National Innovation Fund — Eurostars-3 (Bulgaria)

National Innovation Fund (NIF) sits under the Bulgarian Ministry of Innovation and acts as Bulgaria's national funding route for Eurostars-3, the EUREKA and Horizon Europe collaboration scheme. It backs international R&D projects that pair Bulgarian companies, universities, research organisations, and knowledge-dissemination bodies with partners abroad. Its role is specific: it does not run Eurostars as a whole, but manages the Bulgarian national component and disbursement. The programme awards up to €100,000 per Bulgarian participant, covering up to 80% of eligible costs for projects of up to 36 months. Applications move through the Eurostars platform, with Bulgarian participation handled through NIF. Eligible applicants include enterprises registered in Bulgaria or equivalent EU entities, plus research organisations and scientific-research bodies. Multiple sessions run each year, so the route suits teams that are ready to join an international consortium rather than wait for a single annual call. The strongest fit is a Bulgarian team with a clear development plan and an overseas partner already in view. Because the programme is consortium-based and cost-shared, applicants need a project that can fit collaborative R&D, technology development, or technology transfer. The national body is narrow but useful: it gives Bulgarian participants access to an established European programme without asking them to build a domestic-only application from scratch.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.