The EUREKA Network has opened the eleventh Eurostars round, the program dedicated to research and development projects led by innovative SMEs. For Romanian participants, funding through UEFISCDI reaches 400,000 euros per project. The deadline is September 10, 2026.
The call opened on July 9, 2026, and closes on September 10, 2026, at 14:00 CET. Eurostars operates on a hybrid model: coordination is European, but funding comes from the national budgets of participating states, which means rules and ceilings differ from one country to another.
For participants from Romania, funding is managed by UEFISCDI, with a ceiling of 400,000 euros per project, for a maximum duration of 36 months. This is a consistent amount for an applied research project at the company level.
The mandatory structural condition is an international consortium led by an innovative SME. The project must have an SME with research and development activity as a coordinator, and the consortium must include partners from several participating states. Large companies, universities, and research organizations can also join, but in a partner role.
The program's focus is market-oriented. Unlike the fundamental research components of Horizon Europe, Eurostars requires a clear commercialization plan for the results and an estimate of the time until product launch.
An important observation: in the previous round, Eurostars Call 10, which closed on March 19, 2026, Romania had no budget allocated for participants. The fact that funding is available for Call 11 makes this window an opportunity that should not be missed.
A specific advantage of the Eurostars program, often overlooked, is the success rate. Historically, this stands at around twenty-five to thirty percent, significantly higher than that of collaborative calls in Horizon Europe, where competition attracts thousands of proposals. For an SME with a solid project and a credible consortium, the chances are real.
Building the consortium remains the main challenge. The EUREKA network organizes brokerage events and maintains a partner search platform, and national contact points can facilitate connections. For a firm applying for the first time, entering as a partner in a consortium led by an experienced SME from another state is a more realistic strategy than assuming the role of coordinator.
What you need to know
- Funding for Romanian participants: maximum 400,000 EUR per project, through UEFISCDI, over 36 months
- Mandatory structure: international consortium coordinated by an innovative SME
- Orientation: applied research and development, with a commercialization plan
- Deadline: September 10, 2026, 14:00 CET. Call OPEN
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