Polish institutions win EIC Pathfinder Open 2026 funding

Five Polish entities, including four universities and one company, have been selected as winners of the EIC Pathfinder Open 2026 competition. The European Innovation Council (EIC) announced that out of 2,103 applications, only 43 projects were chosen for funding, representing a success rate of approximately 2 percent.

The winning Polish institutions are Jagiellonian University, Warsaw University of Technology, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, University of Warsaw, and the company KB Folie Polska. The selected research areas include nanoscale imaging technologies, advanced lasers, intelligent medical diagnostics, and eco-friendly packaging.

Total funding for the selected projects amounts to approximately 166 million euros, with individual projects potentially receiving up to 4 million euros. Notably, Jagiellonian University and Warsaw University of Technology will serve as coordinators for their own international research consortia.