# DeepRAP: Deep Reasoning, Abstraction & Planning towards trustworthy Cognitive AI Systems

**Funder:** European Innovation Council (EIC)
**Budget:** €500,000 – €4,000,000 per grant
**Deadline:** 28 October 2026
**Official call:** https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/HORIZON-EIC-2026-PATHFINDERCHALLENGES-01-03
**Last updated:** 25 Sept 2026

## Eligibility & scope

EIC call (HORIZON-EIC-2026-PATHFINDERCHALLENGES-01): HORIZON EIC Grants

## Summary

DeepRAP is a EIC Pathfinder Challenge funding line supporting research on reasoning, abstraction and planning for trustworthy cognitive AI systems, with grants between €500,000 and €4,000,000. It is aimed at research teams working on advanced AI methods rather than a single career stage, and applications close 28 October 2026.

## Who should apply

- Research teams working on AI reasoning, abstraction or planning methods
- Consortia or organisations eligible under Horizon Europe EIC rules
- Projects addressing trustworthy or explainable cognitive AI systems
- Applicants targeting high-risk, high-reward exploratory research

## Key dates

- Application deadline: 28 October 2026

## Tips for applicants

- Frame the proposal around the Pathfinder Challenge's specific technical goals on reasoning and abstraction, not general AI research.
- EIC Pathfinder proposals are assessed on breakthrough potential and scientific excellence, so state the novelty versus current deep learning approaches explicitly.
- Budget scales widely (€500K-€4M); justify the requested amount against a clearly scoped work plan and milestones.

## Frequently asked questions

### How much does the DeepRAP EIC call fund?

Grants range from €500,000 to €4,000,000 per project.

### What is the deadline for the DeepRAP call?

The deadline is 28 October 2026.

### What topic does the DeepRAP call cover?

It funds research on deep reasoning, abstraction and planning toward trustworthy cognitive AI systems, under the EIC Pathfinder Challenges call HORIZON-EIC-2026-PATHFINDERCHALLENGES-01.

### Who funds the DeepRAP call?

The European Innovation Council (EIC), part of Horizon Europe, funds this call.

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Source: [The Great Grantsby](https://grantsby.eu/grants/european-innovation-council-eic-deeprap-deep-reasoning-abstraction-planning-toward-2026-10) — EU grant monitoring for academic researchers. Always verify details on the funder's website before applying.

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