EU Programme · 2021–2027

Eurostars funding for innovative SMEs

Eurostars (Eureka Network)

Covers 37 countries across the EU, EEA, and UK. Pools national funds with EU top-ups to provide direct non-dilutive R&D grants (up to €500k per company / €1.5M–€2M per consortium) for cross-border SME partnerships.

Budget: €1.2 billionPeriod: 2021–2027

Part of our complete EU funding guide.

Who Eurostars (Eureka Network) is for

Typical eligible applicant profiles. Each guide links through to open calls and eligibility notes.

How to apply

The standard EU funding process. Each Eurostars (Eureka Network) call publishes its own detailed requirements.

  1. 1

    Find open calls that match your profile

    Search by country, sector, applicant type, and deadline. EU funding is published across dozens of portals, so consolidation saves significant time.

  2. 2

    Check eligibility before investing effort

    Review applicant mode (single vs consortium), entity type requirements, geographic restrictions, and co-financing obligations. Disqualify early to protect team bandwidth.

  3. 3

    Build your consortium if required

    Many Horizon Europe calls require partners from multiple EU countries. Identify complementary organisations early — consortium formation often takes longer than proposal writing.

  4. 4

    Write and submit your proposal

    Follow the call documentation precisely. Most EU proposals require a work plan, budget breakdown, impact statement, and consortium description. Submit via the Funding & Tenders Portal.

  5. 5

    Evaluation and grant agreement

    Proposals are evaluated by independent experts against published criteria. Successful applicants negotiate a grant agreement that defines deliverables, reporting, and payment schedule.

Common questions

What is Eurostars?

Eurostars is a joint programme supporting R&D-performing SMEs that develop innovative products, processes, or services. It is co-funded by the EU and 37 national funding bodies.

How much funding is available per Eurostars project?

Consortia typically receive €1.5M to €2M, with individual companies receiving up to €500k in non-dilutive grants, depending on their national funding agency rules.

What are the eligibility requirements for Eurostars?

The project leader must be an innovative SME from a Eurostars country, and the consortium must include at least two independent entities from two different Eurostars nations.

Start tracking Eurostars (Eureka Network) calls today

One workflow for monitoring, qualifying, and shortlisting Eurostars (Eureka Network) opportunities.