EIC Pathfinder Challenge 2026: Advanced Materials for Miniaturised Energy Harvesting Systems
EIC Pathfinder grants of €500,000 to €4 million to build tiny energy harvesting devices from new materials. Proposals close 28 October 2026.
Advanced Materials for Miniaturised Energy Harvesting Systems is one of three EIC Pathfinder Challenges in 2026. The European Innovation Council funds research on new materials that let small devices, such as wireless sensors, collect their own energy from the environment instead of using batteries.
Each project can receive between €500,000 and €4,000,000 as a lump sum grant. The budget table expects about 8 grants for this challenge.
Projects must cover four steps. They develop new materials that use new physical or chemical effects and depend less on critical raw materials. They build these materials into a miniaturised harvesting module, for example a small solar cell, a thermoelectric generator, a piezoelectric device or a device that harvests electromagnetic waves. They put the module into a system that runs on its own energy, such as a wireless sensor. Finally, they test it in a lab use case at technology readiness level 4 and compare the energy harvested with the state of the art.
Universities, research organisations, SMEs, startups and individual researchers can apply, alone or as a consortium. They must be established in an EU Member State or a country associated to Horizon Europe. Consortia have country rules: two partners must come from two different countries, and three or more partners must come from at least three different countries.
Funded projects join a portfolio managed by the EIC. The EIC wants a mix of harvesting methods, materials and fields of use, such as agriculture, wearables, health monitoring and smart cities. Projects will compare results and share findings with each other. Proposals should also name possible markets for the technology.
The call opened on 22 July 2026 and closes on 28 October 2026. Proposals go through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal.
Quick answers
Can a single organisation apply without partners?
Yes. Single legal entities can apply, but mid caps and larger companies cannot apply alone.
Can AI tools be part of the project?
Yes. The EIC encourages using digital tools such as AI to find, design, make and test the new materials.
How long can the proposal be?
Sections 1 to 3 of Part B can be at most 30 A4 pages. Extra pages are hidden from the evaluators.