Eurostars call for projects – September 2025

Austrian funding agency, the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG), funds R&D costs for SMEs, large companies, research organisations, and universities participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying.

National criteria

FFG has additional national guidelines for projects to be eligible to receive funding.

More information is available on the website of FFG.

Additional steps for applications from Austria

Austrian participants must also submit national documentation (including a detailed costs plan) on the FFG’s online system within two weeks of the Eurostars deadline. Funding contracts for projects will be sent within six to ten weeks after receiving a project approval.

Brussels funding body, Innoviris, funds R&D costs for SMEs, large companies, research organisations, and universities participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying.

The exact funding percentage depends on your consortium collaboration and whether your project activities fall into the category of research or industrial development.

SMEs may also apply for funding for the preparation phase of a project. Contact Innoviris as you begin preparing a project.

National criteria

Innoviris has additional national criteria for projects to be eligible to receive funding:

• Projects involving clinical trials are not eligible to receive funding.

More information is available on the website of Innoviris.

Additional steps for applications from Belgium (Brussels)

Brussels participants must also fill in Innoviris’ application form within five working days of the Eurostars deadline.

Flemish funding body, Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship (VLAIO), funds R&D costs for SMEs, large companies, research organisations, and universities participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying.

SMEs

The base funding is 25% for a development project and up to 50% for a research project.

• An additional 15% is added for the collaboration in the Eurostars project.
• An additional 10%/20% is added in case of a medium/small company.

The funding percentage is a maximum of 60% in case of a development project and 70% in case of a research project. The maximum funding amount is 500,000 euro for the Flemish part of the Eurostars project consortium.

Large companies

The funding percentage for large companies is 40% for development projects (and up to 65% for research projects). The maximum funding amount is 500,000 euro for the Flemish part of the Eurostars project consortium.

Research organisations and universities

Research organisations or universities are not eligible as beneficiaries of the aid, but can be included in the budget as a subcontractor or research partner of the Flemish applicant company that requests funding from Flemish funding body, Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship (VLAIO). The university or research organisation will receive the same funding rate as the Flemish company. The Flemish company must co-finance the university or research organisation’s remaining project costs.

Flanders funds Belgian or foreign universities or research organisations if their expertise is crucial for a Flemish company in the consortium and that company subcontracts them.

National criteria

VLAIO has additional national guidelines for projects to be eligible to receive funding.

More information is available on the website of VLAIO.

Additional steps for applications from Belgium (Flanders)

Flemish participants must also submit a VLAIO (development or research) project application form and budget template to VLAIO before the Eurostars programme deadline.

A funding contract is given approximately two months after receiving a positive evaluation.

Walloon funding body, Service Public de Wallonie (SPW)-Research, funds R&D costs for SMEs and large companies participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying.

National criteria

SPW-Research has additional national criteria for projects to be eligible to receive funding.

More information is available on the website of SPW-Research.

Additional steps for applications from Belgium (Wallonia)

Walloon participants must also submit a SPW-Research submission form in French including information on eligible costs, percentage of funding and types of activities the project involves.

Bulgarian funding body, the Bulgarian Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion Agency (BSMEPA), funds R&D costs for SMEs, research organisations, and universities participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying.

SMEs

BSMEPA covers up to 80% of project costs in grants for SMEs.

Bulgarian SMEs can receive up to 50% of eligible project costs for industrial scientific research or up to 25% of eligible costs for experimental development.

The maximum funding percentage for industrial scientific research and experimental development can be increased by 10% for medium-sized enterprises, 20% for micro and small enterprises or by 15%, to a maximum of 80% of eligible costs if:

• your project is an effective cooperation between enterprises with at least one SME and where activities are carried out in at least two European Union Member States or in one European Union Member State and a country that has signed the European Economic Area Agreement;
• your project is an effective cooperation between an enterprise and one or more research and knowledge dissemination organisation responsible for at least 10% of eligible costs and which has the right to publish results of its own scientific research.

The maximum funding amount is a grant of 100,000 euro per project. The exact funding amount depends on whether your project activities fall into the category of industrial scientific research or experimental development.

Please note that if there is more than one Bulgarian participant in a single project, the funding amount of 100,000 euro applies for each Bulgarian participant.

Research organisations and universities

BSMEPA covers up to 80% of project costs in grants for universities or research organisations.

The maximum funding amount is a grant of 100,000 euro per project. The exact funding amount depends on whether your project activities fall into the category of industrial scientific research or experimental development.

Please note that if there is more than one Bulgarian participant in a single project, the funding amount of 100,000 euro applies for each Bulgarian participant.

Large companies

Bulgaria currently has no allocated budget for large companies participating in our Eurostars programme. If you are a Bulgarian large company wanting to participate in an Eurostars consortium, contact the Bulgarian Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion Agency (BSMEPA) to see whether there are other funding opportunities available or talk to them about self-funding.

National criteria

BSMEPA has additional national criteria for projects to be eligible to receive funding:

• Bulgarian companies must be established in accordance with Bulgarian commercial law to be eligible for funding.
• Participating Bulgarian research organisations should be responsible for at least 10% of the project costs.
• Agriculture, forestry and fishing projects are not eligible for funding.
• Investment projects are not eligible for funding.
• Projects already receiving funding from other funding programmes (Bulgarian, international or EU) are not eligible for funding.

More information is available on the website of BSMEPA.

Additional steps for applications from Bulgaria

Once your project has received a positive evaluation, contact BSMEPA about submitting additional documents to receive national funding. The preparation and submission of these documents can take up to three weeks.

A funding decision is made 14 weeks after your application receives a positive evaluation (on average).

Canadian funding body, the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP), provides eligible Canadian SMEs with advisory services and funding support for R&D costs resulting from participating in our Eurostars programme.

SMEs

NRC IRAP covers up to 50% of project costs for SMEs.

The maximum funding amount is 500,000 Canadian dollars per Canadian SME participant per project.

The funding is a non-repayable contribution against approved work completed and invoiced.

Large companies, research organisations and universities

Canada currently does not support large companies, universities, or research organisations participating in the Eurostars programme. If you are a Canadian university or research organisation wanting to participate in a Eurostars consortium, contact the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) to see whether there are other funding opportunities available or talk to them about self-funding.

National criteria

NRC IRAP has additional national criteria for participants to be eligible to receive funding support for a Eurostars project. Eligible participating Canadian SMEs must:

• register with NRC IRAP prior to the submission of the Eurostars application (see registration instructions on NRC IRAP’s Eurostars web page)
• be eligible for funding as an NRC IRAP client

Canadian SMEs that are not yet NRC IRAP clients (or are uncertain) must register at least 4 weeks before the Eurostars application deadline in order to review their eligibility for NRC IRAP funding with an NRC IRAP representative.

For full NRC IRAP funding eligibility criteria, registration instructions, and application details please visit the NRC IRAP EU Partnership on Innovative SMEs / Eurostars web page.

More information is available on the website of NRC IRAP.

Additional steps for applications from Canada

All Canadian participants must also submit an NRC IRAP project proposal. You may be asked to provide additional information (e.g. your latest financial statements and a cash-flow projection covering the duration of the project). Project cost information must follow NRC-IRAP cost categories. Contact the NRC for more information.

The NRC will carry out an additional assessment of your company and project (of e.g. financial, business and managerial capabilities, the potential of achieving expected results and outcomes, commercialisation plans, etc.).

