ELIgnite
- Igniting Breakthrough Deep Tech Innovation Through High-Power Laser Infrastructure
- Horizon Europe · HORIZON-EIE-2026-01-CONNECT-03 (RIA) · GA No. 101318665 · 48 months
About the project
Europe has built world-class Research Infrastructures, yet early-stage deep-tech technologies routinely stall at TRL 1–3 for lack of access to specialised experimental environments and integrated technical–commercial validation.
ELIgnite addresses this gap by establishing a pan-European deep-tech acceleration model anchored in the Extreme Light Infrastructure ERIC, an ESFRI Landmark providing unique high-power laser and laser-driven particle and photon sources.
The action supports a focused portfolio of 6–10 high-potential projects across five mission areas — medical technologies, space and security, clean energy, semiconductors and AI-enabled applications. Selected teams advance from proof-of-concept to validated prototypes (TRL 3–5) while progressing in parallel along commercial readiness (CRL 3–5), combining infrastructure-enabled validation at ELI Beamlines and ELI ALPS with mentoring, innovation services and Entrepreneur-in-Residence support. More than 60% of the budget — EUR 3 million, up to EUR 500,000 per beneficiary — is channelled through Financial Support to Third Parties. Validation is framed throughout as pre-competitive experimental RI access.
By using a limited number of deeply supported projects as ecosystem anchors, ELIgnite strengthens RI–industry collaboration, de-risks early-stage deep tech, and delivers a replicable model for RI-centred innovation ecosystems across Europe.
Key facts
- Duration | 48 months
- Total Budget | ~EUR 5.0 million (100% funding rate)
- FSTV Envelope | EUR 3 million (60%), max EUR 500,000 per third party
- Supported Projects | 6 - 10
- Mission Areas | Medical · Space & Security · Clean Energy
· Semiconductors · AI-enabled applications - Coordinator | ELI ERIC (Czechia)
- Granting Authority | REA
Consortium
Beneficiaries:
- ELI ERIC (CZ, Coordinator — WP1, WP4)
- ELI ALPS / ELI-HU (HU, affiliated entity — WP4)
- Technology Centre Prague (CZ — WP3, WP6)
- Commercialization Reactor (LV — WP2) · INAM (DE — WP5)
Associated partners:
- CIC nanoGUNE (ES)
- ELI Impact Lab (CZ)
- ENEA (IT)
- FTMC (LT)
- IP Lab Services (CZ)
- Mecasys (SK)
- Politecnico di Milano (IT)
- Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (DE)
Work packages
WP | Scope | Lead |
WP1 | Project management | ELI ERIC |
WP2 | Outreach & global deep-tech scouting | Commercialization Reactor |
WP3 | Evaluation, selection & FSTP management | Technology Centre Prague |
WP4 | Technology validation & TRL advancement | ELI ERIC |
WP5 | Commercial acceleration & CRL progression | INAM |
WP6 | Sustainable ecosystem development | Technology Centre Prague |
The Extreme Light Infrastructure is the world's largest and most advanced high-power laser infrastructure and a global technology and innovation leader in high-power, high-intensity, and short-pulsed laser systems.
The international laser user facility ELI develops and operates some of the most intense lasers in the world. ELI’s lasers produce ultra-short pulses of high energy photons, electrons, protons, neutrons.
The Czech Republic hosts the ELI ERIC statutory seat in Dolní Břežany, in the South of Prague, at the ELI Beamlines Facility. A second Facility, ELI ALPS, is hosted by Hungary in Szeged. The Czech Republic and Hungary are joined by Italy and Lithuania as Founding Members, Bulgaria transitioned to be a full Member as of 1 January 2025, while Germany holds an Observer status. A third ELI Facility is operating in Romania which was accepted as a Founding Observer in ELI ERIC from 1 January 2024. Most recently, Montenegro, Slovakia and Poland joined ELI ERIC as Observers in March and June 2026.
