Horizon Europe European Innovation Ecosystems (EIE)
Funds Horizon Europe European Innovation Ecosystems to connect actors and strengthen innovation linkages across connected projects.
Horizon Europe European Innovation Ecosystems sits under the European Commission’s Horizon Europe framework in Pillar III, Innovative Europe. The programme belongs to the Commission’s main research and innovation budget line, which totals EUR 93.5 billion for 2021-2027, and the 2026-27 CONNECT topic signals a focus on interconnected innovation ecosystems. It is a grant programme for consortia. The structured eligibility allows for-profit and nonprofit legal entities, excludes individuals, and extends across the EU, associated countries, and selected nearby partners in the western Balkans, eastern neighbourhood, Mediterranean, and EEA. Applications move through the Commission’s Funding & Tenders Portal rather than a closed national route. The strongest fit is a cross-border partnership that can connect startups, universities, clusters, and regional innovation actors. EIE is built for ecosystem-building work, so proposals land best when they show how the consortium will strengthen links, widen access to innovation support, and leave a network that can keep operating after the grant period.
No upcoming rounds verified. Cadence: Rolling.