The future of construction – EIC’s Challenge 2025 on autonomous robot collectives for collaborative tasks
30th June 2025 at 12:03 pm
The EIC Pathfinder Challenge 2025 “Towards autonomous robot collectives delivering collaborative tasks in dynamic unstructured construction environments” (HORIZON-EIC-2025-PATHFINDERCHALLENGES-01-03) presents a bold vision: to automate the entire construction workflow, from site preparation to structural assembly, using collaborative robot systems that operate safely alongside humans. With approximately €30 million in funding available under this topic for up to seven or eight projects, the European Innovation Council (EIC) is calling on researchers, engineers and industry pioneers to rethink how buildings are constructed.
What kind of systems is the EIC looking for?
This Pathfinder Challenge calls for robot-enabled construction systems that can carry out real construction tasks from site preparation to assembling structural components in dynamic, unstructured environments. The goal is not partial automation or remote-controlled tools, but fully integrated robot–robot and human–robot collaboration. The systems should be able to:
- Autonomously assemble a physical structure at human scale using modular, load-bearing components
- Operate as multi-robotic collectives with real-time coordination
- Function in changing, unpredictable environments without full pre-conditioning
- Allow safe human–robot interaction, even with minimal supervision
The EIC doesn’t want factory-style prefabrication. It aims to have robots assemble structures on-site, adapting to terrain, errors and uncertainty while following architectural logic and environmental standards.
Pro tip: Your concept should integrate material design, robotic platforms, AI coordination and systems engineering, not just one or two of these in isolation.
How to hit the Challenge: the three key objectives
Your proposal must address all of the following:
Objective 1: Design a modular robot-assembly-friendly structure: Develop a load-bearing building system made from modular blocks, beams or segments that robots can assemble. Structures might include pavilions, towers, arches or bridges. Use of in-situ materials like rocks or demolition waste is encouraged. You must demonstrate this at TRL 4 in a lab, with design-for-robotic-assembly features like embedded sensors or connector interfaces.
Objective 2: Build an autonomous multi-robot platform: Design a system with at least two (ideally more) mutually aware mobile robots. These robots must safely collaborate, interact with humans and handle transitions between operational states. You’ll need a structured systems engineering approach and a clear strategy for scaling the platform to real-world use.
Objective 3: Demonstrate in realistic lab conditions: Integrate your building system and robotic platform into a full assembly sequence under simulated real-world challenges, e.g. uneven terrain, obstacles, or fault tolerance. A disassembly sequence is optional but encouraged. Importantly, 3D printing with cement or polymers is out of scope.
Pro tip: Validate your system at a realistic human scale within a controlled lab environment, not as a miniaturised prototype. Simulate real-world constraints and clearly justify how your design meets TRL4 expectations.
Categories and structure: Application Field + Approach
Each proposal must define one or more Application Fields (what you build) and one or more Approaches (how you build it). These categories guide both proposal design and portfolio selection.
Application Fields include:
- Super-structure: building (e.g. towers, vaults, shells)
- Super-structure: infrastructure (e.g. bridges, tunnels)
- Sub-structure (e.g. footings, walls)
- Site preparation (e.g. trenching, demolition)
- Other construction (e.g. sea walls, emergency shelters)
Approaches span:
- Robot type and number (e.g. wheeled robots, swarms, heterogeneous systems)
- Coordination strategies (e.g. centralised, decentralised, hybrid)
- Sensor integration, assembly stability, environmental resilience, and robot–material coupling
Pro tip: Clearly position your concept in these categories. For instance, a proposal for a swarm of drones assembling vaulted shelters in disaster zones should map to both “Super-structure: building” and “Approach: swarm + decentralised coordination”.
Portfolio strategy and collaboration
This Challenge will fund a portfolio of complementary projects, each targeting different combinations of application fields and approaches. The Programme Manager will support cross-project collaboration to accelerate learning and impact. In particular, the project consortia will be encouraged to collaborate on developing performance metrics and joint communication activities.
Pro tip: Show how your team will contribute to shared goals, whether through modular standards, safety frameworks or simulation tools. Bear in mind that your project will be part of a portfolio of projects!
This EIC Pathfinder Challenge offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of construction through robotics, AI and systems integration. With clearly defined objectives and a focus on real-world applicability, it invites ambitious, cross-disciplinary consortia to push the boundaries of what is technically and operationally possible. Proposals that embrace the Challenge’s complexity while contributing to a diverse, balanced project portfolio will be well-positioned.
Turning research ideas into reality together
We at accelopment have successfully supported the preparation of multiple Pathfinder Challenge and Open proposals, including the ongoing PEARL-DNA, BoneOscopy, POLINA, PIONEAR and CORENET projects. With many years of proposal writing experience, we can support you through your application process and during the implementation of your funded Pathfinder Challenge project. Have a look at our Proposal Writing, Project Management and Communication, Dissemination and Exploitation services and contact our EIC Pathfinder experts to discuss how we can best support you with your proposal and ambition.
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Dr. Johannes Ripperger
Research & Innovation Manager
Andreia Cruz
Research & Innovation Project Manager