European Partnership on Innovative SMEs

Last updated: 21.7.2025
Grant

The European Partnership on Innovative SMEs, under Horizon Europe, is designed to strengthen the resilience and competitiveness of European innovative Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). It aims to stimulate economic growth and job creation by fostering cross-border research and innovation collaborations, facilitating market access, and embedding SMEs in global value chains.

Who is Funded

This program targets innovative Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) across Europe and internationally, alongside national administrations and funding bodies. Its main goal is to enhance the research and innovation capabilities and market access of SMEs, thereby strengthening the overall European innovation ecosystem.

What is Funded

This program funds collaborative research and innovation activities that help innovative SMEs develop products, processes, and services for market entry and global value chain integration. It supports a wide array of innovation types from applied research to market deployment, with a focus on near-market solutions.

Type and Scope of Funding

The European Partnership on Innovative SMEs primarily offers grants to support collaborative research and innovation projects. While the funding rate for projects is set at 30% of eligible costs, there is an overall indicative budget for the main partnership grant.

Conditions and Requirements

Applicants must adhere to specific conditions for admissibility, eligibility, and financial capacity, as detailed in the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. The program mandates consortium applications and encourages synergies with national and regional strategies, emphasizing international cooperation and specific rules for funding third parties.

Application Procedure

The application process for the European Partnership on Innovative SMEs involves submitting proposals through a dedicated system, with evaluation based on defined criteria. The program operates through regular calls for proposals, ensuring a structured and transparent selection process.

The European Partnership on Innovative SMEs is established and governed by a robust framework of EU regulations and work programmes, ensuring its legitimacy and operational guidelines.

Similar Programs

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Funding Overview

Funding Status

Funding Status:

Closed

Maximum Amount

Maximum Amount:

The funding rate is 30% of the eligible costs for projects. While no specific maximum funding amount per individual SME project is specified, the overarching partnership project has an indicative maximum EU contribution of 72,880,000 € for the 2021-2022 work programmes.

Allocated Budget

Allocated Budget:

Total indicative EU contribution for the overarching partnership project: 72,880,000 € (for 2021-2022 work programme years).

Open Until

Open Until:

Ongoing

Award Channel

Award Channel:

Framework Programme Call

Region

Region:

The program covers European Union Member States and Associated Countries, with potential for broader global involvement including third countries. Specific partners identified are from Italy, Romania, Austria, Cyprus, Sweden, Norway, Bulgaria, the United Kingdom, Greece, Portugal, Poland, Turkey, and France.

Sectors

Sectors:

Research and Development, Service Sector, Other

Beneficiaries

Beneficiaries:

Innovative Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), including start-up and spin-off companies; National administrations and National Funding Bodies (NFBs).

Application Type

Application Type:

Consortium Required

Funding Stages

Funding Stages:

Applied Research, Experimental Development, Product Development, Process Optimization, Market Introduction

Funding Provider

Program Level:

European Union

Funding Body:

European Commission

Managed By:

Unknown

Additional Partners:

National administrations and National Funding Bodies (NFBs). The program also expects close collaboration with other relevant European Partnerships, missions, and the European Innovation Council.

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