NOVEMBER 2026 ·
NEWSLETTER
New Funding Opportunities for SMEs
Six opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises, start-ups and research organisations — from €30,000 for a new idea to projects worth hundreds of thousands of euros.
Application deadlines at a glance
01 · EIT CULTURE & CREATIVITY · HORIZON EUROPE
Up to €30,000 for a new creative technology venture (Spark)
Opened on 6 October 2026 · Fashion, architecture, advanced and circular materials
For early-stage founders who want to turn an idea in cultural and creative technologies (CreaTech) into a viable company. Alongside funding, participants receive mentoring, networking opportunities and access to the EIT Culture & Creativity ecosystem.
Budget: €1.05 million · up to 35 approved concepts
Eligible applicants
Individuals and multidisciplinary teams from the EU or a country associated with Horizon Europe. Applicants must not yet have registered a company for the same business concept, but must be ready to do so by month 3. They work in fashion, architecture or advanced materials and are already testing or validating their idea.
Support and activities
A technology solution: an innovative material, hardware or a digital product. Step 1: an in-person Startup Sprint — 2–3 days of practical work and meetings with experts and mentors in a European city. Step 2: the online Spark programme — 9 months of personalised mentoring, thematic workshops, technology partnerships and visibility at European events.
Eligible costs
Personnel — up to €15,000; travel and accommodation — up to €7,500; other goods and services — up to €7,500; subcontracting — up to €5,000, but no more than 15% of total costs. Total funding remains capped at €30,000. No own contribution is required.
Application tips
Demonstrate a clear problem–solution fit, innovation and scalability. Priority is given to technology solutions with commercial potential and early validation. Projects are scheduled to start in March 2027.
02 · NOSTRADAMUS PROJECT · HORIZON EUROPE
Digital applications for sustainable and efficient agriculture
First call · Opened on 29 September 2026 · nostradamus-project.eu
Development, testing and validation of open-source applications that help farmers make data-driven decisions and save water, fertilisers and pesticides. Particular focus: cereal crops and food security.
Budget: €250,000 · 5 projects
Eligible applicants
SMEs, start-ups, small mid-cap companies, research organisations, higher education institutions and sectoral organisations from the EU or an associated country. Applications may be submitted individually or as a consortium; the lead applicant must be a company responsible for the solution.
Technology readiness
Starting point: at least TRL 4. Target at project completion: TRL 7. Suitable for agritech companies and agricultural software developers with a working prototype. Projects start in April 2027. Access to a platform and a network of 16 partners in 10 countries.
Eligible costs
Personnel, travel, depreciation, software, hardware and data, infrastructure, consumables, services and indirect costs of up to 25%. Subcontracting is not allowed. Support is a lump sum of up to €50,000, with no own contribution required.
Choose one of five topics
- T1 — Sustainable crop and cereal production under changing climate and soil conditions.
- T2 — Nutrients, soil health and precision fertilisation.
- T3 — Efficient water use and drought resilience (IoT soil moisture monitoring).
- T4 — Predictive pest and disease management, with reduced pesticide use.
- T5 — An integrated application combining at least two of topics T1–T4.
03 · HORIZON EUROPE · HORIZON-NATURE-2027-01 / 02
Biodiversity and a nature-positive economy
8 calls across 2 actions · “Transformative change towards a nature-positive economy and society”
Projects supporting the EU’s biodiversity objectives and the transition to nature-positive economic models, with a focus on Europe’s competitiveness and strategic autonomy.
Budget: Approximately €149.5 million · Action 1: €41.45 million · Action 2: €108 million
Eligible applicants
Universities, research organisations, businesses, public institutions, NGOs and other legal entities with experience in biodiversity, ecology and nature restoration, based in the EU or associated countries.
Eligible activities
Action 1: the impact of PFAS (“forever chemicals”), clean and digital industries, and systemic approaches. Action 2: invertebrates, living labs, illegal wildlife trade, invasive species and monitoring.
Partnership and funding
Usually a consortium of at least 3 organisations from different countries; conditions vary by call. Funding covers up to 100% of eligible costs. *For topic 2.4: up to 70% for businesses and up to 100% for non-profit organisations.
Budget by topic
- 1.1 · Impact of PFAS on biodiversity — €11.4 million · 2 projects.
- 1.2 · Clean and digital industries and biodiversity — €18 million · 3 projects.
- 1.3 · Systemic approaches to transformative change — €12 million · 3 projects.
- 2.1 · Biodiversity decline in invertebrates — €15 million · 2 projects.
- 2.2 · Living labs for ecosystem restoration — €60 million · 6 projects.
- 2.3 · Networks to scale up living labs — €4 million · 1 project.
- 2.4 · Illegal wildlife trade and invasive species — €13 million · 1 project.
- 2.5 · Cost-effective biodiversity monitoring — €16 million · 3 projects.
