Getting Horizon Europe & Eurostars Funding for Your Startup
From eligibility to application for Horizon Europe and Eurostars: collaborative, cross-border R&D led by innovative SMEs, plus every other EU grant you qualify for.
Horizon Europe and Eurostars plus other EU grants, all with one application
Free
Eligibility check after you sign up
4 routes
Grants, family offices, angel investors & VCs
Eurostars consortia span at least two Eureka countries, with ~€360K of typical national funding per UK partner (Innovate UK) over a ~36 month project.
The founder's guide
What Are Horizon Europe & Eurostars?
Horizon Europe is the EU's flagship research and innovation programme. For startups, the most accessible route is Eurostars (run through the Eureka network), which funds R&D-performing SMEs leading international collaborative projects. You build a consortium with partners from at least two Eureka countries and develop a new product, process, or service close to market.
Funding is administered nationally: each partner is funded by their own country's body. UK partners receive roughly €360K through Innovate UK. Beyond Eurostars, Horizon Europe runs themed collaborative calls and cascade funding. Our free check shows whether these, and every other EU grant, fit your startup.
Who qualifies
Eurostars Eligibility
Eurostars is led by R&D-performing SMEs. The collaboration has to be genuine, not just convenient.
An R&D-performing SME leads the project, spending a meaningful share of turnover or staff on R&D. The UK participates as a full Eurostars member.
Partners in at least two Eureka countries, and no single partner or country may account for more than a set share of the budget.
A market-oriented innovation with a credible plan to commercialise within roughly two years of project completion.
A genuinely collaborative project, the partnership must be essential to delivering the innovation, not bolted on for eligibility.
A founder's guide
How to Apply for Eurostars
Finding the right partner is the hardest, and most important, part. Here's the path.
Step 1
Find an International Partner
Use the Eureka matchmaking tools and prior project databases to find a complementary partner in another Eureka country. Run the free eligibility checker to confirm Eurostars, and other EU grants, fit you first.
Step 2
Shape the Collaborative Project
Define a project where the collaboration is essential, with clear work packages, a shared market goal, and balanced budgets across partners. Demonstrate why neither partner could do it alone.
Submit
Submit to the Eurostars Cut-Off
Submit via the Eureka portal against one of the two annual cut-offs. After central evaluation, each partner's funding is confirmed and administered by their national body (Innovate UK in the UK).
Done-for-you service
Don't want to write it yourself? We build the application for you.
The steps above are the do-it-yourself route. If you would rather hand it off, our grant specialists write, package and manage the whole application for you, working alongside you so the technical detail stays yours while we handle the process.
1ApplyTell us about your startup and the grant you are targeting. It takes a few minutes.
2Chat with a specialistA grant specialist checks your fit, confirms the right programme, and scopes the work with you.
3We build your applicationWe write the narrative, budget and supporting documents to the funder's exact scoring criteria.
4We guide every stageMany grants run in several rounds (assessment, interviews, sometimes multiple phases, then reporting). We handle each step and explain everything as we go.
Transparent, mostly success-based pricingA modest upfront fee to scope and start the work (not always tied to your metrics), plus a success fee based on the grant, the amount awarded, and your business. Every engagement is quoted individually.
Apply and we'll come back with a tailored budget for your specific grant.
Interactive Tool
Check Your EU Grant Eligibility in 30 Seconds
Every European programme is listed below by default. Tell us your stage and sector to narrow them to the EIC, Horizon Europe, and national programmes that match your startup. Getting matched is 100% free - no fee, no commission, no credit card.
Choose your stage and sector below to see which EU grants you may be eligible for
Want a definitive eligibility report? It's free.
This is a first-pass match based on stage, sector, and geography. Complete the application form and we'll automatically match you with the most relevant grants - including the one you're researching - cross-referencing your technology, IP, team, and traction against every active European programme. This matching service is completely free: no fee, no commission, no credit card required.
The strongest raises stack multiple non-dilutive programmes. Here are the other EU grants you can apply for, all matched in one free eligibility check.
Horizon Europe is the EU's overarching R&I programme. Eurostars is a specific, SME-friendly funding line (run via the Eureka network and part of Horizon Europe) for international collaborative R&D led by R&D-performing SMEs. For most startups, Eurostars is the most accessible entry point.
Funding is national, so it varies by country and partner. UK partners receive roughly €360K per project through Innovate UK, typically at a 50% funding rate of eligible costs. Your international partners are funded by their own national bodies.
Yes. The UK is a full Eurostars member, so a UK R&D-performing SME can lead the consortium, provided you have at least one partner in another Eureka country and meet the collaboration rules.
Use the Eureka matchmaking service and partner databases to find one, or consider a single-applicant route like the EIC Accelerator instead. Our free check shows which programmes suit your setup.
The Full Capital Stack
Grants Are Only Part of the Stack
EIC and Horizon Europe grants cover early-stage R&D, but most European startups need equity capital to scale. The strongest raises combine non-dilutive grants with angel or VC investment.
AngelsPartners is the only platform where a founder can access all three capital pathways in one place: grants (this page), debt financing, and 120,000+ equity investors.
Equity funding
European Angels & VCs
Search a database of angels, micro-VCs, and funds investing across Europe. Filter by country, sector, ticket size, and stage. Direct contact details included - no gatekeepers, no pay-to-pitch.
Venture debt, revenue-based financing, and startup loan programmes - without diluting your cap table. Our AI matches you to a curated lender network based on your revenue, traction, and geography.
