European Commission adopts 2027 innovation funding plan for strategic technologies

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EU 2027 innovation funding plan

Highlights

European Commission launches final Horizon Europe Work Programme, allocating €1.8 billion to support commercialization and scale-up of strategic technologies by 2027.
EU Chips Act mobilises €525 million for a European Chip Design Platform, offering early-stage start-ups grants up to €100,000 and advanced start-ups up to €16 million for chip development.
European Union Solidarity Fund grants €113 million to France and Slovakia for recovery from 2024–2025 extreme weather events, supporting infrastructure repairs and emergency operations.

2027 funding plan targets deep tech and chip design

As reported by European Commission, the 2027 European Innovation Council Work Programme unlocks €1.8 billion to support high-potential innovators from early research to commercialisation and scale-up. The programme is the final EIC funding package under Horizon Europe 2021 to 2027 and is designed to turn breakthrough research into market-ready products while strengthening Europe's capacity in strategic technologies.

The Commission says the new programme makes EIC support simpler, faster and more targeted. It also continues backing scale-up through the Scaleup Europe Fund and the EIC STEP Scale Up scheme, including for dual-use and defence technologies, while introducing measures intended to help EIC-backed companies secure first customers through public procurement.

A separate semiconductor initiative under the EU Chips Act is set to mobilise €525 million for a European Chip Design Platform. The platform gives chip design companies access to design tools, support services, intellectual property blocks and manufacturing capacity, resources that are often costly and difficult for early-stage businesses to secure.

Early-stage start-ups can apply for grants of up to €100,000 for proof-of-concept prototyping on the platform, while more advanced start-ups can seek grants of €16 million to cover chip development costs on the path to commercialisation.

Recovery aid, fisheries policy and ERC succession shape wider EU agenda

The Commission also grants €113 million from the European Union Solidarity Fund to France and Slovakia after cyclones and floods. France receives €89.6 million for recovery in Mayotte after cyclone Chido in December 2024 and another €21.2 million for La Réunion after cyclone Garance in February 2025, while Slovakia receives €2.1 million linked to severe floods in September 2024.

The funding supports emergency response and recovery work including repairs to damaged infrastructure, temporary accommodation, clean-up operations and the restoration of natural zones. The package also reimburses part of the costs tied to rescue operations and reflects the EU's continued use of common funds to address climate-related damage across member states.

Separately, the Commission adopts its proposal for 2027 fishing opportunities for 11 fish stocks managed by the EU in the Atlantic, Kattegat and Skagerrak. For six of those stocks, the proposal also sets catches for 2028 and, in some cases, 2029, based on scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea to support sustainability and the long-term viability of the sector.

The Commission is also opening nominations for the next President of the European Research Council. Research organisations across the EU can nominate candidates until 23 November 2026, with the new president due to take office on 1 October 2027 to succeed Professor Maria Leptin for a four-year term that is renewable once.

Our earlier article on Mario Draghi’s warning about high interest rates and debt dynamics outlined how aggressive inflation fighting can unintentionally suppress the long-term investment needed for growth and resilience. It also highlighted his call for complementary EU-wide measures—such as deeper market integration, industrial policy, and a larger common budget envelope—to de-risk investment in strategic areas like AI.

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