Last updated: 1st November, 2024
EU funding for the games industry is one of the focus areas of EGDF in its advocacy work in Brussels. The full scope of investment in funding calls dedicated explicitly to the games industry or other games industry-related calls for 2024 is as of yet unknown.
For more information, please contact: Jari-Pekka Kaleva at jari-pekka.kaleva@egdf.eu
If you are looking for European trade associations interested in joining EU project consortiums, please visit: https://www.egdf.eu/euprojects/
Content:
- Creative Europe 2024
- Horizon Europe 2024
- Digital Europe 2024
- Erasmus+ 2023
- InvestEU Equity
- CERV
- EIC & SMP
- Interreg
Summary Table
Programme Support Contact Points
1. Creative Europe funding calls
Major differences from the previous year´s instrument are highlighted in red. Last year´s information that no longer applies is stricken through.
CREA-MEDIA-2025-DEVVGIM — Video games and immersive content development
- What the funding can be used for?
- This instrument might be particularly interesting for game developer studios.
- Aimed at European video game development and XR/AR studios to develop video games and interactive immersive experiences with the potential to reach global audiences, as well as improve the competitiveness, scalability, cooperation, innovation, and sustainability of the European video games industry and other companies producing interactive immersive content in European and international markets by enabling the retention of intellectual property by European developers.
- Support will be given to the pre-production of works and prototypes of interactive narrative storytelling with original content and/or quality gameplay intended for production and global commercial exploitation via PCs, consoles, mobile devices, tablets, smart phones and other technologies.
- Strategies should ensure a more sustainable and environmentally-respectful industry, gender balance, inclusion, diversity, and representativeness, either in the project/content or in the way of managing the activity.
- The applicant company must own the majority of the rights (or adaptation rights) related to the project.
- The following projects are ineligible (both as previous work and as work submitted for funding): puzzle games, memory games, sports games, racing games, running games, rhythm/singing/dancing games, social games, quiz games, party games, versus-fighting games, word and spelling games, number games, mind games, even if they have a narrative element. Check full list in section 2 of this document
- Who can apply? (cumulative conditions):
- Applicants must be:
- legal entities (public or private bodies)
- established in Creative Europe Participating Countries and be in EU Member States(including overseas countries and territories(OCTs)) or listed EEA countries and countries associated to the Creative Europe Programme or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature (Non-EU Participating countries)
- entities established and owned by people in one of the countries participating FULLY in the MEDIA strand. When a company is publicly listed, the location of the stock exchange will in principle determine its nationality.
- A Company whose main objective and activity is video game production/development, (entertainment) software development or audiovisual production (or equivalent) and can demonstrate recent experience in producing internationally distributed works. i.e, able to provide a relevant sales report showing sales in the period between 01/01/2022 and the date of the deadline for submission.
- Applications by single applicants are allowed (single beneficiaries; affiliated entities are allowed if needed), as well as proposals submitted by a consortium of at least 2 applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities)
- Publishing companies are not eligible.
- The production phase is ineligible. Production is understood as the phase starting from the testing and debugging of the first prototype until the end of the production of the Gold Master or equivalent.
- Work-for-hire, i.e. projects for which the development or production work was subcontracted to the applicant/coordinator by another company, is not eligible, nor are projects on which a member of the applicant/coordinating company has a personal credit. Early Access works are not eligible either because they are not completed works yet and are still being developed.
- Guidance on the use of generative AI tools for the preparation of the proposal
- The AI-generated content should be thoroughly reviewed and validated by the applicants to ensure its appropriateness and accuracy, as well as its compliance with intellectual property regulations. Applicants are fully responsible for the content of the proposal (even those parts produced by the AI tool) and must be transparent in disclosing which AI tools were used and how they were utilised.
- Applicants must be:
- How much funding will be available:
- Total call budget is estimated at EUR 7.000.000
- The grant will be a lump sum grant. The amount will be fixed by the granting authority on the basis of the estimated project budget and a funding rate of 60%
- The maximum EU grant per project is EUR 200.000
- Pre-financing rate is normally 70% of the maximum grant amount
- Projects should not normally exceed 36 months (extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment).
- When?
- Deadline for submission: 12 February 2025 – 17:00:00 Brussels time
- For more information please visit: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/crea-media-2025-devvgim?keywords=video%20games
CREA-MEDIA-2025-DEVSLATE – European slate development
- What the funding can be used for?
- This instrument might be particularly interesting for VR/XR/AR.
- Support for development of audiovisual works by European independent production companies, covering a variety of formats (such as feature films, short films, series, documentaries, narrative video games) and genres, and targeting diverse audiences, including children and young people.
- Support will be given to independent European production companies able to develop a slate of 3 to 5 audiovisual works (fiction, animation, creative documentary).
- Support to the development of minimum 3 and maximum 5 works for commercial exploitation intended for cinema release, television broadcasting or commercial exploitation on digital platforms or a multi-platform environment in the following categories: animation, creative documentary or fiction.
- Only the development activities for the following works are eligible:
- Feature films, animations and creative documentaries of a minimum length of 60 minutes intended primarily for cinematic release;
- Fiction projects (one-off or series) of a total duration of minimum 90 minutes, animation (one-off or series) of a total duration of minimum 24 minutes and creative documentaries (one-off or series) of a total duration of minimum 50 minutes intended primarily for the purposes of television or digital platform exploitation;
- Interactive, immersive fiction, animation or creative documentary projects (e.g. narrative virtual reality projects) of any duration.
- Who can apply? (cumulative conditions):
-
- Applicants must be:
- legal entities (public or private bodies)
- be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- Creative Europe Participating Countries:
- EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories(OCTs))
- non-EU countries:
- listed EEA countries and countries associated to the Creative Europe Programme or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature (list of participating countries)
- Creative Europe Participating Countries:
- be established and owned by people in one of the countries participating FULLY in the MEDIA strand. When a company is publicly listed, the location of the stock exchange will in principle determine its nationality.
- Applicants must be:
-
- How much funding will be available:
- Total call budget is estimated at EUR 18.000.000
- The grant will be a lump sum grant. This means that it will reimburse a fixed amount, based on a lump sum or financing not linked to costs.
- The maximum EU grant: between EUR 90 000 and EUR 510 000 per project. The grant awarded may be lower than the amount requested.
- Pre-financing rate is normally 70% of the maximum grant amount.
- Projects should not normally exceed 36 months (extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment).
- When?
- Call opening: 1 October 2024
- Deadline for submission: 05 December 2024 17:00:00 Brussels time
- For more information please visit: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/CREA-MEDIA-2025-DEVSLATE?isExactMatch=true&status=31094501,31094502&frameworkProgramme=43251814&order=DESC&pageNumber=1&pageSize=50&sortBy=startDate
CREA-MEDIA-2025-INNOVBUSMOD — Innovative tools and business models
- What the funding can be used for?
- This instrument might be particularly interesting for game developer studios, publishers, trade associations.
- Support for promotion and marketing tools, including online and through data analytics, to increase the prominence, visibility, cross-border access, and audience reach of European work.
- Development/spread of innovative tools and business models to improve visibility, availability, audience, and diversity of European works in the digital age and/or the competitiveness and/or the greening process of the European audiovisual industry.
- Subtitling or accessibility/discoverability/recommendation tools for improving visibility, availability, and audience potential of European audiovisual works.
- Business tools for improving the efficiency and transparency of the audiovisual markets.
- Business models optimizing synergies between distribution platforms.
- Business tools exploring new modes of production, financing, distribution, or promotion enabled by new technology (AI, big data, blockchain, Virtual worlds / Metaverse, NFT, etc.).
- Who can apply? (cumulative conditions):
- Applicants must be:
- legal entities (public or private bodies)
- be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- Creative Europe Participating Countries:
- EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories(OCTs))
- non-EU countries:
- listed EEA countries and countries associated to the Creative Europe Programme or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature (list of participating countries)
- Creative Europe Participating Countries:
- be established and owned by people in one of the countries participating FULLY in the MEDIA strand. When a company is publicly listed, the location of the stock exchange will in principle determine its nationality.
- Applicants must be:
- Consortium composition
- Applications by single applicants are allowed (single beneficiaries, affiliated entities are allowed, if needed), as well as proposals submitted by a consortium of at least 2 applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities).
- How much funding will be available:
- Total call budget is estimated at
EUR 8.500.000EUR 8,000,000 - The grant will be budget-based. The amount will be fixed by the granting authority on the basis of the estimated project budget and a funding rate of 70%
- The maximum EU grant per project is unlimited
- Pre-financing rate is normally 40% of the maximum grant amount
- Projects should not normally exceed
2436 months (extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment).
- Total call budget is estimated at
- When?
- Call opening: 1 October 2024
- Deadline for submission: 16 January 2025 17:00:00 Brussels time
- For more information please visit: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/CREA-MEDIA-2025-INNOVBUSMOD?isExactMatch=true&status=31094501,31094502&frameworkProgramme=43251814&order=DESC&pageNumber=1&pageSize=50&sortBy=startDate
CREA-MEDIA-2025-MEDIA360 – MEDIA 360°
- What the funding can be used for?
- This instrument might be particularly interesting for game developers, publishers, trade associations, higher education/vocational education/training institutions, research organisations, game industry event organisers, accelerators/incubators/clusters, VC/Funds/Investors
- The action will support a package of activities facilitating the creation, promotion and distribution of European content, and/or the uptake of new technologies or business models by the audiovisual sector.
- Projects must cover activities in at least two of the following segments:
- Skills development. Training and mentoring activities to enhance the capacity of audiovisual professionals to adapt to new creative processes, market developments and digital technologies that affect the whole value chain.
- Markets, B2B activities and networking. Activities and networking industry events, physical, digital or hybrid, focused on business-to-business exchanges among European audiovisual professionals, facilitating coproductions and sales and showing a structuring effect on the European audiovisual eco-system as well as impact on the promotion and sales of European audiovisual works on global markets.
- International co-production between a company based in a country participating in the Creative Europe MEDIA strand and a company based in a country not participating to the MEDIA strand.
- Harnessing innovation to increase the availability, visibility and audience of European works in the digital age and/or to increase the competitiveness or the greening process of the European audiovisual industry. Eligible activities may also include activities aimed at incubating, accelerating & scaling innovation in the audiovisual and gaming ecosystems.
- Private investment. Support workshops, seminars or tutorials that focus on the importance of financial investments, the various opportunities available, and how these can benefit audiovisual/gaming companies in the long run. These events can also provide a platform for audiovisual and gaming companies to interact with financial experts and prospective investors and share success stories of companies/content that have benefited from financial investments, thereby encouraging others to explore these opportunities.
- Who can apply? (cumulative conditions):
- Applicants must be:
- legal entities (public or private bodies)
- be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- Creative Europe Participating Countries:
- EU Member States(including overseas countries and territories(OCTs))
- non-EU countries:
- listed EEA countries and countries associated to the Creative Europe Programme or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature (list of participating countries)
- Creative Europe Participating Countries:
- be established in one of the countries participating in the MEDIA strand of the Creative Europe Programme and owned directly or by majority participation, by nationals from such countries; for publicly listed companies, the location of the stock exchange will be taken into account to determine its nationality.
- be independent European audiovisual production companies that can demonstrate recent experience in producing internationally distributed works.
- Consortium composition
- Applications by single applicants are allowed (single beneficiaries, affiliated entities are allowed, if needed), as well as proposals submitted by a consortium of at least 2 applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities).
- Applicants must be:
- How much funding will be available:
- Total call budget is estimated at EUR 21.000.000
- The grant will be a budget-based. The amount will be fixed by the granting authority on the basis of the estimated project budget and a funding rate of 70%
- Project budget (maximum grant amount): No limit. The grant awarded may be lower than the amount requested.
- Pre-financing rate is normally 40% of the maximum grant amount
- Projects should not normally exceed 36 months (extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment).
- When?
- Call opening: 1 October 2024
- Deadline for submission: 09 January 2025 17:00:00 Brussels time
- For more information please visit: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/CREA-MEDIA-2025-DEVSLATE?isExactMatch=true&status=31094501,31094502&frameworkProgramme=43251814&order=DESC&pageNumber=1&pageSize=50&sortBy=startDate
CREA-MEDIA-2025-TRAINING SKILLS AND TALENT DEVELOPMENT
- What the funding can be used for?
- This instrument might be particularly interesting for game developer studios, publishers, trade associations, higher education/vocational education/training institutions, research, trade organisations
- Particular focus will be put on supporting new creative processes (e.g. cross disciplinary creative collaboration, innovative storytelling blending creative and digital skills), harnessing digital innovation in audiovisual production (e.g. virtual production, post-production) and distribution (marketing, promotion, audience engagement); uptake of digital tools for videogames production and distribution; enhancing IP rights exploitation; green transition (aiming at promoting sustainable practices across the entire value chain).
