In May, we continue our interview series with Matej Tisaj, Head of EU Programmes at Tiko Pro. With extensive experience in EU programmes and proposal development, Matej brings valuable insight into how organisations can position themselves for success.

This month, we dive into the world of EU funding - from collaborative applications and the programmes organisations should keep on their radar, to the broader strategic direction the European Commission is shaping through its funding priorities.

But let’s start with the basics - what is EU funding, actually?

As Matej explains, it is grant funding: non-repayable support, with no equity given up and no loan to pay back. The European Union collects contributions from Member States and redistributes a significant share through funding programmes that support its strategic priorities.

In return, beneficiaries are expected to deliver real results - concrete outputs, measurable impact, detailed reporting, and clear proof that the funding was used as intended.

Read on and discover more about how EU funding works, where the biggest opportunities lie, and what organisations should focus on when preparing for the next call.

What is the strategic purpose behind EU funding, and why does the EU invest so heavily in these programmes?

Because Europe has a coordination problem. We have world-class research, strong industrial expertise, and highly innovative companies - but too often, they operate in national silos. Technologies developed in one country often struggle to find partners, customers, or real market opportunities in another. The result is that Europe creates breakthroughs, but they often end up being scaled somewhere else.

That’s where EU funding comes in. It’s really a tool for strengthening European competitiveness. By co-financing projects that require cross-border collaboration, the EU encourages the kind of cooperation that the market alone usually wouldn’t create.

For example, if you have a cybersecurity platform developed by organisations from eight different countries, it has a much higher chance of becoming a European standard than something built by just one national player.

And for individual organisations, the value goes far beyond the funding itself. Participation brings new partnerships, stronger credibility across European markets, and access to expertise that simply may not exist locally.

Following that, which EU funding programmes should companies pay the most attention to, and how can they identify the right fit for their ambitions?

The two biggest are Horizon Europe and Digital Europe. Horizon Europe, with a budget of around €95 billion for 2021–2027, is the EU's flagship research and innovation programme - it's where Europe makes its biggest bets, funding collaborative projects across universities, companies, and research institutes. Digital Europe focuses on deploying and scaling technologies like AI, cybersecurity infrastructure, and data spaces at a European level - less about inventing something new, more about making what exists work across borders.

Beyond those, there's a wide range of more targeted instruments. The Innovation Fund supports investment-intensive decarbonisation projects. LIFE covers environment and climate action. EU4Health focuses on health systems and innovation. AGRIP supports agricultural and food product promotion. EUREKA is worth a special mention for SMEs - it supports market-oriented R&D with a faster, more flexible process than most EU instruments. The full picture is broader still, and the official EU portal lists all open calls in one place.

With so many programmes available - from Horizon Europe and Digital Europe to more specialised instruments like LIFE, EU4Health, or EUREKA - what actually makes a project fundable in the eyes of the European Commission?

First, the project has to fit a very specific call - and EU calls are extremely precise. They don’t simply say, “we want cybersecurity projects.” They say something much more specific, like “we want projects that help SMEs comply with the Cyber Resilience Act through automated assessment tools.” If your idea doesn’t directly address that exact need, then honestly, it doesn’t matter how strong the idea itself is.

Beyond that fit, evaluators look at whether you have a credible team, the right consortium, and a strong partnership behind the proposal. They also want to see a realistic plan for what happens after the funding ends - what the EU refers to as exploitation and sustainability.

The projects that usually score best are the ones that clearly address European market fragmentation - connecting players across borders, building shared infrastructure, and creating the conditions for adoption across Europe.

In the end, the EU is not really funding individual product development - it is funding ecosystem-building.

You mentioned the consortium - a term that comes up in almost every EU project discussion. What does it actually mean, and why is it so important for a successful application?

Many programmes don't just allow multi-partner applications - they require them. A consortium is a group of organisations that collectively covers the expertise, geography, and institutional mix a project needs. A typical Horizon Europe consortium might include a university, a large company, an SME, a public body, and partners from at least three EU countries. Each element signals something to the evaluators.

Building this from scratch - especially without an existing European network - is one of the hardest parts of the process. Tiko Pro has spent 15 years developing the relationships and matchmaking know-how that make this possible. That network directly determines whether a consortium is competitive or not.

Looking at everything we’ve discussed so far - from funding priorities and programme selection to consortium building and project impact - what would you say is the broader strategic direction the European Union is pursuing through its funding programmes?

That’s a big question - but the direction is actually quite clear. The priorities may shift over time, but right now the focus is strongly on digital sovereignty, cybersecurity, cleantech, biotech, and deeptech. These areas are all becoming more and more prominent.

What connects all of them is competitiveness. The EU is funding what it needs in order to stay relevant and competitive on the global stage.

For organisations working in AI, advanced manufacturing, health technology, or clean energy, the alignment between EU priorities and real commercial opportunity has probably never been stronger.

To wrap up with something practical - which EU calls would you highlight as the most prominent right now, and how can Tiko Pro help companies position themselves successfully and secure funding through them?

Right now, I’d highlight three Digital Europe calls as especially prominent.

One is Digital solutions for regulatory compliance through data, with a deadline on 1 October 2026. It focuses on AI-powered tools for automating regulatory reporting, so it is particularly relevant for organisations operating in heavily regulated sectors like healthcare, energy, or manufacturing.

Another important one is Piloting AI-based image screening in medical centres, also with a deadline on 1 October 2026. This call supports two large-scale pilots worth €9 million in total and focuses on deploying AI for MRI, CT, X-ray, PET, and ultrasound analysis in real clinical settings.

Then there is Strengthening cybersecurity capacities of European SMEs with cybersecure AI-powered solutions, expected in Q4 2026. This one supports the development and deployment of AI-powered cybersecurity tools in line with the AI Act and other EU regulations.

What all three have in common is that they require strong, multi-partner consortia across countries.

As you could feel throughout our conversation with Matej, EU funding is never just about submitting an application - it is about strategy, timing, the right partners, and a clear understanding of where Europe is heading.

At Tiko Pro, we help organisations connect these pieces - from finding the right call and building a strong consortium to securing funding and delivering real project impact. If you have an idea worth scaling, let’s talk.