EU funding for innovation

Horizon 2020 is Europe's biggest research and innovation programme. It provides funding for projects that:

• are ground-breaking
• improve European research standards
• respond to global challenges

With almost €80 billion available over seven years (2014 - 2020), Horizon 2020 aims to help organisations bring great ideas to market and create world-class products and services.

Horizon 2020 priorities

The programme focuses on the following three core themes:

• excellent science - boosting top-level research in Europe
• industrial leadership - providing access to finance and support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
• societal challenges - tackling major societal challenges across Europe, such as climate change, sustainable transport, renewable energy, food safety and ageing population

Find more information on Horizon 2020 core themes.

How does Horizon 2020 work?

Funding opportunities under Horizon 2020 are set out in multiannual work programmes by the European Commission (EC), and cover the large majority of support available.

Horizon 2020 is open to applications from all types of organisations, including:

• those involved in research, technological development and innovation on an international scale
• individual researchers
• public bodies and third-sector organisations
• private businesses

Opportunities to apply for funding are issued via calls for proposal publicised on the Horizon 2020 participant portal. Find out more about Horizon 2020 calls for proposal.

Types of projects suitable for Horizon 2020 support

Horizon 2020 can provide:

• funding for research and innovation projects
• support for attracting and supporting researchers
• support for strengthening your international network
• support for acquiring new knowledge and expertise

Horizon 2020 cannot support:

• community projects or groups to carry out localised activities
• employment creation schemes
• small scale individual projects

Extensive guidance for potential applicants is available online via the Horizon 2020 online manual. Alternatively, watch the video below to learn more about Horizon 2020.

Horizon 2020 offers many funding opportunities for research and innovation activities. It does this through calls for proposals that are set out in the Horizon 2020 work programmes.

How to find Horizon 2020 calls

Horizon 2020 calls are publicised on the Horizon 2020 participant portal.

There are several ways you can find the right opportunities. You can:

• search the latest Horizon 2020 calls for proposals
• search for Horizon 2020 calls by topics

On the participant portal, you can also find calls of the other EU programmes and learn about other research and innovation funding opportunities.

Read more about finding a call in the Horizon 2020 online manual.

Horizon 2020 eligibility criteria

Different funding calls may have different conditions and eligibility criteria. To apply for the majority of Horizon 2020 funding, you must normally be a part of a consortium. Usually, this involves a team of at least three partner organisations from different countries.

Some opportunities may be open to single-organisation applications, eg:

• European Research Council research grants
• Marie Sklodowska-Curie actions
• SME instrument - see more on Horizon 2020 opportunities for SMEs

Read more about finding partners when applying to Horizon 2020 calls or watch a video on the evaluators' top tips for project proposers.

Applying for Horizon 2020 calls

Horizon 2020 calls are open to everyone. If you plan to apply, keep in mind that:

• putting together a proposal takes time and effort
• it can take up to a year to get a project started

You will also have to provide comprehensive accounts and financial reporting to meet the programme criteria.

To apply, you should generally follow these simple steps:

1. Find a suitable call for proposal.
2. Find project partners, if the call is for a collaborative project.
3. Create an account on the Horizon 2020 participant portal.
4. Register your organisation to receive a 9-digit participant identification code.
5. Submit your proposal (make sure that you meet the deadline and scope of the call).

Read more about the steps involved in applying to Horizon 2020.

If you are thinking of applying to a Horizon 2020 call, see also help for Horizon 2020 applicants in Northern Ireland.

Horizon 2020 supports small and medium-sized business (SMEs) by providing direct financial support, as well as indirect support to increase their innovation capacity. 20 per cent of the programme's budget is allocated for SMEs.

Horizon 2020 SME instrument

Under the Horizon 2020 SME instrument, funding is available for innovation projects of:

• a single for-profit SME
• a consortium of for-profit SMEs

The SME instrument provides support across all areas of innovation, science and technology.

Qualifying for SME instrument support

To qualify for support under the SME instrument, businesses should have a good knowledge and experience in the markets they intend to operate in and projects that:

• have clear commercial ambition
• pursue breakthrough innovation
• have the potential to disrupt existing markets
• have the potential for high growth and internationalisation

To be eligible for support, your business should:

• meet the European Union (EU) definition of an SME - see what is an SME
• be legally established in one of the EU member states or in a country associated to Horizon 2020

Some parts of the Horizon 2020 programmes - including the SME instrument - target specifically SMEs so, to be eligible, you will need to declare your business as an SME in the participant register.

If you're unsure about your SME status, use the SME self-assessment questionnaire to determine if your organisation qualifies under the definition. For more information, download the revised user guide to the SME definition (PDF, 770K).

What support is available?

The SME instrument is a three-phased approach that supports close-to-market activities and can offer businesses:

• grants for feasibility assessment purposes
• grants for innovation development and demonstration purposes
• free business coaching to boost the company's innovation capacity
• access to a wide range of innovation support services
• facilitated access to risk finance to enable the commercial exploitation of the innovation

Find out more about the Horizon 2020 SME instrument and read about the help available for Northern Ireland SMEs that are seeking to access EU funding.