A funding decision should be made within 7-8 months after the Eurostars deadline.

Croatian funding body, the Croatian Agency for SMEs, Innovations and Investments (HAMAG-BICRO), funds R&D costs for SMEs participating in our Eurostars programme.

SMEs

HAMAG-BICRO covers up to 60% of project costs in grants per project for micro or small companies and up to 50% of project costs in grants per project for medium-sized companies.

The maximum funding amount is a grant of 200,000 euro per project. If there is more than one Croatian participant in your consortium, the maximum grant amount of 200,000 euro will be split between the partners.

These amounts are for a duration of up to three years.

Large companies

Croatia currently has no allocated budget for large companies participating in our Eurostars programme. If you are a Croatian large company wanting to participate in a Eurostars consortium, contact the Croatian Agency for SMEs, Innovation and Investment (HAMAG-BICRO) to talk to them about self-funding.

Research organisations and universities

Croatian universities and research organisations must be subcontracted by a Croatian company in their consortium.

If you are a Croatian university or research organisation wanting to participate in a Eurostars consortium, contact the Croatian Agency for SMEs, Innovation and Investment (HAMAG-BICRO) to see whether there are other funding opportunities available or talk to them about self-funding.

National criteria

HAMAG-BICRO has additional national criteria for projects to be eligible to receive funding.

More information is available on the website of HAMAG-BICRO.

Additional steps for applications from Croatia

Croatian participants must also send additional national documentation to eurostars@hamagbicro.hr:

• a certificate (less than 30 days old when sent) from the tax office confirming that there are no payments due to the state
• a certificate confirming that there are no criminal records for all those authorised to represent the organisation
• your GFI POD (if it is not publicly available)
• your TI POD for the most recent full quarter
• a joint statement
• a statement on used state aids
• proof that you have sufficient private funding to support Croatian partners

Cyprus currently has no allocated budget for organisations participating in the next Eurostars calls (9-13) for projects as the entire budget allocated by the Republic of Cyprus for the programme has already been committed. If you are a Cypriot organisation wanting to participate in a Eurostars consortium, contact your national funding body to see whether there are other funding opportunities available or talk to them about self-funding.

More information is available on the website of the Research Innovation Foundation.

Czech funding agency, the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (TA CR), funds R&D costs for SMEs participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying.

SMEs

The Czech main applicant must be an SME.

For the Czech applicants – Applied research (i.e. industrial research / experimental development) is the only eligible type of supported research. For definitions of applied research see the Framework and the Regulation. The Czech applicants must also meet the conditions of the SIGMA programme, sub-objective 4: International cooperation.

The Czech small companies can receive a grant covering up to 80% of the participant’s eligible costs, medium-sized companies can receive a grant covering up to 75% of participant’s eligible costs (funding rates depend on the industrial research / experimental development ratio; in line with the Regulation).

The Czech applicants are requested to prove the national eligibility through the submission of eligibility-documents as well as of the administrative information. All the national requirements (including the mandatory documents and the process of submission at the national level) will be published on the TA CR website.

Large companies

Large companies may participate in a Eurostars project, but they are not eligible for Eurostars funding in the Czech Republic. If large companies want to participate – they must act as self-funding partners.

Research organisations and universities

For the Czech applicants – Applied research (i.e. industrial research / experimental development) is the only eligible type of supported research. For definitions of applied research see the Framework and the Regulation. The Czech applicants must also meet the conditions of the SIGMA programme, sub-objective 4: International cooperation.

Czech universities and research organisations must classify themselves as the Czech “project partners” and cannot act as the Czech “main applicants” – the main applicant may only be an SME.

The Czech Republic funds R&D costs for universities and research organisations participating in our Eurostars programme up to 100% of the eligible project costs in grants (in line with the Regulation).

The Czech applicants are requested to prove the national eligibility through the submission of eligibility-documents as well as of the administrative information. All the national requirements (including the mandatory documents and the process of submission at the national level) will be published on the TA CR website.

Danish funding body, Innovation Fund Denmark (IFD), funds R&D costs for SMEs, large companies, research organisations, and universities participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying. Costs IFD covers include:

• Co-finance of salaries
• Materials
• Travel
• Dissemination
• Some national subcontracting

The exact funding amount depends on your organisation and follows national rules.

SMEs and large companies

For SMEs applying before the next Eurostars deadline, the IFD will fund projects that focus on:

1. Green research, technological development and innovation
2. Life science, health and welfare technology
3. Research and innovation within new technologies

The maximum funding amount for projects is a grant of 300,000 euro per participant. If the project has more than one Danish participant, the maximum funding amount is 500,000 euro for all Danish participants and the minimum funding amount is 50,000 euro.

Projects without a participating Danish SME will not be eligible for funding from IFD.

Research organisations and universities

For universities, public hospitals, GTS institutes and research organisations applying before the next Eurostars deadline, the IFD will fund projects that focus on 1) Green research, technological development and innovation, 2) Life science, health and welfare technology and 3) Research and innovation within new technologies.

The maximum funding amount for projects is a grant of 300,000 euro per participant. If the project has more than one Danish participant, the maximum funding amount is 500,000 euro for all Danish participants and the minimum funding amount is 50,000 euro.

Projects without a participating Danish SME will not be eligible for funding from IFD.

National criteria

IFD has additional national criteria for projects to be eligible to receive funding:

• Projects without a participating Danish SME will not be eligible for funding from IFD.
• Danish participants must be registered as legal entities based in Denmark. Subcontracting is allowed, but foreign subcontracting must be pre-approved.
• Any subcontracting must be clearly described in your application and budget overview. If it is decided at a later stage (i.e. after the project has been approved), you must submit a formal change request for it to be approved by the IFD and Eureka.
• An SME must fill the criteria outlined in the EU definition and must not qualify as an undertaking in difficulty according to EU state aid rules.

More information is available on the website of IFD.

Additional steps for applications from Denmark

After the Eurostars call deadline, each Danish participant will automatically receive a national e-grant file number via e-mail and be asked to upload the full Eurostars application. Eurostars application must be uploaded on e-grant no later than 14 days after receiving the e-mail.

Estonian funding body, Enterprise Estonia, funds R&D costs for SMEs participating in our Eurostars programme.

SMEs

Enterprise Estonia covers up to 60% of project costs in grants for small companies and up to 50% of project costs in grants for medium-sized companies.

The maximum funding amount is a grant of 300,000 euro per participant.

Large companies, research organisations, and universities

Estonia currently has no allocated budget for large companies, research organisations, or universities participating in our Eurostars programme. If you are an Estonian large company wanting to participate in a Eurostars consortium, contact Enterprise Estonia to see whether there are other funding opportunities available or talk to them about self-funding.

National criteria

Enterprise Estonia has additional national criteria for projects to be eligible to receive funding.

More information is available on the website of Enterprise Estonia.

Additional steps for applications from Estonia

Estonian participants must also submit a funding application to Enterprise Estonia when you receive a positive evaluation and funding availability letter. You must justify your financial situation and strategic position with supporting documents.

Finnish funding body, Business Finland, funds R&D costs for SMEs, large companies, research organisations, and universities participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying.

SMEs

As a Finnish growth-oriented SME, you receive a grant of 50% of your eligible project costs. If your company strategy justifies your project, there is no maximum funding amount in euro/upper limit to your project costs.

Project costs must be reported to Business Finland.

Large companies

As a Finnish large company, you receive a grant of 40% of your eligible project costs.

