Next call deadline: 22 September 2011

Objectives
Eurostars programme aims to target dynamic and research oriented SMEs and offers them an opportunity to lead international collaborations on innovative projects. Eurostars provides support for in-house research and closer ties with European research community. The opportunity for local SMEs to be involved in international research projects means combining and sharing creativity and expertise, leading to new markets for the resulting innovation.

Principal focus
A Eurostars project can address any technological area with the intention of developing a new product, process of service. The project should be market-driven: it must have a maximum duration of three years, and within two years of project completion, the product of the research should be ready for launch into the market. The exception of this rule applies to biomedical or medical projects where clinical trials must be started within two years of projects completion.

Requirements for the consortium:
The programme is targeted towards small consortia driven by an R&D performing SME from one of the participating countries. That SME will execute the major part of R&D work. An SME can be qualified as R&D performing, if it dedicates 10% or more of full time equivalent or annual turnover in research activities.
A consortium must involve at least two partners from two different countries which can be an SME, a Large Enterprise, a University or a Research Organisation. A project could also involve two or three SMEs plus an R&D supplier, such as a laboratory or institute. The consortium should be well balanced; which means that no participant or country can have a share higher than 75% in the total project costs.

Project funding:
EUR 300 million of funding is available from Eurostars dedicated national budgets in six years, with a further EUR 100 million from FP7. Eurostars is managed by a team based at the EUREKA secretariat in Brussels, with the support of national research agencies. Projects are evaluated at central level by independent experts according to common evaluation criteria. One a project is approved, funding is implemented locally to give a single payment combining both national and central EU funding.

Participation in Eurostars:
All applications for Eurostars must be submitted electronically to the Eurostars website. Applicants are advised to contact their EUREKA National Project Coordinator for advice and support in preparing their application.
For more information, please contact your EUREKA Office.