The European Innovation Council will pilot ARPA-style challenge calls on physical AI and replacing animal testing
The EIC call could support the development of personal robot assistants. Photo credits: pasiphae / BigStock
The European Innovation Council (EIC) has provided more details about what to expect from its pilot advanced innovation challenges, a new staged funding instrument based on the US Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) model.
The EIC wants to assess whether staged grants can accelerate the path to market for high-risk deep-tech innovations, and whether early involvement of end users can enhance the uptake of breakthrough solutions. It will inform the wider roll-out of ARPA-style mechanisms in the EIC in the next iteration of Horizon Europe, from 2028.
The EIC currently offers Pathfinder grants, supporting early-stage development up to proof of concept; Transition grants, to mature and validate new technologies; and the Accelerator, to develop and scale-up innovations. But technologies do not always move smoothly from one phase to the next.
“There are some potentially…
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