Budget
Funding is managed nationally by each National Funding Body. The funding amount, eligible activities and funding rates vary from country to country. Organisations from Eurostars countries can check available funding in the “Country information” section and by contacting their national or regional funding body. Organisations from non-Eurostars countries may participate by self-funding their project costs. For Romania, budget has been confirmed for organisations participating in the call with the September 2026 deadline, but national rules and procedures are currently under revision.
Key dates and deadline
July 9, 2026 — Opening of the call September 10, 2026, 14:00 CET — Application deadline Maximum project duration — 36 months
Details
Eurostars is a funding instrument that is part of the European Partnership on Innovative SMEs, co-funded by the European Union through Horizon Europe. The programme supports international collaborative R&D and innovation projects led by innovative SMEs. Partnerships may also include large companies, universities, research organisations or other types of organisations. For a successful application, the project must: • Define a clear project idea • Involve international collaboration and shared expertise • Develop products, processes or services that can be easily commercialised Applications are submitted through the MyEureka project platform between July 9 and September 10, 2026.
Eligibility
The project consortium must be led by an innovative SME from a Eurostars country. The consortium must include at least two entities independent from one another. The consortium must include entities from at least two Eurostars countries, with at least one organisation coming from an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe Associated Country. The budget of SMEs from Eurostars countries, excluding subcontracting, must represent at least 50% of the total project cost. No single participant or country may be responsible for more than 70% of the project budget. The project duration must be 36 months or less. The project must have an exclusive focus on civil applications.
Additional information
Applicants must meet both the Eurostars international eligibility criteria and any applicable national or regional eligibility criteria. If the project does not meet all seven international eligibility criteria, the application will be rejected. For Romanian organisations, national rules for the September 2026 call are currently under revision. Interested organisations are encouraged to contact the national funding body for the latest information.
How to apply?
https://www.eurekanetwork.org/programmes-and-calls/eurostars/eurostars-call-for-projects-september-2026/