- Supporting new creative processes (e.g. creative collaboration including across disciplines, innovative storytelling blending different skill sets)
- Digital transformation: trainings to equip professionals along the whole value chain with state-of-the-art digital tools and data analytics for creative storytelling, production including virtual production, post-production or marketing, promotion, audience engagement and new modes of distribution, monetization and exploitation
- Adaptation to new market trends: including IP rights exploitation (eg. remakes, spin-offs, sequels, merchandising)
- Videogames: trainings to equip professionals with state-of-the-art digital tools and AI-powered technologies for creation, development, production, distribution, promotion and marketing
- Green transition of the audiovisual industry: green consultants, aiming at promoting sustainable practices across the entire value chain; trainings on the implementation of sustainability plans, including the use of tools measuring CO2 emissions
- Who can apply? (cumulative conditions):
- Applicants must be:
- legal entities (public or private bodies)
- be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- Creative Europe Participating Countries:
- EU Member States(including overseas countries and territories(OCTs))
- non-EU countries:
- listed EEA countries and countries associated to the Creative Europe Programme or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature (list of participating countries)
- Creative Europe Participating Countries:
- Consortium composition
- Applications by single applicants are allowed (single beneficiaries), as well as proposals submitted by a consortium of at least 2 applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities).
- Applicants must be:
- How much funding will be available:
- Total call budget is estimated at EUR 7.500.000
- The grant will be a budget-based. The amount will be fixed by the granting authority on the basis of the estimated project budget and a funding rate of 80%
- Project budget (maximum grant amount): No limit.
- Pre-financing rate is normally 70% of the maximum grant amount
- Projects should not normally exceed 12 months (extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment).
- When?
- Call opening: 1 October 2024
- Deadline for submission: 24 April 2025 17:00:00 Brussels time
- For more information please visit: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/CREA-MEDIA-2025-TRAINING?isExactMatch=true&status=31094501,31094502&frameworkProgramme=43251814&order=DESC&pageNumber=1&pageSize=50&sortBy=startDate
CREA-CULT-2025-COOP-UA-3 Preparing the post-war recovery of the Ukrainian cultural and creative sectors
- What the funding can be used for?
- This instrument might be particularly interesting for games industry focused organizations, higher education, research and innovation institutions.
- This action will support cultural cooperation projects between Ukraine and other Creative Europe countries that will help and strengthen Ukrainian cultural and creative sectors organisations, artists and professionals. Projects shall demonstrate a very good understanding of the complexity of the current situation in Ukraine and develop actions encouraging the development, experimentation, dissemination or application of concrete practices on how culture and the arts can contribute to wartime resilience and post-war recovery.
- Support will be given to 3 cooperation projects, addressing the following topics (one project per topic):
- Topic 1: supporting Ukrainian artists and cultural organisations to co-create with their peers in the Creative Europe participating countries and showcase their art and works in Ukraine and in Creative Europe participating countries. Proposals addressing this priority shall be presented by selecting topic CREA-CULT-2025-COOP-UA-1
- Topic 2: Fostering Ukrainians’ access to culture and cultural heritage – namely for displaced people, in Ukraine or Creative Europe participating countries – promoting integration, social cohesion or health through culture. Proposals addressing this priority shall be presented by selecting topic CREACULT-2025-COOP-UA-2
- Topic 3: preparing the post-war recovery of the Ukrainian cultural and creative sectors and supporting their contribution to societal resilience through capacity building and networking activities. Proposals addressing this priority shall be presented by selecting topic CREA-CULT-2025-COOPUA-3
- Who can apply? (cumulative conditions):
- Applicants must be:
- legal entities (public or private bodies)
- established in Creative Europe Participating Countries and be in EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories(OCTs)) or listed EEA countries and countries associated to the Creative Europe Programme or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature (Non-EU Participating countries)
- entities established and owned by people in one of the countries participating FULLY in the MEDIA strand. When a company is publicly listed, the location of the stock exchange will in principle determine its nationality.
- Applicants must be:
- Consortium composition
- Proposals must be submitted by a consortium of at least two applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities), which complies with the following conditions:
- at least one organisation of the consortium is based in Ukraine and
- at least one organisation of the consortium is based in another Creative Europe participating country.
- Proposals must be submitted by a consortium of at least two applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities), which complies with the following conditions:
- How much funding will be available:
- Total call budget is estimated at EUR 5.000.000
- Topic 1: EUR 2.000.000
- Topic 2: EUR 2.000.000
- Topic 3: EUR 1.000.000
- The grant will be budget-based. The costs will be reimbursed at the funding rate of 90% fixed in the Grant Agreement.
- The maximum EU grant per project is EUR 200.000.
- Pre-financing rate is normally 80% of the maximum grant amount
- Projects should not normally exceed 36 months (extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment).
- Total call budget is estimated at EUR 5.000.000
- When?
- Deadline for submission: 6 February 2025 – 17:00:00 Brussels time
- For more information please visit: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/CREA-CULT-2025-COOP-UA-3?order=DESC&pageNumber=1&pageSize=50&sortBy=startDate&isExactMatch=true&status=31094501,31094502&frameworkProgramme=43251814
CREA-MEDIA-2024-MARKETNET — Markets and Networking (CLOSED)
- What the funding can be used for?
- This instrument might be particularly interesting for game developer studios, publishers, trade associations, event organizers.
- Industry events, physical, digital or hybrid, focused on business-to-business exchanges among European audiovisual professionals, facilitating coproductions and sales and showing a structuring effect on the European audiovisual eco-system as well as impact on the promotion and sales of European audiovisual works on global markets. Activities and events should adapt to current market trends and include innovative content (videogames, VR, XR, AI, cross-media), animation or genre audiovisual works.
- Networks of markets, organised around a thematic basis or geographically, should increase their impact on the audiovisual industry. They can therefore cover e.g. several film markets of a specific region or e.g. several markets focussing on specific types of works (i.e. kids content, documentaries, animation, videogames, AR, VR) or both.
- Networking activities contributing to the promotion of European works and consolidation of the audiovisual eco-system across the whole value chain.
- These networks can propose activities related to different existing markets within and outside the countries participating in the MEDIA strand. Such activities will include:
- B2B promotional activities, including financial support to third parties, aimed at facilitating the distribution of European audiovisual works or exchange of best practices, with a particular focus on innovative technologies and business practices
- activities related to the co-creation of series, leading to marketable and competitive European series
- Activities related to the following type of works are not considered as eligible: live broadcasting, music videos, non-narrative artistic works (including but not limited to art videos, experimental videos etc), commercial and promotional works (including but not limited to advertisements), reality TV and talk shows.
- Applications should present activities to be implemented over 2 years.
- Who can apply? (cumulative conditions):
- Applicants must be:
- legal entities (public or private bodies)
- established in Creative Europe Participating Countries and be in EU Member States(including overseas countries and territories(OCTs)) or listed EEA countries and countries associated to the Creative Europe Programme or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature (Non-EU Participating countries)
- entities established and owned by people in one of the countries participating FULLY in the MEDIA strand. When a company is publicly listed, the location of the stock exchange will in principle determine its nationality.
- Applications by single applicants are allowed (single beneficiaries; affiliated entities are allowed if needed), as well as proposals submitted by a consortium of at least 2 applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities).
- Applicants must be:
- How much funding will be available:
- Total call budget is estimated at
EUR 13.000.00016,500,000 - The grant will be budget-based. The amount will be fixed by the granting authority on the basis of the estimated project budget and a funding rate of 70%
- The maximum EU grant per project is unlimited
- Pre-financing rate is normally 50% of the maximum grant amount
- costs for financial support to third parties: allowed for grants; maximum amount per third party EUR 60 000
- indirect cost flat-rate: 7% of the eligible direct costs
- Projects should not normally exceed 24 months (extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment).
- Total call budget is estimated at
- When?
- Call opening: 3 October 2023
- Deadline for submission: 18 January 2024 – 17:00:00 CET (Brussels)
- For more information please visit: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/crea-media-2024-marketnet
CREA-CULT-2024-COOP — European Cooperation projects (Medium & Small scale) (CLOSED)
- For who: European CCI organizations
- Doing what:
- Projects involving organisations in the cultural and creative sectors of all sizes, including micro-organisations and small-sized organisations, and from different countries to undertake sectoral or cross-sectoral activities.
- Proposals are expected to present a clear cross-border cooperation dimension
- Projects involving exclusively organisations from the audio-visual sector and projects of an exclusive audiovisual content are not targeted for funding
- The funding call supports projects contributing to one of two main objectives:
- Innovation: Enhance the capacity of European cultural and creative sectors to nurture talents, innovate, prosper, generate jobs, and growth.
- Transnational Creation and Circulation: Strengthen the transnational creation and circulation of European works and artists.
- Projects must also address at least one (and no more than two) of the following priorities:
- Increase access, engagement, and participation in culture, especially content from other countries.
- Promote societal resilience, culture’s role in health and well-being, and enhance social inclusion in/through culture.
- Co-create and adopt environment-friendly practices, and raise awareness on sustainable development.
- Assist the cultural and creative sectors in digital transition and address challenges raised by emerging technologies.
- Build capacity for cross-border activities and contribute to international cultural relations.
- Support to Ukrainian cultural and creative sectors, focusing on sustaining Ukrainian culture during and post-war.
- European:
- your company is based in a country fully participating in Creative Europe media strand
- your company is owned directly or indirectly, wholly or by majority participation, by nationals from countries participating fully in the MEDIA strand. When a company is publicly listed, the location of the stock exchange will in principle determine its nationality.
- Medium-scale projects:
- The consortium must be composed of minimum 5 entities from 5 different eligible countries.
- Maximum grant amount: €1M
- Funding rate: maximum 70%
- Small-scale projects:
- The consortium must be composed of minimum 3 entities from 3 different eligible countries.
- Maximum grant amount: €200k per project.
- Funding rate: maximum 80%
- When?
- Deadline for submission: 23rd of January 2024 17:00 CET (NOT AT MIDNIGHT)
CREA-CROSS-2024-INNOVLAB Innovation Lab (CLOSED)
- What the funding can be used for?
- Projects MUST focus on one (or several) of the below topics:
- Virtual Worlds as a new environment for the promotion of European content, audience renewal and competitiveness of European content industries;
- Innovative Business Tools for production, financing, distribution or promotion enabled or enhanced by new technology (AI, big data, blockchain, Virtual Worlds, NFT, etc.), in particular:
- Rights’ management and monetisation (including innovative bundled subscription offers to access diverse European cultural content from various existing European platforms), at the same time ensuring transparency and fair remuneration for creators and artists;
- Data collection and analysis, with particular emphasis on prediction for content creation and audience development (including innovative cross-sectoral tools to improve the quality of the subscriber service and a better valorisation of European content offered by European online platforms);
- “Greener” practices in order to lower the impact on the environment of the audiovisual and other cultural sectors in line with the Commission’s Green Deal and the New Bauhaus initiative.
- Cross-sectoral cooperation between the audiovisual and other cultural and creative sectors is at the heart of the Call.
- Projects MUST focus on one (or several) of the below topics:
- Who can apply? (cumulative conditions):
- This instrument might be particularly interesting for game devs and publishers, audiovisual, cultural and creative organisations, tech companies, startups, incubators, accelerators, public and private entities, SMEs.
- In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:
- be legal entities (public or private bodies)
- be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- Creative Europe Participating Countries:
- EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs))
- non-EU countries:
- listed EEA countries and countries associated to the Creative Europe Programme or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature (list of participating countries)
- be established in one of the countries participating in the Creative Europe Programme and owned directly or indirectly, wholly or by majority participation, by nationals from such countries. When a company is publicly listed, the location of the stock exchange will in principle determine its nationality.
- Creative Europe Participating Countries:
- Consortium composition
- Applications by single applicants are allowed (single beneficiaries, as well as proposals submitted by a consortium of at least two applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities).
- How much funding will be available:
- Total call budget is estimated at EUR 7.482.102
- The grant will be budget-based (actual costs, with unit cost and flat-rate elements). The amount will be fixed by the granting authority on the basis of the estimated project budget and a funding rate of 70%
- The maximum EU grant: No limit
- Projects should not normally exceed 24 months. Extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment.
- Pre-financing rate is normally 60% of the maximum grant amount
- When?
- Call opening: 26 October 2023
- Deadline for submission: 25 April 2024 17:00:00 Brussels time
- For more information please visit: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/crea-cross-2024-innovlab
2. Horizon Europe funding calls
HORIZON-CL2-2024-HERITAGE-01-04 – Horizon Europe funding for Europe’s cultural heritage and arts – promoting our values at home and abroad (CLOSED)
- For who: Horizon Europe participant research institutions, local/regional/ national clusters, or other parties involved in R&I and policy for the games industry
- Doing What:
- Increase Visibility and Access: Enhance the international presence of European arts and culture, thereby strengthening the contemporary image of the EU.
