The three pillars
Excellent Science
Frontier research, researcher mobility and research infrastructures.
Global Challenges and Industrial Competitiveness
Thematic clusters and collaborative research and innovation.
Innovative Europe
Breakthrough innovation, scale-up and stronger innovation ecosystems.
Work programmes and priorities
For collaborative projects, start with the 2026–2027 work programme and locate the relevant cluster or mission. The six Pillar II clusters cover health, culture and inclusive society, civil security, digital and industrial technologies and space, climate and mobility, and food, natural resources, agriculture and environment. The European Research Council and European Innovation Council also publish their own work programmes.
What the programme can fund
Civil security and resilience
Cluster 3 covers disaster resilience, protection of infrastructure, cybersecurity and civil security research. A project can bring together researchers, technology developers and practitioners who can define needs and evaluate solutions in operational settings.
Digital and industrial innovation
Cluster 4 is a starting point for collaborative research in areas such as AI, advanced computing, advanced materials and manufacturing. Check where the work programme expects new knowledge, a prototype or a demonstration, and identify who will use the results.
Climate energy and mobility
Cluster 5 covers areas including clean energy, climate science and low-emission mobility. Missions and cross-cutting sections offer additional routes where a project contributes to a shared objective, such as climate-neutral cities or a nature-positive economy.
Choose the type of action
Research and Innovation Actions typically develop or validate knowledge and technologies. Innovation Actions tend to focus on prototyping, demonstration or piloting. Coordination and Support Actions can support activities such as networking, coordination or preparatory work. The topic and its conditions determine what the action must deliver.
Who might take part
Universities, research and technology organisations, companies, public authorities and other organisations can contribute where the conditions allow. Build around the skills and access the work needs. A demonstration may require a site operator and users who can test the solution, alongside partners that can develop it.
What to prepare
Bring a short project concept, evidence of what already exists, the result you want to achieve and a list of partners or pilot sites you can involve. Check the expected outcomes, eligibility and consortium conditions, action type, and funding rules in the official documents before committing resources.