolation for high-voltage devices. IONFLUX explores self-reconfiguring liquid systems as adaptive electrochemical matter, while SELFSENSE concerns sensorised biological tissue and embodied learning of material properties.

Together with DyHoLIT, these projects cover several foundations of future devices: how information is processed, how light is generated and patterned, how electronic structures withstand voltage, and how materials can participate in sensing or adaptation.

Plant Science, Water, Packaging and Circular Materials

DEW2ROOT addresses water delivery to plant roots. AQUATONGUE proposes self-learning artificial tongues based on two-dimensional materials for water monitoring. PhotoPath concerns precision breeding for photosynthetic optimisation, and PhytoSense focuses on molecular sensing of medicinal crops for drug discovery.

ALPROCAM targets rejuvenation of aluminium powder for circular additive manufacturing. MultiFoams proposes multicomponent fibre foams to replace forever chemicals. SENSEPACK addresses enzymatic and printed indicators for sustainable packaging. MetaCool concerns spider-protein-functionalised metamaterials for adaptive thermal regulation, and REBEL is titled Responsible Leaftronics.

Across these projects, researchers are exploring new ways to monitor the environment, use biological materials and improve resource efficiency.

Additional Biological Platforms

Mini-Me proposes mini proteins against major diseases. SCD-FREE concerns fetal gene therapy for sickle cell disease. VIVOGAS explores metal-organic-framework-based gas delivery to improve blood and organ viability, and AIDET addresses delivery of anti-virulence effectors using engineered phages. These approaches broaden the portfolio beyond the cancer and neurological examples featured above.

What Happens After Selection?

The selected teams are now preparing their grant agreements. Funding remains conditional on signature, with individual budgets and schedules established through those agreements.

Support Beyond the Main Research Grant

The announcement highlights engagement with EIC Programme Managers and further opportunities to investigate the innovation potential of results or undertake collaborative portfolio activities. The EIC Pathfinder programme page also describes Business Acceleration Services, including coaching, mentoring, training and connections to partners, as well as booster grants of up to €50,000 for complementary commercialisation exploration.

Additional support is subject to the conditions of each scheme. The EIC also offers a Fast Track route through which qualifying project results can progress to the full-application stage of the EIC Accelerator.

The 2027 Funding Outlook

The EIC plans to open its 2027 funding opportunities at the beginning of November. Future applicants should consult the adopted Work Programme and call documents for confirmed budgets, deadlines and requirements.

What Future Pathfinder Applicants Can Learn

First, the scientific breakthrough must be concrete. The highlighted projects each describe a particular technological change: local production of cancer therapeutics, more efficient quantum error correction, dynamic holographic patterning or directional transport of water through a wood-based membrane. Applicants can use these examples to examine whether their own proposal identifies a specific scientific advance and explains the technology it would enable.

Second, the consortium needs to match the research problem. The portfolio includes substantial academic and research participation alongside companies, with SMEs present in most selected projects. The figures support building teams around complementary expertise.

Third, match the claims to the development stage. Pathfinder supports early research and proof of concept. The programme page places its scope at low technology readiness levels, generally TRL 1–4. A proposal can explain a long-term market or societal benefit while defining a research project whose near-term objective is to establish the scientific basis for the technology.

Fourth, make the decisive experiment understandable. A compelling research plan should explain which evidence would support the concept, which result would challenge it and how the team will assess progress. A broad application area such as cancer treatment or climate resilience does not, by itself, identify the research breakthrough.

Finally, plan for intense competition. A 2.04% ratio across all submitted proposals means selection was scarce in this round. It cannot predict an individual application's outcome or explain why a particular proposal was rejected.

For the programme's wider structure, see rasph's EIC Pathfinder 2026 guide. The results covered here concern Pathfinder Open, whose bottom-up scope allows proposals across scientific and technological fields; Pathfinder Challenges is a separate route with predefined topics.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many projects were selected for EIC Pathfinder Open 2026?

The EIC announced 43 selected projects on 14 October 2026. The accompanying attachment lists the acronym, title, coordinator, coordinator country and duration for each project.

What was the success rate?

Approximately 2.04% of the 2,103 submitted proposals were selected, equivalent to around one in 49 submissions.

How much funding will each selected project receive?

Selected projects can receive grants of up to €4 million. The indicative Open call budget was €166 million. Individual awards depend on signed grant agreements.

Are the grants already signed?

The EIC says the projects are preparing their grant agreements and that funding depends on signature. The announcement therefore confirms selection for grant preparation.

How many selected projects involve SMEs?

SMEs participate in 34 of the 43 selected projects, approximately 79.1%.

Does the announcement include all consortium partners?

The attachment identifies the coordinator of each project. The announcement gives aggregate participation statistics, but neither document provides a complete project-by-project partner list.

Are these technologies commercially available?

These are early-stage research programmes intended to establish the scientific and technological basis for future applications.

Official Sources

• EIC results announcement, 14 October 2026: selection count, participation statistics, four project examples, grant preparation and the November outlook.
• EIC Pathfinder Open 2026 selected-projects list: all 43 project records, coordinators, coordinator countries and durations.
• EIC submission announcement, 20 May 2026: proposal volume, requested funding, applicant participation and indicative budget.
• EIC Pathfinder programme overview: programme scope, support services and additional opportunities.