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Strategic Analysis
A winning proposal must position the consortium not merely as an advisory body, but as an operational backbone connecting European Research Performing Organisations (RPOs, RTOs, and infrastructures) to institutionalise dedicated venture building capacities. The strategy should demonstrate concrete pathways to accelerate lab-to-market spin-offs aligned with strategic EU industrial priorities—such as the Clean Industrial Deal and Critical Raw Materials Act—while embedding an actionable, systemic gender-inclusive venture creation model.
Support research performing organisations, such as universities, Research and Technology Organisations, and research and technology infrastructures, to upscale venture building functions and create venture builders’ roles of different types, depending on their needs, while fully demonstrating a gender-sensitive approach that takes account of the different barriers faced by women innovators and entrepreneurs across the innovation ecosystem.
Raised awareness of venture builders’ roles as part of the ecosystem of startup support in research performing organisations, including universities, Research and Technology Organisations and research and technology infrastructures;
Upscaling or establishment of venture builders’ roles in research performing organisations; and
Enhanced capacity for sharing resources supporting venture building, exchanging best practices and developing skills needed for successful venture building undertakings in research performing organisations, leading to increased commercialisation of research results (from lab to market).
Clean Industrial Deal adopted in February 2025;
Critical Raw Materials Act;
Advanced Materials Communication and future Advanced Materials Act planned for 2026;
Future Circular Economy Act planned for 2026;
Steel and Metals Action Plan adopted in March 2025;
European Chemicals Industry Action Plan adopted in July 2025;
Industrial action plan for the European automotive sector adopted in March 2025; and
Strategy on research and technology infrastructures, with regard to technology infrastructures and the valorisation of knowledge.
INnovation Centre for Industrial Transformation and Emissions (INCITE) ( https://innovation-centre-for-industrial-transformation.ec.europa.eu/ ).
The Energy and Industry Geography Lab: EIGL ( https://energy-industry-geolab.jrc.ec.europa.eu/ ).
Strategy on research and technology infrastructures
highThe EU Strategy on Research and Technology Infrastructures aims to create an integrated, sustainable, and accessible ecosystem of research and technology infrastructures across Europe. It seeks to bridge the gap between scientific discovery and industrial application by supporting innovation ecosystems, upgrading testing facilities, and fostering cross-border industry access.
Evaluators expect the CSA to articulate a strategic approach to mapping, connecting, and opening technology infrastructures across Europe, lowering technical and financial barriers for startups and SMEs, and demonstrating clear alignment with EU-level infrastructure governance.
Clean Industrial Deal
lowThe Clean Industrial Deal focuses on decarbonizing energy-intensive European industries while safeguarding economic competitiveness and securing green supply chains. It promotes investments in clean technologies, circular business models, and high-value resource efficiency.
Evaluators expect clear evidence of how proposed bio-based recycling or upcycling pathways reduce carbon intensity and provide circular, cost-competitive alternatives to fossil feedstocks in industrial manufacturing.
Critical Raw Materials Act
lowThe Critical Raw Materials Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1252) establishes a comprehensive framework to ensure secure, diversified, and sustainable supplies of raw materials vital for Europe's green and digital transitions. It sets domestic benchmarks for extraction, processing, and recycling, while reducing reliance on single third-country suppliers.
Evaluators expect proposals touching on hardware, deep tech, or materials innovation to demonstrate how venture-building activities can accelerate startups supporting strategic autonomy and sustainable supply chains in critical raw materials.
Advanced Materials Communication
lowThe "Advanced Materials Communication" refers to the European Commission's communication on advanced materials, which typically outlines a strategic vision and actions to foster the development, production, and uptake of advanced materials in the EU. It emphasizes their importance for the green and digital transitions, industrial competitiveness, and strategic autonomy, often highlighting the need for a supportive regulatory framework, investment, and innovation ecosystems.
Proposals should demonstrate a clear understanding of the strategic importance of advanced materials as outlined in the Communication. They should show how their project contributes to the EU's leadership in advanced materials, supports key industrial value chains, and aligns with the objectives of the green and digital transitions, potentially by addressing challenges in scaling up, market access, or sustainability.
Circular Economy Act
lowThe planned Circular Economy Act aims to accelerate the transition to a regenerative economic model, creating a single market for waste and secondary materials while driving demand for circular products. It builds upon the Circular Economy Action Plan to provide a harmonized legislative framework for resource efficiency and waste prevention across Europe.
Evaluators expect venture-building networks to consider how university spin-offs and technological innovations can be systematically steered towards circular design, material recovery, and business model sustainability.
