European Innovation Council funds three projects coordinated by national bodies
The Pathfinder Open Programme, by the European Innovation Council (EIC), has awarded EUR 7 million to Portugal, which represents a 4% capture rate of the total budget of this European funding instrument and an 8% success rate. There are, in total, 13 Portuguese participants in funded projects, three of which are led by Portuguese institutions: Neurosense, CATCHER and NanoXCAN.
The Chairman of ANI, Joana Mendonça, highlights that "these EIC Pathfinder results demonstrate that we are on the right track to reach the goal of doubling national participation in Horizon Europe. Portugal achieved an 8% success rate (exceeding the European average success rate of 6%). We were the 3rd European country with the highest success rate, only surpassed by Hungary and Luxembourg, which demonstrates the excellent work that has been carried out by the innovation ecosystem."
This financial instrument of the European Innovation Council supports the implementation of R&D projects aimed at the development of new innovative, disruptive and revolutionary technologies, at their early stages and in a variety of areas. The tender received a total of 908 proposals from higher education and research institutions, of which 29% are from the private sector and 67% are SMEs.
The EIC Pathfinder programme is part of Horizon Europe's Pillar III - Innovative Europe and, in Portugal, is monitored by ANI within the scope of the PERIN network.