If you are a Finnish growth-oriented midcap company (large companies with a turnover of less than 300 million euro) and your company strategy justifies your project, there is no maximum funding amount in euro/upper limit to your project costs.

If you are a Finnish large company with a turnover of more than 300 million euro, the maximum funding amount is 60,000 euro.

Project costs must be reported to Business Finland.

Research organisations and universities

Finnish funding body, Business Finland, funds R&D costs for universities and research organisations participating in our Eurostars programme if the consortium includes a Finnish SME or mid-cap company.

As a Finnish university or research organisation, you could receive a grant of 80% of your project costs. If there is one Finnish SME or mid-cap company in your consortium, the maximum funding amount is a grant of 80,000 euro. If there are two or more Finnish SMEs or mid-cap companies in your consortium, the maximum funding amount is a grant of 160,000 euro.

National criteria

Business Finland has additional national criteria for projects to be eligible to receive funding:

• Finnish participants must have the financial resources to cover the remaining part of their project costs.
• Implementing your project must be viable in view of your company’s income and funding.
• Finnish companies must have a growth-oriented strategy.
• Finnish companies cannot be an “undertaking in difficulty” according to EU regulation 651/2014 Article 1 4c.
• The project budget will be approved following EU state aid rules and national legislation and practices.

Business Finland strongly recommends that your project should involve an SME or midcap company from Finland if you are applying for funding.

More information is available on the website of Business Finland.

Additional steps for applications from Finland

When you submit your Eurostars application, you will be automatically registered in Business Finland’s application system. If your project receives a positive evaluation, Business Finland will validate a funding contract on receiving:

• an individual project plan with a description of the Finnish partner’s activities and costs
• official financial report documents and (if necessary) additional information Business Finland asks for to verify your organisation’s eligibility
• confirmation that funding is secured for all project partners
• confirmation that your consortium agreement has been signed

French funding body, Bpifrance, funds R&D costs for SMEs, large companies, research organisations, and universities participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying.

After receiving funding, French partners can apply again to a new call after a minimum period of three years (e.g., if your company’s project application to our Eurostars programme’s first call for projects was successful, you can only apply again from the seventh call for projects). French participants are limited to submitting only one application per call, as they are allowed only one funding request per call.

Bpifrance’s eligibility and financial viability rules (based on European rules) apply to all French partners. You must contact a “chargé d’affaires innovation” from your region’s headquarters and the Eurostars advisor in Bpifrance to inform them about your project application before the call for projects deadline.

SMEs

As a French SME (companies with fewer than 250 full time equivalent employees), you could receive a grant covering up to 40% of your project costs.

If eligible, French partners can also apply to a Diag Partenariat Tech International if you plan on working with an external expert to help you build you consortium, project or application. The Diag is a grant covering 50% of the expert’s consultancy services up to 25,000 euro.

More information is available on the website of Bpifrance.

Large companies

Bpifrance covers up to 30% of project costs in grants for large companies with fewer than 2,000 full time equivalent employees.

France currently has no allocated budget for large companies with more than 2,000 full time equivalent employees participating in our Eurostars programme.

If you are a French large company wanting to participate in a Eurostars consortium, contact Bpifrance to see whether there are other funding opportunities available or talk to them about self-funding.

More information is available on the website of Bpifrance.

Research organisations and universities

Bpifrance covers up to up to 40% of project costs in grants.

The maximum funding amount is a grant of 120,000 euro per participant if there is a French SME in your consortium or a grant of 50,000 euro per participant if there are no French SMEs in your consortium.

More information is available on the website of Bpifrance.

National criteria

Bpifrance has additional national criteria for projects to be eligible to receive funding.

• French companies must confirm that they can finance their part of the project (with e.g. equity capital or funds raised).

More information is available on the website of Bpifrance.

Additional steps for applications from France

French participants must also send a financial plan, a summary of your Eurostars project (in French) and a draft consortium agreement to Bpifrance.

The German funding body for Eurostars is the Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR). The contact point for Eurostars in Germany is hosted by the DLR Project Management Agency. Germany funds R&D costs for SMEs, research organisations, and universities participating in our Eurostars programme. Large companies may participate in a Eurostars project, but they are not eligible for Eurostars funding in Germany. If large companies want to participate, they must submit a self-funding declaration.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying.

National criteria

Germany has additional national criteria for projects to be eligible to receive funding.

• Clinical trials will not be funded. For more information, contact the German Eurostars team at the DLR Project Management Agency.
• Only R&D activities up to Technology Readiness Level 6 are eligible for funding.
• The maximum funding amount is a grant of 500,000 euro for all German partners per project.
• To calculate costs, use the DLR’s online tool. Submit the calculation together with the Eurostars application.
• Due to changes in the European Commission’s “general block exemption regulation” (see GBER, regulation (EU) 2023/1315), which has a substantial impact on the eligible overhead costs, all German SMEs should contact the German Eurostars team before applying to the next call for projects.
• National applications must be submitted within two weeks of being requested by the DLR. This request will be sent out after your application has received a positive evaluation and if funding for your project has been secured.

Greek funding agency, the General Secretariat for Research and Innovation, funds R&D costs for SMEs, large companies, research organisations, and universities participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying.

National criteria

The General Secretariat for Research and Innovation has additional national criteria for projects to be eligible to receive funding.

More information is available on the website of the General Secretariat for Research and Innovation.

Hungarian funding body, the National Research, Development and Innovation Office (NRDI), funds R&D costs for SMEs, large companies, research organisations, and universities participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying.

SMEs

For SMEs, the NRDI covers up to 80% of industrial or applied research project costs in grants or up to 60% of experimental development project costs in grants.

• Start-ups are eligible (limited companies with less than 1 closed financial year)
• The yearly budget (for two Eurostars calls) is 1 million euros.

Large companies

For large companies, the NRDI covers up to 65% of industrial or applied research project costs in grants OR up to 40% of experimental development project costs in grants.

• The yearly budget (for two Eurostars calls) is 1 million euros.

Research organisations and universities

The NRDI covers up to 100% of project costs in grants for universities and research organisations.

• Universities and research organisations must have a Hungarian company in your consortium to be eligible for funding.
• The yearly budget (for two Eurostars calls) is 1 million euros.

National criteria

NRDI has additional national criteria for projects to be eligible to receive funding.

More information is available on the website of NRDI.

Additional steps for applications from Hungary

Hungarian participants must also submit a proposal to the NRDI office on receiving a positive Eurostars evaluation.

Icelandic funding body, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, through the Icelandic Centre for Research (Rannìs), funds R&D costs for SMEs, research organisations and universities participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying.

SMEs

As an Icelandic small company, you could receive up to 80% of project costs in grants for industrial research or up to 60% of project costs in grants for experimental development.

As an Icelandic medium-sized company, you could receive up to 75% of project costs in grants for industrial research OR up to 50% of project costs in grants for experimental development.

The maximum funding amount is a grant of 45 million Icelandic krona per project. You must apply to our Eurostars programme in euro. The exchange rate is determined on the day of the deadline from this source.

Large companies

Icelandic funding body, Ministry of Industry and Commerce through the Icelandic Centre for Research (Rannìs), does not fund R&D costs for large companies participating in our Eurostars programme.

Participation is possible but large companies need to self-fund their participation

Research organisations and universities

Rannìs covers up to 80% of project costs in grants per project.