Steel and Metals Action Plan
lowThe European Action Plan for Steel and Metals focuses on maintaining a competitive, sustainable, and decarbonized metals manufacturing base across the EU. It supports industrial modernization, clean energy transition investments, and measures against global overcapacity.
Evaluators expect proposals addressing deep tech spin-offs in heavy industry to illustrate pathways for transferring academic breakthrough discoveries into scalable metallurgical and decarbonization ventures.
European Chemicals Industry Action Plan
lowThe European Chemicals Industry Action Plan supports the chemical sector's dual transition toward climate neutrality and safe, circular production. It addresses the phase-out of hazardous chemicals, the deployment of renewable feedstocks, and the advancement of chemical recycling technologies.
Evaluators expect to see how upcycling or chemical recycling of bio-based polymers/materials produces drop-in or novel high-performance building blocks without toxic substances.
Industrial action plan for the European automotive sector
lowThe Industrial Action Plan for the European automotive sector aims to manage the sector's shift toward zero-emission and software-defined mobility while preserving competitiveness and employment. It coordinates actions across supply chain resilience, battery ecosystems, charging infrastructure, and research-driven innovation.
Evaluators expect networks supporting academic spin-offs to show awareness of how deep tech ventures can plug into automotive supply chains and facilitate rapid tech transfer in mobility solutions.
Specific requirements
Topic-specific consortium
Many CSA topics require a broader consortium than the general-annex minimum. The call-specific Eligibility and admissibility conditions override the general annex.
Restricted beneficiary type
Many CSA calls are reserved for specific beneficiary types (national funding agencies, research infrastructures, standards bodies). Check the call.
Coordination/support activities only
CSA funds coordination, networking, policy support, dissemination, training. Not research activities per se.
Gender Equality Plan
GEP eligibility criterion applies to public bodies, research organisations, higher education institutions from MS/AC.
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described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.
Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.
described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025) [[This decision is available on the Funding and Tenders Portal, in the reference documents section for Horizon Europe, under ‘Simplified costs decisions’ or through this link: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/ls-decision_he_en.pdf]].
described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.
described in the [specific topic of the Work Programme]
Application form templates
Please use the application form that you will find in the Submission System. You can find examples of standard application forms in the Reference Documents page.
Evaluation form templates — will be used with the necessary adaptations
Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA)
Standard evaluation form (HE CSA)
Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA and CSA Stage 1)
Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA and CSA Stage 1 BLIND)
Standard evaluation form (HE PCP PPI)
Standard evaluation form (HE COFUND)
Standard evaluation form (HE FPA)
Standard evaluation form (HE MSCA)
Standard evaluation form (HE EIC PATHFINDER CHALLENGES)
Standard evaluation form (HE EIC PATHFINDER OPEN)
Standard evaluation form (HE EIC TRANSITION)
Standard evaluation form (HE EIC Accelerator stage 1 - short proposal)
Standard evaluation form (HE EIC Accelerator stage 2 - full proposal)
Guidance
Model Grant Agreements (MGA)
Framework Partnership Agreement FPA
Call-specific instructions
Information on financial support to third parties (HE)
Information on clinical studies (HE)
Guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?"
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 2. Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 3. Research Infrastructures
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 4. Health
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 5. Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 6. Civil Security for Society
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 7. Digital, Industry and Space
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 8. Climate, Energy and Mobility
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 10. European Innovation Ecosystems (EIE)
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 12. Missions
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 13. New European Bauhaus Facility (NEB)
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 14. Horizontal Activities
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes
HE Framework Programme and Rules for Participation Regulation 2021/695
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764
EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509
Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment
EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual
Evaluators will focus strictly on the CSA mandate, penalising research activities and rewarding actionable networking, capacity-building, and systemic institutional transformation. Key scrutiny will fall on:
Everything the call asks for, seen from the call's point of view. Each line shows what answers it, and which partner carries it.
This matrix lists everything the call asks for: outcomes, impacts, scope, the requirements buried in the call text, and policy alignment. Sign up free and GrantForge tracks each line against the concept you build.
