Eureka

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Eureka FP10 Position Paper (2024)

The Eureka FP10 Position Paper (2024) positions Eureka as Europe’s bridge between national and European innovation systems, providing a cost-effective, decentralised mechanism for SME internationalisation. Its Partnership on Innovative SMEs (Eurostars, Innowwide) demonstrates strong impact—supporting 8000+ SMEs, creating 4000 jobs, and raising €1.5M average follow-on funding per firm.

For OPENVERSE, Eureka is a strategic ecosystem enabler: a pipeline of SME-driven innovation across sectors that can populate, test, and scale solutions within OPENVERSE’s digital, immersive, and interoperable frameworks. Engagement would let OPENVERSE act as the meta-platform orchestrator connecting Eureka’s innovation communities to Europe’s technical and data-building blocks.

Basic Identification

Initiative / Partnership Name: Eureka Network

Full SRIDA Title & Version: Eureka Network position paper on the next EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (FP10)

Publication / Last Update Date: June 2024

Governing Body / Association: Eureka Secretariat; representing 47 national governments and associated ministries and national funding bodies (NFBs).

Type: Intergovernmental R&I Network / European Partnership on Innovative SMEs (co-funded).

Website / Source: eurekanetwork.org

Strategic Orientation

• Vision Statement: “Innovation beyond borders” — to connect national R&I programmes and empower European SMEs to collaborate internationally, enhancing competitiveness and global reach.
• Core Mission / Objectives:

1. Maintain and strengthen the European Partnership on Innovative SMEs through FP10 (continuing Eurostars and Innowwide).
2. Bridge national innovation ecosystems with European and global markets.
3. Enable SMEs to internationalise and scale via collaborative R&D projects.
4. Build coherent pathways between Eureka, EIC, and FP10 instruments to reduce fragmentation.

Expected Outcomes / KPIs:

• Increased SME participation in collaborative R&D;
• Stable annual calls with >30% new international participants;
• 1:7 leverage ratio of EU funds (every €1 EU investment triggers €7 total public/private).

Policy Alignment:

• Horizon Europe;
• New European Innovation Agenda;
• European Innovation Ecosystems;
• SME Strategy.

Technological & Thematic Priorities

Focus Area	Description / Activities
SME-led Collaborative R&I	Eurostars 3 and Innowwide calls support SME consortia with cross-border R&D
Internationalisation & Global Access	Funding for market exploration in non-European countries (Canada, South Africa, South Korea, Singapore; expansion to Chile)
Digital & Green Transitions	Supports projects across all technology areas, aligned with twin transition goals
Innovation Ecosystem Linkages	Fast Track to EIC Accelerator; cooperation with Enterprise Europe Network
Capacity Building for Widening Countries	Accessible to Member States with limited R&I resources; reinforces cohesion

Cross-cutting Topics: Inclusivity, SME growth, regulatory simplification, predictable funding, sustainability of partnerships.

Synergies: EIC, EEN, FP10 Industrial Partnerships, EuroHPC, EIT.

Governance & Ecosystem

• Leading Organisations: Eureka Secretariat (Brussels); network of 47 countries; EU represented as a full member.
• Stakeholder Groups: SMEs, midcaps, ministries, NFBs, research organisations, investors, and international partners.
• Engagement Mechanisms:
  • Regular Eurostars and Innowwide calls (predictable, biannual).
  • Investment Readiness and Fast Track schemes to connect with EIC.
  • Peer-learning networks for NFBs and policy coordination.
• Update Frequency: Continuous; partnership operates on a 7-year co-funding cycle (Horizon Europe 2021–2027; FP10 2028–2034).
• Contact / Participation Info: Eureka national offices; central coordination via Eureka Secretariat, Brussels.

Building-Block Crosswalk (EC Staff Working Document Alignment)

Technical Building Block	Eureka / FP10 Focus
Data Spaces & Interoperability	SME digitalisation and open data for innovation mapping
AI & ML	AI-driven SME solutions for competitiveness
Digital Identity & Trust	Supports cross-border collaboration compliance and secure transactions
Open Standards & Ecosystems	Horizontal access to all sectors; promotes interoperability
Sustainability & Green Transition	Focus on sustainable business innovation
Skills & Capacity Building	Training, mentoring, and innovation coaching for SMEs

Alignment with Virtual Worlds

Relevance:

Eureka’s horizontal SME innovation network makes it a natural partner for OPENVERSE’s orchestration role. It connects actors across all sectors and TRLs, creating bridges between technological and societal innovation.

SRIDA Document Metadata

Keywords / Tags: SME innovation, Eurostars, Innowwide, competitiveness, internationalisation, Horizon Europe, FP10, EIC, industrial ecosystems.

Referenced Horizon Europe Clusters: Cluster 3 (Security), Cluster 4 (Digital, Industry & Space), Cluster 5 (Climate & Mobility).

TRL Range: TRL 3–8 (from applied R&D to market entry).

Budget / Investment: €250M EU co-funding + €583M national + €833M private = €1.7B total investment (1:7 leverage)