Eurostars is a joint programme between the Eureka network and the EU, designed for innovative SMEs that need international partners to bring a market-ready product, process or service to fruition. Before a Eurostars proposal is ever scored on its merits, it has to clear a set of mandatory eligibility criteria — and eligibility failures are a leading cause of rejection.
Who this is for
- Innovative SMEs leading a Eurostars consortium
- Larger companies, universities or research organisations joining as project partners
- Consortium leads who need to sanity-check eligibility before investing time in a full application
How Eurostars proposals are actually scored
Once a proposal clears eligibility, it is scored 1–6 against three criteria similar in spirit to the wider Horizon Europe family, and must average at least 3.6 on each to pass:| Criterion | What it evaluates |
|---|---|
| Excellence | Innovativeness of the project versus the state of the art, technical soundness of the approach, and the R&D risk being tackled. |
| Impact | Market potential, competitive advantage created for the participating SMEs, and credibility of the route to commercial exploitation after the project ends. |
| Quality of Implementation | Appropriateness of the consortium (including genuine international collaboration), realism of the work plan, and quality of project management. |
Where Eurostars proposals lose points
The most common reasons Eurostars applications are rejected or scored poorly:
Two-country rule not genuinely met
Eurostars requires at least two independent participants from two different eligible countries, with no single participant (and its affiliates) or single country covering more than 70% of the total eligible project costs.
SME cost-share requirement not satisfied
Innovative SMEs must together account for at least 50% of the total eligible project costs (excluding subcontracting), and the project must be led by one such SME — a rule proposals sometimes only discover late in budgeting.
Market relevance asserted, not demonstrated
The proposal doesn't clearly show which participating SME(s) will exploit the results commercially, or how the international partnership creates an advantage a single-country project couldn't achieve.
Budget and duration don't match programme limits
Projects must be completed within 36 months and are expected to reach the market within about 2 years of completion; unrealistic timelines undermine confidence in the whole plan.
Frequently asked
What exactly is the two-country rule?
A Eurostars project must involve at least two independent legal entities from two different Eurostars-participating countries, and no single participant (with its affiliates) or single country may represent more than 70% of the total eligible project costs — the cap applies per participant and per country.
Does a participant need to be from an EU country?
Yes. Beyond the two-country and cost-share rules, at least one participant in the consortium must be established in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe Associated Country.
Does the innovative SME have to be the coordinator?
Yes. The project must be led by an innovative SME — Eureka's current guidelines define this as an SME aiming to develop new products, processes or services through international R&D collaboration, with no proven R&D track record required — and innovative SMEs collectively must account for at least 50% of eligible project costs, excluding subcontracting.
How are funding rates set?
Funding rates vary by participant type and by country, typically ranging from around 25% to 100% of eligible costs depending on national funding rules and whether the participant is an SME, large company, university or research organisation. Check your national funding body's current rates before budgeting.
Can GrantGenix check eligibility before I evaluate the full proposal?
Yes. Flag the eligibility questions in your submission notes, and the evaluation will check your consortium structure and cost split against the two-country and SME cost-share rules alongside the Excellence, Impact and Implementation scoring.