Excellence Hubs 2027: €100 million for regional innovation ecosystems, deadline 4 March

On 2 September 2026 the European Commission opened the Horizon Europe "Excellence Hubs" call (HORIZON-WIDERA-2027-04-WIDENING-01). The indicative total budget is €100 million, with an estimated EU contribution of €1.5–4.5 million per project, for approximately 30 projects. The call funds innovation partnerships between universities, businesses, public authorities and civil society in Widening countries, including Romania. Proposals must be submitted by 4 March 2027, 17:00 Brussels time.

In brief

• Programme: Horizon Europe, "Widening participation and spreading excellence" component, topic HORIZON-WIDERA-2027-04-WIDENING-01 Excellence Hubs
• Authority: European Commission, through the European Research Executive Agency (REA)
• Beneficiaries: consortia bringing together at least two research and innovation ecosystems from two different Widening countries. Each ecosystem includes academia, businesses, regional or local authorities and civil society actors
• Total budget: €100 million (€15 million from the 2026 budget and €85 million from the 2027 budget)
• Value per project / intensity: €1.5–4.5 million EU contribution, funding of 70% of eligible costs, approximately 30 projects
• Submission period: 2 September 2026 – 4 March 2027, 17:00 (Brussels time)
• Status: call open

What does Excellence Hubs fund?

An Excellence Hub is a network of regional innovation ecosystems built on the "quadruple helix" model: research, business, administration and society. Each project is a coordination and support action (CSA) and must include at least the following activities:

• a joint, cross-border research and innovation strategy, aligned with regional smart specialisation strategies (RIS3) and with European priorities;
• research and innovation collaboration between academia and businesses, through joint research projects. This component must be presented in a separate work package and must not be the dominant part of the project;
• investment plans to put the strategy into practice, with sustainable business models and the attraction of private capital and national, regional and EU funds;
• where relevant, the conceptual design of pilots and demonstrators, which will however be funded from sources other than the Excellence Hubs grant;
• knowledge transfer activities, skills development, staff exchanges and secondments, and the involvement of local authorities and citizens.

Projects last up to 5 years. Beneficiaries may in turn provide financial support to third parties, only in the form of grants, only to SMEs and start-ups, and of no more than €60,000 each.

Who can apply?

The coordinator must be a legal entity established in a Widening country, as defined by the Horizon Europe regulation. Romania is one of these countries. The consortium must bring together at least two research and innovation ecosystems from two different Widening countries. Each ecosystem must be located entirely within a single country and include four categories of actors:

1. academic institutions (universities or research centres);
2. businesses;
3. public authorities or authorised agencies at regional or local level;
4. civil society actors (NGOs, citizens, end users, media, cultural actors).

The participation of each ecosystem can be demonstrated in two ways. The first is through umbrella organisations whose members cover the four categories. The second is through individual entities for each category. In the second case, at least one of the businesses in each ecosystem must have existed for at least two consecutive years at the submission date and have turnover proven by balance sheets or reports attached to the proposal. Entities from non-Widening countries may join the consortium only if it is shown that their presence is necessary for the intended impact.

How and by when do you apply?

The proposal is submitted electronically on the European Commission's Funding & Tenders Portal, by 4 March 2027, 17:00 Brussels time. The technical part of the application is limited to 40 pages. The work programme states that the responsible director-general may postpone the deadline by up to two months. Until an official announcement to that effect, the date of 4 March 2027 remains valid.

Where scores are tied, priority goes to proposals coordinated from a Widening country that is not already represented as coordinator by a higher-ranked proposal. For a consortium coordinated from Romania, this geographical diversity criterion may matter in the tie-break.

Who covers the remaining 30%?

Funding covers 70% of eligible costs. The proposal must explain how the remaining 30% is secured and how it is shared between beneficiaries. The work programme sets no sharing rule, so local and county authorities joining the consortium should provide in good time in their budgets for any agreed share, and businesses should check whether they can cover it from their own resources.

What this means for your business

Our recommendation: Excellence Hubs is not a grant for a company's own investments. It is a network project, usually led by a university, a research institute or a regional development agency. A company in Romania can benefit in three ways: by becoming a partner and having 70% of its research and collaboration costs covered, by joining the pilot projects of the joint strategy, or by receiving one of the grants of up to €60,000 for third parties, if it is an SME or start-up.

What is worth preparing now:

• universities, institutes and ADRs should identify the partner from a second Widening country and the common RIS3 field. Five months is little time for a consortium with four types of actors in each country;
• town halls and county councils can join as the public authority of the ecosystem, if they can take on the co-financing share agreed within the consortium (the remaining 30% is shared between beneficiaries, as explained in the proposal);
• businesses: in ecosystems made up of individual entities, at least one of the businesses must have at least two consecutive years of activity and turnover proven by balance sheets or reports attached to the proposal. These documents must be submitted in an official EU language.

Common pitfalls: a research component that dominates the project, although it must be balanced with the other activities; no clear plan for the 30%; overlap with initiatives that are already funded, such as EIT community hubs or European Innovation Ecosystems. To quickly check whether your organisation also fits other programmes, use the eligibility check.

Frequently asked questions

Can a company from Romania submit an Excellence Hubs project on its own?

No. The project is submitted by a consortium with at least two research and innovation ecosystems from two different Widening countries. Each ecosystem must include academia, businesses, a regional or local public authority and civil society actors. The coordinator must be established in a Widening country.

How much does an Excellence Hubs project receive?

The Commission estimates an EU contribution of €1.5–4.5 million per project, with a funding rate of 70% of eligible costs. Proposals with other amounts may also be submitted. The total budget is €100 million, for approximately 30 projects.

What is the submission deadline for Excellence Hubs 2027?

The deadline is 4 March 2027, 17:00 Brussels time. The call opened on 2 September 2026. The application is submitted on the Funding & Tenders Portal and is limited to 40 pages.

Can SMEs that are not partners in the consortium receive money?

Yes, indirectly. Beneficiaries may provide financial support to third parties, only in the form of grants, only to SMEs and start-ups, and of no more than €60,000 each. The specific conditions are set by each funded project.

Can organisations from non-Widening countries take part?

Yes, but only if the proposal demonstrates that their participation is necessary for the intended impact. Coordination remains reserved for entities from Widening countries.

Official sources

• Funding & Tenders Portal – HORIZON-WIDERA-2027-04-WIDENING-01: Excellence Hubs
• Horizon Europe, Work Programme 2026–2027, Annex XI – Widening participation and strengthening the European Research Area
• CORDIS – Excellence Hubs (HORIZON-WIDERA-2027-04-WIDENING-01)

Information checked on 2 October 2026. Conditions may be changed by the managing authority — check the guide in force before you submit.