The different types of action funded under Horizon 2020
Research and innovation actions
Funding for research projects tackling clearly defined challenges, which can lead to the development of new knowledge or a new technology.
Who?
Consortia of partners from different countries, industry and academia.
Funding rate: 100% of eligible costs
Innovation actions
Funding is more focused on closer-to-the-market activities. For example, prototyping, testing, demonstrating, piloting, scaling-up etc. if they aim at producing new or improved products or services.
Who?
Consortia of partners from different countries, industry and academia.
Funding rate: 70% of eligible costs (except for non-profit legale entities, where a rate of 100% applies)
Coordination and support actions
Funding covers the coordination and networking of research and innovation projects, programmes and policies. Funding for research and innovation per se is covered elsewhere.
Who?
Single entities or consortia of partners from different countries, industry and academia.
Funding rate: 100% of eligible costs
Marie Sklodowska-Curie actions
Funding for international research fellowships in the public or private sector, research training, staff exchanges.
Who ?
Early stage researchers or experienced researchers (of any nationality), technical staff, national/regional research mobility programmes.
SME Instrument
This instrument is aimed at highly innovative SMEs with the ambition to develop their growth potential. It offers lump sums for feasibility studies, grants for an innovation project’s main phase (demonstration, prototyping, testing, application development…); lastly, the commercialisation phase is supported indirectly through facilitated access to debt and equity financial instruments.
Who?Only SMEs can participate. Either a single SME or a consortium of SMEs established in an EU or Associated Country.
Fast track to innovation
Funding is due to start in 2015 as a pilot action. Continuously open, innovator-driven calls will target innovation projects addressing any technology or societal challenge field. The pilot action will undergo an in-depth assessment half-way through Horizon 2020.
Who?
Industry, including SMEs, with a minimum of 3 and maximum of 5 partners.
Funding rate: A maximum EU contribution of €3 million per project.