On this page we have gathered all information on the new Horizon Europe programme. Our Horizon Europe Handbook helps you to write a successful application, elaborates on all criteria and improves your chances of getting funding!
In 2021, the Horizon Europe programme succeeded the Horizon 2020 programme. It commences with a budget of € 95.5 billion to invest in innovative projects. The aim is to invest in a fair and prosperous future for people and planet based on European Values.
To achieve this, Horizon Europe will strengthen the connection between scientific and technological innovation, while tackling key societal challenges set out in the Sustainable Development Goals.
The goal is to increase European leadership in innovation and entrepreneurship, through world-class research. Additionally, it removes barriers to development and enables public and private sectors to work together in delivering innovations.
In this handbook, we’ll tell you all about:
Horizon Europe is focused on everyone contributing to scientific excellence and has a broad range of focus areas, divided across 3 pillars: Excellent Science, Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness, and Innovative Europe. Each pillar has a specific set of grants and tenders connected to it. This guide will provide a brief overview of each pillar.
Pillar 1
“Reinforcing & extending the excellence of the Union’s science base”
Pillar 2
“Boosting key technologies and solutions underpinning EU policies & Sustainable Development Goals”
Pillar 2 includes six clusters each with their own area of intervention and specific funding calls, plus the non-nuclear direct actions of the Joint Research Centre. The budgets and deadlines for 2021-2022 have been published.
Pillar 3
“Stimulating market-creating breakthroughs and ecosystems conducive to innovation”.
The third pillar consists of three different entities:
“Optimising strengths & potential for a more innovative Europe ”
It all starts with choosing the correct call. The chance of getting funding increases when applying for grants best suited for your research. But how do you make sure it’s the right fit? Follow the tips below:
The first question is: “Am I eligible?”. Horizon Europe calls have different types of calls, each with varying requirements.
For Research Innovation Action (RIA), Innovation Action (IA) and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA’s), all European legal entities are eligible to apply. For these calls, an academic partner is required to lead.
Staying up-to-date is important, but takes a lot of time. With Catalyze Alerts you will receive all relevant updates on upcoming funds, including under Horizon Europe.
Our experts will notify you when new grant information, deadlines or requirements are available. So you will have plenty of time to prepare your Horizon Europe application.
You can subscribe to Catalyze Alerts today via catalyze-group.com/alerts
Knowing the answer to these questions helps you to select the right grant. But keep in mind, it can still be a very complex process, influenced by many factors – both internal and external to your research.
A call text describes all the information that needs to be included in your perfect proposal. Reading it properly increases your chances of getting funded. A typical RIA/CSA/IA call is carefully built in the same structure throughout the entire Work Programme. These are the components you’ll find:
A strong, complementary, and often large multi-partner consortium that addresses all ambitious objectives is key for a winning proposal. This is how you build one:
Most important: start on time! Getting the right consortium partners on board is a lengthy and challenging process. Establishing a consortium is one thing but managing all partners during the preparation phase and aligning their interests into one coherent project plan is more tricky.
A strong consortium has the following characteristics:
Key Steps:
Together with this core consortium you want to further draft the scope, main objectives and rough outline of the project.
In order to maintain a clear focus of your project, a basic plan and consensus need to be generated. This plan will be your means to bring on board the other key players needed to strengthen your project.
Start by building the rest of the consortium from this core, having a clear vision on this project. Use your network to approach key players in establishing your consortium.
You and your consortium partners are now ready to write a high-quality proposal. With these tips you will successfully make it to the finish line:
How do you write down exactly what you mean? First, start each paragraph with the conclusion of that idea. Second, following this conclusion, focus on writing sentences that support the conclusion only. Then apply the same steps to the rest of the proposal to ensure concise writing.
Take into account that reviewers must go through a large number of proposals. Get straight to the point. For example, it is not always necessary to explain a medical problem in detail if everybody already knows that a given disease is deadly. Knowing what to cut out and what to elaborate on is vital.
Nobody gives away free money just for the fun of it. Everyone providing a subsidy has some goal with it, and if you want that money, you better make sure your proposal addresses that goal. No matter how innovative your idea is, and how beneficial it may be, if it does not match with the scope of the subsidy tender, you will receive that dreaded rejection letter.
The application process can become overwhelming. Efforts to align the proposed work plan may need additional time.
Also, additional documentation may be needed in the project application portal. As an applicant it is easy to underestimate the time needed for the portal preparation and project submission.
Keep in mind that on the day of the deadline, portals are often overloaded with applications resulting in longer uploads.
The best way to avoid missing your deadline is to submit at least 48 hours before the deadline.
Congratulations! You have been awarded a Horizon Europe grant. Before you can start to work on the project you have to finish the last preparation steps of the so-called ‘grant agreement phase’.
This phase must be finished within a strict timeframe set out by the European Commission (EC). During the grant agreement phase, you must provide necessary documentation and finish the grant agreement document.
The grant agreement consists of the formal agreements between the EC and the project consortium, the timeline and budget of the project and the description of the action.
The EHRA-PATHS project, is led by the European Society of Cardiology and its constituent the European Heart Rhythm Association, aims to address multimorbidity in elderly atrial fibrillation patients through establishing interdisciplinary patient-centered, systematic care pathways. EHRA-PATHS will lead to transformative improvements in the clinical practice of atrial fibrillation toward holistic, inclusive and personalized treatment strategies.
This will lead to an estimated reduction of €12-18 billion in the yearly European healthcare burden of multimorbid, elderly AF patients. The multidisciplinary team includes 12 renowned clinics and/or research centers in 10 European countries. Catalyze is a partner in the project where we are delivering the Project Management work package.
Read more about this case on our website