Eurostars

How it works Eurostars?

Eurostars is part of the European Partnership for Innovative Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). The partnership is co-financed by the EU through Horisont Europa.

Eurostars is primarily aimed at innovative small and medium-sized companies that are part of an international project. It is possible to apply for funding for the development of market-oriented processes, products and services. Through international cooperation and European Partnerships, Eurostars provides access to new knowledge, collaborations and opportunities to test new markets.

Eurostars is an SME-driven programme and collaboration between 36 countries. To be able to apply for Eurostars, the project needs to consist of at least two participating countries and the coordinator must be an SME.

See all Eurostarsländer

Olika Countries have different funding and application rules. These rules only apply to participants from that country. Swedish partners must follow Vinnova's rules for funding and support levels. There are also a number of international formal eligibility requirements that apply to everyone. Participants in a Eurostars project need to check that each participant meets their national eligibility requirements and that all partners meet the common requirements before applying.

Read the common requirements

On average, two offers are opened per year. The consortium submits its project application jointly through the Eurostar website. After a project has been submitted in its proposal, the proposal goes through an international assessment process. Please note that Vinnova is not involved in the assessment process of the projects. However, all national funders are involved and carry out the financial control and therefore Swedish participants may hear from Vinnova about additional information that is required.

If the project is approved for funding, the respective country's national funder will pay out funds to that country's participants. For Swedish partners, Vinnova is the funder. If the project is approved, Vinnova will contact Swedish participants to submit a supplementary proposal.

Eurostars guidelines for completing a proposal

Information about the international assessment process

Vinnova works for gender-equal social development and an inclusive innovation ecosystem. Therefore, we follow up and assess both women and men in an equal way as part of the grant, participate in and have influence over the project. We also want to increase participation from actors who have not applied for international funding.

Another aspect is that the applicant needs to analyze and decide whether there are queue and/or gender aspects that are relevant to the project's problem area, solutions and utilization. This question is mandatory for all applicants and forms the basis for assessment.

The applicant should also have a prepared and publicly published gender equality action plan (GEP) in accordance with Abbot Sunessons regulations.

Eurostars is primarily aimed at innovative SMEs, but also at universities, university colleges, research organisations, the public sector and large companies. The international consortium must be coordinated by the SME.
Foundations and associations can apply but must contact Vinnova beforehand for control and review of economic and non-economic activities. Read more under the headings What are the requirements for applicants and How much can I apply for.

Individuals or sole proprietorships cannot apply and will not be funded.

In addition to following Vinnova's general terms and conditions for funding and Instructions for eligible costs, the Swedish project partners must also meet the following terms.

Activities in the project shall be conducted at the Swedish operating location and the project costs shall be borne by the operating location.

Companies should be able to answer YES to the following three statements:

• Companies applying must have at least 2 annual reports registered with the Swedish Companies Registration Office before the call for proposals closes.
• The company must be registered as a Swedish limited liability company with the Swedish Companies Registration Office before the call for proposals closes.
• The company must be registered as an employer with the Swedish Tax Agency before the call for proposals closes.

Please note!

That a submitted annual report does not automatically mean that it is registered. Ensure that it is registered in good time before the call for proposals closes. In the legal and financial control that is carried out immediately after closing, only the annual report that is registered on the date that the call for proposals closes is checked.

Vinnova only checks the most recently registered annual report when assessing national criteria. Vinnova only checks the annual report that is registered on the date that the call for proposals closes.

The financial and legal control of the projects begins immediately after closure.

It is not possible to update and supplement afterwards.

To ensure that your proposal is considered correctly, you need to read through all of them carefully. It is especially important that you pay attention to the grants, so that you are aware of how much you can apply for.

Organisations applying for non-state aid must have a defined activity that is non-economic, and the support must be used exclusively for activities in the business. The signatory must confirm that the proposal applies to non-economic activities and that separate accounting will be applied. Read more under the heading How much can I apply for.

The process includes a meeting between Vinnova and the signatory, among other things to inform about what economic and non-economic activities mean.

Vinnova recommends that applicants contact us well in advance before the call for proposals closes for support in calculating how much funding a Swedish consortium can apply for.