R&D funding for bioeconomy sector

Businesses looking to innovate and build new value chains in the bioeconomy sector can turn to Horizon 2020's SuperBIO programme for help with commercialising their R&D. The programme offers:

• free matchmaking to help you find the partners you need
• business creation services, such as business planning, IP and market research
• sustainable innovation services, such as proof of concept and scale up

Find out more about the SuperBIO programme or watch the video below to discover the opportunities this H2020 project can bring to your business.

Businesses in Northern Ireland can get advice and guidance on applying for Horizon 2020 funding. In the first instance, help is available to all potential applicants from the Northern Ireland Contact Point network (NICP).

NICP network support may include:

• help with finding relevant calls
• help with identifying collaborative partners for application
• practical advice on the application process

Find out more about the Northern Ireland Contact Point network or access a list of Northern Ireland Horizon 2020 support contacts.

Advice is also available from the Enterprise Europe Network in Northern Ireland, particularly around finding potential partners and collaboration opportunities from further afield.

Financial support with applying to Horizon 2020

Invest Northern Ireland (NI) can provide certain Horizon 2020 applicants with financial support of up to £15,000 to help towards the costs associated with the development of an application.

Eligibility criteria and different levels of support may apply. Read more about Invest NI's Horizon 2020 support or contact the Invest NI Helpline on Tel 0800 181 44 22 to find out what may be available.

InterTradeIreland can provide financial assistance for local travel or accommodation for up to £500 when meeting with partners or potential partners in the other jurisdiction with a view to engaging in Horizon 2020.

Additionally, the European Union travel scheme can reimburse up to £350 to cover travel and accommodation costs incurred when attending relevant Horizon 2020 related events in Europe. Read about InterTradeIreland Horizon 2020 support.

For more information on the advice and support available in Northern Ireland, see Horizon 2020 NI portal.

Support around communication, dissemination and exploitation

If you engage in a Horizon 2020 project, you will have a number of obligations related to communication, dissemination and exploitation of your research and its outcomes. Effective plans for these activities are important for the success of a Horizon 2020 project.

The EU IPR Helpdesk have produced helpful guidance on these areas, explaining what these terms in Horizon 2020 actually mean, how they relate to each other and how they can boost the impact of your research and innovation. Download guidance on Horizon 2020 communication, dissemination and exploitation (PDF, 437K).

If you have any questions about applying for Horizon 2020, or need further information, you can call Enterprise Europe Network Northern Ireland Helpline on Tel 0300 123 3066.

Horizon 2020 National Contact Point Network can help businesses with their application. The NICP network provides a number of services, including:

• organising Horizon 2020 related events and workshops
• helping businesses identify areas of relevance within the competitive EU calls
• helping businesses find collaborative partners for applications
• engaging with National Contact Points in other member countries
• providing practical advice and support to businesses with the Horizon 2020 application process

Learn how to find help for Horizon 2020 applicants in Northern Ireland or get in touch with the Northern Ireland Horizon 2020 support contacts.

Alternatively, watch a short video below that explains how NICP network can help your business.

Public procurement presents great opportunities for small and medium businesses. It offers a huge potential market for innovative products and services, and provides the funding needed to research, develop and scale up solutions that address public sector issues.

There are two main approaches to the procurement of innovation in the public sector:

• pre-commercial procurement
• public procurement of innovative solutions

Pre-commercial procurement (PCP)

PCP is the procurement of research and development of new innovative solutions before they are commercially available. PCP is designed to steer the development of solutions towards concrete public sector needs.

Under Horizon 2020, groups of public sector procurers can get enhanced support to address a common agreed challenge. The funding enables these procurers to work together in seeking relevant solutions from the market place.

Find out more about the pre-commercial procurement.

Public procurement of innovative solutions (PPI)

PPI occurs when public authorities act as a launch customer for innovative goods or services. These are typically not yet available on a large-scale commercial basis and may include conformance testing.

Find out more about the public procurement of innovative solutions.

Benefits of PCP and PPI

Businesses can benefit from the opportunities presented by the PCP and PPI contracts. For example:

• businesses and organisations supported by PCP are typically funded at a rate of 100 per cent of eligible costs
• businesses keep the intellectual property generated as a result of the PCP
• businesses gain valuable insight into market requirements from potential end-users (public sector bodies)

In addition, businesses quite often need to collaborate with other organisations to develop a capable consortium, thereby developing their supply-chain and customer base.

Where to find PCP/PPI opportunities?

You can find all contract notices and Horizon 2020 funded procurement opportunities listed in the TED section of the Official Journal of the EU.

For more information, see the European Commission's overview of innovation procurement initiatives or browse through the frequently asked questions about PPC and PPI.

You can also watch videos below from the eafip initiative to get better acquainted with innovation procurement.