Funding competition Eureka collaborative R&D: Eurostars 3 Call 6
UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £2.5 million for collaborative research in partnership with organisations from participating Eurostars countries.
- Competition opens: Friday 12 January 2024
- Registration closes: Thursday 14 March 2024 11:00am
This competition is now closed.
Competition sections
Description
This competition is for UK businesses that want to apply to the Call 6 of the Eurostars. Please visit the Eureka call for proposals web page if you are not a UK applicant.
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 for international collaboration on R&D projects that create innovative products, processes or services for commercialisation.
This competition is open in theme and we will fund projects from all sectors, which meet eligibility criteria.
Your project must have high market potential and develop one or more of the following:
- innovative products
- technology-based applications
- technology-based services
Projects must include at least one partner from the Eurostars network.
In applying to this competition, you are entering into a competitive process.
The lead applicant must submit your Eurostars application by 1pm UK time on the deadline stated.
Your project team must submit the Eurostars project application form to the Eurostars Project Management Platform by 2pm central European time (1pm UK time) on 14 March 2024.Funding type
Grant
Project size
UK applicants can apply for total grant of up to €360,000 for each project partner.
Who can apply
Your project
To apply, you must fulfil the seven eligibility criteria:
- your consortium must be led by an innovative SME from a Eurostars country.
- your consortium must include organisations from at least two Eurostars countries
- the project organisations concerned must be independent from each other with a minimum of one organisation 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
UK registered SME’s can apply for a total grant of up to €360,000 for each eligible UK project partner or 60% of total eligible project costs, whichever is the least.
To be eligible for grant funding from Innovate UK your collaboration:
- must include at least one UK registered business 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
- can include other UK registered organisations
Your project:
- can last up to 36 months
- start date depends on the national funding procedures of the Eureka Eurostars members involved in the selected projects
- must be collaborative
Projects must always start on the first of the month and this must be stated within your application. Your project start date will be reflected in your grant offer letter if you are successful.
You must only include eligible project costs in your application.
Under current restrictions, this competition will not fund any procurement, commercial, business development or supply chain activity with any Russian and Belarusian entity as lead, partner or subcontractor. This includes any goods or services originating from a Russian and Belarusian source.
More information on the different types of organisation can be found in our Funding rules.
Eurostars terminology and roles
The terminology differs between Eurostars and Innovate UK. In the Innovate UK application the ‘project lead’ is responsible for the entire project but Eurostars uses the term ‘main participant’. For partners in the collaboration Eurostars uses ‘other participants.
Even if the project lead is from a participating Eurostars 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 or business.
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.
These conditions must be met by each of the UK innovative SMEs.
You must:
- not be a dormant status as per Companies House registration
- be able to resource your participation
Innovate UK will not fund any other types of organisations, including:
- academic institutions, including universities
- research and technology organisations (RTOs)
- charities
- large businesses
These organisations can take part but must self-fund or use funds from other sources.
You must follow the Eurostars eligibility criteria and the Innovate UK eligibility criteria, at the application deadline and throughout your project.
The Innovate UK eligibility criteria:
- 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
If you require a permit or licence to carry out your project deliverables, you must have these in place prior to the project start date.
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.
You can use subcontractors from overseas but must make the case in your application as to why you could not use suppliers from the UK.
You must provide a detailed rationale, evidence of the potential UK contractors you approached and the reasons why they were unable to work with you. We will not accept a cheaper cost as a sufficient reason to use an overseas subcontractor.
All subcontractor costs must be justified and appropriate to the total project costs.
Partners not claiming funding
A non-grant claiming UK partner cannot lead on a project.
Your collaboration can include organisations from Eurostars that are not participating in this funding competition provided:
- they have secured full funding elsewhere
- you describe in your application why and how they will be involved and where they have secured financing from
Overall Eurostars project team
The organisations from participating Eurostars countries must meet the funding and eligibility conditions of their respective national funding bodies. These will be published on the Eureka call for proposals web page when this competition opens. These organisations must apply through their own funding bodies and not through the Innovation Funding Service.
Each partner must carry out all of their funded work within the Eurostars member country from which they receive funding, for example the UK for Innovate UK funding.
Any work which you wish to do outside of the UK, must be authorised by Innovate UK prior to your project starting, if you are in receipt of funding.
You must provide justification by email to support@iuk.ukri.org as soon as possible before you start your application and no later than the application deadline.
Your request will be passed on to the Programme Manager. They will decide whether to approve your request. If you have not requested approval or your request has not been approved by us, these costs will not be eligible for funding and must be self-funded.
Use of animals in research and innovation
Innovate UK expects and supports the provision and safeguarding of welfare standards for animals used in research and innovation, according to best practice and up to date guidance.
Applicants must ensure that all of the proposed work within projects, both that in the UK and internationally, will comply with the UKRI guidance on the use of animals in research and innovation.
Any projects selected for funding which involve animals will be asked to provide additional information on welfare and ethical considerations, as well as compliance with any relevant legislation as part of the project start-up process. This information will be reviewed before an award is made.
Previous applications
You can use a previously submitted application to apply for this competition.
We will not award you funding if you have:
- failed to exploit a previously funded project
- an overdue independent accountant’s report
- failed to comply with grant terms and conditions
Subsidy control (and State aid where applicable)
This competition provides funding in line with the Subsidy Control Act 2022. Further information about the Subsidy requirements can be found within the Subsidy Control Act 2022 (legislation.gov.uk)
Innovate UK is unable to award organisations that are considered to be in financial difficulty. We will conduct financial viability and eligibility tests to confirm this is not the case following the application stage.