| Requirement | Covered by | Carried | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope activities | |||
| SC1Support research performing organisations, such as universities, Research and Technology Organisations, and research and technology infrastructures, to upscale venture building functions and create venture builders’ roles of different types, depending on their needs, while fully demonstrating a gender-sensitive approach that takes account of the different barriers faced by women innovators and entrepreneurs across the innovation ecosystem. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Expected outcomes | |||
| EO1Raised awareness of venture builders’ roles as part of the ecosystem of startup support in research performing organisations, including universities, Research and Technology Organisations and research and technology infrastructures; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO2Upscaling or establishment of venture builders’ roles in research performing organisations; and | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO3Enhanced capacity for sharing resources supporting venture building, exchanging best practices and developing skills needed for successful venture building undertakings in research performing organisations, leading to increased commercialisation of research results (from lab to market). | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Other requirements | |||
| REQ1Gender-sensitive venture building approachProposals must fully demonstrate a gender-sensitive approach that takes account of the different barriers faced by women innovators and entrepreneurs across the innovation ecosystem. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ2Synergies with EIC and Cluster 5The destination intends to introduce more synergies with other Horizon Europe pillars, notably the European Innovation Council (EIC) under Pillar III, as well as with Cluster 5. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ3Synergies with the Innovation FundTopics combine priorities across partnerships to enable synergies, including with the Innovation Fund. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ4Application of Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD)Calls promote the application of the Safe and Sustainable by Design approach, incorporating early considerations of innovation design choices on health, environment, climate, and other sustainability parameters. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ5Worker and consumer safety considerationsWhere projects contribute to developing safe and sustainable products, they should address consumer safety concerns as well as organisational health and safety aspects for industrial workers. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ6Scalable training materials aligned with ESF+Where relevant to skills, projects are recommended to develop tested, scalable training materials to close workforce skill gaps, with potential for up-scaling through the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+). | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ7Cooperation with the Joint Research Centre (JRC)Consortia selected for funding will be called upon to cooperate with relevant parts of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) to inform future EU technology and innovation policies. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Expected impacts | |||
| EI1Clean Industrial Deal adopted in February 2025; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI2Critical Raw Materials Act; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI3Advanced Materials Communication and future Advanced Materials Act planned for 2026; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI4Future Circular Economy Act planned for 2026; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI5Steel and Metals Action Plan adopted in March 2025; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI6European Chemicals Industry Action Plan adopted in July 2025; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI7Industrial action plan for the European automotive sector adopted in March 2025; and | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI8Strategy on research and technology infrastructures, with regard to technology infrastructures and the valorisation of knowledge. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI9INnovation Centre for Industrial Transformation and Emissions (INCITE) ( https://innovation-centre-for-industrial-transformation.ec.europa.eu/ ). | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI10The Energy and Industry Geography Lab: EIGL ( https://energy-industry-geolab.jrc.ec.europa.eu/ ). | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Underlying policies | |||
| POL1strategy on research and technology infrastructuresThe EU Strategy on Research and Technology Infrastructures aims to create an integrated, sustainable, and accessible ecosystem of research and technology infrastructures across Europe. It seeks to bridge the gap between scientific discovery and industrial application by supporting innovation ecosystems, upgrading testing facilities, and fostering cross-border industry access. | · | · | Sign up to track |
The binding rules of this call. Items marked auto are verified by GrantForge from the call and the template. The others are yours to confirm.
LMIC entities auto-eligible
Low/middle-income country entities are automatically eligible for funding.
Topic-specific consortium
Many CSA topics require a broader consortium than the general-annex minimum. The call-specific Eligibility and admissibility conditions override the general annex.
Restricted beneficiary type
Many CSA calls are reserved for specific beneficiary types (national funding agencies, research infrastructures, standards bodies). Check the call.
Coordination/support activities only
CSA funds coordination, networking, policy support, dissemination, training. Not research activities per se.
Gender Equality Plan
GEP eligibility criterion applies to public bodies, research organisations, higher education institutions from MS/AC.
4 key insights you must internalise before writing. Each is grounded in the call text and tells you what evaluators will actually look for. Share these with your consortium before drafting.
A proposal will fail if it cannot justify its €1.0M budget through transparent, work-package-level milestones within the strict 28-page limit. Evaluators will heavily scrutinize the lump-sum feasibility, demanding highly credible operational deliverables rather than vague networking plans.
Source: Evaluation criteria (pre-award)
Evaluators are instructed to strictly penalise any inclusion of research activities. The proposal must position the consortium exclusively as an operational backbone driving systemic institutional transformation, capacity-building, and actionable networking for lab-to-market spin-offs.
Source: Evaluation criteria (pre-award)
Generic diversity statements will not suffice; the consortium must deploy a demonstrable methodology to dismantle structural barriers for female researchers and founders. This gender-inclusive venture creation model is a core operational requirement for upscaling venture builders across the ecosystem.
Source: Scope / Expected Outcomes
Proposals must establish operational connectivity with specific European Commission platforms, namely INCITE and the Energy & Industry Geography Lab (EIGL). Failing to explicitly link the venture-building pipeline to these platforms and strategic EU industrial priorities will result in downgraded scores under policy integration.
Source: Evaluation criteria (pre-award)
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