Other European funding programmes that could be also targeted to finance research and innovation activities.

The objective of the ERA-NET scheme is to step up the cooperation and coordination of research activities carried out at national or regional level in the Member States and Associated States through the networking of research activities conducted at national or regional level, and the mutual opening of national and regional research programmes.

The scheme will contribute to making a reality of the European Research Area by improving the coherence and coordination across Europe of such research programmes.

The scheme will also enable national systems to take on tasks collectively that they would not have been able to tackle independently.

Both networking and mutual opening require a progressive approach.

The ERA-NET scheme therefore has a long-term perspective that must also allow for the different way that research is organised in different Member States and Associated States. 

COSME is the EU programme for the Competitiveness of Enterprises and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) running from 2014 to 2020 with a planned budget of €2.3bn.

COSME aims to make it easier for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to access finance in all phases of their lifecycle – creation, expansion, or business transfer. Thanks to EU support, businesses have easier access to guarantees, loans and equity capital. EU ‘financial instruments’ are channelled through local financial institutions in EU countries. 

COSME helps businesses to access markets in the EU and beyond, supports entrepreneurs by strengthening entrepreneurship education, mentoring, guidance and other support services. The programme also aims to help businesses access opportunities offered by digital technologies.

COSME will support SMEs in four areas:

Improving access to finance for SMEs in the form of equity and debt

Improving access to markets

Improving framework conditions for the competitiveness and sustainability of Union enterprises

Promoting entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial culture

The Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME) manages COSME on behalf of the European Commission. + info

We provide updated information on ongoing Research and Training programs outside the EU focused on fostering international research collaborations, addressing specific research areas of critical international importance and ,in many cases, trying to increase the research capacity of developing countries.

Horizonte 2020 (H2020) es el Programa Marco de Investigación e Innovación de la Unión Europea para el periodo 2014-2020. Cuenta con un presupuesto total de 77.028 M€* para financiar iniciativas y proyectos de investigación, desarrollo tecnológico, demostración e innovación de claro valor añadido europeo.

The SME instrument has been designed specifically for single or groups of highly innovative SMEs with international ambitions, determined to turn strong, innovative business ideas into winners on the market.

The instrument provides full-cycle business innovation support from the stage of business idea conception and planning (phase I) over business plan execution and demonstration (phase II) to commercialisation (phase III).

LIFE is the EU's financial instrument supporting environmental, nature conservation and climate action projects throughout the EU.

EuropeAid – International Cooperation and Development is responsible for designing European development policy and delivering aid throughout the world. 

EuropeAid delivers aid through a set of financial instruments with a focus on ensuring the quality of EU aid and its effectiveness. 

The EU combines different types of support to countries in need. It provides funding in the form of grants to support projects and organisations furthering its development objectives. It also offers public contracts and provides budget and sector support.

If you are a small company in need of public funding for your innovative idea, participation in a Eurostars project can bring you a passport to growth, further innovation, an opening to new global markets and even greater business success.

Eurostars is the only European funding programme to be specifically dedicated to support R&D-performing SMEs in their innovative R&D projects.