Applicant small and medium-sized companies must have at least two registered annual reports by the closing date of the call the call for proposals proposals and, in their most recently registered annual report, show that the amount applied for is at least the same capital or double.

Example: If you have 2,300,000 registered in equity or net turnover, you can apply for 4,600,000 in eligible costs.

With a small or medium-sized company on the Swedish side of a Eurostars project, the maximum amount for all parties in the proposal is a total of 5 million SEK.

If the project does not involve a Swedish small or medium-sized enterprise, the maximum amount that can be applied for on the Swedish side is a total of 2 million SEK.

If an organisation has specified a funding request that is too high, the organisation and the parties on the Swedish side of the project must confirm that they can co-finance at the correct higher level. Only then will the proposal pass the legal and financial control in the international application process.

Your international proposal will be made in euros. The exchange rate between euros and SEK is determined on the day the call for proposals opens and you can find the exchange rate below.

Exchange rate for the Swedish krona (SEK) (europa.eu).

Please note the maximum funding levels listed above and the grant levels below.

• The support levels are based on, among other things, the size and type organisation and whether it concerns economic or non-economic activities. An economic activity is assessed as a company with a maximum funding level of 30–50 percent.
• Small and medium-sized enterprises according to the EU definition can apply for funding for 50 percent of their eligible costs.
• Large companies can apply for funding for 30 percent of their eligible costs.
• Universities, university colleges, research institutes and the public sector as well as non-profit organizations can apply for funding for 70 percent of their eligible costs.

How do you determine if your organisation is a research organization?

Please note that research organizations must certify at meetings with Vinnova that you conduct independent basic research, industrial research or experimental development, or disseminate results of such activities through teaching, publishing or knowledge transfer.

How do you determine whether organisation is engaged in non-economic activities?

Companies with non-economic activities should contact Vinnova for a review of the conditions for being approved to apply.

If you conduct non-economic activities and are, for example, a foundation, the signatory must confirm at the meeting with Vinnova that the proposal applies to non-economic activities and that separate accounting will be applied.

How do you determine whether organisation is conducting economic activities?

An organisation that offers any kind of service or product on a market is considered to be engaged in economic activities and cannot be granted funds with support that is not state aid. It does not matter how organisation is financed, whether it is public or private, or whether it has a profit motive. It also does not matter what legal form the business has.

However, organisation itself is responsible for assessing whether it is conducting economic activities.

You can apply for funding for market-oriented research and innovation projects in all areas of technology. Your project must lead to the market introduction of a product, service or process no later than two years after the project is completed. Life science projects may make exceptions for clinical studies. The projects can last a maximum of three years and, according to international requirements, must be a collaboration between at least two Eurostars countries.

What costs are eligible?

See which costs are eligible.

Important to know about consulting costs for Swedish participants

Project and development are based on the premise that it is the project parties who will implement and carry out work in the research project.

• External consultants should only be hired when specific expertise is needed that the project parties themselves lack.
• Consulting costs must always be stated in the application's budget to be eligible for support.
• What the costs should refer to, that is, which service a participant wants to purchase, should also be stated in the project description.
• A participant in Sweden may not have costs for external consultants that exceed 20 percentof the project party's budget.

1. Make sure you are eligible for funding

Start by reading through Eurostar's national and international rules for participation.

Eurostars national and international rules for participation

2. Contact the support office

Contact the support office for help with how to best apply for funding. The support office provides free help and guidance. You can also contact one of the national contact persons for Eurostars at Vinnova.

Support office for small and medium-sized enterprises wishing to apply for EU funding

3. Send proposal to EUREKA

Skicka submit your proposal to Abbot Sunessons portal.

Read how to apply to Eureka here

4. Wait for assessment

All applications are subject to an international evaluation process that takes place in two stages.

Read more about the steps on Eureka's own website

5. Beslut

Om EUREKAs Secretariat approves your proposal, we will contact you to apply for funding for the Swedish parties with us.

The På Eurostars website also has a list of guides for those who are about to apply. There you will find answers to all your questions.

Eurostars list of guides Eureka