Call window open Horizon Europe — Excellence Hubs 2027: regional innovation ecosystems in Widening countries
A €100 million Horizon Europe call for regional innovation ecosystems in Widening countries, including Romania. Consortia of universities, companies, authorities and civil society can receive €1.5–4.5 million per project (70%). Submission is open until 4 March 2027.
- Who can apply
- Consortia bringing together at least two research and innovation ecosystems from two Widening…
- Total budget
- 100 million
- Funding amount
- The estimated EU contribution is 1.5–4.5 million
- Submission period
- 2 Sep 2026 – 4 Mar 2027
Checked against official sources on · funder: European Commission · official source
The call window is open. The time left until the deadline decides whether we can still build your application in time, so call today.
Who can apply
Consortia that bring together at least two research and innovation ecosystems from two different Widening countries can apply. Romania is one of these countries. Each ecosystem must be located entirely within a single country and include four categories of actors: academic institutions, companies, public authorities and civil society actors. The coordinator must be established in a Widening country. Entities from other countries can take part only if the proposal demonstrates that their presence is necessary for the intended impact.
What it covers
- A joint, cross-border research and innovation strategy, aligned with the smart specialisation strategies (RIS3)
- A research and innovation component presented in a separate work package, balanced with the other activities and not dominating the project
- Joint research and innovation investment plans, including in infrastructure, that attract national, regional and EU funds as well as private capital
- Conceptual design and preparation of pilots and demonstrators, which will be funded from sources other than the grant
- Knowledge transfer, skills development, staff exchanges and secondments
- Involvement of local authorities and citizens
- Financial support to third parties: grants of up to €60,000 for SMEs and start-ups
Apply in the current call window
- We analyse whether you qualify and under which programme exactly.
- We build the application: business plan, budget, supporting documents.
- We submit during the call window and follow the evaluation.
- We stay with you through the reimbursement file and final payment.
Frequently asked questions
Until when can a proposal be submitted to the Excellence Hubs 2027 call?
The call HORIZON-WIDERA-2027-04-WIDENING-01 has been open since 2 September 2026. The submission deadline is 4 March 2027, and submission is single-stage, through the European Commission's Funding & Tenders portal.
How much funding does an Excellence Hubs project receive?
The Commission estimates an EU contribution of EUR 1.5–4.5 million per project. The funding covers 70% of eligible costs. The total budget is EUR 100 million, for approximately 30 projects.
Can organisations from Romania apply to Excellence Hubs?
Yes. Romania is a Widening country, so a Romanian entity can be the coordinator. The consortium must bring together at least two research and innovation ecosystems from two different Widening countries. Each ecosystem must include academia, companies, public authorities and civil society.
Who covers the remaining 30% of costs?
The remaining 30% is provided by the beneficiaries. The proposal must explain how this amount is secured and how it is split between partners.
What conditions must the companies in the consortium meet?
If the ecosystem is made up of individual entities, companies must, at the submission date, have at least two consecutive years of activity and proven turnover. Proof is provided through balance sheets or activity reports attached to the proposal, in an official EU language.
Can SMEs outside the consortium also receive funding through Excellence Hubs?
Yes. Beneficiaries can provide financial support to third parties, but only in the form of grants and only to SMEs and start-ups. Each third party can receive a maximum of EUR 60,000.
How long does it take to prepare the application?
It depends on the complexity of the project and the documents you already have. The first step is the eligibility analysis, which tells you what needs to be prepared.
What happens if I do not qualify?
We tell you before any contract is signed, and if another suitable programme exists, we point you to it.
Next step
Apply in the current call window — Horizon Europe — Excellence Hubs 2027: regional innovation ecosystems in Widening countries
Fill in the form and we will tell you whether you qualify. If you do not qualify under this programme, we will tell you which other one you could apply for — or that there is none, if that is the case.
or call us directly on 0755 167 167
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