Eureka collaborative R&D: Eurostars 3 Call 7

In the UK, only UK registered innovative SMEs are eligible for funding. More than one UK SME can be involved in each project. Micro entities must have a minimum of three full time staff to be eligible.

These conditions must be met by each of the UK innovative SMEs.

You must:

• have registered as an entity at Companies House at least 12 months before the Eurostars deadline
• be able to resource your participation and fund the remainder of your project costs

Innovate UK will not fund any other types of organisations, including:

• sole traders
• academic institutions, including universities
• research and technology organisations (RTOs)
• charities
• large businesses

These organisations can take part but must self-fund or use funds from other sources.

You must follow the Eurostars eligibility criteria and the Innovate UK eligibility criteria, at the application deadline and throughout your project:

The Innovate UK eligibility criteria are:

• UK SMEs will only receive funding for one live Eurostars project at a time, if you have an existing live project, then you must self-fund your participation in this application
• UK partners must be separate, non-linked legal entities
• UK partners must have been trading for 12 months at the competition application close date
• all UK funded work must be carried out in the UK and your project costs must be incurred in the UK
• UK subcontracting is capped at 20% of the UK partners’ total eligible costs
• a UK-led project must be managed by an innovative SME, you cannot subcontract project management
• your labour costs must be on a pay as you earn (PAYE) basis, following the PAYE rules section
• overheads are capped at 25% of labour costs

To apply, you must fulfil the seven Eurostars eligibility criteria:

1. Your consortium must be led by an innovative SME from a Eurostars country.
2. The project organisations concerned must be independent from each other.
3. Your consortium must include organisations from at least two Eurostars countries with a minimum of one organisation coming from an EU or Horizon associated country.
4. The budget of the SMEs from a Eurostars country, excluding subcontracting, is 50% or more of the total project cost.
5. No single participant or country is responsible for more than 70% of the project budget.
6. The project duration is 36 months or less.
7. The project has an exclusively civilian purpose.

To be eligible for grant funding from Innovate UK your collaboration:

• must include at least one UK registered micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME)
• must include at least one eligible partner from one of the Eureka Eurostars members countries participating in the competition

If you require a permit or licence to carry out your project deliverables, you must have these in place prior to the project start date.

The aim of this competition is to support international collaboration on R&D projects that create innovative products, processes or services for commercialisation.

This competition is open in theme and we will fund projects from all sectors, which meet eligibility criteria.

Your project must have high market potential and develop at least one of the following:

• innovative products
• technology-based applications
• technology-based services

Your collaborative R&D proposal must demonstrate:

• a clear game-changing or disruptive innovative idea leading to new products, processes or services
• a strong and deliverable business plan that addresses (and documents) market potential and needs
• sound, practical financial plans and timelines
• good value for money, which will always be a consideration in Innovate UK funding decisions
• a clear, evidence-based plan to deliver significant economic impact, return on investment (ROI) and growth through commercialisation, as soon as possible after project completion
• clear, considerable potential to significantly benefit the UK economy or national productivity
• the benefit of participants from the countries working together and how this adds value
• a clear definition of where intellectual property (IP) can be used and shared between the participants and countries
• a clear route to market or have gone to clinical trials within two years of project completion

19 July 2024, 1:30pm UK time: Online webinar run by UKRI; register to attend

23 July 2024, 1.30-4pm UK time: Online webinar on Eureka, organised by Innovate UK Business Connect: register to attend

If you want to find a project collaborator, register here or contact Innovate UK Business Connect’s Global Alliance team or the Enterprise Europe Network.

If you need help with the Eureka project application form, contact Eureka directly.

If you need more information on submitting to Innovate UK, email us at eurekanpc@iuk.ukri.org or call the competition helpline on 0300 321 4357. Our phone lines are open from 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 5pm UK time, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).