Eureka Eurostars 2: Round 12

Key Features

UK SMEs can apply for a share of up to £2.5 million to collaborate in research with partners across Europe and associated countries.

Programme:     Innovate UK

Award:     Share of up to £2.5 million

Opens: 15th Jul 2019

Closes: 12th Sep 2019

! This scheme is now closed

Overview

This competition is aimed at small or medium sized enterprises (SMEs) working on high-quality research and development (R&D) projects across national borders.

These enterprises 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

Eurostars is a European funding programme dedicated to supporting R&D performing SMEs in innovative R&D projects.

It has a market-driven approach, which gives companies full control over project content. It also supports collaborative research and innovation projects that can go to market 2 years after the project finishes.

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.

Your project must have a civilian purpose. It cannot have a military purpose.

Eligibility

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

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

Funding Costs

There is  up to £2.5 million allocated to fund innovation projects in this competition.

Eurostars will award up to 360,000 euros funding for each UK project partner or 60% of eligible project costs, whichever is the least.

Exclusions

Innovate UK will not fund:

  • academics, including universities
  • research and technology organisations (RTOs)
  • large companies
  • projects that do not have a civilian purpose

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