- Develop Pilot Solutions: Create and test innovative models for cooperation that integrate local, national, and European efforts, and involve strategic alliances across various sectors.
- Assess Effectiveness: Evaluate current practices, programs, and policies in promoting European values and identities outside Europe.
- Strengthen CCIs: Bolster the worldwide presence of European CCIs, focusing on sustainable and inclusive growth.
- Identify and Overcome Barriers: Analyze existing barriers to effective promotion of European arts and culture and propose solutions.
- Policy Recommendations: Develop recommendations for integrating innovative models into arts policies at various levels
- Funding:
- Total call budget: €13M
- Maximum grant: €300-400k
- Maximum funding rate: 70%
- Length of the projects: Max 36 months (extensions possible)
- When?
- DL 7.2.2024 17:00 CET (NOT AT MIDNIGHT)
- The results: TBD
- Projects start: TBD
- For more information:
HORIZON-CL2-2024-HERITAGE-01-03 -Horizon Europe funding – Leverage the digital transition for competitive European cultural and creative industries (CLOSED)
- For who: Horizon Europe participant research institutions, local/regional/ national clusters, or other parties involved in developing measures for supporting the games industry
- Doing What:
- Developing effective, cost-efficient strategies to help CCIs use digital technologies to enhance competitiveness and sustainability.
- Target specific CCI sectors or cross-sectoral issues for significant impact, incorporating digital technologies like big data, AI, VR, AR, and XR.
- Create measures effective across various Member States and suitable for CCIs of all sizes, possibly through collaborative platforms and networks.
- Conduct at least 4 small-scale pilot trials under real conditions to refine these measures, involving at least 4 different Member States/Associated Countries, diverse stakeholders and ensuring applicability in different national contexts and company sizes.
- Building upon EU-funded knowledge, networks, and platforms, including projects under the “European Cloud for Cultural Heritage” call.
- Funding:
- Total call budget: €13M
- Maximum grant: €300-400k
- Maximum funding rate: 70%
- Length of the projects: Max 36 months (extensions possible)
- When?
- DL 7.2.2024 17:00 CET (NOT AT MIDNIGHT)
- For more information:
HORIZON-CL2-2024-HERITAGE-01-02 – Horizon Europe funding – Cultural and creative industries for a sustainable climate transition (CLOSED)
- For who: Horizon Europe participant research institutions, local/regional/ national clusters, or other parties involved in R&I and policy for the games industry
- Doing what:
- Developing refined and validated approaches for CCIs to be significant drivers of a sustainable climate transition.
- Business models, use of new technologies, production methods and development or adaption of new technological solutions, as well as addressing gaps in skills and capacities.
- Proposals should provide for testing and refining such model(s) through small scale pilot trials under real world conditions. Should be valid across different Member States/Associated Countries, and address the needs of small, micro as well as larger companies.
- Making substantial contributions to help European CCIs adapt to and contribute to the climate transition, aligning with the 2030 goals of the European Green Deal.
- Particularly targeted towards projects that can build upon the findings of the ‘Cultural and creative industries for a sustainable climate transition’ 2023 calls.
- Funding:
- Total call budget: €13M
- Maximum grant: €300-400k
- Maximum funding rate: 70%
- Length of the projects: Max 36 months (extensions possible)
- When?
- DL 7.2.2024 17:00 CET (NOT AT MIDNIGHT)
- For more information:
HORIZON-CL2-2024-DEMOCRACY-01-08 – Horizon Europe – Culture, the arts and cultural spaces for democratic participation and political expression, online and offline (CLOSED)
- For who: Horizon Europe participant research institutions, local/regional/ national clusters, or other parties involved in R&I and policy for the games industry, particularly metaverses
- Doing What:
- Developing recommendations to foster civic participation through a deep analysis of the use of spaces beyond classic democratic institutions. This includes cultural and artistic spaces, as well as cyberspace and metaverses, for political expression.
- Creating forward-looking policy recommendations to ensure that digital spaces (including metaverses and social networks) can positively impact democratic life and limit potential threats to democracy.
- Experimenting with solutions, methods, and tools to support democratic behavior and social well-being for the next generation of social media.
- Funding:
- Total call budget: €9M
- Maximum grant: €200-300k
- Maximum funding rate: 100%
- Length of the projects: Max 36 months (extensions possible)
- When?
- DL 7.2.2024 17:00 CET (NOT AT MIDNIGHT)
- For more information:
HORIZON-EIE-2024-CONNECT-01-02 – Horizon Europe – Startup Europe (CLOSED)
- For who:Horizon Europe participant entities involved in the start-up ecosystem such as business angel organizations, venture capital entities, accelerators, incubators, start-up associations, and clusters.
- Doing What:
- Enhance the presence of European start-ups in strategic digital and deep tech sectors, including AI, Advanced Computing, Cybersecurity, Next Generation Internet, Blockchain, IoT, Metaverse, Energy, Greentech, AgriTech, and Fintech.
- Improve the connections of start-ups, especially those supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) and the European Innovation Council (EIC), to local and European ecosystems, communities, and potential new markets.
- Boost the ability of EU-funded digital and deep tech start-ups to match their technology solutions with investment and growth opportunities.
- At least 50% of the beneficiaries in a consortium must be established in ‘modest’ or ‘emerging’ innovator countries or regions
- Startups should be able to demonstrate market-product fit or have at least a seed round of financing raised
- Funding:
- Total call budget: €12M
- Maximum grant: €150k
- Maximum funding rate: 100%
- Length of the projects: Max 36 months (extensions possible)
- When?
- Opening: 11.1.2024
- DL 25.4.2024 17:00 CET (NOT AT MIDNIGHT)
- For more information:
HORIZON-EIE-2024-CONNECT-02-02 – Horizon Europe – funding for Mutual learning and support scheme for national and regional innovation programmes (CLOSED)
- For who: Horizon Europe participant national/regional/local clusters, game associations, innovation agencies (public or private), funds/investors, higher education institutions
- Doing What:
- Actions that enhance the efficiency, inclusivity, and connectivity of innovation ecosystems across the EU.
- Including diverse innovation players from industry, academia, civil society, and public authorities in the innovation process.
- Mobilising policies, funding instruments (EU, national, regional) and fostering synergies between them;
- Horizon Europe participant:
- EU Member States & Countries associated to Horizon Europe (includes Norway,UK, Turkey, Ukraine, Serbia); For a full list of the eligible countries, check this document.
- Consortia must have at least 3 independent legal entities of which at least 1 is established in a ‘moderate’ or ’emerging’ innovator region and at least 1 in a ‘strong’ or ‘innovation leader’ innovator region
- Funding:
- Total call budget: €1M
- Maximum grant: €100k
- Maximum funding rate: 100%
- Length of the projects: Max 36 months (extensions possible)
- When?
- Opening: 06 June 2024
- DL 19 September 2024 17:00:00 Brussels time
(NOT AT MIDNIGHT)
- For more information:
HORIZON-EIE-2024-CONNECT-02-01 – Horizon Europe – funding for Expanding Academia-Enterprise Collaborations (CLOSED)
- For who: Horizon Europe participant Vocational schools, higher education establishments, public authorities in the field of education and employment, national/regional/local clusters, game associations and innovation hubs
- Doing What:
- Involving business experts in networking activities to foster a vibrant innovation community around academic and research institutions.
- Engaging a diverse group of students, graduates, researchers, and professionals from various disciplines and departments in networking and collaborative efforts
- Encouraging students and researchers to participate in start-ups, both locally and on a broader scale
- Creating synergies among students, graduates, researchers, innovators, educational institutes, research organizations, and business partners
- Consortia must have at least 3 independent legal entities of which at least 1 is established in a ‘moderate’ or ’emerging’ innovator region, at least 1 in a ‘strong’ or ‘innovation leader’ innovator region, at least 1 educational institution or research organisation and at least 1 representative of the private sector
- Funding:
- Total call budget: €2.5M
- Maximum grant: €500k
- Maximum funding rate: 100%
- Length of the projects: Max 36 months (extensions possible)
- When?
- Opening: 06 June 2024
- DL 19 September 2024 17:00:00 Brussels time
(NOT AT MIDNIGHT)
- For more information:
HORIZON-EIC-2024-PATHFINDEROPEN-01-01 EIC Pathfinder Open (CLOSED)
- What the funding can be used for?
- This instrument might be particularly interesting for games research focused universities/organisations, game startups or SMEs.
- You should apply if you are looking for support from EIC Pathfinder Open to realise an ambitious vision for radically new technology, with potential to create new markets and/or to address global challenges. EIC Pathfinder Open supports early stage development of such future technologies (e.g. various activities at low Technology Readiness Levels from 1 to 4), based on high-risk/high-gain science-towards-technology breakthrough research (including ‘deep-tech’, e.g. AI).
- Note: before submitting your application, please check with the programme support contact point that your proposal is in align with programm’s definition of radical technology/deep tech.
- Proposals should meet all the following essential characteristics (‘Gatekeepers’):
- Convincing long-term vision of a radically new technology that has the potential to have a transformative positive effect to our economy and society.
- Concrete, novel and ambitious science-towards-technology breakthrough, providing advancement towards the envisioned technology.
- High-risk/high-gain research approach and methodology, with concrete and plausible objectives.
- Who can apply? (cumulative conditions):
- This call is open for collaborative research. Your proposal must be submitted by the coordinator, on behalf of a consortium including as beneficiaries, at least three legal entities, independent from each other and each established in a different country as follows:
- at least one legal entity established in a Member State; and
- at least two other independent legal entities, each established in different Member States or Associated Countries.
- The legal entities may for example be game education/research organisations, game education/research institutions, games trade associations, game developer studios and publishers. The eligibility of associated countries and third countries is detailed in EIC work programme (Annex 2).
- This call is open for collaborative research. Your proposal must be submitted by the coordinator, on behalf of a consortium including as beneficiaries, at least three legal entities, independent from each other and each established in a different country as follows:
- How much funding will be available:
- Total call budget is estimated at EUR 136,000,000
- The funding rate of this grant is 100% of the eligible costs.
- The maximum EU grant is EUR 3 million, or more if properly justified;
- When?
- Call opening: 03 January 2024
- Deadline for submission: 07 March 2024 17:00:00 Brussels time
- For more information please visit: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/horizon-eic-2024-pathfinderopen-01-01
HORIZON-EIC-2024-ACCELERATOR-01 EIC Accelerator 2024 – Short application (CLOSED)
- What the funding can be used for?
- This instrument might be particularly interesting for games research focused universities/organisations, game startups or SMEs.
- The EIC Accelerator focuses in particular on innovations building on scientific discovery or technological breakthroughs (‘deep tech’) and where significant funding is needed over a long timeframe before returns can be generated (‘patient capital’).
- The EIC Accelerator supports the later stages of technology development as well as scale up. The technology component of your innovation must therefore have been tested and validated in a laboratory and other relevant environment (e.g.,at least Technology Readiness Level 5).
- Applicants to EIC Accelerator can submit proposals through:
- EIC Accelerator Open, which has no predefined thematic priorities and is open to proposals in any field of technology or application;
- EIC Accelerator Challenges in predefined areas of emerging and strategic technologies.
- Submission of short proposals
- Which may be submitted at any time via the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal (as from the 1st January 2024) and will be evaluated remotely by EIC expert evaluators on a first come, first served basis. Within approximately 4-6 weeks, you will receive the evaluation result of your short proposal specifying whether or not your proposal met the admissibility, eligibility and award criteria evaluation elements (set out in the next section) and can therefore proceed to submit a full proposal.
- Who can apply? (cumulative conditions):
- To be an eligible applicant to EIC Accelerator, you must apply as one of the following eligible entities:
- a single company classified as a SME, and established within a Member State or an Associated Country (see Annex 2 of EIC work programme); or
- a single company classified as a small mid-cap (up to 499 employees) established in a Member State or an Associated Country, but only for exceptional cases for rapid scale up purposes ; or
- one or more natural persons (including individual entrepreneurs) or legal entities, which are either:
- from a Member State or an Associated Country intending to establish an SME or small mid-cap (as defined above) in a Member State or Associated Country by the time of signing the EIC Accelerator grant agreement or, in case the equity only is awarded, at the latest at the date of signature of the agreement on its investment component;
- intending to invest in an SME or small mid-cap established in a Member State or an Associated Country and may submit a proposal on behalf of that SME or small mid-cap, provided that a prior agreement exists with the company. The grant agreement and/or the investment agreement will be signed with the beneficiary/ final recipient of funding company only; or
- from a non-associated third country intending to establish an SME (including start-ups) or to relocate an existing SME to a Member State or an Associated Country. Your company must prove its effective establishment in a Member State or an Associated Country at the time of submission of the full proposal. The standard admissibility and eligibility conditions are detailed in Annex 2.
