Eurostars is part of the European Partnership on Innovative SMEs. The partnership is co-funded by the European Union through Horizon Europe.
About the call
Eurostars is the largest international program for innovative SMEs in Europe covering 37 member states including countries outside of Europe such as South Korea, Israel, South Africa, Canada, Turkey and Singapore. Eurostars is co-funded by the EU and the participating member states and administered by the EUREKA Secretariat.
Eurostars’ call conditions
At least two partners from two different Eurostars member states must participate in the project and at least 50% of the project must be conducted by the participating innovative SMEs. The project consortium must be led by an innovative SME.
The maximum duration of a Eurostars project is 36 months.
For complete list of Eurostars’ call conditions and participating countries can see here
National call conditions: Topics and funding
IFD can provide funding to projects with a focus on:
- Green transition, bioresources and energy
- Life science, health and welfare technology
- New technologies, ICT, materials, technology powered new solutions etc.
Projects without a participating Danish SME will not be eligible for funding from IFD.
Danish SMEs can only participate in one Eurostars project per call.
IFD co-finance salary, materials, travels, dissemination and to a limited extent subcontracting. Subcontracting between two project partners will not be accepted.
IFDs can co-fund up to €300,000 per Danish partner and a maximum of €500,000 to all Danish partners in an application.
Innovation Fund Denmark’s general guidelines for the call and funding rates can be found here
Financial requirements for Danish SMEs
- Danish participants must be registered as legal entities with economic and actually activities taking place in Denmark. The activities funded through Eurostars by IFD must be conducted in Denmark.
- Danish participants must (upon request) prove that they can support their part of the project costs For full details on financial requirements for enterprises, please consult guidelines here:
- Enterprises requesting funding calculated as a percentage of actual costs must have sufficient financial resources to operate their daily business and a surplus cash flow to co-finance the public investment in the project. The available surplus cash flow must be demonstrated by using the table on IFDs homepage. The calculated cash flow must at least be equal to or greater than the required private co-funding rate of IFD's annual investment. All entries should be based on the annual financial report from the previous accounting year. If the financial situation has changed since the financial reporting, it must be demonstrated to IFD in the eligibility check of the project.
- Enterprises receiving a grant must have their financial viability table and other SME related declarations must be audited by an auditor before project start. The cost of the audit will be considered an eligible project cost co-funded by the grant.
- Enterprises requesting de minimis funding must fulfil at least one of two financial requirements: A) Have attracted an external equity or quasi equity investment of at least DKK 100,000 within the last three accounting years. B) Have a net profit before tax on at least DKK 250,000 in the accounting year preceding the application.
- Innovation Fund Denmark does not have a requirement for Danish applicants to upload a financial annex to the application. IFD Denmark will draw on data from the Central Business Register. If needed however IDF Denmark might ask for further information in the process of the legal and financial viability check after call deadline.
- A SME must be an SME according to the EU definition for and it must not be “an undertaking in difficulty” according to EU 'state aid rules.
- After the Eurostars call deadline, each Danish participant will automatically receive a national e-grant file number via e-mail and be asked to upload the full Eurostars application and for enterprises also the cash flow test. The Eurostars application with all annexes, SME declaration, a “not in crises” declaration, a de minimis declaration if relevant and a GANTT diagram and cash flow test must be uploaded on e-grant no later than 14 days after receiving the e-mail.
- The EUREKA Secretariat will have a webinar on Eurostars rules and regulations Thursday, July 13th 11.00 AM til 12.00 PM CEST. Sign up for the webinar here
No later than 14 days after deadline of the formal application: After the Eurostars call deadline, each Danish participant will automatically receive a national e-grant file number via e-mail and be asked to upload the full Eurostars application and for enterprises also the cash flow test. The Eurostars application including annexes, declarations, cash flow test for enterprise and a GANTT diagramme must be uploaded on e-grant no later than 14 days after receiving the e-mail.
The funding decision will be taken in November/December 2023
