Apply for Horizon Europe
Clusters and Partnerships
Horizon Europe is the EU’s largest research and innovation programme designed to drive economic growth, sustainability, and global competitiveness. With a budget of €95.5 billion for the 2021-2027 period, it supports groundbreaking projects that tackle pressing global challenges.
Beyond climate and energy, Horizon Europe collaborative projects are also dedicated to
fund ambitious projects within areas such as health and life sciences, digital and AI technologies, cybersecurity etc.
Type of Projects and Activities
European grants are typically allocated to collaborative projects spanning from 2 to 5 years duration, which are available to legal entities of all sizes and sectors. Horizon Europe includes three main types of projects on this regard:
Innovation Actions (IAs) focus on prototyping, demonstrating and validating new products or services at TRL 5-8, with 70% funding (100% for non-profits).
Research and Innovation Actions (RIAs) support R&D for new technologies in a broad TRL range (TRL1-7, depending on specific call requirements), with 100% funding.
Coordination and Support Actions (CSAs) facilitate collaboration and capacity-building, also funded at 100%, with no specific TRL target.
Below, you can get an overview of the main differences between the Collaborative Projects.
Key drivers for collaborative tech projects in Horizon Europe
Innovation Action (IA)
Objective: Produce plans or designs for new or improved products, processes, or services. This includes prototyping, testing, demonstrating, piloting, large-scale product validation, and market replication.
Funding Rate: 70% of the project costs (except for non-profit legal entities, where a rate of 100% applies) + 25% overhead.
Projects at higher TRL levels (5–8). Products or technologies are almost ready to be demonstrated in the real environment.
Research and Innovation Action (RIA):
Objective: R&D to establish new knowledge or explore the feasibility of a new or improved technology, product, process, service or solution (including basic and applied research, technology development and integration, testing and validation on a small-scale prototype in a laboratory or simulated environment).
Funding Rate: 100% of the project costs are covered by EU funding + 25% overhead.
Typically lower TRL (1-7) and involves more basic research.
Sectors Covered - 6 Clusters
Within Horizon Europe, RIA’s and IA’s are most prominent in Pillar II, focused on addressing global challenges and enhancing European industrial competitiveness. Pillar 2 is divided into 6 clusters:
Cluster 1: Health
Cluster 2: Culture, Creativity, and Inclusive Society
Cluster 3: Civil Security for Society
Cluster 4: Digital, Industry, and Space
Cluster 5: Climate, Energy, and Mobility
Cluster 6: Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment.
Pillar II
This pillar also includes the European Partnerships in Health (and Digital), such as:
Co-funded European Partnerships in Health
It also includes Horizon Europe missions, which are targeted at research institutions, universities and organizations working towards specific, ambitious goals, such as combating cancer or achieving climate-neutral cities.
Who can apply?
These types of projects are collaborative and require the establishment of a consortium. The consortium must be cross-border, involving a minimum of 3 independent partners from 3 different EU or associated countries, with at least one being a full member of the EU. This includes public bodies, private organizations, non-profit entities, and research institutions.
Additional criteria depend on the specific topic (i.e. minimum consortium composition, type of participant, geographic location of the project activities, coordinator from an EU country, etc.).You can find the list of eligible non-EU countries in this link: list-3rd-country-participation_horizon-euratom_en.pdf (europa.eu)
Expected deadlines
Horizon Europe offers a wide range of funding opportunities across various programmes and thematic areas. Deadlines for calls vary throughout the year, depending on the specific cluster and topic. For more details on deadlines for specific topics, please consult the information below on the clusters.
Additional information on Horizon Europe clusters and partnerships
Cluster 1
Has the intent to improve and protect the health and well-being of citizens generating new knowledge and developing innovative solutions to prevent, diagnose, monitor, treat and cure diseases.
Cluster 2
Aims to strengthen European democratic values, including rule of law and fundamental rights, safeguarding our cultural heritage, andpromoting socio-economic transformations that contribute to inclusion and growth.
Cluster 3
Responds to the challenges arising from persistent security threats, including cybercrime, as well as natural and man-made disasters.
Cluster 4
Focuses on advancing digital technologies, enhancing industrial competitiveness, and fostering sustainable development through innovations in AI, robotics, cybersecurity, and space technologies.
Cluster 6
Aims to build sustainable food systems, protect biodiversity, and develop circular bioeconomy solutions to preserve natural resources and combat climate change.
Co-funded Partnerships in Health
Collaborative initiatives between the EC and national/regional funding agencies from participating countries. Support R&D in priority health areas, such as personalised medicine, rare diseases, neuroscience, antimicrobial resistance, pandemic preparedness.