- To be an eligible applicant to EIC Accelerator, you must apply as one of the following eligible entities:
- How much funding will be available:
- Total call budget is estimated at EUR 675,000,000. EUR 375 million of the total indicative budget will be allocated to EIC Accelerator Open and EUR 300 million to EIC Accelerator Challenges. The indicative budget for investment components is EUR 405 million and is managed by the EIC Fund.
- When?
- Call opening: 03 January 2024
- Deadline for submission: 24 October 2024 17:00:00 Brussels time
- For more information please visit: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/horizon-eic-2024-accelerator-01
HORIZON-EIC-2024-PRIZE-EPWI-WomenInnovatorsPrize Women Innovators category (CLOSED)
- Contest Objective and Award Criteria
- The European Prize for Women Innovators celebrates the women entrepreneurs behind Europe’s game-changing innovations, so that they may inspire other women and girls realise their full potential as the EU’s future scientists, innovators, and tech leaders.
- The prize is awarded to the applicants who in the opinion of the jury best address the following criteria:
- Breakthrough innovation – the company or organisation founded or co-founded by the applicant is pioneering a breakthrough and disruptive innovation focusing, among others, deep-tech and Science Technology Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) fields, within the EU or countries associated to Horizon Europe.
- Impact – this innovation addresses a real need or challenge, with significant benefits for people and/or the planet. The applicant will demonstrate how the company’s or organisation’s current performance and growth is driving a positive socio-economic and/or environmental impact, among others, in terms of wellbeing, education, profit, job creation.
- Inspiration – the applicant is an inspiring leader, who has played a pivotal role in the success of the company or organisation and is a role model empowering other women and girls in realising their full potential. The applicant should, for example, highlight her efforts to promote gender balance within the company, organisation or beyond, and/or to advocate for innovative initiatives that have positively contributed to gender equality in, e.g., access to finance, networks, product design, education and contributes to a gender-responsive innovation.
- Who can apply? (cumulative conditions):The applicant must be a woman;
- The applicant must be legally established in an EU Member State, including overseas countries and territories (OCTs) or a country associated to Horizon Europe;
- The applicant must be the founder or co-founder of the company or organisation;
- The company or organisation must be established in an EU Member State including overseas countries and territories, (OCTs) or a country associated to Horizon Europe, and registered or incorporate at least two years before the call year;
- Applicants who have already received an EU or Euratom prize cannot receive a second prize for the same activities.
- Applicants must support their written application with an inspiring video message about themselves and their achievements, lasting no more than 90 seconds.
- How much funding will be available:
- Total call budget is estimated at EUR 220.000. Three prizes of EUR 100 000, EUR 70 000 and EUR 50 000 are awarded to the three highest-ranked applications.
- When?
- Call opening: 27 June 2024
- Deadline for submission: 25 September 2024 17:00:00 Brussels time
- For more information please visit: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/horizon-eic-2024-prize-epwi-womeninnovatorsprize?order=DESC&pageNumber=1&pageSize=50&sortBy=relevance&keywords=women&isExactMatch=true&status=31094501,31094502&frameworkProgramme=43108390
HORIZON-EIC-2024-PRIZE-EPWI-RisingInnovatorsPrize Rising Innovators category (CLOSED)
- Contest Objective and Award Criteria
- The European Prize for Women Innovators celebrates the women entrepreneurs behind Europe’s game-changing innovations, so that they may inspire other women and girls realise their full potential as the EU’s future scientists, innovators, and tech leaders. The prize is awarded to the applicants who in the opinion of the jury best address the following criteria:
- Breakthrough innovation – the company or organisation founded or co-founded by the applicant is pioneering a breakthrough and disruptive innovation focusing, among others, on deep-tech and Science Technology Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) fields., within the EU or countries associated to Horizon Europe. In presenting their innovation, the applicant should demonstrate what makes this innovation breakthrough and disruptive in relation to other existing solutions.
- Impact – This innovation addresses a real need or challenge, with significant benefits for peopole and/or the plante. The applicant will demonstrate how the company’s or organisation’s current performance and growth is driving a positive socio-economic and/or environmental impact, among others, in terms of wellbeing, education, profit, job creation.
- Inspiration – the applicant is an inspiring leader, who has played a pivotal role in the success of the company or organisation and is a role model empowering other women and girls in realising their full potential. The applicant should, for example, highlight her efforts to promote gender balance within the company, organisation or beyond, and/or to advocate for innovative initiatives that have positively contributed to gender equality in, e.g., access to finance, networks, product design, education and contributes to a gender-responsive innovation.
- The European Prize for Women Innovators celebrates the women entrepreneurs behind Europe’s game-changing innovations, so that they may inspire other women and girls realise their full potential as the EU’s future scientists, innovators, and tech leaders. The prize is awarded to the applicants who in the opinion of the jury best address the following criteria:
- Who can apply? (cumulative conditions):
- The applicant must be a woman;
- The applicant must be legally established in an EU Member State, including overseas countries and territories (OCTs) or a country associated to Horizon Europe;
- The applicant must be the founder or co-founder of the company or organisation;
- The company or organisation must be established in an EU Member State including overseas countries and territories, (OCTs) or a country associated to Horizon Europe, and registered or incorporate at least two years before the call year; (before 1 January 2022);
- Applicants who have already received an EU or Euratom prize cannot receive a second prize for the same activities.
- Applicants must be aged under 35 at the start of the call year.
- How much funding will be available:
- Total call budget is estimated at EUR 100.000. Three prizes of EUR 50 000, EUR 30 000 and EUR 20 000 are awarded to the three highest-ranked applications from promising ‘Rising Innovators’ under the age of 35.
- When?
- Call opening: 27 June 2024
- Deadline for submission: 25 September 2024 17:00:00 Brussels time
- For more information please visit: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/horizon-eic-2024-prize-epwi-risinginnovatorsprize
3. Digital Europe funding calls
DIGITAL-2023-CLOUD-DATA-AI-05-CULTHERITAGE – Digital Europe – funding Data Space for Cultural heritage (CLOSED)
- For who: Cultural heritage organisations, 3D and XR technology providers, academic and research partners, stakeholders in creative sectors, education, tourism, interested in re-use.
- Doing What:
- Setting or extending the necessary frameworks and tools for the availability of advanced 3D and XR data in the data space for cultural heritage
- Collaborating with existing and relevant EU, national and regional initiatives and/or platforms for 3D digitisation of museum artefacts, monuments and sites, and XR application in cultural heritage
- Enriching the offer of 3D and XR data in the data space;
- Offering online experiences for the public based on 3D and XR;
- Fostering the re-use of cultural heritage XR and 3D data in important domains such as education, social sciences and humanities, tourism and the wider cultural and creative sector.
- Minimum 3 independent applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities) from
- 3 different eligible countries
- Funding:
- Total call budget: €4M
- Maximum grant: €1M
- Maximum funding rate: 50%
- Length of the projects: Max 18 months (extensions possible)
- When?
- DL 23.01.2024 17:00 CET (NOT AT MIDNIGHT)
- For more information:
DIGITAL-2023-SKILLS-05-SPECIALEDU Specialised education programmes in key capacity areas (CLOSED)
- What the funding can be used for?
- Collaboration between games industry focused organizations and higher education institutions, vocational education and training institutions, research organisations and businesses, startups in Europe and outside Europe
- Proposals under this topic must address the design and delivery of at least one of the following types of programmes:
- Type 1: Programme(s) to build up advanced digital skills in one or in a combination of the following key digital areas (this list is not exhaustive, however below areas are the digital key areas that are highly encouraged):
- a. Artificial intelligence
- b. Blockchain
- c. Cloud and/or edge computing
- d. Cybersecurity
- e. Data
- f. Extended reality
- g. Internet of Things
- h. Microelectronics
- i. Photonic
- j. Quantum technologies
- k. Robotics
- Type 2: Interdisciplinary programme(s), targeting at the acquisition of advanced digital skills in specific sectors. Sectors to be addressed include (the list is not exhaustive):
- a. Agriculture
- b. Energy
- c. Finance
- d. Health
- e. Law
- f. Media and culture
- g. Manufacturing
- h. Sustainable and autonomous mobilit
- i. Space
- Type 3:
- Conversion programme(s) for students graduated from a bachelor’s programme from non-ICT fields to access specialised master’s programmes in the areas listed above in point 1.
- Type 1: Programme(s) to build up advanced digital skills in one or in a combination of the following key digital areas (this list is not exhaustive, however below areas are the digital key areas that are highly encouraged):
- Who can apply? (cumulative conditions):
- In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:
- be legal entities (public or private bodies)
- be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs))
- non-EU countries
- listed EEA countries and countries associated to the Digital Europe Programme (associated countries) or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature
- In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:
- Consortium Composition:
- Proposals must be submitted by a consortium composed of a minimum 6 applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities) from 5 different eligible countries.
- The consortium is highly recommended to include at least three degree awarding higher education institutions from three different eligible countries which are the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE).
- It is highly recommended for consortia to include a minimum of two industry partners whose headquarters are located in two different eligible countries.
- The consortium is also encouraged to particularly involve small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as well as start-ups.
- The consortium is also encouraged to include at least one additional independent research organisation/hub or competence/excellence centre.
- How much funding will be available:
- Total call budget is estimated at EUR 30.000.000
- The grant will be a lump sum grant. The maximum grant amount is up to EUR 10 million. The amount will be fixed by the granting authority on the basis of the estimated project budget and a funding rate of 50%.
- The maximum duration of the action is 48 months.
- Pre-financing rate is normally 60% of the maximum grant amount.
- When?
- Call opening: 21 November 2023
- Deadline for submission: 21 March 2024 17:00:00 Brussels time
- For more information please visit: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/digital-2023-skills-05-specialedu
DIGITAL-2024-ADVANCED-DIGITAL-07-KEYCAPACITY Specialised education programmes in key capacity areas
- What the funding can be used for:
- Collaboration between games industry focused organizations and higher education institutions, vocational education and training institutions, research organisations and businesses, startups in Europe and outside Europe.
- Proposals under this topic must address the design and delivery of at least one of the following types of programmes:
- 1. Type 1: Programme(s) to build up advanced digital skills in one or in a combination of the following key digital areas:
- a. Virtual worlds
- b. Edge computing
- c. Quantum computing
- d. Photonics
- e. Robotics and automatization
- 2. Type 2: Interdisciplinary programme(s), targeting at the acquisition of advanced green digital skills related to specific technologies such as AI, data analytics, extended reality, robotics, cloud computing, internet of things and machine learning in the following specific sectors related to the green transition:
- f. Agriculture
- g. Transport
- h. Renewable energy
- i. Waste management
- 3. Type 2.2: Interdisciplinary programme(s), targeting at the acquisition of advanced digital skills for: Government and public sector
- 1. Type 1: Programme(s) to build up advanced digital skills in one or in a combination of the following key digital areas:
- Proposals under this topic must address the design and delivery of at least one of the following types of programmes:
- Collaboration between games industry focused organizations and higher education institutions, vocational education and training institutions, research organisations and businesses, startups in Europe and outside Europe.
- Who can apply? (cumulative conditions):
- In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:
- be legal entities (public or private bodies)
- be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs))
- non-EU countries
- listed EEA countries and countries associated to the Digital Europe Programme (list of participating countries)
- In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:
- Consortium Composition:
- Proposals must be submitted by a consortium composed of a minimum 6 applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities) from 4 different eligible countries.
- How much funding will be available:
- Total call budget is estimated at EUR 55.000.000
- The grant will be a lump sum grant. The maximum grant amount is up to EUR 10 million. The amount will be fixed by the granting authority on the basis of the estimated project budget and a funding rate of 50%.
- The maximum duration of the action is 48 months.
- Pre-financing rate is normally 65% of the maximum grant amount.
- When?
- Call opening: 04 July 2024
- Deadline for submission: 21 November 2024 17:00:00 Brussels time
- For more information please visit: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/digital-2024-advanced-digital-07-keycapacity?isExactMatch=true&status=31094501,31094502&frameworkProgramme=43152860&order=DESC&pageNumber=1&pageSize=50&sortBy=startDate
DIGITAL-2024-ADVANCED-SKILLS-06-WOMEN Girls and Women in Digital (CLOSED)
- What the funding can be used for?
- Monitor the progress by Member States in implementing the ‘Women in Digital Declaration’ and achieving relevant Digital Decade targets. Emphasis will lie on identifying and analysing best practices and promising initiatives that positively contribute to achieving the various declaration goals.
- Establish a network of expertise and a community of stakeholders.
- Identify relevant contacts, including in academia and research centres, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society organisations across the EU, working on and towards increasing girls’ and women’s participation in Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Connections with key figures in international entities and in the Member States will also be established to promote collaboration and exchanges. The resulting group will be diverse and dynamic.
