Eurostars program for SMEs: innovation without frontiers
From artica+i, we help innovative SMEs to turn their ideas into reality by obtaining European funding offered by the Eurostars program.
What is the Eurostars program?
Eurostars is an international funding program aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) focused on research and development (R&D). The program is designed to support transnational collaborative projects in the field of innovation.
Its main objective is to foster collaboration between companies from different European countries in R&D projects. It is specifically aimed at SMEs, but the participation of other organizations, such as academic institutions or research centers, is also possible.
The Eurostars program, which focuses specifically on innovative SMEs, is part of the Eureka initiative, a broader international R&D cooperation network (not only oriented to SMEs). Its objective is to promote collaboration between companies, research centers and universities in innovative projects, facilitating access to funding for research and technological development projects in collaboration between different countries.
Who can apply for Eureka-Eurostars funding?
- To be eligible, projects must involve at least two independent companies from two different countries participating in Eurostars.
- Projects are expected to have a clear research and development focus.
- The consortium leader can be an R&D performing SME or an innovative SME with appropriate capabilities.
What are the funding conditions?
Funding is shared among the different project partners and is awarded at the national level according to the funding rules of each participating country. Each country has its own national agency that administers the program at the national level and manages the funding for the companies in its country.
- In the case of Spain, it is the Center for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI) that is responsible for financing the R&D costs of participating SMEs. Small Spanish companies may receive a grant covering up to 60% of eligible costs, while medium-sized companies may receive a grant covering up to 50%.
- The maximum amount of funding is a grant of €400,000 per Spanish participant in a project.
What types of projects can be funded? Areas and requirements
Eurostars is a broad program and is not limited to specific thematic areas. Projects can address a variety of areas, from information and communication technologies to biotechnology, energy, advanced manufacturing, among others. However, they tend to focus on research and development (R&D) activities with a clear focus on innovation. These projects must be collaborative, involving at least two independent companies from two Eurostars participating countries.
Important requirements that should be covered:
- Innovative project. Projects must stand out for their innovative character. They are expected to address technological challenges and bring significant advances in their respective fields.
- International Collaboration. Collaboration is a key aspect. Projects must involve companies from at least two Eurostars participating countries.
- Focus on R&D. Projects must have a clear focus on research and development. This implies the generation of new knowledge, technologies or products.
- Technical and Commercial Feasibility. In addition to innovation, projects are assessed for technical and commercial viability. It is expected that the results of the research are applicable and have the potential to reach the market.
Fundable projects framed within the agri-food sector.
Eurostars has a broad focus and covers several thematic areas, including the agri-food sector. This sector is crucial for the economy and food security, and innovation in this area can address challenges related to sustainability, efficiency and quality of food products.
There is a wide range of topics with potential for funding, with some of these areas being relevant:
- Development of new agricultural technologies.
- Improvement of the supply chain and logistics.
- Innovations in food production.Development of functional foods or nutraceuticals.
- Environmental sustainability in agricultural and food production.
- Food processing technologies.Quality improvement and food safety.
How does artica+i help you?
From artica+i we help you to materialize your project idea to turn it into a winning proposal. We have a wide experience in the preparation, dynamization and management of R&D&I projects in the European field, which allows us to provide tailor-made advice according to the client’s needs.
Our capabilities include the following services:
Project preparation from an initial idea
- Technical-economic diagnosis: we carry out an in-depth evaluation of the project idea on which we are going to work on the proposal. We study its degree of R+D+i, identifying the main activities and tasks and we adapt the proposal to the Eurostars call.
- Formation of consortium: active search for partners, national and international, and definition of roles of each of them.
- Elaboration of budgets.
- Documentary presentation in the Eureka-Eurostars platform.
Management of an approved project
Service we offer from the signing of the Grant Agreement until the end of the project:
- Support in project coordination.
- Support in the preparation of technical reports.
- Support with economic justification – preparation of budget reports.
Partial support of a proposal: project with a more consolidated and advanced idea.
- Editorial review: the body of the report is written and an external review is required to make it more consistent.
- Budget preparation: we guide the budgets by partners.
- Presentation on the platform.
