Turning breakthrough research into real-world impact requires more than scientific excellence. It also needs the right support at the right time: funding to explore commercialisation pathways, validate market potential, strengthen intellectual property, build strategic partnerships and increase visibility within the European innovation ecosystem.
This is where the BOOST project plays a key role. Through the EIC Booster Grants, BOOST is helping EIC-supported research move closer to market, strengthen its innovation potential and generate wider impact across Europe.
The latest results from the BOOST Open Call confirm this momentum. Between February and May 2026, four additional cut-offs were evaluated, resulting in 25 proposals selected for funding and a total of €1,249,601.75 awarded to EIC Awardees and related beneficiaries.
What is BOOST, and why do EIC Booster Grants matter?
The BOOST project supports the implementation of EIC Booster Grants, a financial support mechanism for EIC Awardees, primarily from EIC Pathfinder and EIC Transition projects, as well as for other eligible third parties directly invited by the European Innovation Council.
These grants provide targeted financial support to help promising deep tech innovation projects take the next step. For some beneficiaries, this may mean defining a commercialisation process, conducting a market and competitiveness analysis, assessing technology readiness, consolidating IP rights, or developing a business case. For others, the focus may be portfolio activities, such as creating synergies within an EIC Portfolio, engaging strategic partners, co-organising events, improving data sharing or raising the visibility of the EIC Portfolio community.
Importantly, the BOOST Open Call is not open to the general public. It is a restricted call for applicants directly invited by the EIC.
Results from BOOST cut-offs 7 to 10
The BOOST restricted Open Call was launched on 6 March 2025 and remains open. The Evaluation Public Summary Report 2 covers four cut-offs organised between February and May 2026.
The cut-offs covered in this reporting period were:
7th cut-off: 9 February 2026, 17:00 Brussels Time
8th cut-off: 9 March 2026, 17:00 Brussels Time
9th cut-off: 13 April 2026, 17:00 Brussels Time
10th cut-off: 11 May 2026, 17:00 Brussels Time
Across these four cut-offs, BOOST received 31 proposals. The distribution was balanced across the reporting period, with 6 proposals submitted in the 7th cut-off, 11 in the 8th cut-off, 7 in the 9th cut-off and 7 in the 10th cut-off.
Out of these proposals, 28 were considered eligible. Following the evaluation and selection process, 25 proposals were selected for funding, totalling € 1,249,601.75 in awarded funds.
These results show the continued relevance of EIC Booster Grants as a practical instrument to support research commercialisation, innovation activities and portfolio activities among EIC-backed projects.
A strong European dimension
The selected proposals reflect the diversity and strength of the European deep tech ecosystem. Beneficiaries listed in the report include organisations from Slovenia, Germany, Italy, Austria, Croatia, Ireland, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Serbia, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, among others.
This geographical diversity highlights the European dimension of BOOST and its role in connecting high-potential research results with impact-driven support mechanisms. The selected organisations include research institutions, universities, innovation-driven companies and other entities linked to EIC-supported projects.
By supporting beneficiaries across different countries and innovation ecosystems, BOOST contributes to a more connected European Innovation Council community. It also reinforces collaboration between research, technology transfer, entrepreneurship and market-oriented stakeholders.
From research excellence to market and societal impact
EIC Pathfinder and EIC Transition projects often generate highly promising results at early stages of technological and business development. However, the path from research results to market uptake can be complex. Teams may need additional resources to validate assumptions, assess market needs, protect intellectual property, identify customers, prepare a business case or connect with investors and strategic partners.
BOOST addresses this gap by funding targeted actions that can increase the impact of EIC-supported research.
For innovation activities, the grants can support work related to commercialisation strategies, market analysis, technology assessment, verification of innovation potential, IP consolidation, business case development, preparatory work for start-up or spin-off creation, and access to incubation or acceleration support.
For portfolio activities, the grants can support shared objectives, synergies between EIC Portfolio projects, strategic stakeholder engagement, event organisation, data sharing and increased visibility of the EIC Portfolio community.
Together, these activities help research teams move from scientific promise to clearer exploitation pathways. They also contribute to the broader objectives of Horizon Europe: strengthening Europe’s innovation capacity, accelerating deep tech development and supporting solutions to pressing societal and industrial challenges.
BOOST continues to support EIC Awardees
The results of cut-offs 7 to 10 mark another important step in the implementation of the BOOST project. With 25 additional proposals selected and nearly €1.25 million awarded during this period, BOOST continues to demonstrate how targeted cascade funding can help EIC Awardees increase the value, visibility and uptake of their research results.
As the call remains active, BOOST will continue supporting invited EIC Awardees and related eligible third parties through a structured, transparent and impact-oriented process.
Call to action for EIC-invited applicants
Applicants who have received an official EIC invitation are encouraged to carefully follow the instructions provided in their invitation, check the recommended activities, respect the relevant cut-off deadlines and submit their application through the indicated platform. The BOOST Open Call is restricted to EIC-invited applicants only.
BOOST project has received funding from the Horizon Europe Framework Programme under grant agreement No 101192038. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Innovation Council (EIC). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Download the report