- The group will be based on an agile structure, adaptable to change, sustainable in the longer-term and prone to innovation. It will mobilise knowledge and resources and foster effective cooperation and communication—both internally and externally with relevant actors—with the aim of increasing the number of girls and women studying and/or working in ICT. It will also ensure that the European Commission remains well-informed about effective best practices to boost girls’ and women’s participation in ICT.
- Analyse the gender gap within ICT, educationally and professionally. This involves:
- collecting relevant information across the Union, identifying and documenting (i) factors that deter girls and women from pursuing ICT studies and careers; (ii) effective measures to address the gender gap in the sector, and (iii) best practices to enhance female participation and retention in ICT;
- comparing the EU’s situation with relevant non-EU countries. Focus will lie on nations that are either economically relevant or that (already) have a high(er) share of girls and women in ICT.
- Provide a set of recommendations for actions and activities to effectively combat the EU’s gender imbalance in ICT. The recommendations will be welldocumented, i.e., clear in terms of description; relevant and feasible in terms of content; ethical, collaborative, adaptable, measurable and sustainable in terms of implementation and impact.
- Who can apply? (cumulative conditions):
- Research organizations, businesses, civil society organisations i.e. in particular women’s rights organisations (games industry diversity organisations i.e. Women in Games Association or We in Games), and other stakeholders (games industry trade associations)
- In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:
- be legal entities (public or private bodies)
- be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs))
- non-EU countries:
- listed EEA countries and countries associated to the Digital Europe Programme (list of participating countries).
- Consortium composition
- Proposals must be submitted by a consortium of minimum 3 independent applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities) from 3 different eligible countries.
- How much funding will be available:
-
- Total call budget is estimated at EUR 2.000.000
- The grant will be a budget-based mixed actual cost grant (actual costs, with unit cost and flat-rate elements). The amount will be fixed by the granting authority on the basis of the estimated project budget and a funding rate of 100%
- The maximum EU grant is EUR 2.000.000
- The maximum duration of the action is 24 months
- Pre-financing rate is normally 65% of the maximum grant amount
-
- When?
- Call opening: 29 February 2024
- Deadline for submission: 29 May 2024 17:00:00 Brussels time
- For more information please visit: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/digital-2024-advanced-skills-06-women?openForSubmission=false&programmePeriod=2021%20-%202027&frameworkProgramme=43152860
DIGITAL-2023-EDIH-04-ASSOCIATED Network of European Digital Innovation Hubs – Associated Countries (CLOSED)
- What the funding can be used for?
- The call aims to support the establishment and operation of a network of European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs) across Europe to accelerate digital and green transformation efforts, facilitate cross-border collaboration, foster innovation, offer training programs, enhance competitiveness, participate in policy development, among other activities.
- Who can apply? (cumulative conditions):
- Typical entities contributing to an EDIH will be research & technology organisation (RTO) or university labs offering technology services, which could work in collaboration with partners whose expertise lies in business development, public sector innovation or training such as for example chambers of commerce, industrial clusters, industry associations, the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), incubators, vocational training centres or others.
- In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:
- be legal entities (public or private bodies)
- be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- countries associated to the Digital Europe Programme or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement, with agreement effective date as of 01 January 2023 (or earlier) and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature (see also list of participating countries). The countries are listed in Section 3 of call document (Available Budget).
- Consortium Composition:
- Proposals must be submitted by:
- candidate European Digital innovation Hubs whose coordinators have been designated by Associated Countries as indicated in the work programme (Chapter 1.1). A candidate EDIH can be composed of a consortium or a single legal entity.
- Proposals must be submitted by:
- How much funding will be available:
- Total call budget is estimated at EUR 14.600.000. Budget is allocated separately for each Associated Country. Each project will be funded from the budget of the corresponding associated country as mentioned in Call document (1. Background)
- The grant will be a budget-based mixed actual cost grant (actual costs, with unit cost and flat-rate elements). The maximum grant amount is between EUR 250 000 and EUR 4 500 000 per project. The funding rate is 50%
- The maximum duration of the action is 48 months. Extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment.
- Pre-financing rate is normally 65% of the maximum grant amount.
- When?
- Call opening: 20 December 2023
- Deadline for submission: 10 April 2024 17:00:00 Brussels time
- For more information please visit: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/digital-2023-edih-04-associated
DIGITAL-2024-AI-ACT-06-INNOV – EU AI Innovation Accelerator preparatory action (CLOSED)
- What the funding can be used for?
- The action to be supported under this topic should focus on developing prototypes of services, tools and infrastructure that would be supporting companies to achieve and assess the compliance of their AI systems with the AI Act.
- Who can apply? (cumulative conditions):
- This call is particularly interesting for SMEs and start-ups, and under-resourced public authorities developing high-risk AI services/products or general-purpose AI models as defined by the AI Act.
- In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:
- be legal entities (public or private bodies)
- be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs))
- non-EU countries:
- EEA countries (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein)
- other countries associated to the Digital Europe Programme (list of participating countries)
- How much funding will be available:
- Total call budget is estimated at EUR 6.000.000
- The grant will be a budget-based mixed actual cost grant (actual costs, with unit cost and flat-rate elements). The maximum grant amount is EUR 6.000.000 per project. The grant awarded may be lower than the amount requested. The funding rate is 50%.
- The maximum duration of the project is between 12 and 24 months. Extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment.
- Pre-financing rate is normally 80% of the maximum grant amount.
- When?
- Call opening: 29 February 2024
- Deadline for submission: 29 May 2024 17:00:00 Brussels time
- For more information please visit: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/digital-2024-ai-act-06-innov?tenders=false&openForSubmission=false&programmePeriod=2021%20-%202027&frameworkProgramme=43152860&pageSize=25
4. Erasmus+
Erasmus+ is the EU’s programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe.
4.1 Erasmus + Partnerships for Cooperation
This action enables participating organisations to gain experience in international cooperation and to strengthen their capacities. In 2023, partnerships for cooperation must address one or more of the following horizontal priority areas:
- Inclusion and diversity in all fields of education, training, youth and sport
- Environment and fight against climate change
- Addressing digital transformation through development of digital readiness, resilience and capacity
- Common values, civic engagement and participation
In addition to the general priorities mentioned above, specific priorities in the fields of higher education, school education, vocational education and training, adult education, and youth will be pursued in their respective sectors (check pages 218-225 of this document for the full list).
Two types of partnerships are offered to organisations for working, learning and growing together:
- Cooperation Partnerships
- Small-scale Partnerships
4.2 -Erasmus + Alliances for Innovation
Alliances for Innovation aim to strengthen Europe’s innovation capacity by boosting innovation through cooperation and flow of knowledge among higher education, vocational education and training (both initial and continuous), and the broader socio-economic environment, including research.
4.3 ERASMUS-EDU-2024-CBHE-STRAND-1 Capacity Building in the field of higher education Strand 1 (CLOSED)
- What the funding can be used for?
- Collaboration between games industry focused organizations and higher education institutions in Europe and outside Europe
- This Strand will finance small-scale projects to reduce the internationalisation gap among HEIs from eligible third countries not associated to the Programme, from the same country or Region. The projects that fall under this Strand will primarily focus on the following areas within third countries not associated with the Programme:
- HEIs from least developed third countries not associated to the Programme;
- HEIs located in remote regions/areas of third countries not associated to the Programme;
- Newcomers or less experienced HEIs and Faculties from third countries not associated to the Programme;
- Students and staff with fewer opportunities.
- Each applicant will need to identify in Part C of the application form only one of the overarching priorities, which are defined by the European Commission per Region.
- For Regions 1 to 3 sub-priorities have also been defined (see Part C of the application form). Within the overarching priority identified by the applicant, the project must choose compulsorily only one sub-priority.
- For Regions 5 to 11 only overarching priorities exist and only one of them must be chosen by the project.
- For more detailed information on overarching priorities by regions, please check the call description.
- Who can apply? (cumulative conditions):
- Applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities, if applicable) must be (public or private) legal entities falling under the following categories:
- higher education institutions (HEIs) or organisations of HEIs;
- organisations or institutions active in the labour market or in the fields of education, training and youth.
- These entities must be established in one of the eligible countries:
- an EU Member State
- a third country associated to the Programme
- a third country not associated to the Programme from an eligible region. The eligible regions covered by this action are:
- Region 1 Western Balkans
- Region 2 Neighbourhood East (Organisations from Belarus are not eligible to participate in this action)
- Region 3 South-Mediterranean countries
- Region 5a Asia
- Region 6 Central Asia
- Region 7a Middle East
- Region 8a Pacific
- Region 9 Sub-Saharan Africa
- Region 10 Latin America
- Region 11 Caribbean
- Coordinator
- Among the entities described above, only higher education institutions (HEIs) or organisations of HEIs can be coordinators of a CBHE application.
- Consortium composition:
- The following minimum composition must be respected:
- National projects (open only for Regions 2 (Organisations from Belarus are not eligible to participate in this action), 3, 5a, 6, 7a, 8a, 9):
- at least 2 EU Member States or third countries associated to the Programme;
- each of these countries must involve at least 1 HEI.
- only 1 eligible third country not associated to the Programme;
- involving at least 2 HEIs (Please check an exception on page 332 of the programme guide)
- The number of participating organisations from third countries not associated to the Programme must be equal to or higher than the number of participating organisations from EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme.
- at least 2 EU Member States or third countries associated to the Programme;
- Multi-country projects (open for all eligible regions):
- at least 2 EU Member States or third countries associated to the Programme;
- each of these countries must involve at least 1 HEI.
- at least 2 eligible third countries not associated to the Programme. Each of these countries must involve at least 2 HEIs (Please check an exception on page 332 of the programme guide)
- The number of participating organisations from third countries not associated to the Programme must be equal to or higher than the number of participating organisations from EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme.
- at least 2 EU Member States or third countries associated to the Programme;
- National projects (open only for Regions 2 (Organisations from Belarus are not eligible to participate in this action), 3, 5a, 6, 7a, 8a, 9):
- The following minimum composition must be respected:
- Applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities, if applicable) must be (public or private) legal entities falling under the following categories:
- How much funding will be available:
- Total call budget of Strand 1 is estimated at EUR 29,395,525
- The grant will be budget-based. The amount will be fixed by the granting authority on the basis of the estimated project budget and a funding rate of 90%
- The maximum EU grant per project for Strand 1 is between EUR 200,000 and EUR 400,000
- National Agencies or the Executive Agency may decide to split the first pre-financing payment into more installments. They may also decide to reduce the pre-financing or not pay any pre-financing at all, if the financial capacity of the beneficiary is deemed weak.
- Projects should normally last 24 or 36 months (extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment).
- When?
- Call opening: 30 November 2023
- Deadline for submission: 08 February 2024 17:00:00 Brussels time
For more information please visit: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/erasmus-edu-2024-cbhe-strand-1?tenders=false&programmePeriod=2021%20-%202027&frameworkProgramme=43353764
4.4 ERASMUS-EDU-2024-CBHE-STRAND-2 Capacity Building in the field of higher education Strand 2 (CLOSED)
- What the funding can be used for?
- Collaboration between games industry focused organizations and higher education institutions in Europe and outside Europe
- The projects will combine the following elements for the benefit of HEIs in the third countries not associated to the Programme :
- Innovation in higher education in order to enhance its relevance for the labour market and the society. It is expected that the proposed projects address mismatches between the requirements of employers and the offer of higher education institutions and propose integral solutions to enhance better employability of students. This can be done by implementing comprehensive interventions that include:
- the design of innovative curricula and introducing innovative elements in the existing curricula;
- the implementation of innovative learning and teaching methods (i.e. learner-centred and real problem-based teaching and learning);
- the active engagement with the business world and with research, the organisation of continuing educational programmes and activities with and within enterprises;
- the strengthening of the capacities of HEIs to network effectively in research, scientific and technological innovation.
- Innovation in higher education in order to enhance its relevance for the labour market and the society. It is expected that the proposed projects address mismatches between the requirements of employers and the offer of higher education institutions and propose integral solutions to enhance better employability of students. This can be done by implementing comprehensive interventions that include:
- Each applicant will need to identify in Part C of the application form only one of the overarching priorities, which are defined by the European Commission per Region.
- For Regions 1 to 3 sub-priorities have also been defined (see Part C of the application form). Within the overarching priority identified by the applicant, the project must choose compulsorily only one sub-priority.
- For Regions 5 to 11 only overarching priorities exist and only one of them must be chosen by the project.
- Please note: The overarching priorities for Region 7 (Middle East) and Region 8 (Pacific) are applicable only for multi-national projects involving more than one Regions. For more detailed information on overarching priorities by regions, please check the call description.
- Who can apply? (cumulative conditions):
- Applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities, if applicable) must be (public or private) legal entities falling under the following categories:
- higher education institutions (HEIs) or organisations of HEIs;
- organisations or institutions active in the labour market or in the fields of education, training and youth.
