Eurostars opens to more companies in H2020
Eurostars will be open to more SMEs under Horizon 2020 following a change in the rules for participation, the body behind the programme has announced.
Under FP7, a certain percentage of the company’s labour force or turnover must be dedicated to research and development activities. In Horizon 2020, due to start in January 2014, the rule will be adapted in order to facilitate the participation of more medium-sized companies involved in the innovation economy. This change will enable the scheme to be more adapted to small businesses involved in research processes linked to industrial manufacturing.
Developed under the EUREKA model, the Eurostars programme focuses on closing the gap between research and commercialisation. It’s anticipated the change in participation will benefit SMEs in their later stages of business growth and support companies that are the most advanced in the innovation process and the closer to commercial production. It’s hoped the change will also help to better support the European manufacturing sector and encourage innovative SMEs to generate more employments.
Eurostars is a joint programme between the EUREKA network of funding agencies and the European Commission.
