European Startup and Scaleup Hubs: €20 million per deep-tech hub network, deadline 5 January 2027

On 6 October 2026 the European Commission opens the pilot call "European Startup and Scaleup Hubs" (HORIZON-EIE-2027-02-CONNECT-01), under the Horizon Europe programme. The call funds two European networks of hubs for deep-tech start-ups and scale-ups. The total budget is €40 million, that is €20 million for each network, and proposals must be submitted by 5 January 2027. Each consortium must include at least two hubs from "Widening" countries. Romania is one of these countries, so the call directly concerns accelerators, science parks and universities with start-up programmes in the country.

In brief

• Programme: Horizon Europe, European Innovation Ecosystems, call "Interconnected Innovation Ecosystems (2027.2)", topic HORIZON-EIE-2027-02-CONNECT-01 "European Startup and Scaleup Hubs pilot"
• Authority: European Commission (Funding & Tenders Portal)
• Beneficiaries: networks of at least 10 hubs for deep-tech start-ups and scale-ups, from at least 10 Member States or associated countries
• Total budget: €40 million (€20 million from the 2026 budget and €20 million from the 2027 budget)
• Value per project / intensity: €20 million per project, 2 projects funded; the funding rate is 50% of eligible costs, with the rest coming from other sources
• Submission period: 6 October 2026 – 5 January 2027, in a single stage
• Status: announced (forthcoming) on the Commission's portal, with opening scheduled for 6 October 2026

What does the call fund?

The pilot creates two networks of roughly 10–18 European start-up and scale-up hubs. The hubs are built around strong research and education institutions. According to the official text, the networks must:

• connect ecosystems with one another, so that deep-tech start-ups can expand faster on the European market;
• pool infrastructure and expertise;
• run a selective acceleration programme, called the "European combinator";
• organise networking events;
• reduce the gaps between regions by including less well-connected hubs;
• guide start-ups towards the relevant EU services.

The target fields are artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, semiconductors, medical technology, biotechnology, clean technologies, water and the blue economy, security, space and advanced materials. The indicative duration of the project is two years.

Who can apply and how must the consortium be formed?

• The consortium brings together at least 10 hubs from at least 10 different Member States or associated countries.
• Countries with up to 35 million inhabitants may have only one hub in the network. Countries with more than 35 million may have at most two.
• At least two participating hubs must be from a Widening country.
• A hub may be represented by a single legal entity or by several entities from its ecosystem: research institutions, large companies, public authorities, investors.
• At submission, the consortium must present a single letter of intent showing where the mandatory 50% co-financing comes from.

Romania has fewer than 35 million inhabitants. Consequently, each network may include only one hub from Romania. The two funded networks can therefore have, at most, one Romanian hub each.

How is the money used and what results are required?

The type of action is "Programme Cofund", with a funding rate of 50%. The project may provide financial support to third parties, of up to €60,000 per third party, for example for the start-ups in the acceleration programme. The Commission has set minimum indicators for the pilot phase:

• at least 100 newly supported start-ups across the whole network by the end of the project;
• at least 20% of them to attract seed or venture capital funding from outside the local ecosystem within three years;
• at least 50 start-ups supported by a hub outside their local ecosystem by the end of the project.

The proposal is limited to 65 pages, the standard for cofund-type actions under Horizon Europe.

What this means for your business

Our recommendation: the call suits organisations that already run a start-up ecosystem: accelerators, science and technology parks, universities with incubators, clusters with deep-tech activity. An SME or a start-up does not apply directly. For them, the benefit comes later, through the acceleration programme and the support of up to €60,000 granted to third parties.

Each network accepts only one hub from Romania, so places are very few, and consortium coordinators are choosing their partners now. What is worth preparing immediately:

• Proof of performance: how many start-ups you have supported, how much funding they have attracted, and what links you have with universities and investors.
• The 50% co-financing: for a €20 million grant per network, the contribution from other sources is of the same size. Decide early who provides it (the regional authority, private funds, corporate sponsors), because the letter of intent is mandatory at submission.
• Joining a consortium: use the partner search on the Funding & Tenders Portal and contact the European hub networks that are being formed. Widening country status gives you an advantage, because each consortium needs at least two such hubs.

A common pitfall: an organisation without a measurable deep-tech track record will not convince evaluators simply because it is from Romania. If you want to see which other programmes suit your organisation, use the eligibility check.

Frequently asked questions

Can a Romanian start-up receive money directly from this call?

Not directly. The beneficiaries are the hubs in the consortium. Start-ups can receive support through the network's accelerator programme, and the financial support given to each third party is up to €60,000.

How many hubs from Romania can join a network?

Only one. The official rule allows a single hub for each country with up to 35 million inhabitants, and Romania falls into this category.

How much must the consortium contribute?

The funding rate is 50% of eligible costs. The other half must be secured from other sources, and its origin is shown through a single letter of intent, submitted together with the proposal.

When is the proposal submitted?

The call opens on 6 October 2026 and the deadline is 5 January 2027. Submission is made in a single stage, on the European Commission's Funding & Tenders Portal.

How many projects will be funded?

Two, each with an EU contribution of €20 million, so €40 million in total.

Official sources

• Funding & Tenders Portal – HORIZON-EIE-2027-02-CONNECT-01 "European Startup and Scaleup Hubs pilot"
• Official topic sheet (dates, budget, conditions) – European Commission
• Horizon Europe Work Programme 2026–2027 – European Innovation Ecosystems

Information checked on 3 October 2026. Conditions may be changed by the managing authority — check the guide in force before you submit.