EUREKA Eurostars 2: round 11

Overview

Small businesses working on high-quality research and development (R&D) projects across national borders often find it difficult to attract public-sector funding. EUREKA Eurostars was set up to overcome this barrier to innovation. With its market-led approach, it encourages international collaborative research and innovation projects that will be rapidly commercialised.

Eurostars supports SMEs in leading international collaborative research and innovation projects by helping them get access to guidance and funding.

Scope

• Projects must be led by a research-performing SME.
• A Eurostars project must have a civilian purpose and be aimed at the development of a new product, process or service.
• You can apply for Eurostars funding for any sector and industry.
• It can address any technological area but must be aimed at the development of a new product, process or service.

Exclusions

In the UK, Eurostars will not fund:

• academics, including universities
• research and technology organisations (RTOs)
• large companies.

These organisations can participate but must self-fund or use funds from other sources.

Funding Costs

• Up to €360,000 funding for each UK project partner, or;
• 60% of eligible project costs will be awarded, whichever is the least.
• Projects can last up to 36 months.

Eligibility

In the UK, only SMEs are eligible for funding. The project must be led by a research-performing SME, one that:

• invests 10% or more of its turnover into research, or
• has 10% of its full-time equivalent staff working on research activities, or
• has 5 or more full-time staff working on research activities, if the SME has 100 or fewer employees, or
• has 10 or more full-time staff working on research activities, if the SME has more than 100 employees

You must follow:

The Eurostars eligibility criteria and the Innovate UK criteria at the competition application deadline and throughout your project:

• UK SMEs can only take part in one Eurostars project at a time.
• If you have an existing project, your final project report on it must have been accepted by the Eurostars secretariat before the application deadline for this competition. You can apply for other Innovate UK funding without this restriction.
• Partners must be separate, non-linked legal entities.
• Partners must be registered at Companies House for 12 months and have been trading for 12 months at the competition application deadline.
• All work must be carried out in the UK and your project costs must be incurred in the UK.
• Your labour costs must be on a pay as you earn (PAYE) basis.
• UK subcontracting is capped at 20% of the UK partner eligible costs.
• UK-led projects must be managed by an SME. Project management cannot be subcontracted.

Your partners must follow the eligibility criteria of their countries’ national funding bodies.