Open Call: Eureka Eurostars Competition for UK Businesses

Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, is investing up to £2.5 million to fund collaborative research and development (CR&D) projects focused on industrial research.

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

Funding Information

• They have allocated up to £2.5 million to fund the eligible UK partners innovation projects in this competition. Funding will be in the form of a grant.
• If your organisation’s work on the project is commercial or economic, your funding request must not exceed the limits below. These limits apply even if your organisation normally acts non-economically but for the purpose of this project will be undertaking commercial or economic activity.
• For industrial research projects, UK registered SMEs could get funding for each eligible UK project of up to €360,000 (euro) or 60% of total eligible UK project costs, whichever is less.

Eligible Projects

• This competition is open in theme and they will fund projects from all sectors, which meet the 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.

Ineligible Projects

• They will not fund projects that:
  • work on non-civilian technologies
  • do not meet Innovate UK’s and Eureka Eurostars eligibility criteria
  • do not submit all mandatory documentation
• They cannot fund projects that are:
  • dependent on export performance, for example giving a subsidy to a baker on the condition that it exports a certain quantity of bread to another country
  • dependent on domestic inputs usage, for example giving a subsidy to a baker on the condition that it uses 50% UK flour in their product

Who can apply?

• To apply, you must fulfil the seven Eurostars eligibility criteria:
  • Your consortium must be led by an innovative SME from a Eurostars country.
  • The project organisations concerned must be independent from each other.
  • 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.
  • The budget of the SMEs from a Eurostars country, excluding subcontracting, is 50% or more of the total project cost.
  • No single participant or country is responsible for more than 70% of the project budget.
  • The project duration is 36 months or less.
  • 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
• Eureka terminology and roles: Even if the project lead is from a participating Eureka member other than the UK, the UK registered partners can still claim funding from Innovate UK. These collaborations must include at least one UK registered SME.
• UK organisations: 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.
• 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.
• The Innovate UK eligibility criteria is that:
  • 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
• Subcontractors: Subcontractors are allowed in this competition but they must not account for more than 20% of the UK partners’ total eligible costs. Subcontractors can be from anywhere in the UK and you must select them through your usual procurement process. Where subcontractors are non-UK based, please justify in your application why you are unable to use a UK alternative

Ineligibility Criteria

• 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

For more information, visit Innovate UK.