Official call identifier: Eurostars Call 12
Objective of the call
Eurostars Call 12 supports international collaborative research, development and innovation projects led by innovative SMEs. The call enables SMEs to cooperate with international partners to develop innovative products, processes and services with clear potential for commercialisation.
Eurostars is part of the European Partnership on Innovative SMEs and is co-funded by the European Union through Horizon Europe. Funding is provided through the national or regional funding bodies of the participating countries.
Scope of activities
The call follows a bottom-up approach and is open to R&D and innovation projects in all technological and market areas. Projects must have an exclusive focus on civil applications.
Applicants must propose an international collaborative project focused on the development of an innovative product, process or service that can be commercialised. Project partners should combine complementary expertise and demonstrate the technological, commercial and financial capacity required to implement the proposed activities.
Supported activities may include:
• Industrial research
• Experimental development
• Design and development of new products, processes or services
• Development and testing of prototypes
• Technical validation and demonstration
• Integration of technologies and components
• Performance testing and optimisation
• Activities preparing the project results for commercialisation
The exact activities eligible for public funding are determined by the national or regional funding body responsible for each participating organisation.
Eligible applicants
Applications must be submitted by an international consortium that meets all of the following requirements:
• The consortium must be led by an innovative SME established in a Eurostars country
• The consortium must include at least two independent legal entities
• The participating entities must come from at least two different Eurostars countries
• At least one participating organisation must be established in an EU Member State or a country associated with Horizon Europe
• SMEs established in Eurostars countries must account for at least 50% of the total project costs, excluding subcontracting
• No single 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 must not exceed 36 months
In addition to innovative SMEs, consortium partners may include other SMEs, large companies, universities, research organisations and other types of legal entities, subject to the funding and eligibility rules of their respective countries.
Organisations established outside Eurostars countries may participate if the consortium continues to meet the international eligibility criteria. However, these organisations must finance their participation from their own resources and submit a self-funding declaration.
Countries and regions participating in this call include:
Austria, Belgium (Brussels), Belgium (Flanders), Belgium (Wallonia), Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Türkiye and the United Kingdom.
The availability of funding differs between participating countries and regions. Some participating countries may allow organisations to join only on a self-funded basis.
Eligible costs
Eligible costs are determined separately by each participating national or regional funding body. Applicants must therefore review the national funding rules applicable to every consortium partner.
Depending on national rules, eligible R&D costs may include:
• Personnel costs related to research and development activities
• Equipment and instrument costs or depreciation
• Materials, supplies and consumables
• Travel and subsistence costs
• External expertise and subcontracting
• Other costs directly connected to project implementation
Subcontracting between partners participating in the same Eurostars consortium is not permitted.
Funding conditions
Type of support: National or regional grant funding under the Eurostars programme, co-funded through the European Partnership on Innovative SMEs and Horizon Europe.
Funding rate: There is no single Eurostars-wide funding rate. Each participant is funded separately by its national or regional funding body according to its country, organisation type and R&D activity. Organisations from non-Eurostars countries may participate on a self-funded basis.
Country-specific funding rates and limits: National and regional funding information for Call 12 is still being confirmed by the Eureka Network and may change before the call opens. Applicants should check the conditions with their national or regional funding body early.
Maximum grant per beneficiary: No common Eurostars-wide maximum applies. National or regional funding bodies may set a maximum amount per project or per partner.
Total call budget: No single central Eurostars call budget is specified. Funding comes from separate national and regional budgets, supported by Horizon Europe co-funding.
Project duration: Maximum 36 months.
Call opening: 17 December 2026
Expected results: Funding decisions are expected by mid-June 2027.
Deadline for submission
4 March 2027, 14:00 CET (Brussels time)