- These entities must be established in one of the eligible countries:
- an EU Member State
- a third country associated to the Programme
- a third country not associated to the Programme from an eligible region. The eligible regions covered by this action are:
- Region 1 Western Balkans
- Region 2 Neighbourhood East (Organisations from Belarus are not eligible to participate in this action)
- Region 3 South-Mediterranean countries
- Region 5a Asia
- Region 6 Central Asia
- Region 7a Middle East
- Region 8a Pacific
- Region 9 Sub-Saharan Africa
- Region 10 Latin America
- Region 11 Caribbean
- Coordinator
- Among the entities described above, only higher education institutions (HEIs) or organisations of HEIs can be coordinators of a CBHE application.
- Consortium composition:
- The following minimum composition must be respected:
- National projects (open only for Regions 2 (Organisations from Belarus are not eligible to participate in this action), 3, 5a, 6, 7a, 8a, 9):
- at least 2 EU Member States or third countries associated to the Programme;
- each of these countries must involve at least 1 HEI.
- only 1 eligible third country not associated to the Programme;
- involving at least 2 HEIs (Please check an exception on page 332 of the programme guide)
- The number of participating organisations from third countries not associated to the Programme must be equal to or higher than the number of participating organisations from EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme.
- at least 2 EU Member States or third countries associated to the Programme;
- Multi-country projects (open for all eligible regions):
- at least 2 EU Member States or third countries associated to the Programme;
- each of these countries must involve at least 1 HEI.
- at least 2 EU Member States or third countries associated to the Programme;
- at least 2 eligible third countries not associated to the Programme. Each of these countries must involve at least 2 HEIs (Please check an exception on page 332 of the programme guide)
- The number of participating organisations from third countries not associated to the Programme must be equal to or higher than the number of participating organisations from EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme.
- National projects (open only for Regions 2 (Organisations from Belarus are not eligible to participate in this action), 3, 5a, 6, 7a, 8a, 9):
- The following minimum composition must be respected:
- Applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities, if applicable) must be (public or private) legal entities falling under the following categories:
- How much funding will be available:
- Total call budget of Strand 2 is estimated at EUR 43,380,000
- The grant will be budget-based. The amount will be fixed by the granting authority on the basis of the estimated project budget and a funding rate of 90%
- The maximum EU grant per project for Strand 3 is between EUR 400,000 and EUR 800,000
- National Agencies or the Executive Agency may decide to split the first pre-financing payment into more installments. They may also decide to reduce the pre-financing or not pay any pre-financing at all, if the financial capacity of the beneficiary is deemed weak.
- Projects should normally last 24 or 36 months (extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment).
- When?
- Call opening: 30 November 2023
- Deadline for submission: 08 February 2024 17:00:00 Brussels time
For more information please visit: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/erasmus-edu-2024-cbhe-strand-2?tenders=false&programmePeriod=2021%20-%202027&frameworkProgramme=43353764
4.5 ERASMUS-EDU-2024-CBHE-STRAND-3 Capacity Building in the field of higher education Strand 3 (CLOSED)
- What the funding can be used for?
- Collaboration between games industry focused organizations and higher education institutions in Europe and outside Europe
- By involving the competent National Authorities (notably Ministries of Education) of third countries not associated to the Programme, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), research institutions and other relevant authorities/bodies and stakeholders, these projects will particularly:
- Promote cooperation and mutual learning among and between national public authorities to foster systemic improvement and innovation in the higher education sector.
- Promote inclusive higher education systems that can provide the right conditions for students of different backgrounds to access learning and succeed. Particular attention should therefore be paid to people with fewer opportunities.
- Increase the capacities of HEIs of third countries not associated to the Programme, bodies in charge of higher education and competent authorities (notably Ministries) through their participation in the definition, implementation and monitoring of reform processes to modernise their higher education systems, particularly in terms of quality assurance, governance and financing.
- Identify synergies with ongoing EU initiatives in the third country(ies) not associated to the Programme in areas covered by Erasmus+
- Who can apply? (cumulative conditions):
- Applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities, if applicable) must be (public or private) legal entities falling under the following categories:
- higher education institutions (HEIs) or organisations of HEIs;
- organisations or institutions active in the labour market or in the fields of education, training and youth.
- These entities must be established in one of the eligible countries:
- an EU Member State
- a third country associated to the Programme
- a third country not associated to the Programme from an eligible region. The eligible regions covered by this action are:
- Region 1 Western Balkans
- Region 2 Neighbourhood East (Organisations from Belarus are not eligible to participate in this action)
- Region 3 South-Mediterranean countries (Organisations from Syria are not eligible to participate in this action)
- Region 5a Asia
- Region 6 Central Asia
- Region 7a Middle East
- Region 8a Pacific
- Region 9 Sub-Saharan Africa
- Region 10 Latin America
- Region 11 Caribbean
- Coordinator
- Among the entities described above, only higher education institutions (HEIs) or organisations of HEIs can be coordinators of a CBHE application.
- Consortium composition:
- The following minimum composition must be respected:
- at least 2 EU Member States or third countries associated to the Programme;
- each of these countries must involve at least 1 HEI.
- at least 1 eligible third country not associated to the Programme;
-
- each participating country must involve at least 2 HEIs (Exception: In third countries not associated to the Programme where the number of HEIs recognised by the competent national authorities is lower than 5 in the whole country, or in cases where one single institution represents more than 50% of the overall student population of the country, applications counting only one HEI from those countries will be accepted) and the national competent authority (e.g. Ministry) responsible for higher education in the country.
-
- The number of participating organisations from third countries not associated to the Programme must be equal to or higher than the number of participating organisations from EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme.
- at least 2 EU Member States or third countries associated to the Programme;
- The following minimum composition must be respected:
- Applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities, if applicable) must be (public or private) legal entities falling under the following categories:
- How much funding will be available:
- Total call budget of Strand 3 is estimated at EUR 15,500,000
- The grant will be budget-based. The amount will be fixed by the granting authority on the basis of the estimated project budget and a funding rate of 90%
- The maximum EU grant per project for Strand 3 is between EUR 600,000 and EUR 1,000,000
- National Agencies or the Executive Agency may decide to split the first pre-financing payment into more installments. They may also decide to reduce the pre-financing or not pay any pre-financing at all, if the financial capacity of the beneficiary is deemed weak.
- Projects should normally last 36 or 48 months (extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment).
- When?
- Call opening: 30 November 2023
- Deadline for submission: 08 February 2024 17:00:00 Brussels time
For more information please visit: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/erasmus-edu-2024-cbhe-strand-3?tenders=false&programmePeriod=2021%20-%202027&frameworkProgramme=43353764
4.6 ERASMUS-EDU-2024-CB-VET Capacity building in the field of Vocational education and training (VET) (CLOSED)
- What the funding can be used for?
- Collaboration between games industry focused organizations and vocational education institutions in Europe and outside Europe
- Capacity building projects are international cooperation projects based on multilateral partnerships between organisations active in the field of VET in EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme, and third countries not associated to the Programme. They aim to support the relevance, accessibility, and responsiveness of VET institutions and systems in third countries not associated to the Programme as a driver of sustainable socio-economic development.
- Funded projects will be able to integrate a wide range of cooperation, exchange, communication and other activities including for example:
- Creating and developing networks and exchanges of good practice between VET providers in third countries not associated to the Programme and in EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme;
- Creating tools, programmes and other materials to build the capacity of institutions from third countries not associated to the Programme (practical training schemes training programmes and tools for assessing and validating learning outcomes in VET, individual action plans for participating institutions; professional guidance and counselling and coaching methods…);
- Creating mechanisms to involve the private sector both in the design and delivery of curricula and to provide VET learners with high quality work-based experience;
- Developing and transferring pedagogical approaches, teaching and training materials and methods, including work based learning, virtual mobility, open educational resources and better exploitation of the ICT potential;
- Developing and implementing international (virtual) exchange activities for staff primarily (including teachers and non-teaching staff such as school leaders, managers, counsellors, advisors, etc.).
- Who can apply? (cumulative conditions):
- Regional priorities:
- The budget available is divided between different regions of the world (i.e. Western Balkans, Neighbourhood East, South-Mediterranean countries, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and Caribbean) and the size of each budgetary envelope is different.
- For more detailed information on the regional priorities set for this action, please check programme guide (pages 343-344)
- The applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must
- be legal entities (public or private bodies).
- be active in the VET field or in the labour market;
- Participating organisations can be, for example (non-exhaustive list):
- VET providers
- Companies, industry, other employers or sector representative organisations
- National/regional qualification authorities
- Employment services
- Research institutes
- Innovation agencies
- Regional development authorities
- International organisations
- be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e. EU Member State, third country associated to the Programme, third country not associated to the Programme from an eligible region.
- The eligible regions covered by this action are Regions 1, 2, 3, 9, 10 and 11 (please see Part A of the programme guide). Exception: organisations from Belarus (Region 2) and the Russian Federation (Region 4) are not eligible to participate in this action.
- The coordinator must be an organisation active in the VET field. It applies on behalf of all participating organisations involved in the project. It cannot be an affiliated entity. Organisations from third countries not associated to the Programme cannot be coordinators. Other entities may participate in other consortium roles, such as associated partners.
- Consortium Composition
- Proposals must be submitted by a consortium of at least 4 applicants (beneficiaries, not affiliated entities) from minimum 3 eligible countries:
- at least 2 EU Member States or third countries associated to the Programme;
- each of these participating countries must involve at least 1 organisation.
- at least 1 eligible third country not associated to the Programme:
- at least 2 organisations from the participating eligible third country/countries not associated to the Programme from the same region
- Organisations from different eligible regions cannot participate in the same projects. Cross-regional projects are not eligible.
- The consortium must include at least one VET provider at non-tertiary education level. The number of organisations from EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme may not be higher than the number of organisations from eligible third countries not associated to the Programme. Affiliated entities and associated partners do not count for the consortium composition.
- at least 2 EU Member States or third countries associated to the Programme;
- Proposals must be submitted by a consortium of at least 4 applicants (beneficiaries, not affiliated entities) from minimum 3 eligible countries:
- Regional priorities:
- How much funding will be available:
- Total call budget is estimated at EUR 25,250,170
- Projects should normally last 12, 24 or 36 months (extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment).
- The EU grant per project will vary from a minimum of 100,000 EUR to a maximum of 400,000 EUR
- The grant will be a lump sum grant. The amount will be fixed by the granting authority on the basis of the estimated project budget, evaluation result, and a funding rate of 80%.
- National Agencies or the Executive Agency may decide to split the first pre-financing payment into more installments. They may also decide to reduce the pre-financing or not pay any pre-financing at all, if the financial capacity of the beneficiary is deemed weak.
- When?
- Call opening: 30 November 2023
- Deadline for submission: 29 February 2024 17:00:00 Brussels time
For more information please visit: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/erasmus-edu-2024-cb-vet?programmePeriod=2021%20-%202027&frameworkProgramme=43353764
4.7 ERASMUS-EDU-2024-PEX-EMJM-MOB Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (CLOSED)
- What the funding can be used for?
- The EMJM supports high-level integrated transnational study programmes at Master level (level 7 of the international standard classification of education ISCED 2011) delivered by an international consortium of higher education institutions (HEIs) from different countries worldwide and, where relevant, other educational and/or non-educational partners with specific expertise and interest in the concerned study areas/professional domains.
- The EMJM aims to enhance the attractiveness and excellence of European higher education in the world and attract talent to Europe, through a combination of:
- institutional academic cooperation to showcase European excellence in higher education, and
- individual mobility for all students taking part in the EMJM, with EU-funded scholarships for the best students applying
- Who can apply? (cumulative conditions):
- The applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must
- be legal entities (public or private bodies).
- be Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.an EU Member State, third country associated to the Programme or an eligible third country not associated to the Programme.
- HEIs established in an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme must be holders of the ECHE certificate (Erasmus Charter for Higher Education).
- The list of eligible countries for the additional funds for students from targeted regions of the world is the following: regions 1 (Western Balkans), 3 (South-Mediterranean countries), 5 (Asia), 6 (Central Asia), 7 (Middle East), 8 (Pacific), 9 (Sub-Saharan Africa), 10 (Latin America) and 11 (Caribbean) financed by the EU’s external action instruments. Exception: organisations from Belarus (Region 2) and the Russian Federation (Region 4) are not eligible to participate in this action.
- Consortium Composition
- Proposals must be submitted by a consortium of at least 3 HEIs (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities) from 3 different countries, of which at least 2 different EU Member States and/or third countries associated to the Programme.
- The applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must
- How much funding will be available:
- Total call budget is estimated at EUR 150,100,000
- The final grant will be calculated at final reporting stage on the basis of the number of scholarships awarded, the number of students enrolled and the actual number of unit costs allocated for individual needs, provided that the total amount does not exceed the maximum grant awarded.
