NIRO Europe - Navigating Innovation & Research Opportunities

European Commission Research & Innovation Initiatives and Programme Opportunities

Overview of all programmes

Filter by status

EU Mission on Cancer

One of five EU Missions, the Mission on Cancer, together with Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, aims to provide a better understanding of cancer, allow for earlier diagnosis and optimisation of treatment and improve cancer patients’ quality of life during and beyond their cancer treatment. The Mission aims to support: an understanding of cancer, prevention and early detection, diagnosis and treatment, and quality of life for patients and their families.
In 2024, a call for proposals was published, covering six topics under Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) (closed).

European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator

The European Innovation Council (EIC) supports innovations with breakthrough and market-creating potential. It provides funding through open calls with no defined thematic priorities or a challenge-driven approach, focusing on a specific thematic breakthrough. EIC is divided into three different schemes: EIC Pathfinder, EIC Transition and EIC Accelerator. EIC Accelerator supports smaller actors in developing innovative solutions that would allow them to scale up.
Under the 2024 work programme, two types of calls for proposals opened : EIC Accelerator Open for projects in any field of science, technology or application without predefined thematic priorities, and EIC Accelerator Challenges for projects that match any of the predefined thematic areas of the Accelerator Challenges. All the calls are now closed.
Under the 2025 work programme, the same calls are now open for the short application until December 2025.

European Innovation Council (EIC) Pathfinder

The European Innovation Council (EIC) supports innovations with breakthrough and market-creating potential. It provides funding through open calls with no defined thematic priorities or a challenge-driven approach, focusing on a specific thematic breakthrough. EIC is divided into three different schemes: EIC Pathfinder, EIC Transition and EIC Accelerator. EIC Pathfinder supports projects focusing on early-stage scientific innovation with the potential of developing scientific breakthroughs.
In 2024, two types of calls for proposals were published:
• EIC Pathfinder Open (closed)
• EIC Pathfinder Challenges (closed)
Analogous calls for proposals are planned for 2025.

European Innovation Council (EIC) Transition

The European Innovation Council (EIC) supports innovations with breakthroughs and market-creating potential. It provides funding through open calls with no defined thematic priorities or a challenge-driven approach, focusing on a specific thematic breakthrough. EIC is divided into three different schemes: EIC Pathfinder, EIC Transition, and EIC Accelerator. EIC Transition supports the maturation and validation of novel technology in the lab and in relevant application environments, as well as the development of a business case and business model to commercialise this novel technology.
In 2024, one call for proposals was published (closed). An analogous call is planned for 2025.

European Investment Bank (EIB)

The European Investment Bank (EIB) works closely with other EU institutions to foster European integration, promote the development of the EU and support EU policies in over 160 countries around the world. It offers loans, guarantees, equity investments and advisory services to help finance large and small-scale investment projects that support EU policy objectives.

European Partnership for Fostering a European Research Area for Health (ERA4Health)

The European Partnership for Fostering a European Research Area for Health (ERA4Health) is a partnership bringing together 37 entities from 24 countries. It aims to support transnational medical research in prevention, diagnosis, treatment, capacity building, and responsible research and innovation (RRI).
In 2024, three calls for proposals were published:
• NutriBrain, focusing on modulation of brain ageing through nutrition and healthy lifestyle (closed)
• NANOTECMEC, focusing on nano and advanced technologies for disease prevention, diagnosis, and therapy (closed)
• EffecTrial, focusing on pragmatic comparative effectiveness studies in non-communicable diseases (open)

European Partnership for Pandemic Preparedness

The European Partnership on Pandemic Preparedness aims to improve the European Union’s (EU) preparedness to predict, prevent and respond to emerging infectious health threats by better coordinating funding for research and innovation at EU, national (and regional) levels.
In 2024, a calls for proposals was published to launch the partnership (closed).

European Partnership for Personalised Medicine (EP PerMed)

The European Partnership for Personalised Medicine (EP PerMed) supports synergies in research on personalised medicine across the European Union (EU) and its regional partners. The main objectives of the partnership are to (i) ensure a faster uptake of research and innovation (R&I) results into clinical practice and secure Europe’s position in state-of-the-art healthcare provision; (ii) facilitate approaches that take into account individual differences and better utilise the accumulating data to manage health, disease and its predisposition; (iii) contribute towards more sustainable healthcare systems and independence in data intensive healthcare.
In 2024, one call for proposals was published (closed). A new call for proposals is expected to be opened in mid-December 2024: Joint Transnational Call (JTC) 2025, which aims to fund human health research on pharmacogenomic strategies for personalised medicine approaches. The call will close in June 2025, and the project is expected to start at the end of 2025/beginning 2026.

European Partnership on Innovative SMEs (INNOVSMES)

The European Partnership for Innovative SMEs (INNOVSMES) supports small- and medium-sized companies (SMEs) and project partners (such as large companies, universities and research organisations) by funding international collaborative R&D and innovation projects. By participating, organisations can increase their research and innovation (R&I) capacity, their productivity and successfully embed in global value chains and new markets. The partnership is co-funded by the European Union through Horizon Europe.
In 2024 work programme, a joint transnational call for proposals to support Eurostars, one of the funding instruments introduced by INNOVSMES (closed).

European Partnership on One-Health Anti-Microbial Resistance (OH AMR)

The One Health Antimicrobial Resistance (OH AMR) partnership aims to support the coordination and alignment of AMR research activities and funding in Europe and beyond. The main goal is to contribute to achieving the objectives of the European One Health Action Plan against AMR and the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Action Plan on AMR by reducing the threat of AMR and contributing to achieving the objectives of the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA).
In 2024, one call for proposals was published under the topic Tackling diseases and reducing disease burden (closed).