Highlight
The largest budget in this issue — nearly €150 million. The largest topic is living labs, with €60 million for 6 projects. An opportunity for companies offering monitoring, data and environmental technology solutions to join a consortium.
04 · CREATIVE EUROPE · CREA-CROSS-2027-MEDIALITERACY
Media Literacy 2027
Opened on 22 October 2026 · Cross-border projects tackling disinformation
Innovative cooperation projects that help citizens engage critically with media and recognise disinformation and manipulation.
Budget: €3.5 million · at least 7 projects
Eligible applicants
Legal entities from the EU, EEA or a country associated with Creative Europe: companies and NGOs, public authorities, universities, media organisations, research and technology organisations, technology providers and others. For-profit companies are also eligible.
Eligible activities
Multilingual and multicultural materials, including interactive content; innovative tools and prototypes (beyond IT development alone); training for citizens, educators and content creators; public events and workshops; community-led adaptation of and access to materials.
Partnership and funding
At least 3 independent partners from 3 different countries. Grants of up to €500,000 per project. Opportunities to work with AI, games and interactive content. Applications are submitted through the European Commission’s Funding & Tenders Portal.
Projects should
- Respond to emerging trends — changes in news, media formats, online platforms and artificial intelligence.
- Involve content creators, gamers, artists and information integrity specialists.
- Bridge cultural, national and linguistic boundaries.
- Build on good practices from recent projects.
05 · CREATIVE EUROPE · CREA-CROSS-2027-INNOVLAB
Creative Innovation Lab
Opened on 22 October 2026 · Audiovisual sector + music, books or museums
A laboratory in which cultural and creative sectors jointly develop and test innovative solutions: new forms of creativity through experimentation and technology, alongside tools for distribution, promotion, monetisation and access to culture and cultural heritage.
Budget: €7.1 million · approximately €700,000 per project on average (estimate)
Eligible applicants
Private and public organisations, technology companies and start-ups, audiovisual and cultural organisations, business incubators and accelerators from the EU, EEA or an associated country. Applications may be submitted individually or by a consortium of at least 2 organisations.
Thematic areas
At least one: virtual worlds — a new environment for European content and audiences; business tools — AI, big data, blockchain, NFTs, rights management, monetisation, analytics and subscription models; greener practices — in line with the Green Deal and the New European Bauhaus.
Eligible costs
Personnel, depreciation, travel and subsistence, financial support to third parties (up to €60,000 per organisation) and indirect costs of up to 7%. Applicants must cover at least 20% of eligible costs.
Application tips
Applications must include strategies for sustainability, gender balance, inclusion and diversity. There is no maximum grant; the estimated average is approximately €700,000. This issue’s longest preparation window — until April 2027.
06 · EIT HEALTH · HORIZON EUROPE
Innovation Validation 2027: digital and AI medical technologies
Opened on 14 October 2026 · For solutions ready for clinical validation and market entry
Funding for the final step towards market entry for digital and AI-based medical technologies addressing unmet healthcare needs: clinical studies, real-world evidence of safety and efficacy, CE marking documentation, product completion and commercial strategy.
Budget: €5.1 million · consortium spanning at least 2 countries
Eligible applicants
A consortium of at least 2 organisations from different countries (EU Member States or countries associated with Horizon Europe), representing at least two of the industry, research and education sectors. One partner must be a commercialising organisation that owns the AI medical technology and the relevant rights, and has the business capacity to bring it to market and scale it.
Maturity and results
From IML 6 — a medical device or in vitro diagnostic ready for clinical validation — to IML 7: a validated solution ready for market entry. Within 3 years of project completion: at least €10,000 in sales revenue and at least 150,000 European patients and citizens benefiting from the solution.
Funding and conditions
Up to €850,000 per project, covering up to 50% of costs. If the commercialising partner is a micro or small enterprise, its allocation is €400,000–€500,000. Support covers costly stages such as clinical studies and regulatory approval.
Please note
The commercialising partner signs a financial sustainability agreement, and EIT Health may receive equity options in the company at a later stage. Own funding must cover at least 50%.
Quick glossary
TRL — Technology Readiness Level, on a scale from 1 (idea) to 9 (proven in the market).
IML — Innovation Maturity Level, EIT Health’s scale for medical solutions.
Consortium — a group of independent organisations applying for and implementing a project together.
Lump sum — a fixed grant reported against results rather than invoices for each expense.
Indirect costs — overheads (rent, utilities, administration) calculated as a percentage of direct costs.
How to apply
Applications under Creative Europe and Horizon Europe are submitted electronically through the European Commission’s Funding & Tenders Portal. Check the specific conditions and deadline for each call. The stated times are Central European Time (CET).
Visit the Funding & Tenders Portal · NOSTRADAMUS · EIT Health
