This blog is for you if you are a UK-based organisation thinking about applying to Horizon Europe for grant funding and want to understand if you are eligible or not. We have collated and organised the information so you can quickly check if your organisation is eligible for Horizon Europe grant funding.
General Eligibility Criteria
Horizon Europe outlines its eligibility rules in the General Annexes, which should be reviewed alongside the specific Work Programme and call/topic texts. These documents detail who can participate and receive funding, as well as any additional conditions pertinent to particular calls.
Beyond eligibility, applicants must adhere to other stipulations, such as the nature of research and innovation activities eligible for funding, budgetary constraints, and the necessity to complete all sections of the proposal template accurately and submit it before the deadline. Notably, under Pillar 1, there might be specific eligibility considerations related to the applicant’s career stage.
UK Participation in Horizon Europe
UK entities are generally eligible to engage in and receive funding from Horizon Europe, encompassing a broad spectrum of organisations:
- Universities
- Companies of all sizes
- Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs)
- Charities
- Government departments
While many Horizon Europe calls necessitate participation within a consortium, certain programmes, such as the European Research Council (ERC) and the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator, permit individual organisations to apply independently.
Forming a Consortium
For calls requiring a consortium, the standard requirement is a minimum of three independent legal entities, each established in different countries. Specifically, for UK organisations:
- At least one partner must be based in an EU Member State.
- Another partner must be established in a different EU Member State or a different Horizon Europe Associated Country.
The UK holds the status of an ‘Associated Country‘ within Horizon Europe, facilitating its entities’ participation under these terms
It’s important to note that consortia comprising only the minimum number of entities are uncommon; most involve a broader collaboration across multiple countries and organisations.
Opportunities for Individual Applicants
Certain segments of Horizon Europe allow for applications without forming a consortium:
Pillar 1: Excellent Science
European Research Council (ERC): Supports projects led by individual Principal Investigators, with flexibility in team composition, potentially involving members from various organisations and countries.
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowships: Enable researchers to undertake international mobility, with applications submitted jointly by the researcher and a host organisation.
Pillar 3: Innovative Europe
European Innovation Council (EIC) Pathfinder Challenges: Open to single applicants or consortia.
EIC Transition: Accepts applications from single entities (e.g., SMEs, spin-offs, research organisations) or small consortia comprising 2 to 5 eligible entities.
EIC Accelerator: Targets single start-ups, SMEs, or individuals intending to establish such enterprises.
EIC Prizes: Include awards like the Women Innovators and Cities prizes.
Coordination and Support Actions (CSA)
These can be undertaken by one or more legal entities from Member States, Associated Countries, or, in exceptional cases, other third countries, depending on specific call conditions.
Final Considerations
Our team at Venturenomix has long-standing experience with Horizon Europe and other EU funding opportunities. If you are unsure of your eligibility or need help finding the right call and development proposals, we are happy to have an initial call to see how we can help and how we might add value.
Alex Chalkley
I have over 20 years experience in founding and scaling businesses, mainly focused on the non-dilutive funding sector. Since 2008, I have built, trained and mentored teams to successfully draw down over €100m in non-dilutive funding from the UK and EU for clients spanning multiple sectors.
Get in touch
