EIC Pathfinder and EIC Transition are instruments of the European Innovation Council intended for earlier stages of development than the better-known Accelerator. Pathfinder finances breakthrough research with high risk and an uncertain outcome, usually within research consortia, and is directed at validating a scientific principle. Transition builds on results already achieved and helps move them from the laboratory closer to the market, including validation in a real-world environment and preparation of a business model. Applicants are typically universities, research institutions and technology companies, and for Slovak entities the route most often open is participation in a consortium led by a more experienced partner. The competition is Europe-wide and the assessment strict, but it is one of the few sources funding ideas at a stage when a commercial investor would not yet back them.
See also: EIC Accelerator, Technology readiness level (TRL), Horizon Europe.
