What is Horizon Europe?
Jan 12, 2026
A clear overview of Horizon Europe, the EU’s leading research and innovation programme.
Horizon Europe is the European Union’s flagship research and innovation funding programme for 2021–2027, with a budget of approximately €95.5 billion. As the successor to Horizon 2020, it is the largest EU programme dedicated to supporting research, technological development and innovation across Europe and beyond.
Why Does It Matter
Horizon Europe goes beyond research funding alone. It aims to:
Boost EU competitiveness through disruptive and breakthrough technologies
Maximise the impact of public investment through collaboration between academia, industry and public bodies
Address key societal challenges such as sustainability, resilient healthcare and inclusive economies
The programme contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and aligns with major EU priorities including the Green Deal and the digital transition.
Who Can Participate
Horizon Europe is open to a wide range of organisations from EU Member States, associated countries and selected non-EU countries. Eligible participants include universities and research institutes, SMEs and large companies, public authorities, NGOs, cultural and healthcare institutions, infrastructure operators, end-users and civil society organisations.
How Can It Help You
Horizon Europe provides equity-free funding to support business growth and accelerate the transition from research to market. Funding can be used for piloting, demonstration and scale-up activities, helping innovative ideas reach real-world application.
Participation also enables organisations to expand into new European and international markets while strengthening credibility and visibility through EU-backed projects that deliver tangible societal impact.
How It’s Structured
Horizon Europe is built around three interconnected pillars, complemented by a cross-cutting programme, together supporting the full research and innovation journey — from scientific discovery to market deployment and scale-up.
Pillar 1 – Excellent Science
This pillar strengthens Europe’s scientific leadership by investing in people, ideas and research capacity. It focuses on excellence-driven, bottom-up research and long-term knowledge creation.
Key focus areas include:
Frontier research funded through the European Research Council (ERC)
Researcher mobility, training and career development via Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
Development and access to world-class research infrastructures
Pillar 1 provides the scientific foundations that enable future innovation and global competitiveness.
Pillar 2 – Global Challenges & European Industrial Competitiveness
Pillar 2 supports collaborative research and innovation projects that address major societal and industrial challenges while aligning with EU policy priorities.
It is organised around six thematic clusters covering:
Health and well-being
Culture, creativity and inclusive societies
Civil security for society
Digital technologies, industry and space
Climate, energy and mobility
Food systems, bioeconomy, natural resources and the environment
This pillar bridges research and real-world application and is supported by the Joint Research Centre (JRC), which provides independent scientific advice to EU policymakers.
Pillar 3 – Innovative Europe
Pillar 3 focuses on transforming research results into market-ready innovations and scaling high-potential ideas across Europe.
It supports innovation through:
The European Innovation Council (EIC), funding breakthrough and disruptive innovations
The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), integrating business, education and research
European Innovation Ecosystems (EIE), strengthening regional and cross-border innovation networks
Pillar 3 helps startups, SMEs and innovators overcome the “valley of death” between research and commercial success.
WIDERA – Widening Participation & Strengthening the European Research Area
WIDERA complements the three pillars by addressing research and innovation disparities across Europe and reinforcing the European Research Area.
It focuses on:
Increasing participation of widening countries and underrepresented regions
Building research capacity through Twinning, Teaming and ERA Chairs
Supporting policy reforms and best practices to strengthen national R&I systems
Promoting open science, gender equality and inclusive research careers
WIDERA ensures that excellence and innovation are accessible across Europe, enabling more balanced and sustainable development.
Looking Ahead
Ekaterina Zaharieva, Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation, said:
“You spoke, we listened. As one of Europe’s strongest brands, Horizon Europe will place research and innovation at the heart of the EU economy and investment strategy. We will attract and retain talents through ‘Choose Europe’, de-risk and mobilise private research and innovation financing, empowering innovative startups and work together with Member States to reach the 3% investment target.”
While Horizon Europe runs until 2027, the European Commission has proposed a successor programme for 2028–2034 with a significantly increased budget and expanded ambitions. The future programme aims to further strengthen Europe’s research excellence, innovation competitiveness and leadership in key technologies, boosting productivity and improving quality of life across Europe.