- Projects should normally last 74 months (extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment).
- The EU grant per project is as follows: EUR 60 000.
- The lump sum contribution will cover the costs directly linked to the activities necessary to set up the new Master programme, such as meetings and conferences, studies/surveys, accreditation/evaluation process, etc. The contribution can also be used to cover staff costs, travel and accommodation costs, administrative costs and subcontracted activities, in so far as relevant for the implementation of the Erasmus Mundus Design Measures.
- National Agencies or the Executive Agency may decide to split the first pre-financing payment into more installments. They may also decide to reduce the pre-financing or not pay any pre-financing at all, if the financial capacity of the beneficiary is deemed weak.
- When?
- Call opening: 05 December 2023
- Deadline for submission: 15 February 2024 17:00:00 Brussels time
For more information please visit: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/erasmus-edu-2024-pex-emjm-mob
4.8 ERASMUS-EDU-2024-VIRT-EXCH Virtual exchanges in higher education and youth (CLOSED)
- What the funding can be used for?
- Collaboration between games industry focused organizations and higher education institutions in Europe and outside Europe
- Virtual exchanges projects consist of online people-to-people activities that promote intercultural dialogue and soft skills development.
- Projects will be funded based on work plans that integrate online cooperation activities, including:
- Online-facilitated discussions between young people of youth organisations based in different countries, as part of youth projects. They could include role playing simulations;
- Training for youth workers willing to develop a virtual exchange project with colleagues from other countries;
- Online facilitated discussions between students of Higher Education institutions based in different countries, as part of higher education degrees;
- Training for university professors/staff willing to develop a virtual exchange project with colleagues from other countries;
- Interactive open online courses including traditional course materials such as filmed lectures, readings, and problem sets (like the well-known MOOCs, Massive Open Online Courses, but putting an emphasis on interactive user forums in small groups to support community interactions among students, professors, teaching assistants, young people and youth workers).
- Who can apply? (cumulative conditions):
- All projects under this call will involve organisations and participants coming from both EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme, and third countries not associated to the Programme in eligible regions.
- The applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities, if applicable) must be legal entities (public or private bodies) and may fall under the following categories:
- Entities active in the field of higher education or youth (non-formal education),
- Youth organisations
- Higher education institutions, associations or organisations of higher education institutions, as well as legally recognised national or international rector, teacher or student organisations.
- These entities must be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- An EU Member State,
- A third country associated to the Programme, or
- A third country not associated to the Programme from an eligible region. The eligible regions covered by this action are Regions 1, 2, 3 and 9 (see section ‘Eligible countries’ in part A of Programme Guide). Each project proposal must involve organisations and participants from only one of the eligible regions of third countries not associated to the Programme.
- The coordinating organisation must be a youth organisation or higher education institutation and be legally established and located in an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme.
- Proposals must be submitted by a consortium of at least 4 applicants (beneficiaries, not affiliated entities), which complies with the following conditions:
- Minimum 4 independent entities (no affiliated entities) from 4 different eligible countries;
- Minimum 2 higher education institutions or youth organisations from 2 EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme and 2 higher education institutions or youth organisations from 2 eligible third countries not associated to the Programme belonging to the same eligible region;
- The number of organisations from EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme must not be higher than the number of organisations from third countries not associated to the Programme.
- How much funding will be available:
- Total call budget is estimated at EUR 5,866,650.
- Projects should normally last 36 months (extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment).
- The amount will be fixed by the granting authority on the basis of the estimated project budget, evaluation result and a funding rate of 95%.
- The EU grant per project will be of a maximum of EUR 500 000, with EUR 200 as maximum investment to organisations per participant (i.e. a project of EUR 500 000 would have to reach at least 2 500 participants). The grant awarded may be lower than the amount requested.
- National Agencies or the Executive Agency may decide to split the first pre-financing payment into more installments. They may also decide to reduce the pre-financing or not pay any pre-financing at all, if the financial capacity of the beneficiary is deemed weak.
- When?
- Call opening: 05 December 2023
- Deadline for submission: 25 April 2024 17:00:00 Brussels time
- For more information please visit: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/erasmus-edu-2024-virt-exch?keywords=youth&closed=true&programmePeriod=2021%20-%202027&programmePart=
5. InvestEU Equity
Under InvestEU Equity, the (European Investment Fund)EIF will provide equity investments and co-investments to, or alongside, funds in the areas of venture capital, private equity and private credit, that pursue generalist, specialized or mixed investment strategies.
Deadline for applications: 30 June 2027
Who is it for?
Private equity, Venture capital funds, fund-of-funds, cross-over funds, (co-)investment schemes, special purpose vehicles in any form that undertake long term risk capital investments, excluding entities targeting buy-out (or replacement capital) intended for asset stripping. If you’re looking for equity investments and loans, click here for a tool to find your local investors backed by the EU.
In order to be considered for InvestEU Equity selection, all Financial intermediaries(funds, private equity, etc..), including the managers thereof, shall:
- represent that they are not in any of the Exclusion Situations(check table in point 6 of this document)
- not be established in a Non-Compliant Jurisdiction(check table in point 6 of this document) unless the operation is physically implemented there.
- Not be subject to Restrictive Measures:
- As part of its due diligence process, EIF will analyze and exclude any applicant if it or any of its ultimate beneficial owners/key persons are subject to UN/EU/OFAC/UK restrictive measures (sanctions) in relation to Russia as well as the non-government controlled territories of Ukraine.
Financial Intermediaries shall:
- be established (domiciled) in a Member State or in an OCT
- be managed by Independent Management Teams(check table in point 6 of this document), except in the following cases:
- Where, due to the nature of the market, the domain investment expertise is concentrated within a few industry participants who act, or are otherwise linked with potential investors in a Financial Intermediary
- In the scenario where a Financial Intermediary is investing in Technology Transfer.
What can be financed?
Investments supported by InvestEU Equity aim to:
- Address market gaps and suboptimal investment situations in the EU policy priority areas,
- Prioritise investments supporting the digital transition, climate action and environmental sustainability as well as investments increasing the European independence in strategic sectors
- Contribute to post COVID recovery by diversifying the financing sources and strengthening the equity base of the European SMEs
- Accelerating growth of European scale-ups accompanying and supporting them in accessing public markets
- Increase the gender balance of the venture capital and private equity market operators and promote women entrepreneurship
- Catalyse the emergence and consolidation of social enterprises and impact driven enterprises in their efforts to scale up and create a conducive environment for risk capital in the social impact investing space.
The most relevant Thematic Strategies, and their Target Areas, for EGDF members are:
Capital Markets Union
Promotes the development of capital markets and diversification of financing sources across Europe.
- Growth and expansion funds:
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- Investments in growth or lower mid-market funds that provide equity and quasi equity financing, and support the continued growth of companies, including in order to finance increased production capacity, to finance market or product development, to provide additional working capital or to be used for a (total or partial) acquisition, in any case with a view to further grow the business.
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- Debt and hybrid equity-debt funds:
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- The following typologies of funds fall within this Target Area:
- Senior Private Credit Funds: credit funds, (i) investing, directly or indirectly, predominantly in the form of senior debt while also investing in non-distressed contractually subordinated debt or hybrid-debt equity and (ii) applying a portfolio diversification approach targeting 40 or more investments by the end of the (re-)investment period. See Annex V –Term Sheet for Senior Private Credit.
- Selective Loan and Hybrid Debt-Equity Funds: funds providing onward lending in the form of non-distressed senior, subordinated, mezzanine or unitranche solutions, thereby widening the availability of non-bank financing to SMEs, and Small Mid-Caps.
- The following typologies of funds fall within this Target Area:
Digital and Cultural & Creative Sectors
Investments that contribute to the strengthening of the EU’s competitiveness, digital independence and strategic autonomy, with a focus on data, communications technologies, services and products that facilitate the digital transition and address societal challenges:
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) Digital systems
- Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technologies (BT/DLT) Technologies
- Cybersecurity Activities
- Quantum Computing Technologies
- Cultural and Creative Sectors (CCS) Activities in the cultural and creative sectors, including the development and use of new technologies and tools for the management of intellectual property rights.
- MediaInvest: audiovisual content production and distribution(for videogames industry, this includes also augmented / virtual reality experiences)
- Education technology:
- Other Digital
- cloud computing and data platforms
Conditions of Financing
The EIF investment under InvestEU Equity into a Financial Intermediary shall generally represent:
- at least 7.5% of the total commitments to such Financial Intermediary raised in the closing at which the InvestEU Investment occurs
- no more than 25% of the total commitments of the Financial Intermediary . In particular circumstances the EIF commitment may exceed 25%.
In deciding the level of commitment, EIF will consider, among other things, the following factors:
- adherence of the Financial Intermediary to the Gender Criteria(section 6)
- whether the investment strategy of the Financial Intermediary focuses on one or more EU member states classified as Moderate or Emerging Innovator Countries (“MEICs”):
- focus of the investment strategy of the Financial Intermediary on the Target Areas,
- the experience of the management team and the closing in which EIF participates,
- whether the investment strategy of the Financial Intermediary targets Technology Transfer or whether the Financial Intermediary is managed by business angels or aims to systematically co-invest with business angels.
Size of a “like-risk-like-reward” InvestEU Investment: >EUR 100M. In practice, the minimum fund size is EUR 15-20M(unofficial information).
Duration of an InvestEU Investment: Typically ranges between 5 and 20 years.
Investor base of a Financial Intermediary: As a general rule, at least 30% of total commitments to a Financial Intermediary shall be made by Third-Party Benchmark Investors(check table in point 6 of this document) in the same risk class as the EIF, or by the EIF or EIB on their own risk and from their own resources, provided that Third-Party Benchmark Investors account for at least 15% of total commitments.
Minimum Investment Allocation Requirements
- Financial Intermediaries shall commit to invest a minimum amount into Eligible Final Recipients. Only Primary Investments and Eligible Secondary Investments shall be eligible for the purpose of calculating the Minimum Eligible Allocation. The Minimum Eligible Allocation shall be equal to at least the higher of:
- 50% of the Financial Intermediary’s aggregate invested amounts, and
- 2 times the amount drawn down from EIF under the InvestEU Investment for investment purposes, capped at 80% of the Financial Intermediary’s aggregate invested amounts.
- Financial Intermediaries shall indicate at the time of application, which Target Areas are captured by their investment strategy, and shall be required to commit a minimum amount into such Target Area(s) (the “Minimum Target Allocation”).
The Minimum Target Allocation shall be equal to at least 2 times the amount drawn down by the Financial Intermediary under the InvestEU Investment for the purpose of investments in Eligible Final Recipients under the relevant Thematic Strategy (or any Target Area part of it), capped at 80% of the Financial Intermediary’s aggregate invested amounts.
Final Recipients Eligibility Requirements:
- are located or established and operating in a Member State or an OCT
- are SMEs or Small Mid-Caps or Large Mid-Caps
- are active in any of the Thematic Strategies (mentioned above). Large Mid-Caps are not considered Eligible Final Recipients for the Capital Markets Union Thematic Strategy.
Excluded Final Recipients:
Other requirements may apply: check point 5 of this document
The above-cited conditions apply generally to the InvestEu equity product, however, there are scenarios where conditions may be slightly altered:
- Look here for more info on ESCALAR investment
- Look here for more info on pre, peri, or post-IPO investment
- Look here for more info on Senior Private Credit Fund Investment
For more information check:
Open Call for Expression of Interest
6. CERV
CERV-2024-GE Call for proposals to promote gender equality (CLOSED)
- What the funding can be used for?
- Tackling the root causes of the gender care gap by promoting a gendertransformative approach and challenging gender stereotypes (the first priority). Indicative budget: 4 EUR million.
- The aim of this priority is to support:
- Design of new approaches to encourage a dual earner dual carer model and to tackle gender stereotypes;
- Capacity building and training, including of human resource managers, representatives of public authorities, social partners and other concerned stakeholders including from civil society organisations;
- Mutual learning, exchange of good practices, cooperation between different actors;
- Dissemination of information and awareness raising, including via social media or press campaigns
- The aim of this priority is to support:
- Supporting the implementation of the provisions of the Pay Transparency Directive (the second priority). Indicative budget: 6,1 EUR million
- Development of guidance, tools, and checklists for the assessment and comparison of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value within the same employer, including the implementation of gender-neutral job evaluation and classification systems, for the use of public and private employers and more generally social partners in the context of collective bargaining;
- Development and conduct of training programmes to build capacity of employers and social partners in assessing equal pay for equal work or work of equal value and implement gender-neutral job evaluation and classification systems;
- Promotion of gender-neutral job evaluation and classification systems;
- Monitoring implementation of the concept of work of equal value via the assessment of existing job evaluation systems and pay classification schemes by employers and those used by social partners and recommendation for amendment when necessary to comply with equal pay principle and gender-neutral criteria.
