Are you a company or startup operating within the European Union and need financing? Do you want to set sustainable growth by achieving your planned goals? Without any doubt, you must know what are the programs and grants offered by the European Union to help to achieve your goals. We know there is tons of information on the Internet and it can be difficult to interpret all the bureaucracy and documentation necessary to access these grants.

Through this article, Futuro-Perfecto wants to summarize the “Horizon Europe” Program and how you can access it.

A) WHAT IS “HORIZON EUROPE”

It is a scientific research initiative planned for the next 7 years, from 2021 to 202x approved on December 11, 2020 by the EU institutions. It is the “natural” extension of the well-known “Horizon 2020” Program whose purpose is to increase the levels of scientific investments in the EU by 50%.

In 2018 the European Commission proposed an ambitious € 100 billion research and innovation program, Horizon Europe, to succeed Horizon 2020. You can read the full proposal here.

Click here for more info.

B) THE 3 PILLARS OF “HORIZON EUROPE”

Horizon Europe will promote excellence and provide valuable support to the best researchers and innovators to drive the systemic changes needed to ensure a more green, healthy, and resilient Europe.

Therefore, the 3 pillars on which “Horizon Europe” is based are:

1. Excellent Science.
2. Global Challenges and Europe Industrial Competitiveness.
3. Innovation Europe.

What are these three pillars’ purposes?

Promoting scientific excellence through the European Research Council (ERC), Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowships and exchanges and specific research by the Joint Research Center, the Commission’s science and knowledge service.

Support collaborative research in relation to our social challenges. strengthening technological and industrial capabilities through thematic clusters that address global challenges.

C) NEW HORIZON EUROPE COMPARED WITH HORIZON 2020

• Creation of the European Innovation Council (EIC) in order to promote disruptive innovation in the market. Boost the growth of a more competitive European industry to face future economic challenges along with different markets.
• Promotion of goal-oriented and more ambitious partnerships, in support of EU policy.
• Promotion of research and innovation to maximize the impact through direct society involvement.
• Simplification of the program’s participation and partnership establishment.
• Promotion of synergies with other European financial programs such as structural funds, cohesion funds, InvestEU, Digital Europe.
• A new way of governance, characterized by budget flexibility and more strategic management.
• Increase in the participation of non-EU countries.
• Promotion of a more Open Science, ensuring the “Access” to all researches carried out.

In summary, in the participation model (co-creation, co-design, and co-implementation), the society’s involvement within the research activities will play a central role. 

Find out more about the program HERE.