Horizon Europe opportunities overview

Pillar 1: Excellent Science

It supports frontier research, breakthrough ideas and the people, skills and infrastructure needed for world-class science. It brings together leading researchers, supports research careers and attracts global talent to Europe.

Funding is mainly for individual researchers, research teams, universities, research institutes and organisations providing research infrastructure, training or career development. Businesses, public bodies and other organisations may also take part in research-led projects.

Excellent Science has three main programmes, each covering a different area of scientific excellence and related funding opportunities.

European Research Council

The European Research Council supports excellent researchers carrying out ambitious frontier research.

Starting Grants
Support for talented early-career researchers ready to lead their own independent research project or team.

Consolidator Grants
Support for mid-career researchers who are consolidating their independent research and building their team.

Advanced Grants
Support for established research leaders with a strong track record who want to pursue an ambitious frontier research project.

Synergy Grants
Support for small groups of 2 to 4 researchers combining expertise to tackle ambitious frontier research problems.

Proof of Concept
Funding for ERC grant holders to explore the innovation potential of ideas arising from their ERC-funded frontier research.

ERC Plus Grants
Support for outstanding researchers with bold ideas and a vision for transformative research beyond existing ERC programmes.

Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions

MSCA provides funding for doctoral training and postdoctoral fellowships, alongside researcher career development, mobility and knowledge exchange across countries and sectors.

Doctoral Networks
Support for doctoral training programmes that help researchers develop skills, experience and international connections in academic and non-academic organisations.

Postdoctoral Fellowships
Support for excellent researchers who want to develop their career through international, interdisciplinary or intersectoral research experience.

Staff Exchanges
Support for organisations that want to exchange staff, share knowledge and build research and innovation partnerships.

COFUND
Support for organisations to develop or strengthen doctoral and postdoctoral fellowship programmes, attracting research talent and supporting career development.

MSCA and Citizens
Support for activities that bring research closer to the public and help people understand the value of research and innovation.

Research Infrastructures

Research Infrastructures support the facilities, resources, data, services and networks researchers need to carry out high-quality research and innovation.

What this could help you do

Access, develop or improve research infrastructures, including specialist facilities, digital services, data resources, scientific equipment and networks that support research across Europe.

Good fit if you are

A research organisation, university, infrastructure provider, public body, business or consortium involved in developing, managing, improving or using research infrastructure services.

Things to consider

Research Infrastructure calls are often collaborative and may focus on improving access, coordination, long-term sustainability, technical capability or the wider European research infrastructure landscape.

Explore Research Infrastructures funding areas

Pillar 2: Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness

It supports collaborative research and innovation projects that address major global challenges, strengthen Europe’s industrial competitiveness and deliver social, economic and environmental benefits. Pillar 2 accounts for more than half of the Horizon Europe budget, with €53.5 billion allocated for 2021 to 2027.

Funding is mainly for collaborative projects involving businesses, research and technology organisations, universities, public authorities, charities, healthcare organisations and others with relevant expertise.

Pillar 2 has six thematic clusters, each covering different global challenges and related funding opportunities. Most opportunities require a consortium of at least three independent legal entities from three different EU Member States or associated countries.

Pillar 2: Clusters and other EU funding

Each cluster focuses on a different challenge and also includes other related EU funding opportunities

Cluster 1: Health
Researchers, healthcare organisations, businesses, public bodies and charities working to improve health and care.

Cluster 2: Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society
Researchers, cultural and creative organisations, businesses, public bodies and civil society organisations.

Cluster 3: Civil Security for Society
Researchers, technology developers, emergency services, public authorities, security organisations and businesses.

Cluster 4: Digital, Industry and Space
Businesses, researchers, manufacturers, technology developers, universities and public sector organisations.

Cluster 5: Climate, Energy and Mobility
Researchers, businesses, transport providers, energy organisations, public authorities and environmental organisations.

Cluster 6: Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment
Researchers, farmers, food producers, environmental organisations, businesses, rural communities and public bodies.

EU Missions
Researchers, businesses, public authorities and civil society organisations working on large-scale, mission-driven challenges.

New European Bauhaus
Architects, designers, researchers, planners, communities, businesses and public bodies working on sustainable and inclusive living environments.

EU Partnerships
European Partnerships are collaborative initiatives between the EU Commission and private and/or public partners’

Pillar 3: Innovative Europe

It supports breakthrough innovation, market-creating ideas and the growth of new technologies, products and services. It helps bridge the gap between scientific research and commercial success.