The maximum funding amount is a grant of 45 million Icelandic krona per project. You must apply to our Eurostars programme in euro. The exchange rate is determined on the day of the deadline from this source.

National criteria

Rannìs has additional national criteria for projects to be eligible to receive funding.

More information is available in this document.

Irish funding body, Enterprise Ireland, funds R&D costs for SMEs, large companies, research organisations, and universities participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying.

SMEs

Enterprise Ireland covers up to 60% of R&D project costs in grants for SMEs.

If you are a client of another national agency (e.g. IDA or Údarás), get in touch with your local contact to confirm available funding and support.

Large companies

Enterprise Ireland covers up to 40% of R&D project costs in grants for large companies.

If you are a client of another national agency (e.g. IDA or Údarás), get in touch with your local contact to confirm available funding and support.

Research organisations and universities

Enterprise Ireland covers up to 100% of R&D project costs in grants for universities and research organisations.

• The maximum funding amount is a grant of 250,000 euro.
• Universities and research organisations must have an Irish company in your consortium to be eligible for funding.

National criteria

Enterprise Ireland has additional national criteria for projects to be eligible to receive funding.

• Participating companies must be a client of a national agency (e.g. Enterprise Ireland, IDA or Údarás) to qualify for funding support.
• Participating companies must apply for support through a separate national funding programme that will be evaluated according to local terms and conditions.
• Funding rates and eligibility criteria vary. Participating companies should confirm details with their national agency contact before applying to Eurostars.
• Participating companies that are not a client of a national agency must be in a position to self-fund.

More information is available on the website of Enterprise Ireland.

Additional steps for applications from Ireland

When your project has received a positive evaluation, Irish participants will be invited to complete the Agile Fund (if your project budget is less than 300,000 euro) or the R&D Fund (if your project budget is greater than 300,000 euro) application form.

Irish participants must also complete a project costs workbook, financial data sheet and a project plan following Ireland Enterprise’s instructions.

Israel currently has no allocated budget for organisations participating in the next Eurostars call for projects (deadline September 2025). If you are an Israeli organisation wanting to participate in a Eurostars consortium, contact your national funding body to see whether there are other funding opportunities available or talk to them about self-funding.

Israeli funding agency, the Israel Innovation Authority (IIA), funds R&D costs for SMEs and large companies participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying.

Your loan will be repaid gradually over several years as a percentage of your annual revenue. If your project produces no revenue, there will be no need to repay the loan.

Research organisations and universities

Israeli universities and research organisations must be subcontracted (including TTOs) by an Israeli company in their consortium.

National criteria

The IIA has additional national criteria for projects to be eligible to receive funding:

• The IP generated by Israeli participants during the project must remain in Israel. If not, the Israeli participant will have to pay the IIA a fine of up to six times the loan/ grant amount.
• Israeli participants must be able to finance their part of the project and demonstrate their capability to do so.

More information is available on the website of IIA.

Additional steps for applications from Israel

Israeli participants must also submit a company profile form in Hebrew to the IIA.

If your project application received a positive evaluation, you must submit a full application to the IIA. This must include a project description, budget overview and company-related administrative documents. Templates can be downloaded from the IIA website.

An IIA evaluator will meet the company and assess the project’s potential, writing a report. With this report, the IIA Research Committee (who convene every two weeks) will decide the exact funding percentage that you will receive.

A final funding decision will be made within three months of submitting your application to IIA.

MUR (Ministry of Universities and Research) has allocated budget for organisations participating in the next Eurostars call for projects (deadline September 2025), while MIMIT (Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy) does not.

Italian funding body, the Ministry for Universities and Research (MUR), funds R&D costs for SMEs participating in our Eurostars programme. The MUR and Ministry of Enterprises fund R&D costs for large companies, research organisations, and universities participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying.

SMEs

Funding through the Ministry for Universities and Research (MUR)

In 2025, MUR is only funding R&D in Campania, Molise, Basilicata, Puglia, Calabria, Sicilia and Sardegna.

For Italian organisations in these regions, MUR covers 70% of industrial research project costs in grants and 25% of experimental development project costs in grants.

The maximum funding amount is a grant of 400,000 euro per project, independent of the number of Italian participants.

Italian organisations receive a pre-payment of 90% of the total funding at the start of the project. The remaining 10% will be paid at the end of the project. Private partners need to send MUR a bank guarantee.

All activities that can be classified as industrial research or experimental development are eligible for funding, but industrial research costs must be higher than experimental development costs. Costs MUR covers include:

• Personnel (cost category a)
• Consulting and equivalent services (cost category b)
• Travel and subsistence (cost category c1)
• Equipment (cost category c2)
• Other goods and services (cost category c3)
• Indirect costs / overheads (spese generali) (cost category d)

Overheads are calculated at a 25% flat rate of all direct costs, excluding cost category b (consulting and equivalent services). d = 25% of (a + c.1 + c.2 + c.3).

Large companies

Funding through the Ministry for Universities and Research (MUR)

In 2025, MUR is only funding R&D in Campania, Molise, Basilicata, Puglia, Calabria, Sicilia and Sardegna.

For Italian organisations in these regions, MUR covers 70% of industrial research project costs in grants and 25% of experimental development project costs in grants.

The maximum funding amount is a grant of 400,000 euro per project, independent of the number of Italian participants.

Italian organisations receive a pre-payment of 90% of the total funding at the start of the project. The remaining 10% will be paid at the end of the project. Private partners need to send MUR a bank guarantee.

All activities that can be classified as industrial research or experimental development are eligible for funding, but industrial research costs must be higher than experimental development costs. Costs MUR covers include:

• Personnel (cost category a)
• Consulting and equivalent services (cost category b)
• Travel and subsistence (cost category c1)
• Equipment (cost category c2)
• Other goods and services (cost category c3)
• Indirect costs / overheads (spese generali) (cost category d)

Overheads are calculated at a 25% flat rate of all direct costs, excluding cost category b (consulting and equivalent services). d = 25% of (a + c.1 + c.2 + c.3).

Research organisations and universities

Funding through the Ministry for Universities and Research (MUR)

In 2025, MUR is only funding R&D in Campania, Molise, Basilicata, Puglia, Calabria, Sicilia and Sardegna.

Research organisations and universities can be funded only if there is at least one Italian SME in the project consortium and the costs of the SME(s) are larger than the costs of the other Italian partners.

For Italian organisations in these regions, MUR covers 70% of industrial research project costs in grants and 25% of experimental development project costs in grants.

The maximum funding amount is a grant of 400,000 euro per project, independent of the number of Italian participants.

Italian organisations receive a pre-payment of 90% of the total funding at the start of the project. The remaining 10% will be paid at the end of the project. Private partners need to send MUR a bank guarantee.

All activities that can be classified as industrial research or experimental development are eligible for funding, but industrial research costs must be higher than experimental development costs. Costs MUR covers include:

• Personnel (cost category a)
• Consulting and equivalent services (cost category b)
• Travel and subsistence (cost category c1)
• Equipment (cost category c2)
• Other goods and services (cost category c3)
• Indirect costs / overheads (spese generali) (cost category d)

Overheads are calculated at a 25% flat rate of all direct costs, excluding cost category b (consulting and equivalent services). d = 25% of (a + c.1 + c.2 + c.3).

National criteria

The Ministry for Universities and Research (MUR) has additional national criteria for projects to be eligible to receive funding. Decreto legge n. 83/2012, Decreto Ministeriale n. 1314 del dicembre 2021, Linee guida al DM del 26 luglio 2016 n. 593 and procedure operative per il finanziamento dei progetti internazionali are applicable for the Eurostars programme. Find these documents here. Specific eligibility rules and conditions for each call are published here.

