Last days to participate in vEIColo, a scientific research call for applications targeting universities and non-profit organizations

Last days to participate in vEIColo, a scientific research call for applications targeting universities and non-profit organizations

On the occasion of the second deadline of the Call's third edition, dedicated to EIC Pathfinder Open proposals, a two-phase support system is being introduced in line with the new structure of the European call

The program will support the selected teams from the preparation of Stage 1 up to their potential entry into Stage 2

Deadline for submitting applications: September 30, 2026, by 1:00 PM

 

The third edition of the vEIColo Call, promoted by Fondazione CDP—the non-profit organization of the Cassa Depositi e Prestiti Group—together with Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo and Fondazione Cariplo, targets Italian universities and public and private non-profit research institutions to support them in the process of commercializing scientific research. The objective is to strengthen the technological readiness level of the results and enhance transfer and scalability opportunities for high-potential innovations within the framework of European Innovation Council (EIC) programs.

In this edition as well, the support is developed along two tracks: on one hand, enhancement, aimed at projects that achieved a passing evaluation score but did not receive European funding; on the other hand, new opportunities, dedicated to building new applications through training activities and specialized guidance.

For the second deadline of the third edition, dedicated to the EIC Pathfinder Open call, the program is now being updated to reflect the new application method introduced by the European Innovation Council, which features a two-stage selection process. Selected teams will thus benefit from a progressive journey: starting with the preparation of the Stage 1 proposal, it continues with further guidance toward Stage 2 for projects that successfully pass the first phase of the European selection.

The process is divided into two phases: the first, between December 2026 and February 2027, is dedicated to preparing the proposal for Stage 1; the second, starting from June 2027, is reserved for teams that advance to Stage 2 of the European selection. Applications for the vEIColo Call can be submitted until 1:00 PM on September 30, 2026.

This update allows projects to be guided throughout the entire process outlined by the new EIC Pathfinder Open structure, ensuring continuous support tailored to the different stages of the application.

For further information and to consult the full text of the vEIColo Call, you can visit the "Contributi" section at this link.