- Tackling the root causes of the gender care gap by promoting a gendertransformative approach and challenging gender stereotypes (the first priority). Indicative budget: 4 EUR million.
- Who can apply? (cumulative conditions):
- Member State governments, local and regional authorities and their associations, social partners (workers or business representatives), labour inspectorates, equality bodies, civil society organisations, in particular women’s rights organisations (games industry diversity organisations i.e. Women in Games Association or We in Games), and other stakeholders (games industry trade associations)
- To be eligible under the first priority:
- The applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:
- be legal entities (public or private bodies);
- be international organisation or be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs))
- non-EU countries:
- countries associated to the CERV Programme or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature (list of participating countries)
- Organisations which are profit-oriented may apply only in partnership with public entities or private non-profit organisations;
- The application must involve at least two applicants (lead applicant and at least one co-applicant not being affiliated entity or associated partner).
- The applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:
- To be eligible under the second priority:
- Lead applicants must be EU national authorities responsible for implementation of the provisions of the Pay Transparency Directive (e.g. responsible Ministry or national agency); with only one application per Member State being accepted;
- Co-applicants (if any) must be international organisation or public entities or private organisations, formally established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs))
- non-EU countries:
- countries associated to the CERV Programme or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature (list of participating countries)
- The application may involve one or more organisations (lead applicant and co-applicants).
- Consortium composition
- Under the first priority, proposals must be submitted by a consortium of at least two applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities), which complies with the following conditions: the beneficiaries must be public entities or private organisations, duly established in one of the eligible countries, or an international organisation. Organisations which are profit-oriented must submit applications in partnership with public entities or private non-profit organisations.
- Under the second priority, applications by single applicants are allowed (single beneficiaries); affiliated entities and other participants are allowed, if needed. Lead applicants must be EU national authorities responsible for implementation of the provision of the Pay Transparency Directive (e.g. responsible Ministries or national agency); co-applicants (if any) must be international organisation or public entities or private organisations, formally established in one of the eligible countries.
- Projects should normally range between 12 and 24 months. Extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment.
- The EU grant applied for cannot be lower than EUR 100 000;
- How much funding will be available:
- Total call budget is estimated at EUR 10.100.000
- The grant will be a lump sum grant. The amount will be fixed by the granting authority on the basis of the estimated project budget and a funding rate of 90%
- Under the first and second priorities, the maximum EU grant is EUR 100 000;
- Under the first and second priorities, the maximum duration of the action is 24 months
- Pre-financing rate is normally 80% of the maximum grant amount
- When?
- Call opening: 21 December 2023
- Deadline for submission: 29 February 2024 17:00:00 Brussels time
For more information please visit: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/cerv-2024-ge
7. EIC & SMP
Seeds of Bravery (UASEEDs)
- What the funding can be used for?
- Seeds of Bravery, consists of five different support programmes for the integration of Ukrainian innovative tech SMEs (start ups and scale ups) into the European Innovation Ecosystems, as well as their business continuity and/or the expansion of their businesses into European markets, with grants from 10 000 to 50 000 EUR:
- Business and Innovation Services (up to EUR 10.000)
- Innovative Entrepreneurship (up to EUR 25.000)
- Deep Tech Incubators (up to EUR 25.000)
- Rebuild Ukraine (up to EUR 25.000)
- Deep Tech Scale-up and Acceleration (up to EUR 50.000)
- For more detailed information about each program, please visit the Guide for Applications. You can access more than one programme with just two limitations:
- the combined support of different support programmes per company can not exceed EUR 60 000;
- only one proposal per company per support programme might be accepted, except for Business and Innovation services, that can be requested multiple times as long as the maximum of EUR 60 000 is respected.
- Seeds of Bravery, consists of five different support programmes for the integration of Ukrainian innovative tech SMEs (start ups and scale ups) into the European Innovation Ecosystems, as well as their business continuity and/or the expansion of their businesses into European markets, with grants from 10 000 to 50 000 EUR:
- Who can apply? (cumulative conditions):
- This instrument might be particularly interesting for tech SMEs (including start-ups and scale-ups), games industry focused organizations and higher education institutions. These companies must:
- be registered in Ukraine, or
- be relocated from Ukraine to one of the Member States of the European Union and its Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT) or Horizon Europe Associated Countries after 24.02.2022, or
- be registered in one of the Member States of the European Union and its Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT) or Horizon Europe Associated Countries after 24.02.2022, and
- have at least one founder or co-founder, or top manager (CEO, CTO, COO or equivalent key position) holding Ukrainian citizenship and
- have at least one founder or co-founder working for the company full-time. You will find more information in the Terms.
- Restrictions:
- Companies, in which the beneficial owners, shareholders, members holding voting rights, investors or Management Board (or equivalent), hold Russianand/orBelarussian citizenship (even if such companies are registered in Ukraine), are excluded from the possibility of receiving the financial and nonfinancial financial support.
- Applicants from all sectors are accepted, but these are the domains that are given priority:
- cybersecurity;
- health / life science;
- Edtech (e.g. serious, educational games);
- infrastructure and materials;
- agrifood tech;
- Mobility;
- energy and climate.
- This instrument might be particularly interesting for tech SMEs (including start-ups and scale-ups), games industry focused organizations and higher education institutions. These companies must:
- How much funding will be available:
- Total call budget is estimated at EUR 12.000.000
- The grant will be a lump sum based on the approved budget indicated in the full proposal and upon successful completion of your Project (but no more than EUR 10 000 per service, and no more than EUR 60 000 in all UASEEDs support programmes).
- When?
- Call opening: 25 January 2024
- Deadline for submission: 25 April 2025 17:00:00 Brussels time (or until the available budget is entirely granted before that)
- For more information please visit: https://getonepass.eu/opportunities/uaseed
SMP-COSME-2024-CLUSTERUA-01 – EU-Ukraine Cluster Partnership Programme (CLOSED)
- What the funding can be used for?
- The action will support Ukrainian business integration in EU value chains and the development of cooperation projects and partnerships between European and Ukrainian clusters and business network organisations.
- Proposals should be focused on only one of the industrial ecosystems listed below:
- Aerospace & Defence,
- Agri-Food,
- Construction,
- Digital,
- Electronics,
- Health,
- Mobility-Transport-Automotive,
- Renewable Energy.
- To achieve the general and specific objectives set out above the Partnerships may undertake for example activities such as:
- Organising twinning, networking and learning activities and projects that aim at cooperation and capacity building. The activities can cover, amongst others, efforts to boost internationalisation, market research, foresight and trends analyses, mapping of joint activities, technology/knowledge transfer, and promote companies’ uptake of innovation, digitalisation, and resource-efficient and carbon neutral solutions.
- Supporting the development of a comprehensive cluster strategy for the individual clusters, including activities to strengthen collaboration and partnership development along and across value-chains between the EU and Ukraine;
- Enhancing clusters’ capacities to provide high quality added-value support services for businesses, especially SMEs;
- Who can apply? (cumulative conditions):
- In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:
- be legal entities (public or private bodies)
- be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs))
- non-EU countries:
- listed EEA countries and countries associated to the Single Market Programme (list of participating countries)
- be or be entitled to represent:
- a cluster organisation (see definition on p.13-14 of the call document)
- business network organisations that manage joint activities, facilitate networking and provide or channel specialised and customised business support services to their members and related actors
- other types of “support organisations” supporting green and digital transitions and build EU resilience from the country eligible under the Single Market Programme. These support organisations may include technology centres, research institutes, fab labs, (digital) innovation hubs, creative hubs, resource-efficiency service providers, incubators and accelerators, and public authorities at both regional or city/administration levels and innovation agencies.
- In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:
- Consortium Composition
- Proposals must be submitted by a consortium (Partnership) of at least 3 applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities), which complies with all the following conditions:
- minimum 3 independent legal entities from 3 different eligible countries
- at least one beneficiary must be a cluster organisation established in the territory under the control of the Ukrainian government, at the submission of the proposal.
- at least one must be a cluster organisation established in an EU Member State.
- Proposals must be submitted by a consortium (Partnership) of at least 3 applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities), which complies with all the following conditions:
- How much funding will be available:
- Total call budget is estimated at EUR 3.000.000. 6 projects are expected to be funded.
- The grant will be a budget-based mixed actual cost grant (actual costs, with unit cost and flat-rate elements). The maximum grant amount is EUR 500.000 per project. The grant awarded may be lower than the amount requested. The funding rate is 90%.
- The maximum duration of the project is between 18 and 24 months. Extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment.
- Pre-financing rate is normally 70% of the maximum grant amount.
- When?
- Call opening: 19 March 2024
- Deadline for submission: 04 June 2024 17:00:00 Brussels time
- For more information please visit: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/smp-cosme-2024-clusterua-01
8. Interreg
Interreg North-West Europe Call 5
- What the funding can be used for
- The Programme encourages public, scientific, private, and civil society organisations to cooperate with a view to promote a green, smart and just transition for all NWE territories
- The Programme has identified five thematic priorities, each of which is sub-divided into Specific Objectives (SO):
- Priority 1 – Smart climate and environmental resilience for NWE territories
- Priority 2 – Smart and just energy transition for NWE territories
- Priority 3 – Transition towards a place-based circular economy
- Priority 4 – Improving territorial resilience in NWE through innovative and smart transformation
- Priority 5 –Transition towards a socially inclusive and resilient society:
- Enhancing the effectiveness and inclusiveness of labour markets and access to quality employment through developing social infrastructure and promoting social economy
- Ensuring equal access to health care and fostering resilience of health systems, including primary care, and promoting the transition from institutional to family-andcommunity-based care
- Enhancing the role of culture and sustainable tourism in economic development, social inclusion and social innovation
- Who can apply? (cumulative conditions):
- The Programme targets all or parts of seven participating countries, including six EU Member States (Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg and the Netherlands) and the non-EU Member State Switzerland
- A wide range of public and private (non-profit and profit making) organisations are welcomed to take part in NWE project partnerships of national, regional and local authorities (or EGTC’s, or public equivalent organisations), universities, R&D centres, enterprises, SMEs and business support organisations sectoral as well as associations, NGOs, lobby organisations and citizens groups.
- Projects should bring together at least three partners from three different countries of which two need to be from within the NWE Programme area.
- How much funding will be available:
- Total call budget is estimated at €287 million of ERDF (European Regional Development Fund)
- The maximum ERDF grant rate for partners is 60% of the total project budget. The partnership needs to contribute the remaining 40%.
- All projects must be completed by 30 June 2029.
- When?
- Deadline for submission: 16 January 2025 12.00 pm noon CET (11.00 am UTC+1)
- For more information please visit: https://www.nweurope.eu/call-5
Interreg Northern Periphery and Arctic Call 5
- What the funding can be used for
- The programme’s vision is a Northern Periphery and Arctic area where communities cooperate with each other to harness opportunities, find common solutions to shared challenges and together become more prosperous and resilient.
- The 5th Call is open for all three priorities:
- Priority 1 – Innovation Capacity
- Priority 2 – Climate change and resource sufficiency
- Priority 3 – Cooperation opportunities
- In Priority 3, both main and small-scale capacity building projects are invited to apply in particular focusing on the following topics:
- Increase preparedness and resilience of NPA communities.
- Preserve and experience the unique heritage of the NPA regions.
- Increase the wellbeing of people living in the NPA regions.
- Attract skills and talents needed in the NPA regions.
- Enable youth to shape the NPA regions.
- In Priority 3, both main and small-scale capacity building projects are invited to apply in particular focusing on the following topics:
- Who can apply? (cumulative conditions):
- Main projects and capacity building small-scale projects in Priority 3 must involve partners from at least 3 programme partner countries, at least one of which is from an EU Member State
- Partnerships are recommended to include at least 2 of the 3 geographical zones of the programme area: Finland-Sweden-Norway; Ireland; Faroe Islands-Greenland-Iceland.
- In addition to expectations outlined in the Interreg Regulation (Article 26, Regulation 2021/1059), Lead Partners have to meet the following criteria:
- They are a public sector organisation (national, regional and local authorities, universities, R&D centres, business support organisations sectoral as well as associations, NGOs, lobby organisations and citizens groups)
- They are based in the NPA Programme area, unless they have a national remit that covers the Programme area.
- Project budget
- Main projects are expected to have an average budget of 1.500.000 EUR and run for 3 years. Small-scale capacity building projects applying under Priority 3 have a total budget of no more than 200.000 EUR (handled as a lump sum), and run for 18 months.
- Project duration
- Main project: 3 years for project activities, excluding final reporting.
- Capacity building projects: 18 months for project activities, excluding final reporting.
- When?
- Deadline for submission: 30.09.2024 12.00 CET
- For more information please visit: https://www.interreg-npa.eu/apply-for-funding/calls-for-projects/5th-call-for-main-projects/