Funding is mainly for start-ups, scale-ups, SMEs, entrepreneurs, research teams and academic spin-outs. It also supports regional innovation ecosystems, including public authorities, innovation hubs, clusters and other organisations that connect innovators across Europe.

Pillar 3 has three main programmes, each supporting a different part of Europe’s innovation landscape and related funding opportunities.

European Innovation Council (EIC)

The EIC is Horizon Europe's flagship innovation programme to identify, develop and scale up breakthrough technologies and game-changing innovations. Budget: €10.1 billion.

EIC Pathfinder

Multi-disciplinary research teams wanting to undertake visionary research with the potential to lead to technology breakthroughs.

EIC Transition

Organisations turning research results into innovation opportunities, following up on EIC Pathfinder, ERC Proof of Concept or Horizon Pillar 2 project results.

EIC Pre-Accelerator

Supports early-stage deep-tech start-ups in Widening countries to strengthen their technology readiness, business readiness and investor readiness.

EIC Accelerator

Start-ups and SMEs developing and scaling innovations with the potential to create new markets or disrupt existing ones.

Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) Scale Up

Promising companies — SMEs, start-ups, spin-offs and small mid-caps — driving innovation in critical areas and seeking larger private co-investment to scale.

EIC STEP Scale Up Defence

Equity investment for companies scaling critical defence technologies and industrial capabilities.

EIC Advanced Innovation Challenges – Pilot

Advanced Innovation Challenges support high-risk, demand-driven deep tech innovation with strong potential to reach the market.

Explore the European Innovation Council funding opportunities

European Innovation Ecosystems (EIE)

European Innovation Ecosystems supports more connected and effective innovation systems across Europe. It brings together organisations that help innovative businesses grow, collaborate and scale.

What this could help you do

Build innovation networks, support innovative SMEs, improve regional collaboration and create stronger conditions for business growth.

Good fit if you are

An innovation agency, regional authority, business support organisation, cluster, university, research organisation, investor, accelerator, incubator or SME.

Things to consider

Calls often focus on collaboration between different innovation actors. You may need to show how your project strengthens connections, supports scaling businesses or improves innovation capacity.

Explore European Innovation Ecosystems

European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT)

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology supports Europe-wide innovation networks that bring together universities, research centres, businesses and public bodies to tackle major societal challenges.

What this could help you do

Join innovation communities, develop new products or services, build partnerships and support innovation in areas such as health, digital, food, energy, climate, materials, mobility, water, as well as the cultural and creative sector.

Good fit if you are

A business, university, research organisation, public body, startup, scale-up or innovation partner looking to collaborate across Europe.

Things to consider

Opportunities are usually linked to Knowledge and Innovation Communities, known as KICs. Each KIC focuses on a specific challenge area and may have its own calls, activities and support routes.

Explore the European Institute of Innovation and Technology

Cross-cutting: Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area (WIDERA)

It aims to reduce differences in research and innovation performance, increase participation and strengthen collaboration across Europe.

Funding is mainly for universities, research organisations, public authorities, research funders and organisations involved in research policy and management. Businesses and other organisations may also take part where they can help build research and innovation capacity.

Funding supports stronger research organisations, international partnerships, research careers, innovation ecosystems and improvements to research and innovation systems.

Improving access to excellence

Building capacities in widening countries to enable them to advance to the competitive edge at European and international level.

Teaming for Excellence

Institutions in widening countries that want to build sustained research excellence through an international strategic partnership.

Twinning

Research organisations in widening countries looking to strengthen expertise and build connections with leading research partners.

Excellence Hubs

Regional innovation actors in widening countries wanting to build a more connected and competitive local innovation ecosystem.

Hop On Facility

Organisations in widening countries that want to participate in ongoing Horizon Europe projects, contributing their expertise and widening the geographic reach of funded work.

Find out more about WIDERA

Attracting and mobilising the best talents

Supporting universities and research organisations in eligible countries to attract outstanding researchers and implement structural changes to achieve excellence on a sustainable basis.

ERA Chairs

Universities and research organisations in widening countries looking to recruit an exceptional research leader and use that appointment to drive lasting institutional reform.

Find out more about WIDERA

Reforming and enhancing the European research and innovation system

Building capacities at the level of institutions and ecosystems. Most call topics are cross-cutting. The call topics possibly of interest are set out below. Cross-cutting reform actions

Cross-cutting reform actions

R&I institutions, funders, policymakers and ecosystem actors working to reform and strengthen research and innovation systems at national, regional or European level.

Find out more about WIDERA