Professional, scientific and technical activities

EIC Pathfinder Challenges 2026 support portfolios of ambitious research and innovation projects that aim to realise cutting‑edge technological solutions grounded in high‑risk/high‑gain research, each aligned to a specific challenge area. Unlike the open Pathfinder call, Challenges are thematic, with each challenge overseen by a dedicated Programme Manager who steers a portfolio of projects towards shared objectives through common roadmaps, joint activities and continuous interactions among projects.​

EIC Pathfinder Open is a Horizon Europe call under the European Innovation Council (EIC) that funds early‑stage, science‑towards‑technology research aimed at radically new future technologies capable of creating new markets, addressing major societal needs and tackling global challenges. The call is designed for interdisciplinary consortia with ambitious long‑term technology visions, where achieving a proof of principle requires tackling fundamental scientific unknowns and accepting high levels of technical and scientific risk.​

The Xiamen BRICS Cross‑Border Innovation Accelerator Program 2026 is a flagship international acceleration initiative hosted in Xiamen, China, designed to help high‑potential overseas and China‑based innovation companies enter, validate and scale in the Chinese market.

The National Cleantech Innovation Challenge (NCIC) 2026 is a national programme led by the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) in partnership with NGIN, regional hubs and Start‑Up Culture to accelerate South Africa’s transition to a low‑carbon, climate‑resilient and inclusive economy.

The INCiTiS‑FOOD project (Integrated and Circular Technologies for Sustainable City‑Region Food Systems in Africa) has launched Open Call 2 for Independent Innovators (IIs) to support start‑ups and SMEs working on sustainable urban and peri‑urban food production.

The STREAMING Open Call for Knowledge Transfer is a Horizon Europe‑funded scheme that provides up to €25,000 per grant to develop interactive digital learning courses on sustainable food systems and food trade, with a total budget of €275,000 for 11 grants. The call supports content that translates cutting‑edge research into practical digital training for farmers, food producers and processors, startups, students and other stakeholders, covering the entire food supply chain from sustainable farming to waste reduction and food safety.

The Estonian Centre for International Development Cooperation (ESTDEV) has launched an application round to fund development cooperation projects in Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, Zambia, Tanzania and Uganda, with a total indicative budget of €600,000.