A company with strong technical capability in a digital and AI field wants to work on an ambitious problem that is bigger than any single organisation, the kind of challenge addressed by a European consortium of companies and research partners. Joining such a consortium would let it contribute its expertise, work alongside leading partners, and have its part of the research funded, but it needs a consortium and a fitting call.
Horizon Europe is the European Union's large framework programme for research and innovation. Much of it funds collaborative projects carried out by consortia of partners from several countries, companies, universities and research institutions working together on a shared objective. 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 for such a case is the company's funded share of the project, not the whole consortium budget. The route suits a company that wants to take part in an ambitious, multi-partner European project and have its research contribution funded.
The company joins a consortium that applies to a relevant Horizon Europe call, taking responsibility for a defined part of the work. Its eligible costs, mostly the personnel working on its contribution, plus related costs, are funded at the applicable rate for the type of action. Its funded share of the project comes to about EUR 1.5 million over the project's term. The other partners are funded for their own contributions in parallel, and the consortium delivers a result none of them could have reached alone.
Horizon Europe runs through calls under its thematic clusters and pillars, each with its own scope and deadline. A consortium, usually several partners from several countries, matching the call's requirements, prepares one joint proposal that sets out the objective, the work packages, the partner roles and the expected impact. The proposal is evaluated against excellence, impact and quality of implementation, and successful consortia sign a grant agreement under which each partner is funded for its own eligible costs at the applicable rate. Building or joining the right consortium, and securing a clear, well-scoped role within it, is as important as the technical idea, and it usually takes lead time before the deadline.
A €1.5M Horizon Europe grant.
The company contributes its expertise to an ambitious European project, works alongside leading partners, and has its research contribution funded. It gains both the funding and the position in a network that often outlasts the project itself, opening follow-on collaborations and visibility across the field.
Horizon Europe (collaborative) · up to 100%Horizon Europe is the route for a company that wants to take part in an ambitious, multi-partner European research project. The programme funds the company's share of the work, and the collaboration brings reach and partners beyond what the company could assemble on its own. The main requirements are a fitting call and a credible role within a strong consortium.
The questions we hear most. Short answer first, detail after.
Collaborative research and innovation carried out by consortia of partners from several countries - companies, universities and research institutions working together on a shared objective. 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, not the whole consortium budget.
A consortium, typically several partners from several countries, with the exact composition set by the call. Each partner takes responsibility for a defined part of the work.
As part of a consortium, to a specific Horizon Europe call with a deadline. The consortium submits one proposal, which is evaluated against the call's criteria.
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