The work
What problem or breakthrough do partners want to address?
01 / Introduction
Creating a shared vision for collaboration and open innovation.
Manchester
EDIH.li×Campfield &
The Exchange
LiechtensteinThe Exchange
For our discussionWhat would make today's conversation useful?
02 / What is EIC funding?
What is EIC funding?
The European Innovation Council is part of Horizon Europe. It funds high-risk research and innovation that could create new technologies or markets.
Why it exists
Some useful ideas carry too much risk for private funding alone.
The EIC helps teams test a breakthrough, turn eligible research results into an application, or bring a company product to market.
Read the EIC overviewThree main schemes
Pathfinder · early research
Transition · eligible results and applications
Accelerator · a company takes an innovation to market
Open calls cover any field. Challenges name a topic. EIC support also includes business services.03 / EIC at a glance
Three main EIC schemes
The schemes support different stages. They do not form an automatic sequence. A separate STEP Scale Up route supports large investment rounds.
SchemePurpose2026 support2026 applicant shape
PathfinderEarly, high-risk research · TRL 1–4Grant up to €4mResearch consortium; Challenges have other options
TransitionDevelop a qualifying research result · TRL 4–6Grant up to €2.5mOne entity or a consortium of two to five
AcceleratorBring a breakthrough product to market · completed TRL 5Grant below €2.5m; investment may reach €10mOne eligible company
The Accelerator may combine a grant and equity investment. EIC-funded teams can also use Business Acceleration Services. 2026 rules
04 / Start with evidence
Three facts before a funding route.
A funding instrument cannot make a weak idea strong. These questions show where to begin.
The evidence
What exists now? What has already been tested?
The team
Who can research, build, test, use and own the result?
For our discussionWhat would we need to learn before choosing a programme?
05 / Explore the routes
Where could the idea fit?
Start with the EDIH.li sectors discussed at the partner workshop, then explore which funding route could support the work.
EDIH.li focus from the partner workshop
Where could we start?
Legal, compliance and fiduciary servicesSource-based checks and accountable advice
Healthcare and careSafe support for staff and patients
HR and professional servicesFair recruitment and supervised knowledge work
Planning and constructionProject evidence, reporting and delivery
Finance and bankingControlled information and regulatory duties
Municipal servicesClear answers and useful public services
06 / Transition
From an eligible result to a tested use.
Transition can be a strong university–industry route, but an existing product alone does not qualify.
TRL 3/4
The prior result must have completed TRL 3 or be at TRL 4.
The result comes first.
The proposal must build on a result from a qualifying EU-funded project. The work then validates the technology and develops business readiness towards TRL 5 or 6.
Under the 2026 rules, one eligible entity or a consortium of two to five may apply. Grants can reach €2.5 million. The 2027 draft proposes a single applicant instead.
Check eligible projects and rulesFor our discussionWhich qualifying result, rights and user setting would the partners bring?
07 / Accelerator
One company takes the product forward.
The EIC Accelerator is a single-applicant company route. A university or EDIH.li partner can still have a defined delivery role.
TRL 5
The innovation must have completed TRL 5 before the grant work starts.
Who owns the scale case?
An eligible start-up or SME applies. Open accepts any technology field; Challenges require a topic match. Grants are below €2.5 million; the investment option is €1–10 million.
Research, pilots or a regulated-sector AI product workstream can be agreed with partners. The company remains accountable for its application.
Read the EIC Accelerator rulesFor our discussionWhich company owns the product, and what would a partner deliver?
08 / STEP Scale Up
A separate route for a large round.
STEP Scale Up is equity investment for strategic technologies. It is not an easier version of the Accelerator grant.
€10–30m
Indicative EIC equity investment.
Investor readiness is central.
One eligible start-up, SME or small mid-cap applies. The target round is €50–150 million. A qualified investor must pre-commit at least 20% of that round.
This route is worth discussing only when the company and investor case are already at that scale.
Read STEP Scale Up09 / Team shapes
Who can apply under each EIC route?
The applicant structure changes by programme. Select a route to see its rule. Partners outside the formal application can still do defined work.
Possible structure
Pathfinder Open
Three or more beneficiaries
People and work
Three independent legal entities in three different eligible countries
At least one must be based in an EU Member State. University and company partners can share research work.
A two-country team cannot submit to Pathfinder Open. For EIC funding, Liechtenstein is not a Horizon Europe associated country. This differs from Erasmus+. The 2027 draft proposes a single-applicant Transition route; the final call will decide.
10 / International regulation
Which rules apply in the EU, UK and Switzerland?
A shared product needs more than one legal check. Compare the intended use, data, users and route to market in each jurisdiction.
EU AI Act
Classify the intended use. Recruitment and certain clinical or essential-service uses can trigger high-risk duties. EU data and product rules may also apply.
EU AI ActSector-led rules
There is no single UK equivalent to the EU AI Act. Check UK data protection, equality, professional and sector rules for the use case.
