The Eurostars 3 funding instrument, set up jointly by the European Commission and the Eureka network, supports collaborative projects led by innovative SMEs. The call is currently open and will close on 4 November 2021.
Eurostars 3 call for proposals
The Eurostars 3 joint programme, supported by the European Commission and the Eureka network, aims to support collaborative projects led by innovative SMEs.
Currently, in its third version, it is an important feature of the European Innovation Ecosystems (EIE) which fall under the third pillar of the Horizon Europe programme. It will propose two calls for projects per year, throughout the period of the European Framework Programme (2021-2027).
In order to be eligible, the innovative SMEs shall have the will to collaborate in terms of R&D and innovation with international partners in order to develop new products, processes, and services for the European and global markets.
The development phase of the project must be done on a three-year timeframe, and the commercialization phase should take place on the two-year following the end of the project.
The eligibility criteria
The submitted projects must fulfill several eligibility criteria:
- A project led by an innovative SME from a Eurostars member country;
- A consortium composed of at least two independent entities, from two different countries;
- At least one organization must be from an EU country or a country associated with Horizon Europe;
- The SME budget must represent 50% or more of the total cost of the project, and no participant or country must have more than 70% of the project budget.
The countries participating in the programme extend beyond European borders because countries such as South Africa, Canada, South Korea, Singapore, and Turkey join the list of European countries.
Please note that one of the specificities of the Eurostars programme is the way it is financed. Indeed, national funding bodies manage the allocation of grants. Therefore, the financing rules vary from one country to another.
How to submit your proposal?
The first Eurostars 3 call for proposals was launched on the 2nd September 2021. The deadline is announced for the 4th of November at 2 PM (CET).
The application process has been designed to be simple and intuitive. It consists of 5 steps:
- Each project leader contacts its national or regional body;
- The SME leading the consortium opens an online session on the project platform of the Eureka website;
- The application form including all project information must be completed online;
- The consortium uploads all the required annexes on the platform;
- Once all these steps are achieved, the project can be submitted for evaluation.
Do you want to submit a Eurostars 3 project? Do not hesitate to consult our services or contact us directly for more information.