Horizon 2020: European fund seeks innovative business projects
Businesses can apply for funding for a range of business projects in areas from food security to smart cities and green vehicles.
A European funding programme is to invest more than €550 millon across 6 initiatives launched this month.
Business support is available for projects in a range of fields including sustainable food security, rural innovation and business, marine projects, the bioeconomy, smart cities and green vehicles.
The funding is part of the EU’s Horizon 2020 fund for researchers and business, which aims to ensure Europe produces world-class science and that barriers to innovation are removed.
Government underwrites European funding
The UK Government recently said that businesses and universities should continue to bid for EU funding while the UK remained a member of the EU and that it would underwrite payment of awards even when projects continued beyond UK membership.
The funding opportunities
Six new Horizon 2020 funding calls are now open.
Sustainable food security: €280.5 million is available across a variety of topic areas in crop and livestock production and aquaculture. Closing date 14 February 2017. Find out more
Rural renaissance: €61 million is available across a variety of topic areas including land management, rural business models and speeding up innovation in rural areas. Closing date 14 February 2017. Find out more
Blue growth: €48.4 million is available across a variety of topic areas including specialised vessels for coastal and offshore activities, clean coasts and seas, improving seafood and monitoring of fish stocks. Closing date 14 February 2017. Find out more
Bio-based innovation for sustainable goods and services: €26.4 million is available across a variety of topic areas including forest production, strategies for improving the bioeconomy and a plant molecular factory. Closing date 14 February 2017. Find out more
Smart cities and communities: funding is available to demonstrate innovative integrated infrastructures. Closing date 14 February 2017. Find out more
Green vehicles: €133 million is available for nine topics including integration of electric vehicles with the grid, aerodynamics, and powertrain development. Closing date 1 February 2017. Find out more
Competition information
- all competitions are open
- Horizon 2020 funding opportunities are open to everyone in an EU member state
- projects must be a consortium of at least 3 organisations and each member must have a legal standing such as registered business, partnership or charity
- there are national contact points who can help you to apply for Horizon 2020 funding and to find consortium partners