TLDR
- The European Commission adopted the 2027 European Innovation Council work programme, worth €1.8 billion.
- It is the last EIC funding package under Horizon Europe 2021–2027.
- €1 billion goes to the Scaleup Europe Fund and €200 million to defence investments.
- Women TechEU grants double to €150,000 per startup.
- New measures help EIC-backed companies win first customers through public procurement.
The European Commission has adopted the 2027 work programme for the European Innovation Council, known as the EIC.
The programme unlocks €1.8 billion for deep tech entrepreneurs and researchers across Europe. It is the final EIC funding package under the Horizon Europe 2021–2027 research strategy.
The money is meant to help turn research into products that companies can sell. In 2027, the EIC will back innovators from early research through to commercialisation and scale-up. The Commission says the changes will make EIC support simpler, faster and more targeted.
What the 2027 Work Programme Funds
The programme finishes funding for three items first introduced in 2026. The Scaleup Europe Fund receives €1 billion. Defence investments get €200 million, and the Advanced Innovation Challenges pilot gets €25 million.
The Commission drew on its own experience running the programme. It also used advice from the EIC Board and feedback from Member States. This shaped several targeted changes to how the schemes work.
One change affects the EIC Pathfinder, which funds breakthrough research. The programme will improve how it manages the high volume of applications. The Commission did not list the exact steps in its announcement.
Another change affects the EIC Transition scheme. It will support single teams and companies instead of consortia. The Commission says this should strengthen the innovation impact of the scheme.
The EIC will also keep supporting scale-up through the Scaleup Europe Fund and the EIC STEP Scale Up scheme. This includes dual-use and defence technologies. The programme also follows the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy and the Competitiveness Compass.
Support for Women Innovators and First Customers
Women TechEU is being redesigned. Grants will double to €150,000 per startup. The programme supports women-led startups.
A new European Prize for Women Innovators in Quantum will be introduced. It will sit alongside the existing European Prize for Women Innovators. Both prizes recognise women who build innovative companies.
The programme also adds measures to help EIC-backed companies win their first customers. These include public procurement. Companies will be able to test their technologies with public and private buyers.
The EIC has a budget of more than €10 billion for 2021–2027. Since its launch, it has supported more than 800 companies and nearly 700 research projects. Its funding covers the full innovation cycle, from Pathfinder to Transition to the Accelerator and STEP Scale Up.
The Advanced Innovation Challenges pilot began in 2026. It supports 20 feasibility projects. Ten of them are expected to move on to prototyping and demonstration in 2027.
The EIC Fund has invested close to €2 billion in more than 375 deep tech startups. Those investments attracted 3.5 times more in co-investments. In 2026, the EIC also expanded support for dual-use and defence innovations.
The Scaleup Europe Fund launched in 2026 with €1 billion committed by the EIC. It has a target of at least €4 billion from other investors. Managed by EQT, the fund plans investments averaging over €100 million to help top European scaleups grow.
