June 30, 2025
What Is TRL?
June 30, 2025
What Is TRL?
TRL stands for Technology Readiness Level, a scale used by the European Commission (and many other institutions) to assess the maturity of a technology. TRLs help evaluators understand how far along you are, from an early research idea to a market-ready solution.
Why TRLs Matter in EU Funding
Many EU calls, especially in Horizon Europe Pillar 2, EIC Pathfinder/Transition/Accelerator, and EIT programmes, ask you to define your TRL at the beginning and the target TRL by the end of the project.
For example:
EIC Pathfinder: TRL 1–3
EIC Transition: TRL 3–5
EIC Accelerator: TRL 5/6 to TRL 8/9
Tips for Estimating TRL Accurately
1. Be honest, not aspirational
Don’t claim a TRL 6 just because you’re close — the EC wants evidence-based justification, especially for higher TRLs.
2. Describe what has been done, not what is planned
TRLs reflect current status, not your future plan. Say what tests, validations, or pilots have actually been completed.
3. Use clear, quantifiable evidence
Include lab results, working prototypes, field testing, certifications, or user trials to support your claim.
4. Match your TRL to the call’s expectations
Read the Work Programme carefully. Some calls may fund early-stage research (TRL 1–3), others only support market-ready pilots (TRL 6–9).
Example: AI-Powered Tool for Healthcare
TRL 3: You've developed a working algorithm on synthetic datasets.
TRL 5: You’ve validated the tool in collaboration with a hospital under controlled conditions.
TRL 7: You’ve tested the full prototype in a real hospital with users and collected feedback.
How Timbi Helps
At Timbi, we support researchers and founders in accurately defining their TRL for EU applications. Our team helps you:
Align your TRL with the funder’s expectations
Gather the right evidence and documentation
Plan realistic TRL advancement through your project
Why TRLs Matter in EU Funding
Many EU calls, especially in Horizon Europe Pillar 2, EIC Pathfinder/Transition/Accelerator, and EIT programmes, ask you to define your TRL at the beginning and the target TRL by the end of the project.
For example:
EIC Pathfinder: TRL 1–3
EIC Transition: TRL 3–5
EIC Accelerator: TRL 5/6 to TRL 8/9
Tips for Estimating TRL Accurately
1. Be honest, not aspirational
Don’t claim a TRL 6 just because you’re close — the EC wants evidence-based justification, especially for higher TRLs.
2. Describe what has been done, not what is planned
TRLs reflect current status, not your future plan. Say what tests, validations, or pilots have actually been completed.
3. Use clear, quantifiable evidence
Include lab results, working prototypes, field testing, certifications, or user trials to support your claim.
4. Match your TRL to the call’s expectations
Read the Work Programme carefully. Some calls may fund early-stage research (TRL 1–3), others only support market-ready pilots (TRL 6–9).
Example: AI-Powered Tool for Healthcare
TRL 3: You've developed a working algorithm on synthetic datasets.
TRL 5: You’ve validated the tool in collaboration with a hospital under controlled conditions.
TRL 7: You’ve tested the full prototype in a real hospital with users and collected feedback.
How Timbi Helps
At Timbi, we support researchers and founders in accurately defining their TRL for EU applications. Our team helps you:
Align your TRL with the funder’s expectations
Gather the right evidence and documentation
Plan realistic TRL advancement through your project
TRL stands for Technology Readiness Level, a scale used by the European Commission (and many other institutions) to assess the maturity of a technology. TRLs help evaluators understand how far along you are, from an early research idea to a market-ready solution.
Why TRLs Matter in EU Funding
Many EU calls, especially in Horizon Europe Pillar 2, EIC Pathfinder/Transition/Accelerator, and EIT programmes, ask you to define your TRL at the beginning and the target TRL by the end of the project.
For example:
EIC Pathfinder: TRL 1–3
EIC Transition: TRL 3–5
EIC Accelerator: TRL 5/6 to TRL 8/9
Tips for Estimating TRL Accurately
1. Be honest, not aspirational
Don’t claim a TRL 6 just because you’re close — the EC wants evidence-based justification, especially for higher TRLs.
2. Describe what has been done, not what is planned
TRLs reflect current status, not your future plan. Say what tests, validations, or pilots have actually been completed.
3. Use clear, quantifiable evidence
Include lab results, working prototypes, field testing, certifications, or user trials to support your claim.
4. Match your TRL to the call’s expectations
Read the Work Programme carefully. Some calls may fund early-stage research (TRL 1–3), others only support market-ready pilots (TRL 6–9).
Example: AI-Powered Tool for Healthcare
TRL 3: You've developed a working algorithm on synthetic datasets.
TRL 5: You’ve validated the tool in collaboration with a hospital under controlled conditions.
TRL 7: You’ve tested the full prototype in a real hospital with users and collected feedback.
How Timbi Helps
At Timbi, we support researchers and founders in accurately defining their TRL for EU applications. Our team helps you:
Align your TRL with the funder’s expectations
Gather the right evidence and documentation
Plan realistic TRL advancement through your project
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