European Partnership on Rare Diseases (RD)

The Rare Diseases partnership aims to enhance stakeholder collaboration on rare diseases to improve the lives of patients by developing treatments and diagnostics.
In 2023, a call for proposals was published to launch the partnership (closed).

European Partnership on Transforming Health and Care Systems (THCS)

The European Partnership on Transforming Health and Care Systems (THCS) aims to support the transition towards more sustainable, resilient, innovative and high-quality people-centred health and care systems by pooling resources to tackle future health challenges.
In 2024, two calls for proposals were published:
• Joint Transnational Call (JTC) 2024 – Innovate to Prevent, focusing on the implementation of innovative person-centred health and care models addressing prevention strategies (closed)
• JTC 2025 – Better case closer to home: Enhancing primary and community care, focusing on strengthening primary and community health and care systems and providing policy and decision-makers with the necessary knowledge and tools to govern the transitions needed in the primary and community care sector (open)

European Research Centre (ERC) Advanced Grants

The European Research Council (ERC) supports frontier research in any field. It is open to investigators worldwide, as long as the host institution (HI) of the principal investigator that receives ERC funding is established in a Member State or a Country Associated to Horizon Europe. The ERC has four major grant programmes: Starting Grants, Consolidator Grants, Advanced Grants, and Synergy Grants.
The ERC Advanced Grant supports leading researchers with noteworthy accomplishments who wish to obtain long-term funding for ambitious research projects. The European Research Centre Advanced Grants are dedicated to experienced scientists who want to pursue groundbreaking and high-risk projects.
In 2024, a call for proposals was published (closed). In 2025, a call for proposals is expected to open in May.

European Research Centre (ERC) Synergy Grant

The European Research Council (ERC) supports frontier research in any field. It is open to investigators worldwide, as long as the host institution (HI) of the principal investigator that receives ERC funding is established in a Member State or a country associated to Horizon Europe. The ERC has four major grant programmes: Starting Grants, Consolidator Grants, Advanced Grants, and Synergy Grants.
The ERC Synergy Grant supports joint projects of multiple researchers focusing on research problems that could not be solely addressed by one principal investigator.
Under the 2024 work programme, one call for proposals was published (closed).

European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grant

The European Research Council (ERC) supports frontier research in any field. It is open to Principal Investigators (PIs) worldwide, as long as the Host Institution (HI) of the principal investigator that receives ERC funding is established in a Member State or a country associated to Horizon Europe. The ERC has four major grant programmes: Starting Grants, Consolidator Grants, Advanced Grants, and Synergy Grants.
The ERC Consolidator Grant supports researchers with 7-12 years of experience.
A call for proposals opened in September 2024 and will close in January 2025.

European Research Council (ERC) Proof of Concept

The European Research Council (ERC) supports frontier research in any field. It is open to investigators worldwide, as long as the host institution (HI) of the Principal Investigator (PI) that receives ERC funding is established in a Member State or a country associated to Horizon Europe.
The ERC Proof of Concept programme supports the further development of projects funded by other ERC support programmes in an earlier stage.
A call for proposals was published in November 2024, with multiple cut-off dates in 2025.

European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant

The European Research Council (ERC) supports frontier research in any field. It is open to investigators worldwide, as long as the host institution (HI) of the principal investigator that receives ERC funding is established in a Member State or a country associated to Horizon Europe. The ERC has four major grant programmes: Starting Grants, Consolidator Grants, Advanced Grants, and Synergy Grants. The ERC Starting Grant programme supports early-career scientists developing a wide range of innovative projects.
In 2024, a call for proposals was published (closed).

Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking (GH EDCTP3 JU)

The Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking (GH EDCTP3 JU) is a partnership between the European Commission, representing the European Union (EU), and the EDCTP Association, representing the governments of 15 European and 30 sub-Saharan African countries. It supports the development of new solutions for reducing the burden of infectious diseases in sub-Saharan Africa and strengthening research capacities to prepare and respond to re-emerging infectious diseases in this region and worldwide.
In 2024, three calls for proposals were published:
• A two-stage call covering six topics under Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) (closed)
• A single-stage call under RIA (closed)
• A two-stage call covering one topic for Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) (closed)

Horizon Europe Collaborative Programmes – Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions COFUND

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) COFUND supports regional, national and international programmes for training and career development. There are 2 types of COFUND: (i) doctoral Programmes that offer research training activities to allow doctoral candidates to develop and broaden their skills and competences, which will lead to the award of a doctoral degree; (ii) Postdoctoral Programmes, which will fund individual advanced research training and career development fellowships for postdoctoral researchers.
A call for proposals is expected to be published in January 2025.

Innovative Health Initiative (IHI)

The Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking (IHI JU) aims to foster innovation across the health industry, covering the entire cycle of healthcare, in close cooperation with industry players.
In 2024, a two-stage call for proposals covering four topics was published (closed). Two calls for proposals are expected to be published.

Research Infrastructures (RIs)

Research Infrastructures (RIs) aim to address global environmental, social and economic challenges by maximising science and technological contributions to meet societal needs whilst increasing the European Union’s (EU) competitiveness. RIs provide resources and services for the research communities to conduct research and foster innovation in their fields. Examples of resources and services provided include, but are not limited to equipment or sets of instruments, knowledge-related facilities, archives or scientific data infrastructures, computing systems, and communication networks.