Interregional Innovation Investments Instrument

Interregional Innovation Investments Strand 1

Connects research teams and institutions for Interregional Innovation Investments Strand in manufacturing, materials science, and agriculture innovation.

Eligibility · EU member states

I3-2026-INV1 is Strand 1 of the Interregional Innovation Investments (I3) Instrument, managed by EISMEA under EU cohesion policy objectives. The call opened on 13 May 2026 and carries a total budget of EUR 28.2 million for the 2026 program year. It targets mature interregional business cases at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 or higher, seeking to strengthen the competitiveness and resilience of EU value chains through collaboration between regions at different development levels. The deadline for single-stage applications is 12 November 2026 at 17:00 CET.

Eligible applicants are interregional consortia representing quadruple helix ecosystems — combining businesses, universities, research organizations, and public authorities. Consortia must include SMEs and must involve organizations from less-developed EU regions partnered with those from more-developed regions. All entities must be established in EU Member States. Financial support to third parties (cascade funding) of up to EUR 100,000 per SME is available within funded consortia, allowing sub-grants to reach individual small and medium enterprises. Non-financial support services — business planning, IP protection, and commercialization assistance — are also funded as consortium activities.

Successful applications under Strand 1 must demonstrate a credible and mature interregional business case with documented value chain logic, clear SME participation, and geographic balance across EU development levels. Proposals are submitted via the EU Funding and Tenders Portal at the topic-details page for I3-2026-INV1. An information session was held on 27 May 2026; applicants should review the published call documents and eligibility guide on the portal before the November deadline.