UK approachData and sector law
Swiss data protection law applies to AI-supported processing. Switzerland is preparing AI-specific measures; product and sector duties already matter.
Swiss approachA product used in more than one market needs a use-case and market check. The place where the team builds it does not settle the duties.
11 / Other 2026 calls
Other 2026 EIC calls may also fit.
The EIC site also lists the 2026 Advanced Innovation Challenges pilot, the Pre-Accelerator and a separate STEP Scale Up Defence call.
Advanced Innovation Challenges: topic-led, high-risk projects where research needs a route towards use.
Pre-Accelerator: an earlier company route restricted to eligible widening countries.
STEP Scale Up Defence: a distinct major investment call for defence technologies.
See all current EIC calls12 / Discussion record
What deserves a closer look?
Capture a possible case and next check. Nothing here is a funding recommendation or partner commitment.
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Route explored: None selected EDIH.li sectors: legal and compliance; healthcare; HR and professional services; planning and construction; finance; municipalities. These are discussion prompts, not decisions.
For our discussionWhich one question should the partners answer next?
13 / What is Erasmus+ KA220?
What is an Erasmus+ Cooperation Partnership?
KA220 funds organisations that work across borders to improve education, training, youth or sport. The partnership must address a programme priority and produce results that others can use.
Key Action 2 · Cooperation Partnerships
A joint learning result, tested in more than one country
Partners can develop a course, a teaching method or a practical toolkit. They test it, share it and show how others can use it. Meetings support the work; they are not the result on their own.
Read the official KA220 rulesA useful EDIH.li question
Could EDIH.li and education partners turn safe AI practice into training that SMEs and public bodies can use?
A commercial AI product suite would need a different funding case. KA220 should be led by a clear learning need and reusable results.14 / KA220 country rules
A Liechtenstein–UK–Swiss partnership for 2027
We can develop a three-country Cooperation Partnership now, with a March 2027 application as the planning target.
The minimum
Three organisations in three eligible countries
KA220 needs three eligible organisations from three different EU Member States or Erasmus+-associated countries. The coordinator must have existed for at least two years.
Our proposed 2027 geography
Liechtenstein: already associated with Erasmus+.
United Kingdom: participation from 1 January 2027 is set out in the EU–UK decision.
Switzerland: the signed EU–Swiss agreement provides for participation from 1 January 2027, subject to its national-agency step.
AIBA has confirmed the 2027 direction to the presenter. Form the team and define the work now; use the published call for the final form and deadline. UK decision Swiss agreement
15 / KA220 funding and work
How a Cooperation Partnership works
KA220 has fixed grant choices. The proposal still needs a credible plan, clear partner tasks and results that people can use after the project.
Total project grant · choose one€120,000€250,000€400,000
Duration: 12–36 months.
Design: address at least one relevant Erasmus+ priority, assign real work to each partner and plan how to share results.
Budget: the lump sum is a contribution. The estimated total project cost must exceed the grant requested.
Timing: prepare for a spring 2027 application. The exact deadline and form will be set in the 2027 call.
Check the current call and agency16 / Possible KA220 cases
What can partners create together?
These are prompts for discussion. Each would need evidence of demand, a relevant programme priority and an eligible partnership.
Possible learning result · not a proposal
Safe AI at work
Short, reusable learning units for staff who use AI in healthcare, HR or compliance.
Can learners recognise a risky use and choose a safe next step?
An education lead, EDIH.li delivery expertise and organisations that train staff.17 / Founder design sprints
Joint design sprints with founders
Founders in Manchester and the EDIH.li network could turn a shared sector problem into concepts they can test across borders.
Proposed collaboration format
One brief, mixed teams, a visible result
Exchange and EDIH.li could bring founders, SMEs and potential users together around one defined task in healthcare, compliance, HR or construction.
Each team would leave with a prototype, a short test record and a clear next question. A KA220 proposal could turn the method and learning material into results other organisations can use.
Illustrative format. Partners would choose a founder challenge and agree the design together.
18 / Erasmus+ discussion record
Is there a KA220 case to explore?
Capture one useful next check. This is a discussion record, not a decision to apply.
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2027 planning case: Liechtenstein, United Kingdom and Switzerland. AIBA has confirmed the association direction to the presenter. Agree the substantive roles now; use the 2027 call for the final form and deadline.
19 / What is an AI Factory?
What is an AI Factory?
In the EU programme, an AI Factory brings computing power, data services and people together to develop and use advanced AI.
EuroHPC infrastructure
More than a building full of GPUs.
An AI Factory combines an AI-optimised supercomputer with expert support, tools and training. Teams can develop, adapt and test AI models and applications there.
European Commission overviewWhat a project may need
Compute for training, fine-tuning or large-scale inference.
Support with data, software, workflows and skills.
A route to access matched to the team and the size of the task.