• Italian participants must adopt necessary accounting and administrative measures for allocating resources.
• Participating organisations (companies, public and private research organisations and universities) must be based in Italy and meet EU requirements. In 2025, MUR is only funding R&D in Campania, Molise, Basilicata, Puglia, Calabria, Sicilia and Sardegna.
• There must be at least one Italian SME in your consortium, and the SME(s) must be responsible for more of the project costs and activities than the other Italian participants.
• Italian participants must not be defaulting on any payments or funding received by MUR.
• Italian participants must not have requested or received funding for the same research or development activities.
• Italian participants must respect law D. Lgs. n. 159 del 06/09/2011 e successive modificazioni ed integrazioni.
• Italian participants must not be following bankruptcy proceedings (as stated in art. 5.4b of DM 593/2016) or a qualify as a company in difficulty (according to EU definitions).
• Italian participants must comply with obligations in the contributory and social security regulations (DURC).
• The Italian participant’s legal representative’s judicial and pending records must be negative.
• All privately funded Italian participants must fulfil the following financial criteria (based on their last approved balance sheet):
  • Net assets (capitale netto/CN) must be greater than the sum of project costs for which the participant has requested funding in the year (CP) minus the sum of contributions received, approved or requested for these projects (I) divided by two: CN > (CP – I)/2
  • Financial charges (oneri finanziari/OF) divided by turnover (fatturato/F) must be less than 8%: OF/F < 8%

In addition to the Eurostars application, Italian participants must submit further documentation (signed) to MUR, through their national web platform. Information about these required documents can be found in the platform itself and in the procedure operative per il finanziamento dei progetti internazionali.

These additional national documents must be submitted before the same Eurostars programme deadline. Any participant who does not submit the national documents (signed) by the Eurostars deadline will not be eligible for funding.

Latvian funding body, the Latvian Council of Science (LZP), funds R&D costs for SMEs, large companies, research organisations, and universities participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying.

SMEs

The LZP covers up to 80% of all eligible project costs in grants per SME.

The maximum funding amount is a grant of 100,000 euro per participant per year.

Funding is regulated by Commission Regulation (EU) No 651/2014 of 17 June 2014 declaring certain categories of aid compatible with the internal market in application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty and The Republic of Latvia Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No 259 of Granting Aid for Participation in International Cooperation Programmes in the Field of Research and Technologies, issued 26 May 2015.

Large companies

The LZP covers up to 50% of all eligible project costs in grants per large company.

The maximum funding amount is a grant of 100,000 euro per participant per year.

Funding is regulated by Commission Regulation (EU) No 651/2014 of 17 June 2014 declaring certain categories of aid compatible with the internal market in application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty and The Republic of Latvia Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No 259 of Granting Aid for Participation in International Cooperation Programmes in the Field of Research and Technologies, issued 26 May 2015.

Research organisations and universities

The LZP covers up to 100% of all eligible project costs in grants per university or research organisation.

The maximum funding amount is a grant of 100,000 euro per participant per year.

Funding is regulated by Commission Regulation (EU) No 651/2014 of 17 June 2014 declaring certain categories of aid compatible with the internal market in application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty and The Republic of Latvia Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No 259 of Granting Aid for Participation in International Cooperation Programmes in the Field of Research and Technologies, issued 26 May 2015.

National criteria

LZP has additional national criteria for projects to be eligible to receive funding.

• Participating Latvian SMEs and large companies must be a legal entity (with no financial irregularities) based in Latvia and registered in the Commercial Register.
• Companies must submit financial reports from the last two years. If this isn’t possible, contact LZP for more information before submitting your Eurostars application.
• Universities and research organisations must be a legal entity based in Latvia and registered in the Register of Scientific Institutions.
• Universities and research organisations must have a purely fundamental research role in the project and must not participate in commercialisation activities. If you intend to carry out both economic and non-economic activities, you must separate the types of activities, costs, financing and revenue to avoid any cross-subsidisation of economic activities.
• The procedure for public funding of Eurostars projects is determined by the Republic of Latvia Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No 259 of Granting Aid for Participation in International Cooperation Programmes in the Field of Research and Technologies, issued 26 May 2015.

More information is available on the website of LZP.

Additional steps for applications from Latvia

Latvian participants who receive a positive evaluation must also submit an application for State Aid and a signed copy of the project consortium agreement to LZP. LZP will also verify your obligatory tax payments (i.e. to confirm there are no outstanding payments) and assess your financial viability based on the financial reports of the last two completed financial years.

A funding decision is made within three months (on average).

Lithuanian funding agency, the Research Council of Lithuania (RCL), funds R&D costs for SMEs, large companies, research organisations, and universities participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying. The maximum funding amount is a grant of 300,000 euro per project.

More information is available on the website of RCL.

Luxembourg funding agency, the Ministry of the Economy (FNR), funds R&D costs for SMEs, large companies, research organisations, and universities participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying.

National criteria

The Ministry of the Economy and Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR) have additional national criteria for projects to be eligible to receive funding. Eligibility criteria for Luxembourg companies is based on the modified law of 5 June 2009 relating to the promotion of R&D and innovation. It is subject to changes in the case of amendments or modifications of underlying regulations. Eligibility criteria are those in force at the time of contracting:

• Participating Luxembourg companies must be able to support their part of the project costs. They must demonstrate their financial viability and soundness regarding their contribution to the project and implementation of the results.
• Participating Luxembourg companies must demonstrate positive impact (e.g. on growth and assets) of the expected project outcome.
• Companies that are in danger of insolvency will not receive funding.

More information is available on the website of FNR.

Additional steps for applications from Luxembourg

Submit your completed application form before the deadline.

A funding contract will be written when a funding decision has been made and you (and all project partners) have signed your consortium agreement.

Maltese funding agency, Malta Enterprise, funds R&D costs for SMEs, medium-sized companies, and large companies participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying.

Funding can be given as a tax credit and/ or a cash grant on a refund basis. An additional top up to these percentages could be applied if the project involves effective collaboration.

Eligible costs include:

• Personnel
• Use of equipment
• Contractual research costs
• Technical knowledge
• Other operating expenses

National criteria

Malta Enterprise has additional national criteria for projects to be eligible to receive funding:

• Participants must demonstrate how they can achieve economic growth through participating in the project. The project should expect to generate further growth to the Maltese economy (e.g. economic activity increase, employment growth and generation of new knowledge).
• Participants must not begin work on their project before formal approval from the Corporation.
• There must be at least one SME in your consortium if your project includes organisations outside of the European Union or European Economic Area.
• If there are research or knowledge organisations participating as collaborative partners in your consortium, they should be responsible for at least 10% of the eligible project costs. They must also have the right to publish their own research results.
• No single participating organisation should be responsible for more than 70% of the project costs.
• Your company must not be an undertaking in difficulty.

More information is available on the website of Malta Enterprise.

