Apply for funds from Horizon Europe £82bn

UK government keen to encourage businesses, academics and researchers to apply for grants on average worth £450,000 each. 

The government had launched a ‘multichannel campaign blitz’ across social media, podcasts and so on, to encourage those in academia and business to apply for Horizon Europe grants. 

Photo by Mohammad Alizade

Horizon is the world’s largest programme of research collaboration. The UK left the scheme in 2020 as a consequence of Brexit but is back in following a bespoke deal finally agreed in September last year.  

For those considering an application, it helps to know that Horizon Europe is based on three ‘pillars’: 

• Pillar 1: excellent science 
• Pillar 2: global challenges and industrial competitiveness 
• Pillar 3: innovative Europe 

Of these, Pillar 2 has the largest budget and supports research aimed at tackling some of the biggest problems facing society, from health to climate change. The average Horizon grant from Pillar 2 to a UK business is some £450,000. 

Funds are available to a researchers, academics and businesses across the country. Smaller firms involved in research and development (R&D), who may not have considered Horizon funding before, are encouraged to apply. 

To encourage researchers and academics who have not previously applied to Horizon, including next-generation researchers, ‘pump priming’ grants of up to £10,000 are being made available through a partnership with the British Academy. 

As well as the benefits of direct funding, collaboration with European and global partners through the programme can also help unlock export markets for UK businesses.  

UK firms already benefit from Horizon funding. As examples, the government cites Nova Innovation being awarded more than £17m to develop tidal energy in Orkney, and South Yorkshire tech firm The Floow being awarded almost £3m for work on road safety project. 

Michelle Donelan, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, says: ‘We listened to the research sector and secured an excellent bespoke deal associating to Horizon. Being part of Horizon is a colossal win for the UK’s science, research and business communities and we need to capitalise on this incredible opportunity, once again putting our world class researchers and businesses at the very heart of the Horizon programme, which is precisely why I have set up this campaign blitz. 

‘I want to ensure that every part of the country is getting the most out of this programme. From a comms blitz to ensure every business and institution that does research in the UK knows about the opportunities Horizon offers, to grants to help our researchers and businesses put in the best applications possible, we will leave no stone unturned to boost our role in the world’s largest research programme.’ 

For more about and support in applying to Horizon Europe, see Innovate UK. 

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