Horizon Europe
Horizon Europe is the EU’s research and framework programme for the years 2021–2027. The programme’s grant opportunities are advertised through calls for proposals. The programme is built on three Pillars, of which Pillar II calls and Pillar III calls are most relevant for companies.
The programme is designed to support European competitiveness by creating new growth and jobs based on scientific knowledge and technological development that tackles societal challenges and helps to sustain European socio-economic models and values.
More info on structure of Horizon Europe here.
Innovation Fund
The Innovation Fund is one of the first EU funding instruments that supports the vision for climate-neutral Europe by 2050. It is about unleashing low-carbon investments in all Member States and pressing the fast-forward button in our transition to a climate-neutral, competitive, and innovative EU economy. One of advantages of Innovation Fund is the opportunity to apply EU funding without a consortium.
The Innovation Fund aims to
- help create the right financial incentives for projects to invest now in the next generation of technologies needed for the low-carbon transition in EU member countries.
- boost growth and competitiveness by empowering EU companies with a first-mover advantage to become global technology leaders.
- support innovative low-carbon technologies in all Member States.
Other funding sources
There are several other funding sources available for different types of organisations and different types of innovation. The selection is wide and there are many search engines available to find relevant themes and keywords. You will find CORDIS on the European Commission’s official page, but also check out Business Finland, Spinbase and techfunding.eu. Some of the funding sources are listed in this chapter.
Before you start applying for funding, take your time to learn about different instruments.
- What are they for?
- How much can you get?
- Is it a loan, grant or equity?
- What is the required Technical Readiness Level (TRL) of your innovation?
- Can you apply alone or do you need a consortium?