An AI Factory is infrastructure and a service, not an EIC or Erasmus+ grant. The planned AI Gigafactories are a separate, larger initiative.For our discussionWhat work would need this scale of computing or specialist support?
20 / EDIH.li and AI Factories
How could EDIH.li connect a project to an AI Factory?
EDIHs can help SMEs and public bodies define a use case, test it and find a suitable part of the European AI ecosystem.
Define the task
Choose one sector problem, user and measurable result.
Test before invest
Try a small, safe version and check data, quality and risk.
Find the right resource
EDIH.li can broker secure LLM expertise and refer the team to a relevant AI Factory or partner.
Prepare access
Match the work to an industrial or collaborative-research access route.
EDIH support is useful, but it is not a formal gateway: eligible organisations can apply to EuroHPC directly. Access, data handling and confidentiality depend on the chosen facility and call. EDIH network role EuroHPC access
For our discussionWhich small test would tell us whether a larger AI Factory project is justified?
21 / AI Factory network
A European network with several ways in.
The Commission lists 19 AI Factories and 13 antennas being set up. Facilities and access routes differ; the project need should lead the choice.
19AI Factories13antennasCommission position, 12 August 2026
Industrial innovation
Eligible SMEs and start-ups can seek Playground, Fast Lane or Large Scale access, depending on the work and compute needed.
Science and collaborative EU projects
A separate route supports AI research and qualifying Horizon Europe or Digital Europe collaborations.
Find a fit
Examples include HammerHAI in Germany, LUMI in Finland and 1HealthAI in Spain. The network also lists antennas in the UK and Switzerland.
For our discussionWhich facility has the right service for the use case?
22 / AI Factory map
Where are the AI Factories?
This Commission map makes the network tangible. Use the live list for current facilities and access details.
Use the map to begin, not to decide
Three checks for a shared project
Capability: Does the facility support the model, data and scale we need?
Access: Which organisation applies, and under which route?
Trust: Where will sensitive data be processed, and who can review the result?
Open the current Commission list23 / Exchange cohort session
One international collaboration session for each cohort?
Goal: give founders a practical opportunity to test a European funding or partner route, adding to the existing cohort curriculum.
From first traction to a European test
Bring one product or research question. Check whether a funding route needs a research partner, a pilot user or no consortium at all.
Possible fit: Month 6 · Growth Funding OptionsFrom market traction to cross-border scale
Bring one expansion challenge. Identify a market, validation or technical partner that could make a larger project credible.
Possible fit: Month 3 · Access to New Markets, or Month 5 · Growth FundingSuggested result: founders understand relevant EU funding routes and have the opportunity to exchange ideas with founders in other countries. Exchange curriculum
For our discussionWhich founder challenge would make this session worth attending?
24 / UK-accessible routes
Which European routes could a UK start-up explore?
Start with the work and the applicant rules. UK participation is possible in several routes, but the conditions are not identical.
EIC Pathfinder
A breakthrough research question; Pathfinder Open requires a three-country consortium.
Check PathfinderEIC Transition
A qualifying prior project result; a single applicant or a small consortium may apply.
Check TransitionEIC Accelerator
A single start-up or SME applies. UK grant access is possible; EIC Fund investment remains conditional.
Check UK conditionsErasmus+ KA220
A cross-country education partnership, not product investment. Plan against the 2027 call and its country rules.
Check KA220These are starting points, not an eligibility decision. Check the current call, legal entity, country and funding-component rules before building a proposal.
For our discussionWhich route matches the evidence the founder already has?
25 / Founder matchmaking
Bring founders together around a real funding opportunity.
Many European research and cooperation funding routes require international partners. A matchmaking session could connect Exchange founders with start-ups in EDIH.li and the wider EDIH Network — online or in person.
Exchange founders
Present the product or research question, the evidence so far and the contribution a partner could make.
EDIH.li start-ups
Invite founders and SMEs from our hub who bring complementary technology, sector knowledge or access to a test setting.
The EDIH Network
Ask partner hubs to invite suitable start-ups, test sites and specialists from other countries; they could join online.
Matchmaking tests a possible project, not eligibility. EIC Accelerator has one company applicant, though international contacts may help it test and grow. The EU partner search can add call-specific leads.
For our discussionWhich founder case should we use to pilot a matchmaking session?
26 / EDIH Network connections
EDIH.li can turn a founder need into a relevant introduction.
The EDIH Network offers a way to locate hubs with complementary sector, technology and service expertise. A match still needs a shared project purpose.
Define the case
Record the founder's problem, evidence, stage and desired contribution.
Check the route
Confirm who can apply, whether partners are required and what each would do.
Search the network
Use hub specialisms and other partner-search channels to shortlist real matches.
Make an introduction
Agree a first conversation, possible workstream and next decision.
Proposed role for EDIH.li and Exchange; no introduction, consortium place or grant is guaranteed. The first test is whether the partners can do useful work together.
For our discussionWhich founder case should we use for a first joint session?