Official call identifier: Javni razpis Eurostars 3 2026
Objective of the call
The Slovenian Eurostars 3 Call 2026 supports the participation of Slovenian micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in international collaborative research, development and innovation projects implemented under the Eurostars programme.
The call aims to encourage Slovenian companies, particularly innovative SMEs, to participate in international consortia and implement market-oriented R&D projects. Projects should result in a new, modified or substantially improved product, process or service with clear commercial potential and a short time to market.
ARIS provides national co-financing for the eligible costs incurred by Slovenian partners participating in positively evaluated and approved Eurostars projects.
Scope of activities
The call supports the Slovenian part of international Eurostars research, development and innovation projects.
Projects must be implemented through international cooperation and include industrial research and/or experimental development activities. They should focus on developing innovative products, processes or services that can be introduced to the market.
Supported activities may include:
• Industrial research
• Experimental development
• Development of new or substantially improved products, processes or services
• Prototype development
• Technical testing and validation
• Integration and optimisation of technologies
• Demonstration of project results
• Activities supporting the preparation of project results for commercialisation
Projects may address any technological or market field but must focus exclusively on civil applications.
The new, modified or substantially improved product, process or service developed through the project must be available on the market no later than 12 months after the end of the project.
Eligible applicants
National funding under this call is available to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises with a registered office, business unit or branch in the Republic of Slovenia. The relevant Slovenian establishment must be registered in the Slovenian Business Register or Court Register no later than the national application submission date.
Slovenian public research organisations may participate in Eurostars projects only as:
• External contractors to an eligible Slovenian company; or
• Consortium partners participating without ARIS funding.
Large companies, universities and research organisations may participate in the international Eurostars consortium under the international programme rules, but they are not eligible to receive ARIS funding through this Slovenian national call.
The international consortium must meet the Eurostars eligibility requirements:
• The consortium must be led by an innovative SME established in a Eurostars country
• It must include at least two independent legal entities
• Partners must come from at least two different Eurostars countries
• At least one partner must be established in an EU Member State or a country associated with Horizon Europe
• SMEs from Eurostars countries must account for at least 50% of the total project costs, excluding subcontracting
• No individual participant or country may account for more than 70% of the total project budget
• The project must focus exclusively on civil applications
• The project duration may not exceed 36 months
The Slovenian applicant may participate as the international project coordinator or as a consortium partner.
Eligible costs
Eligible costs must be directly related to the implementation of the Slovenian applicant’s R&D activities and may only be incurred from the date of the ARIS selection decision.
Eligible cost categories include:
• Personnel costs for researchers and professional or technical staff working directly on project R&D activities
• Indirect costs
• Business travel costs in Slovenia or abroad directly related to the project
• Material costs directly connected to project objectives and purchased specifically for project activities
• External service costs necessary for project implementation
Personnel costs are calculated using standard unit costs:
• Researchers: EUR 31.80 per hour of R&D work
• Professional and technical staff: EUR 21.20 per hour of R&D work
A maximum of 1,700 hours per person per year may be claimed.
Indirect costs are calculated as a flat rate of 15% of the eligible personnel unit costs.
External services may include consulting, engineering, feasibility studies, project documentation, translation, training, specialist analysis, research, expert reports and the rental of equipment or premises directly required for the project.
The total eligible costs of external services may not exceed 30% of the Slovenian applicant’s total eligible project costs.
The purchase of used equipment is not eligible. Value-added tax is not an eligible cost.
Funding conditions
Type of support: National co-financing grant under the Eurostars 3 programme
Funding rate:
• Micro and small enterprises: up to 60% of eligible project costs
• Medium-sized enterprises: up to 50% of eligible project costs
The basic state-aid intensity is 25%. It may be increased by:
• 20 percentage points for micro and small enterprises
• 10 percentage points for medium-sized enterprises
• 15 percentage points where the project is implemented in at least two EU Member States, or in an EU Member State and an EEA country, and no individual company accounts for more than 70% of eligible project costs
The maximum resulting rates under this call are therefore 60% for micro and small enterprises and 50% for medium-sized enterprises.
Maximum grant per beneficiary: Up to EUR 500,000 per Slovenian applicant over a maximum three-year project period
Total call budget: Up to EUR 5,000,000 for the 2026–2030 period
Project duration: Up to 36 months
Deadline for submission
10 September 2026, 14:00 CEST for the international Eurostars application; 30 September 2026, 14:00 for the ARIS national application