Horizon Europe: The essential guide [NEW Edition]

Since the EU began supporting research and innovation on a broad scale 40 years ago, it has funded hundreds of thousands of researchers, entrepreneurs, non-profits and companies across Europe and, increasingly, around the world from Canada to Korea.

In the guide you will find: 

• Stats on Europe’s top R&D performers: Keep an eye on the biggest grant recipients, helping you gauge where you stand relative to Europe’s leading R&D institutions.
• Early insights funding: Exclusive intelligence on the European Commission’s funding priorities, allowing you to prepare effectively for upcoming calls for proposals.
• Updates on the latest funding opportunities: Detailed breakdowns of new calls for proposals, keeping an eye on emerging research areas like AI, quantum technologies, healthcare, and digital innovation.
• Examples of proven success strategies: News and practical insights from top Horizon beneficiaries, such as KU Leuven, on structuring teams and proposals for optimal success.
• Policy insights with sector impact: Comprehensive guidance on the most recent policy updates and programme amendments to understand how these changes will shape your field.
• Data & case studies: Fresh and exclusive data sets, in-depth case studies, and top-performer analyses to gain a comprehensive view of what drives successful Horizon projects.

with continuous updates in our Funding Newswire, providing weekly. 

If you have a hot research project, where are you going to go for the money? What if you’re in a small company trying to develop cool new product? A multinational looking to expand its research network, or a university wanting to broaden its funding sources?

For all, the answer could be Horizon Europe. This seven-year, €93.5 billion programme is one of the world’s biggest and most open sources of funding for research and innovation. It provides cash for fundamental science, for hot tech start-ups and countless product and service development projects. It gets big companies and universities working together, for the public good. It is a doorway to international cooperation on climate change, pandemics and other global problems.

This is the fifth edition of our popular guides to these EU programmes, updated in Autumn 2024 to include latest developments on Horizon work programmes and policies, aimed at both novices and experts on EU funding. In it, we explain how the programme works, rank the big grant winners, and offer advice and tips on seeking the money. To be sure, we are journalists, not grant consultants – so this is drawn from our in-depth, independent reporting of Horizon developments.