Support is available for:

• Micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
• Applications are especially encouraged from startups and scale-ups with high growth ambitions.

Country restrictions: The company must be registered in one of the Horizon Europe widening countries (i.e., countries with relatively lower innovation capacity). This group includes, for example, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Greece, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and others (in total, the EU-13 new member states).

Support amount

• Funding between EUR 300,000 and EUR 500,000.
• Funding intensity: 70%.
• The financing is provided as a one-time grant payment.

Eligibility criteria

• The technology must be at least at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4 (validated in laboratory conditions) at the start of the project. The program will support advancement to TRL 5–6.
• The project must be based on a scientific breakthrough, with a focus on deep technologies in areas such as physics, biotechnology, digital technologies, and related fields.

Eligible activities and costs
The grant covers early-stage innovation development activities. Examples of supported activities include:

• Technology development and validation: creation of prototypes, demonstrations, and pilot projects in real or simulated environments, aimed at increasing the technology’s TRL and testing it in practice.
• Market research and customer needs validation: conducting market analysis and exploring potential customers and users to ensure product compliance with market demands.
• Business development and commercialization strategy: refining the value proposition, developing or adapting the business model, preparing a commercialization plan, and identifying and addressing sector-specific regulatory and certification requirements.
• Investor readiness preparation: activities that improve the company’s readiness for attracting investors, including development of financial models, preparation of pitch presentations and applications, and participation in mentoring sessions.

Additional opportunities
A Fast Track option is offered for progression to the next level of Deep Tech support. In addition, projects awarded the Seal of Excellence will benefit from recognition that can facilitate access to other funding sources and investors.

Application
Applications are accepted until 18 November 2025, 17:00 (Brussels time).