ELIgnite awarded €5M to boost deep-tech innovation in Europe
ELIgnite, a new Horizon Europe project coordinated by the Extreme Light Infrastructure ERIC (ELI), will streamline access to advanced laser facilities, making it easier for researchers to discover, apply for, and use ELI’s capabilities.
The European Commission has awarded funding to ELIgnite, a new Horizon Europe project coordinated by the Extreme Light Infrastructure ERIC (ELI). Bringing together leading research infrastructures, innovation organisations and business support partners, ELIgnite aims to bridge the gap between Europe’s world-leading laser and photonics infrastructures and the commercial ecosystem of startups, scaleups, SMEs and industrial innovators.
The project supports Europe’s ambition to strengthen technological sovereignty, industrial competitiveness, and the commercialisation of deep-tech innovation. ELIgnite is the only project selected under this Horizon Europe initiative, according to a media release.
Backed by EUR 5 million in European funding under the Horizon Europe programme, ELIgnite will streamline access to advanced laser facilities, making it easier for researchers to discover, apply for, and use ELI’s capabilities. The project will channel over 60% of its total budget directly to companies via cascade funding, offering grants up to EUR 500,000 to develop disruptive solutions capable of transforming global industry and society.
“ELIgnite is about opening Europe’s most advanced photonics and laser infrastructure to entrepreneurs, innovators, and industrial pioneers,” said Roman Hvězda, Project Coordinator. “Our goal is simple: dramatically shorten the distance between breakthrough science and market-ready businesses via an absolute fast track.”
ELIgnite targets high-growth domains where ELI’s advanced laser technologies can deliver immediate, transformative value, such as clean energy & sustainable industry; health & life sciences; advanced manufacturing & materials (including semiconductors); and security, space & resilient infrastructure.
A core feature of ELIgnite is its substantial cascade funding programme (Financial Support to Third Parties - FSTP). Through this mechanism, startups, SMEs, and industrial innovators can apply for direct financial grants to develop, test, and validate their breakthrough technologies, targeting a dual advancement across both Technology Readiness Levels (TRL 3–5) and Commercial Readiness Levels (CRL 3–5), the media release said.
