News article

The Eurostars March 2026 call invites innovative small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to lead transnational R&D projects alongside partners such as large companies, universities, and research organisations. The principal aim is to fast-track the commercialisation of new products, processes, or services that deliver real-world impact.

Key Dates Call opens: 16 January 2026, 00:00 CET Call closes: 19 March 2026, 14:00 CET

Who Can Apply?

• The lead must be an innovative SME from a Eurostars-participating country.
• Consortia require at least two independent entities from two Eurostars countries (one must be EU or Horizon Europe associated).
• SMEs must account for ≥50% of total budget (excluding subcontracting).
• No single participant or country may control more than 70% of project costs.
• Projects must have civil (non-military) applications and last ≤36 months.

Funding Details

• Decentralised funding: individual countries fund their national participants.
• Funding rates and eligibility vary by country; detailed information is available from each national funding body.
• Applications are submitted via the myeurekaproject.org platform.

Why Apply?

• Gain access to international public funding and scale your R&D capabilities.
• Collaborate with cross-border partners to share expertise and reduce risk.
• Accelerate innovation’s path to commercialisation.
• Leverage the strong reputation and support of the Eurostars/Horizon Europe partnership.

More Information