Additional steps for applications from Malta

Maltese participants must also send the following supporting documents to rd@maltaenterprise.com at the same time as submitting a  Eurostars application. If you do not send these documents, you will not be considered for funding:

• a Financial Summary using Malta Enterprise’s template and signed by a certified public accountant
• last two Audited Financial Statements covering the two of the 3 years immediately preceding the year of the application
• Management accounts for the year preceding the year of the application unless audited accounts covering this year will be submitted
• an Undertaking in Difficulty Test and Declaration (required if your company has been established for more than three years at the time of application). This form needs to be filled in online and compiled by a Certified Public Accountant registered with the Malta Accountancy Board. The information should be based on the latest financial statement
• a business plan (required if your company has been established for less than three years or employing fewer than five FTEs at the time of application)
• your company’s memorandum and articles of association
• an enterprise size declaration (for the current or previous year) filled in on Malta Enterprise’s client portal on your business entity profile (see, user manual)

When your project has received a successful Eurostars evaluation, Maltese participants need to submit a national application form via Malta Enterprise’s client portal.

Norwegian funding agency, the Research Council of Norway (RCN), funds R&D costs for SMEs, large companies, research organisations, and universities participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying.

The maximum funding amount is a grant of 6 million Norwegian krone per project.

All consortia with Norwegian participants must include a Norwegian SME. Norwegian large companies and research organisations can no longer apply without a Norwegian SME in the Eurostars consortium.

National criteria

The Research Council of Norway has additional national criteria for projects to be eligible to receive funding.

• Norwegian SMEs can only receive funding for participation in one project per Eurostars deadline.
• There is a limit of maximum two running projects per SME.
• All Norwegian Eurostars applications must include a Norwegian SME. Norwegian R&D organisations and large companies can no longer apply without a Norwegian SME in their Eurostars consortium.
• All partners must be able to finance their own part of the project.
• SMEs must have at least 500,000 Norwegian krone in equity at the time of the (Documentation requirements: Publicly approved annual accounts. Alternatively, in the event of a capital increase, there must be a declaration from the auditor, lawyer, financial institution/bank or accountant).

More information is available on the website of RCN.

Additional steps for applications from Norway

Once your organisation has been selected to receive funding, you must register your project details into the Research Council of Norway’s database. A funding decision is made within six months (on average) of the Eurostars deadline.

Polish funding agency, the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR), funds R&D costs for SMEs participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying.

Large companies

Poland currently has no allocated budget for large companies participating in our Eurostars programme. However, large companies can participate if they are subcontracted by a participating SME, being paid directly on a market basis.

If you are a large company wanting to participate in a Eurostars consortium, contact the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR) to see whether there are other funding opportunities available or talk to them about self-funding.

Research organisations and universities

Poland currently has no allocated budget for universities and research organisations participating in our Eurostars programme. If you are a university or research organisation wanting to participate in a Eurostars consortium, contact the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR) to see whether there are other funding opportunities available or talk to them about self-funding.

More information is available on the website of NCBR.

Additional steps for applications from Poland

Polish participants must fulfil more steps (e.g. registration, amendments, funding decision contracts). Contact the NCBR below for more information.

Portuguese funding agency, the Agência Nacional de Inovação (ANI), funds R&D costs for SMEs, research organisations, and universities participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying.

SMEs

For investments located at NUT II Lisboa, the maximum co-funding rate is 40% of eligible costs.

The exact funding percentage depends on the company type, consortium collaboration, dissemination of project results and whether your project activities fall into the category of industrial research or experimental development.

Your project must fall within national or regional Research and Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialisation priority areas.

To be eligible for funding, projects must involve at least one Portuguese SME or small mid-cap company. When in a consortium with other Portuguese research organisations or universities, Portuguese companies must undertake the biggest share of the investment.

Annexes to submit with the Eurostars application form in the section “Your organisation”

Every participant must submit the two latest financial reports (balance sheet and income statement) with the Eurostars application. Companies can upload their IES (Informação Empresarial Simplificada).

These documents are confidential and cannot be seen by the other partners.

Portuguese companies need to comply with these financial autonomy ratios:

• If SME or small mid-cap company: 15%
• Companies that have been active for less than one year at the date of the application must demonstrate the capacity to finance the project with equity, equal to or greater than 20% of eligible costs

Large companies

Portugal currently has no allocated budget for large companies participating in our Eurostars programme. If you are a Portuguese large company wanting to participate in a Eurostars consortium, contact the Agência Nacional de Inovação (ANI) to see whether there are other funding opportunities available or talk to them about self-funding.

Research organisations and universities

ANI covers 85% of project costs for universities or research organisations provided the companies are not receiving State Aid indirectly.

Portuguese universities and research organisations must have a Portuguese SME or small mid-cap company in your consortium to be eligible to receive funding.

For investments located at NUT II Lisboa, the maximum co-funding rate is 40% of eligible costs

Your project must fall within national or regional Research and Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialisation priority areas.

Annexes to submit with the Eurostars application form in the section “Your organisation”

Every participant must submit the two latest financial reports (balance sheet and income statement) with the Eurostars application.

These documents are confidential and cannot be seen by the other partners.
Organisations that are 100% publicly funded (e.g., universities, hospitals, research organisations etc.) do not have to provide these documents.

More information is available on the website of ANI.

Additional steps for applications from Portugal

Portuguese participants must also submit a funding application (that complies with Aviso Portugal 2030 conditions) to ANI within 30 working days of receiving confirmation that your project has received a positive evaluation. ANI will make a funding decision within five weeks of receiving your application.

Romanian funding agency, the Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding (UEFISCDI), funds R&D costs for SMEs, large companies, universities, and research organisations participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying.

Universities and research institutes are eligible as project partners. Universities and research organisations must have a Romanian company in your consortium to be eligible to receive funding.

The maximum funding amount is a grant of 700,000 Romanian leu per project per year.

National criteria

UEFISCDI has additional national criteria for projects to be eligible to receive funding:

• All participating companies in your consortium must be R&D-performing.
• The Romanian project lead must be an SME or company.

More information is available on the website of UEFISCDI.

Singaporean funding agency, Enterprise Singapore, funds R&D costs for SMEs, and large companies participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying.

Research organisations and universities

Research organisations or universities can only be funded as a subcontractor or consultant. A company must be the main partner in the project.

National criteria

Enterprise Singapore has additional national criteria for projects to be eligible to receive funding

• You must be a business entity registered and operating in Singapore.
• You must have a minimum of 30% local shareholding.
• You must be in a financially viable position to start and complete the project.

More information is available on the website of Enterprise Singapore.

Additional steps for applications from Singapore

Singaporean organisations must also submit a form on Enterprise Singapore’s website. Enterprise Singapore will advise you about the next steps if your organisation meets eligibility requirements.

Submit your completed application form before the deadline.

Slovak funding agency, the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic (MESRS SR), funds R&D costs for SMEs, large companies, research organisations, and universities participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying.

The maximum funding amount is a grant of 450,000 euro per project.

SMEs

MESRS SR covers up to 50% of project costs in grants for SMEs. If there is a (second) Slovak SME or research organisation in your consortium, micro-sized companies can receive an additional 20% of project costs, small companies can receive an addition 15% and medium-sized companies can receive an additional 10%.

National criteria

MESRS SR has additional national guidelines for projects to be eligible to receive funding.

• Conditions follow act. No. 523/2004 of budget rules in public administration.

More information is available on the website of MESRS SR.

Additional steps for appllications from Slovakia

A funding decision is made within six months (on average).

Slovenian funding agency, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, funds R&D costs for SMEs and large companies participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying.

Research organisations and universities

Slovenia currently has no allocated budget for universities or publicly funded organisations participating in our Eurostars programme. If you are a university or publicly funded research organisation wanting to participate in Eurostars consortium, you can participate as a subcontractor to a Slovenian company or self-fund your project costs.

