A deep-tech company has a technology that could play a key part in a larger, frontier objective, one that needs the combined effort of several organisations across countries. Working in a consortium would let it apply its technology in a bigger context, alongside leading partners, and have its part of the work funded, but it needs to find the consortium and the right call and to define a credible role.
Horizon Europe is the European Union's framework programme for research and innovation, and much of it funds collaborative projects carried out by consortia of partners from several countries. Companies take part alongside universities and research institutions, each responsible for a defined part of the work, and the grant covers a share of each partner's eligible costs, up to the full eligible cost for research and innovation actions, and a lower share for innovation actions closer to market. The figure shown is the company's funded share of the project. It is the route for a company that wants to contribute a deep-tech capability to an ambitious European effort and have that contribution funded.
The company joins a consortium applying to a relevant Horizon Europe call and takes responsibility for a defined part of the work built around its technology. Its eligible costs, mostly the personnel on its contribution, with related costs, are funded at the applicable rate for the type of action. Its funded share comes to about EUR 1.2 million over the project. The other partners are funded for their own parts in parallel, and the consortium pursues a result beyond any single partner's reach.
Horizon Europe runs through calls under its thematic clusters and pillars, each with a scope and a deadline. A consortium of partners from several countries prepares one joint proposal covering the objective, the work packages, the partner roles and the expected impact, which is evaluated on excellence, impact and quality of implementation. Successful consortia sign a grant agreement under which each partner is funded for its own eligible costs at the applicable rate. For a deep-tech company, defining a role that genuinely needs its technology, and joining a credible consortium early enough before the deadline, matters as much as the technology itself.
A €1.2M Horizon Europe grant.
The company applies its technology in an ambitious European project, works with leading partners, and has its contribution funded. Beyond the money, it gains a position in a network that often leads to follow-on projects and to visibility that helps the technology find its market.
Horizon Europe (collaborative) · up to 100%Horizon Europe lets a deep-tech company contribute to and be funded within a frontier European project it could not run alone. The programme funds the company's share, and the consortium brings partners and reach beyond its own. The essentials are a fitting call, a strong consortium and a clear, well-scoped role.
The questions we hear most. Short answer first, detail after.
Yes. Companies join Horizon Europe consortia alongside universities and research institutions, taking responsibility for a defined part of the work and being funded for their own eligible costs at the applicable rate.
It depends on the role and the type of action, and the figure shown is the company's funded share of the project. Shares for a substantial role commonly run into the seven figures over the project.
Research and innovation actions are funded up to the full eligible cost; innovation actions, which are closer to market, are funded at a lower share for profit-making participants.
As part of a consortium, to a specific Horizon Europe call. The consortium submits one proposal, evaluated against the call's criteria, before a grant agreement is signed.
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