European Startup and Scaleup Hubs pilot

Aims to accelerate market expansion of European deep tech startups and scaleups by fostering cross-border collaboration between major startup and scaleup hubs, research and higher education institutions, corporates, and investors. The action seeks to interconnect leading tech startup/scaleup hubs, provide startups with access to infrastructure and resources, enable networking and entrepreneurial education, and promote the integration of less-connected regions into Europe's innovation ecosystem, in alignment with EU competitiveness and scaling strategies.

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Agency	HORIZON (EU)
Region	EU
Country	N/A
Legal form	Company, NGO, Government organization, Other
Start date	6 Oct 2026
End date	5 Jan 2027
Max funding	The maximum amount to be granted to each third party is EUR 60,000.
Budget	EUR 20,000,000 per project (indicative, 1-2 funded projects expected). Total call budget: EUR 40,000,000 (EUR 20,000,000 for 2026 + EUR 20,000,000 for 2027).
Coverage	50% of eligible costs (remaining 50% must be secured from other sources such as national, regional, EU, or private funding).

Grant application conditions

Consortium Composition	At least 10 hubs from at least 10 different EU Member States or Associated Countries. For countries with populations ≤ 35 million: maximum 1 hub in the consortium. For countries with populations > 35 million: maximum 2 hubs in the consortium. At least 2 participating hubs must be established in a 'widening country' (as per Horizon Europe Regulation Article 2).
Applicant Type	Hubs must be represented by a single legal entity (e.g. umbrella organisation, innovation cluster, accelerator, or venture builder), or by several legal entities representing relevant actors (research and higher education institutions, corporates, public authorities, capital providers) of the ecosystem.
Letter of Intent	Consortium must submit a letter of intent at application, indicating the source of the required 50% complementary funding.
Eligibility of Countries	Eligible countries are listed in Annex B of the Horizon Europe Work Programme. Some non-EU/non-Associated Countries may participate under specific provisions.
Maximum Grant to Third Parties	A maximum of EUR 60,000 per third party, provided only in the form of grants.
Duration	Indicative project duration is 2 years.
Admissibility/Format	Proposal limited to 65 pages using provided templates; specific forms and layouts apply.
Operational and Financial Capacity	See capacity and exclusion criteria described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Selection of ESSHs	Must demonstrate substantial experience in startup creation, scaleup, venture capital mobilisation, and entrepreneurial education. Each hub should include at least one research or higher education institution or research and technology organisation recognised for excellence in deep tech. Strong capabilities relevant to European strategic sectors are required. Demonstrated ability to federate actors of the local ecosystem and ensure access to infrastructure, mentoring, incubators/accelerators, legal/accounting/professional services, and investment.
Participation of Women-led Startups	Strong commitment and strategy are required for support to women-led startups and scaleups.
Documentation	https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/HORIZON-EIE-2027-02-CONNECT-01

Eligible expenses

Evaluation criteria

Business exclusions

Reporting

Application process

Application requirements