EIC Transition results 2025 explained – Insights for 2026 applicants
28th April 2026 at 12:10 pm
The EIC Transition instrument occupies a distinct position within the European Innovation Council. It is designed to take promising research results beyond proof of concept and move them towards real-world application. This intermediate stage is often where projects either gain momentum or stall.
The latest EIC Transition results provide a useful lens for applicants preparing for the 2026 call. Beyond headline numbers, they reveal how the EIC selects projects, how it builds a balanced portfolio and what it considers a credible next step from research to innovation.
EIC Transition by the numbers
The 2025 EIC Transition call confirms a clear trend: increasing competition combined with stable funding capacity. A total of 611 proposals with participants from 40 countries were submitted in September 2025. Interestingly, 130 of those submissions originated from the European Research Council Proof of Concept projects.
From the 611 applications, only 40 projects were selected for funding, resulting in a 6.5% success rate – an all-time low. As can be seen in the figure below, the increase in submissions without a corresponding increase in funded projects indicates a rapidly intensifying competition landscape.
The European Commission committed €118 million in total EU contribution, corresponding to an average grant of €2.5 million per project. Regarding participant distribution, 51% of applicants come from the private sector, 27% from universities and 17% were research organisations.
Analysing the list of funded projects further, we noted the following trends:
Most projects received funding close to the €2.5 million ceiling. This suggests that evaluators expect sufficiently ambitious development plans, and that under-budgeted proposals may be perceived as lacking scope or credibility
The majority of projects run for 2 to max. 3 years, indicating a clear expectation: Transition projects should deliver tangible validation results within a relatively short timeframe.
The funded projects span a wide range of fields, with a clear focus on:
- Health and biotech (e.g. CAR-T therapies, sepsis prediction, fertility solutions)
- Photonics and quantum technologies
- AI and software systems
- Advanced materials and nanotechnology
- Robotics and automation
- Clean energy and environmental technologies
This diversity is not accidental. It reflects the EIC’s objective to balance technological risk across sectors while supporting areas with strong future market potential.
A highly selective instrument with a clear positioning logic
EIC Transition is not simply about strong science or promising innovation. It is about timing and positioning. Projects are expected to sit precisely between:
- Early-stage research, which belongs to Pathfinder or ERC
- Market-ready innovation, which belongs to the EIC Accelerator
Proposals that remain too exploratory lack credibility. Those that move too quickly towards commercialisation without sufficient validation are equally weak. The strongest submissions define a clear development step: they identify the remaining uncertainties and explain how these will be resolved within the project.
What this means for 2026 applicants and why the Transition is a strategic opportunity
The increasing number of submissions signals that more research teams recognise the importance of this transition phase. At the same time, the number of funded projects remains limited. This reinforces a central point: success in EIC Transition is not about having a promising idea. It is about demonstrating that your project is the right next step at the right moment. Applicants should therefore avoid:
- Repackaging early-stage research
- Overstating market readiness without sufficient validation
- Expanding the scope beyond what can realistically be achieved
Instead, the focus should be on precision, credibility and alignment with the instrument’s purpose.
For many research teams, EIC Transition represents a critical turning point. It provides the means to move beyond scientific results while maintaining a structured and credible development pathway. It allows teams to test assumptions under realistic conditions while reducing key technical and market uncertainties and, at the same time, build the foundations for future investment and impact
For projects that are not yet ready for the Accelerator but have clear potential beyond the lab, this makes EIC Transition a particularly valuable instrument.
How we support your EIC Transition proposal
With years of hands-on experience in preparing successful proposals, we have become a trusted partner for ambitious researchers applying to the EIC instruments. Our portfolio includes the five successful Pathfinder projects in Horizon Europe – CORENET, PEARL-DNA, POLINA, PIONEAR and BoneOscopy and extends back to the FET programme in H2020, the predecessor of the EIC Pathfinder, where we contributed to pioneering projects CLASSY, FRINGE and Lumiblast.
If you are considering a resubmission or developing a new proposal for the EIC Transition, we offer tailored support, including proposal reviews, strategic input on impact and hands-on guidance throughout every step of the process. As in many of our successful collaborations, we can also be a project partner providing support in the efficient management of the project and the communication and exploitation of project results.
Our team is ready to help you transform your innovative ideas into a strong and compelling project proposal. Don’t hesitate to get in touch and discover how our experience can strengthen your Transition application.
Andreia Cruz
Research & Innovation Project Manager
Dr. Eva Avilla Royo
Research & Innovation Project Manager