- European Innovation CouncilThe European Innovation Council (EIC) aims to identify and support breakthrough technologies and game changing innovations to create new markets and scale up internationally. The European Innovation Council (EIC), established under the Horizon Europe programme (2021-27), has a €10.1 billion budget to drive pioneering innovations across the business lifecycle—from early-stage research to proof of concept, technology transfer, and the financing and scale-up of start-ups and SMEs. Innovations in EIC The EIC’s primary goal is to identify, develop, and deploy high-risk, high-impact innovations, with a focus on breakthrough, market-creating, and deep-tech solutions. It supports rapid scaling of innovative technologies and companies (mainly start-ups and SMEs) at European and global levels, enhancing EU technological sovereignty. The EIC Board, composed of independent innovators (entrepreneurs, researchers, investors, and ecosystem leaders), guides its strategy. The EIC and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA) implements the
- European Research CouncilThe European Research Council (ERC) was set up to support excellence in research through grants that tackle issues at the frontiers of existing knowledge. It provides flexible longer-term, portable funding, and independence for researchers and their teams to pursue ambitious research. Information ERC projects should target a scientific, not a societal challenge. The ERC is looking for projects that are non-incremental and instead make a great scientific leap forward, with an understanding that this will imply a degree of risk. Unlike other funding instruments, the ERC’s focus is exclusively on scientific excellence. Societal relevance or impact are not evaluated. If you are looking for funding for scientifically or curiosity-driven, ambitious projects, this is the grant for you. Objectives and Principles of ERC Funding The ERC strives to achieve the following objectives: to promote scientific excellence in research by funding ground-breaking, high-risk, and ambitious frontier research; to attract the best talent
- Horizon EuropeThe Funding landscape for research and innovation in europe is mainly dominated by the European Commission's framework "Horizon Europe", that runs from 2021-2027. The primary driver of research and innovation funding in Europe continues to be the European Commission’s flagship programme Horizon Europe, which spans the period 2021 to 2027. Horizon Europe fosters collaboration across countries, disciplines, and sectors, strengthening the EU’s capacity to generate and apply world-class knowledge and technologies. It plays a critical role in supporting EU policy priorities and addressing global challenges, including climate change, digital transformation, public health, and the transition to a sustainable economy. Aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Horizon Europe aims to: Enhance Europe's scientific and technological excellence; Promote industrial competitiveness; Stimulate job creation and economic growth; Engage the entire EU talent pool more inclusively; Maximise the impact of investments
- InfrastructureResearch infrastructure in Horizon Europe Within Horizon Europe the Research Infrastructures (RI) Programme has the objective to empower Europe through world-class and accessible research infrastructures, as part of an integrated European research and technology infrastructures landscape. Research infrastructures and technology infrastructures are considered as crucial enablers of research and technological innovation and drivers of multidisciplinary and data-intensive science. Along previous European Framework Programmes a significant contribution towards a more efficient, open and effective use of national research infrastructures has been made and has developed, with the support of the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI, see below), a coherent and strategy-led approach to policy making and national investments on pan-European research infrastructures. While Member States remain central in the development and financing of public Research Infrastructures, meaning that Research Infrastructures
- Marie Skłodowska-Curie ActionsThe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) are the European Union’s reference programme for doctoral education and postdoctoral training. They contribute to excellent research, boosting jobs, growth and investment by equipping researchers with new knowledge and skills, and foster research cooperation across borders, sectors and disciplines. Objectives of the MSCA The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions fund excellent research and innovation and equip researchers at all stages of their career with new knowledge and skills, through mobility across borders and exposure to different sectors and disciplines. The MSCA help build Europe’s capacity for research and innovation by investing in the long-term careers of excellent researchers. The MSCA also fund the development of excellent doctoral and postdoctoral training programmes and collaborative research projects worldwide. By doing so, they achieve a structuring impact on higher education institutions, research centres and non-academic organisations. The MSCA promote excellence