More information is available on the website of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation.

Additional steps for applications from Slovenia

Slovenian participants must also submit a national application form after receiving a positive evaluation. A funding decision will be made within one and one and a half months.

South African funding agency, the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), funds R&D costs for SMEs, large companies, research organisations, and universities participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying.

The maximum funding amount is a grant of 300,000 euro per project.

The exact funding amount for your project will be decided through a financial negotiation process with DSI. You will receive funding in tranches according to the project duration.

National criteria

DSI has additional national guidelines for projects to be eligible to receive funding:

• Organisation types follow South African definitions.

More information is available on the website of DSI.

Additional steps for applications from South Africa

South African participants must also present a full project proposal to the DSI. This proposal must include:

• a two-year financial statement (certified by your organisation’s chief financial officer)
• an official letter (signed by your organisation’s chief financial officer) confirming your organisation’s financial contribution to the project (in South African rand)

You will also have a physical interview with DSI where you must present your full project proposal and indicate:

• project activities, clearly stating the research, development and innovation output
• an explanation of each consortium partner’s role and budget input (and the cost of each item)

South Korean funding agency, the Korea Institute of Advancement of Technology (KIAT), funds R&D costs for SMEs, large companies, research organisations, and universities participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying.

The maximum funding amount is a grant of 1.5 billion South Korean won (approximately 1.1 million euro) per project.

Universities and research organisations

Universities and research organisations must have a South Korean SME in your consortium to be eligible to receive funding.

More information is available on the website of KIAT.

Spanish funding agency, the Spanish Centre for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI), funds R&D costs for SMEs participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying.

Small and medium-sized companies

Spanish small companies can receive a grant covering up to 60% of the participant’s eligible costs and Spanish medium-sized companies can receive a grant covering up to 50% of participant’s eligible costs. If there is national budget available, the grant could be increased to up to 70% for all SMEs.

There is no maximum or minimum budget for Spanish participants, but the maximum funding amount is a grant of 400,000 euro per Spanish participant in a project.

Eligible costs for Spanish participants must be linked to industrial research or experimental development tasks:

• Costs of the personnel performing R&D tasks, including up to 58 hours per month for project management
• Overheads (up to 25% of all direct cost, excluding subcontracting)
• Instruments, equipment, materials, supplies and similar products incurred directly as a result of the project (to the extent that they are used and for the duration of the project)
• Contractual research, knowledge and patents
• Subcontracting costs cannot exceed 25% of the participant eligible costs, but the amount can be increased to 50% of the participant eligible costs when subcontracting Spanish Public Research Organisations (OPIs)
• Subcontracting a consultancy firm (up to 8,000 euro)
• Travel expenses (up to 8,000 euro)
• Audit reports (up to 2,000 euro per financial year)

Other operating expenses are not eligible for funding.

The activities and tasks related to communication, dissemination, preparation for entry into the market, commercialisation, industrial-scale trials and registration of industrial property are not eligible for funding.

Only the costs incurred during the project duration (since the project start date to the project end date) are eligible for funding.

Contact CDTI using our contact form before submitting your application.

Large companies

Large companies may participate in a Eurostars project as a project partner, but they are not eligible for funding through Spain’s call for projects, interempresas internacional. If you would like to participate in a Eurostars project, you must submit a self-funding declaration in your application.

Contact CDTI using our contact form before submitting your application.

Universities and research organisations

Spanish universities and research organisations may participate in a Eurostars project as a project partner, but they are not eligible for funding through Spain’s call for projects, interempresas internacional.

Spanish SMEs may use a maximum of 25% of their total eligible costs to subcontract a university or research organisation. If the Spanish SME subcontracts a Spanish public research institution (OPI), they may use an increased maximum of 50% of their eligible costs.

Contact CDTI using our contact form before submitting your application.

National criteria

CDTI has additional national criteria for projects to be eligible to receive funding. Restrictions based on the EU framework for aid for research, development and innovation and the Spanish law for grants will be applied:

• Only SMEs with tax residence or permanent establishment in Spain can be beneficiaries of the grant managed by CDTI.
• Public entities (except public mercantile companies), companies that are undertakings in difficulties and entities subject to a pending recovery order (after a previous decision of the European Commission that has declared an illegal and incompatible aid with the market) are specifically excluded.
• Only SMEs that (at the point of the Eurostars deadline) have deposited the accounts of at least the last financial year in the official registry will be eligible for funding.
• A Spanish SME can only receive funding for one application in each Eurostars call for projects. If more than one Eurostars application has been submitted, you must explicitly tell CDTI which project will continue to the evaluation process and which should be discarded during the legal and financial viability check.
• The start date of the Eurostars project must be after the Eureka Secretariat has communicated to you that your project has been approved and within the year of the Spanish national call for funding publication.
• The Spanish partner must complete their tasks before the date indicated in the Spanish national call for funding criteria (if stated).
• The activities that can be funded cannot exceed 36 months in duration. After granting the aid, in justified cases it is possible to authorise extensions of up to 6 months by modifying the grant resolution.
• The SME must demonstrate the financial capacity to undertake the project, according to the latest annual accounts officially registered and deposited.

Contact CDTI using our contact form before submitting your application.

More information is available on the website of CDTI.

Additional steps for applications from Spain

A few days after the Eurostars deadline, the CDTI will request that Spanish organisations send a declaration of eligibility. If you do not submit this declaration in time, you will fail the national financial viability check and will not be eligible to receive national funding.

CDTI does not need a financial annex or business plan for Spanish organisations. However, CDTI may officially request additional information to assess your financial viability after the Eurostars deadline.

After your Eurostars project has been approved, every Spanish company must submit a national funding application, even if there is more than one Spanish participant in the same project.

The funding call is based on a general procedure for providing grants at national level, so there are several phases (registration, amendments, funding proposal and final decision) that should be accomplished.

A funding decision is made 12-16 weeks after the national funding registration deadline.

Swedish funding agency, Vinnova (Sweden’s Innovation Agency), funds R&D costs for SMEs, large companies, research organisations, and universities participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying.

SMEs

The maximum funding amount is a grant of 5 million Swedish krona per project.

Your international proposal is made in euros. The rate between euro and Swedish krona is determined on the day the call for proposals opens and can be found here – Swedish krona (SEK) (europa.eu).

Large companies, universities and research organisations

The maximum funding amount is a grant of 2 million Swedish krona per project or a grant of 5 milllion Swedish krona per project if there is a Swedish SME in your consortium.

Your international proposal is made in euros. The rate between euro and Swedish krona is determined on the day the call for proposals opens and can be found here – Swedish krona (SEK) (europa.eu).

National criteria

Vinnova has general terms and conditions and additional national criteria for projects to be eligible to receive Eurostars funding:

• Companies must have submitted at least two annual reports to the Swedish Companies Registration Office.
• The company must be registered as a Swedish limited liability company.
• Companies must have a place of business in Sweden.
• Activities in the project must be conducted at the Swedish operating location and project costs must be borne by the operating location.
• Companies must be registered as employers with the Swedish Tax Agency.

Vinnova also assesses the organisational and financial status of organisations receiving funding using information from credit reports (at Dun & Bradstreet).

To receive funding:

• Organisations must not be insolvent, undergoing liquidation or corporate restructuring.
• Organisations must also not have unpaid debts with the Swedish Enforcement Authority.
• Limited liability companies must not have used up half or more of their share capital.

