Internationalisation and networking of SMEs through Eurostars

Eurostars is a joint programme of 37 countries that funds research and development (R&D) activities of SMEs. Participants in Eurostars projects always come from two or more Eurostars countries, and applications are evaluated centrally using common criteria. The Eurostars programme is part of the international Eureka cooperation and is managed by the Eureka Secretariat in Brussels.

In Eurostars projects, the responsibility lies with SMEs, which create new business from the results of the projects. Business Finland funds Finnish actors participating in Eurostars projects.

Market-oriented Eurostars projects are an excellent option and cooperation channel for Business Finland's internationalising SME customers. Eurostars provides participants with strong support for the growth of their business, discovers new markets and can grow their business. 

SMEs lead Eurostars projects  

An international project consortium must be led by an innovative SME. The consortium usually includes parties from two or three Eurostars countries, but the consortium can also be larger. In addition to SMEs, research institutes, universities and large companies are potential participants in Eurostarts projects, but the costs of SMEs must be the main part of the overall project budget. The calculation takes into account the budget shares of SMEs without subcontracting. 
 
The funding for the Finnish actors participating in Eurostars comes from Business Finland. The funding is primarily a grant for SMEs and midcap companies (turnover less than EUR 300 million). The participating companies must be growth companies that aim for international growth, whose finances are in order and whose financial capacity is sufficient to carry out the development project.  

We recommend that you contact Business Finland before submitting your application to make sure that Eurostars is the right option for your situation. 

To join the Eurostars programme, you can submit an application via the Eurostars system. Applications are processed twice a year on a summary day, when they are evaluated and scored by a panel of experts. Projects that have passed the evaluation will begin once the national funding of the actors involved in the project has been secured. The evaluation and funding process takes three to four months. 

1. Eurostars application 

Consortia can submit applications to the Eurostars programme in any thematic area. The project consortium leader submits an application to the Eurostars system, and all participants fill in their own contribution. The entire project will be evaluated in Eurostars as an independent international expert assessment based on the material submitted in the application. 

2. Processing of the application

Twice a year, there is a Cut-off-Date, by which time the applications received are processed in one batch. An international panel of research and business experts evaluates the applications and scores them (ranking). 

3. Securing  national funding

Funding decisions for Eurostars projects are made nationally. Business Finland makes funding decisions for the Finnish parties in accordance with the support levels and funding terms and conditions applied in the programme. By participating in the Eurostars project and the consortium's joint application, Finnish applicants give Business Finland the right to apply for the Legal and Financial Viability Check process and the information required for Business Finland's funding decisions from the national systems we use. 

4. The Eurostars project starts 

Projects that pass the evaluation will be implemented once the national funding of all parties involved has been secured. The duration of the projects is up to three years, and their results are expected to be on the market within two years after the end of the project. 

The Eurostars programme autumn 2025 application round (Call 9) will start on 4 July 2025 and applications for consortia must be submitted by 4 September 2025 at 2 pm. Business Finland can award grants to the Finnish parties of the projects in the autumn 2025 application round.

The funding of Eurostars projects is a grant under special Eurostars conditions. Innovative SMEs approved by Business Finland will be granted a 50 per cent subsidy and midcap companies with a turnover of less than EUR 300 million will receive a 40 per cent subsidy. For large companies, the subsidy level is 40 per cent and the company-specific subsidy maximum is EUR 60,000. 
 
Universities and research institutes can also receive funding from Business Finland for a Eurostars project if the same consortium includes a Finnish SME or midcap company. Without the participation of a Finnish company, universities and research institutes can only participate in the Eurostars project with self-financing. 
 
For universities and research institutes, the level of support is 80 per cent and the grant is a maximum of EUR 80,000 when the consortium includes one Finnish SME or midcap company. If at least two Finnish SMEs or midcap companies are involved, the maximum grant for universities and research institutes is EUR 160,000. 

Read more about Business Finland's R&D funding criteria 
Read more about Finland's Eurostars funding levels

Do you have any questions? Are you wondering if Eurostars is the right option for your situation?