EU State aid rules now only apply in limited circumstances. Please see our general guidance to check if these rules apply to your organisation.
Further Information
If you are unsure about your obligations under the Subsidy Control Act 2022 or the State aid rules, you should take independent legal advice. We are unable to advise on individual eligibility or legal obligations.
You must always make sure that the funding awarded to you is compliant with all current Subsidy Control legislation applicable in the United Kingdom.
This aims to regulate any advantage granted by a public sector body which threatens to, or actually distorts competition in the United Kingdom or any other country or countries.
Funding
Up to £2.5 million has been allocated to fund 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, you could get funding for your eligible project costs of up to €360,000 or 60% project costs, whichever is lower if you are a micro, small or medium-sized business.
The UK registered research organisations in your consortium must provide their own funding.
For more information on company sizes, please refer to the company accounts guidance.
If you are applying for an award funded under State aid Regulations, the definitions are set out in the European Commission Recommendation of 6 May 2003.
Your proposal
The aim of this competition is for international collaboration on R&D projects that create innovative products, processes or services for commercialisation.
Your collaborative research and development (CR&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 and/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 2 years of project completion
Research categories
Projects we will not fund
We are not funding projects that:
- work on non-civilian technologies
- are not in scope
- do not meet Innovate UK’s and Eurostars eligibility criteria
- do not submit all mandatory documentation
We 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
- 12 January 2024
- Competition opens
- 14 March 2024 11:00am
- Competition closes
- 14 March 2024 11:00am
- Registration closes
Before you start
UK led consortium
If you are a UK lead applicant, you must complete the Eureka application on behalf of your project. You must follow the process on the Eureka call for proposals web page on the Eureka website.
Non-UK led consortium
More information about the application process for non-UK Eureka members is provided on the Eureka call for proposals web page once the competition opens.
What we ask you
The application is split into 3 sections:
- Project details.
- Finances.
- Project Impact.
Accessibility and inclusion
Eureka welcomes and encourages applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to making our application process accessible to everyone. This includes providing support, in the form of reasonable adjustments, for people who have a disability or a long-term condition and face barriers applying to us.
You can contact us at any time to ask for guidance.
We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to making our application process accessible to everyone. This includes making reasonable adjustments, for people who have a disability or a long-term condition and face barriers applying to us.
You can contact us at any time to ask for guidance.
We recommend you contact us at least 15 working days before this competition’s closing date to allow us to put the most suitable support in place. The support we can provide may be limited if you contact us close to the competition deadline.
You can contact Innovate UK by email or call 0300 321 4357. Our phone lines are open from 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 5pm UK time, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).
Project details
This section provides background for your application and is not scored.
Application team
Decide which organisations will work with you on your project and invite people from those organisations to help complete the application.
Application details
Give your project’s title, start date and duration.
Research category
Select the type of research you will undertake.
Project summary
Describe your project briefly and be clear about what makes it innovative. We use this section to assign the right experts to assess your application.
Your answer can be up to 400 words long.
Public description
Describe your project in detail and in a way that you are happy to see published. Do not include any commercially sensitive information. If we award your project funding, we will publish this description. This could happen before you start your project.
Your answer can be up to 400 words long.
Scope
Describe how your project fits the scope of the competition. If your project is not in scope it will not be sent for assessment. We will tell you the reason why.
Your answer can be up to 400 words long.Finances
An excel finance form will be provided for completion post successful evaluation.
For full details on what costs you can claim see our project costs guidance.
You can also view our Application Finances video.
Each organisation in your project must complete their own project costs, organisation details and funding details in the application.
For full details on what costs you can claim see our project costs guidance. You can also view our Application Finances video.Project Impact
This section is not seen by assessors and is not scored but will provide background to your project.
Each partner must complete the Project Impact questions before being able to submit the application.
More information can be found in our Project Impact guidance and by viewing our Impact Management Framework video.Background and further information
- rapid access to skills and expertise across Europe
- national public and private funding schemes
Data sharing
This competition is jointly operated by Innovate UK, and your partner country (each an “agency”).
Any relevant information submitted and produced during the application process concerning your application can be shared by one agency with the other, for its individual storage, processing and use.
This means that any information given to or generated by Innovate UK in respect of your application may be passed on to Eureka and vice versa. This would include, but is not restricted to:
- the information stated on the application, including the personal details of all applicants
- scoring and feedback on the application
- information received during the management and administration of the grant, such as Monitoring Officer reports and Independent Accountant Reports
Innovate UK and Eureka are directly accountable to you for their holding and processing of your information, including any personal data and confidential information. Data is held in accordance with their own policies. Accordingly, Innovate UK, and Eureka will be data controllers for personal data submitted during the application. Innovate UK’s Privacy Policy is accessible here.
Innovate UK complies with the requirements of GDPR, and is committed to upholding the data protection principles, and protecting your information. The Information Commissioner’s Office also has a useful guide for organisations, which outlines the data protection principles.
Extra help
If you want help to find a project collaborator, contact the Innovate UK KTN or the Enterprise Europe Network.
If you need help with the Eurostars application form, contact Eureka directly.
Next steps
Your Grant offer letter (GOL)
Once you have successfully completed a project setup phase, outside of the Innovation Funding Service (IFS), we will issue your GOL.
The GOL will be made available as an offline version. You will need to sign and upload this for us to approve before you can start your project. If your GOL is approved on or before the fifteenth of the month, it will be dated from the first of that month. If your GOL is approved after the fifteenth, it will be dated the first of the next month.
You must not start your project before the date stated on your GOL. Any costs incurred before your agreed start date cannot be claimed as part of your grant.
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