EIC, Defence & Equity
EIC sets 19 November info day on its 2027 funding opportunities
The online session will present Work Programme 2027 scheme by scheme, from Pathfinder to STEP Defence. Registration closes on 18 November.
Key facts
- Event
- EIC Work Programme 2027 online information day
- Date
- 19 November 2026, 09:30–15:40 CET
- Registration closes
- 18 November 2026, 09:30 CET
- Format
- Online, in English
- Follow-up sessions
- Accelerator Challenges, 20 November 2026; Advanced Innovation Challenges, 3 February 2027
The European Innovation Council will present its 2027 funding opportunities at an online information day on 19 November 2026. The session, organised with its executive agency EISMEA and the Commission's research directorate-general, is held in English and will open with the main changes in Work Programme 2027.
The agenda then goes through the schemes one at a time: Pathfinder, Transition, Accelerator, STEP and STEP Defence, followed by Business Acceleration Services, Access2EIC and EEN2EIC. Pathfinder and Transition get the longest slots, at 90 minutes each.
Registration closes on 18 November at 09:30 CET. Two further sessions follow: one on the EIC Accelerator Challenges on 20 November 2026 and another on the EIC Advanced Innovation Challenges on 3 February 2027.
Why it matters
Companies planning an EIC application next year should treat this as the first checkpoint. Rule changes between work programmes can affect eligibility, the shape of a proposal and the choice of scheme, so it is worth attending before drafting starts. Dual-use and defence companies should note that STEP Defence has its own place on the agenda. Applicants should base their plans on the published work programme rather than on the previous year's rules, and use the advance question channel to raise any points specific to their project.
Official source
European Innovation Council — always check eligibility, budgets and deadlines on the official page before applying.