Vinnova only checks the most recently registered annual report in its national criteria assessment. The financial control of the projects begins immediately after closure. It is not possible to update and supplement afterwards.

Additional information

Vinnova works for gender-equal social development and an inclusive innovation ecosystem. Therefore, Vinnova assesses and follows-up on whether both women and men are equally participating in the grant and project. Vinnova also wants to increase the participation of actors who have not applied for international funding before.

Applicants must also analyse and decide if there are sex and/or gender-related aspects relevant to the project’s problem area, solutions and utilisation. Addressing this question is mandatory for all applicants and forms a basis of the assessment process.

Additionally, applicants should have a prepared and published Gender Equality Plan (GEP) in accordance with Horizon Europe regulations.

More information is available on the website of Vinnova (Sweden’s Innovation Agency).

Additional steps for applications from Sweden

Swedish participants must also submit a national application to Vinnova after your project has received a positive evaluation. Vinnova will contact you about the national application if your project has been approved to receive funding. A funding decision is made within five weeks (on average) of submitting your application to Vinnova.

Swiss funding agency, Innosuisse, funds R&D costs for SMEs, large companies, research organisations, and universities participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying.

SMEs requesting more than 1 million Swiss francs of funding must submit a due diligence form to Innosuisse before the call for projects deadline. If Innosuisse has already checked due diligence for another initiative, this result will be considered.

More information is available on the website of Innosuisse.

Additional steps for applications from Switzerland

Once the project has been approved for funding, Swiss participants must also submit detailed financial plans to Innosuisse. A funding contract is signed within one to two months of receiving funding confirmation (on average).

Dutch funding agency, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), funds R&D costs for SMEs, large companies, research organisations, and universities participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying.

RVO only funds research and development project activities. The maximum funding amount for the Dutch project partner(s) is 500,000 euro per project.

Research organisations and universities

RVO can fund research and development costs for universities and research organisations participating in our Eurostars programme, but only if the consortium also includes a company from the Netherlands. If there is no Netherlands company involved, universities and research organisations will not be eligible for public funding and can only participate in a Eurostars project on the basis of self-funding. As a Dutch university or research organisation, you could receive a grant of up to 50% for R&D related costs.

National criteria

RVO has additional national criteria for projects to be eligible to receive funding.

Dutch applications can only be submitted by a company that contributes to the R&D of the international project. Universities and research organisations can participate as a project partner, but cannot submit an application themselves.

More information is available on the website of RVO.

Additional steps for applications from the Netherlands

Dutch participants must also submit a funding application to the RVO within two weeks of the ranking list being published (the exact deadline will be published in the National Gazette). You must include a project costs breakdown, a project summary, the Eurostars ranking list and a signed consortium agreement.

A funding decision is made within six to seven months (on average) after the Eurostars deadline.

Turkish funding agency, the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK), funds R&D costs for SMEs, large companies, research organisations, and universities participating in our Eurostars programme.

The amount of funding available depends on the type of organisation applying.

Research organisations and universities

As a Turkish higher education institution, public research centre and institute, training and research hospital or research infrastructure within the scope of Law No. 6550, you could receive a grant covering up to 100% of your R&D project costs.

You must have at least one Turkish company in your consortium. The combined budget of these organisations cannot exceed more than 50% of the total project budget of Turkish participants in your consortium.

National criteria

TÜBİTAK has additional national criteria for projects to be eligible to receive funding:

• You must be based in Türkiye and be a*:
  • Stock corporation
  • Higher education institution
  • Public research centre and institute
  • Training and research hospital
  • Research infrastructure within the scope of Law No. 6550
• Turkish organisations must be registered in Proje Değerlendirme ve İzleme Sistemi (ETEYDEB)
• Your consortium must have at least one person with a bachelor’s degree in a subject related to your project.
• Turkish organisations must pre-submit to TÜBİTAK at the same time as the Eurostars deadline.

*Participants that are not stock corporations can only apply together with at least one stock corporation based in Türkiye

More information is available on the website of TÜBİTAK.

Additional steps for applications from Türkiye

Turkish organisations must also submit a national application (pre-application and full application) to TÜBİTAK according to the call schedule announced in the national rules.

UK funding agency, Innovate UK, funds R&D costs for SMEs participating in our Eurostars programme.

SMEs

Innovate UK covers up to 60% of project costs in grants for SMEs.

The maximum funding amount is a grant of 360,000 euro per project.

Large companies

The United Kingdom currently has no allocated budget for large companies participating in our Eurostars programme. If you are a UK large company wanting to participate in a Eurostars consortium, contact Innovate UK to see whether there are other funding opportunities available or talk to them about self-funding.

Research organisations and universities

The United Kingdom currently has no allocated budget for universities or research organisations participating in our Eurostars programme. If you are a UK university or research organisation wanting to participate in a Eurostars consortium, contact Innovate UK to see whether there are other funding opportunities available or talk to them about self-funding.

National criteria

Innovate UK has additional national criteria for projects to be eligible to receive funding:

• To qualify as an R&D SME, you must either:
  • invest 10% or more of your turnover into research OR
  • have 10% of full-time equivalent employees working on research activities OR
  • have five or more full-time employees working on research activities if the SME has 100 employees or fewer OR
  • have 10 or more full-time employees working on research activities if the SME has more than 100 employees.
• Innovate UK will only fund one live Eurostars project at a time, you may participate in additional Eurostars projects, however this will be on a self-funded basis. You must submit your end of project report prior to the next call application deadline if you are seeking funding for the next call.
• UK funded participants must be registered, as an entity, at Companies House at least 12 months and active, before the Eurostars call deadline.
• Project costs incurred and the activities undertaken by UK participants that are funded through Eurostars must be conducted in the UK.
• Your labour costs must be on a pay as you earn (PAYE) basis.
• Overheads are flatlined at 20% of your labour costs.
• Contributions in kind are not an eligible cost.
• UK participants can only subcontract up to 20% of a UK partner’s eligible costs.
• Partners in your consortium must follow their respective national eligibility criteria.
• UK-led projects must be managed by an R&D-performing SME. Project management cannot be subcontracted.
• UK companies who have previously received funding from Innovate UK but did not make a substantial effort to exploit their R&D results will not be eligible to receive funding. Your efforts in the previous project will be assessed against your proposed project’s exploitation plan and monitoring officers’ reports and other relevant sources will be reviewed. Three Innovate UK team members will make the decision, document it and communicate it to you in writing. You will not be allowed to contest this decision.
• UK micro entities must have a minimum of three full time employees within the business by the deadline.

More information is available on the website of Innovate UK.

Additional steps for applications from the United Kingdom

Where UK participation is successful and Innovate UK has declared funding for your project, then we will send you a link to complete an application. This is not evaluated, but allows Innovate UK to review project details, finances, permits and specific ethics requirements.

UK participants (and consortium partners) must also submit an additional an independent accountant’s report with the final claim. The UK withholds the final 15% of a grant, which will only be released once an independent audit has been carried out on UK participant’s expenditure. If your organisation (or any organisation in your consortium) fails to submit an independent accountant’s report, funding will be withheld until Innovate UK receives these documents.

For successful UK applicants, the expected time to contract (receipt of the Grant Offer Letter) is 90 days after Eureka sends a national funding notification. Innovate UK will confirm this date in writing so that, as a consortium, you can manage your expectation of when your project will start.