Services
Expertises
Resources
Who we are
Contact us
Closed

Eurostars call for proposals

International R&D support for Canadian SMEs

Offered by
National Research Council Canada (NRC)
Official source: nrc.canada.ca

Source change captured

Funding available
$ 500,000
Up to 50% of project cost
Deadline
Unspecified
Location
Canada
Who can apply
Innovative SMEs.
See full eligibility

Overview

Eurostars Call 11 for projects – deadline September 2026 offers up to 50% funding for Canadian SMEs through NRC IRAP in international collaborative innovation. It supports R&D projects focused on products, processes, or services for commercialisation in global markets.

At a glance

Funding available

Maximum funding
$500,000
Maximum share of project costs
50%
Financing goals
  • Develop strategic partnerships
  • Develop a new product or service
  • Conduct research and development activities

Eligible candidates

Location
  • Canada
Eligible Industries
All industries
Annual revenue
From $ 500,000 to $ 50,000,000 in revenue
Organisation size
15-500 employees
Audience
All groups
Legal structures
For-profit business

Receipt of requests is now closed

Get notified about updates to this grant.

Availability timeline

2023
Periods: 1

Latest changes

Eurostars updates national funding rules

Eurostars has updated national funding rules, including new Canadian NRC IRAP eligibility and post-selection funding steps, plus revised Croatian consortium and subcontracting terms.

See more

Eurostars now states that Canadian SME applicants must be eligible for NRC IRAP funding before they can be considered under this call, and Canadian NRC IRAP funding now proceeds after Eurostars project selection through due diligence and a contribution agreement. The Croatian rules also changed: the maximum consortium amount shown for Croatia is now 300,000 euro, and Croatian universities and research organisations can be subcontracted by a Croatian company in the consortium instead of being required subcontractors. The Eurostars overview page also no longer lists Call 11 and its 10 September 2026 deadline.

Official source: eurekanetwork.org
October 1, 2026

Eligibility

Who is eligible?

  • Innovative SMEs.
  • Project partners such as large companies, universities, research organisations and other types of organisations.

Who is not eligible

  • Large companies, universities, and research organisations in Canada are not supported for this call.

Eligible expenses

  • R&D costs resulting from participating in the Eurostars programme.

Activities funded

  • International collaborative R&D and innovation projects.
  • Projects that develop products, processes or services that can be easily commercialised.

How to apply

  • Canadian SMEs must register with NRC IRAP before submission; if you are not yet an NRC IRAP client, register at least 4 weeks before the Eurostars application deadline.
  • Contact your national or regional funding body using the form available on the Eureka website to discuss your project idea, funding in your country, legal and financial viability, and eligibility.
  • Create an account on the project platform, and have the innovative SME leading your consortium open the application and invite the other partners.
  • Complete the application form in English and submit it electronically.
  • Upload annexes to the online application form, including the signed commitment and signature form and the SME declaration if applicable.
  • Submit the completed application before the deadline.

Documents Needed

  • Signed commitment and signature form
  • SME declaration if you are an SME
  • Financial annex, which may include financial reports, a business plan if you are a start-up, or other documents depending on your country
  • Self-funding declaration if you are not eligible to receive public funding or do not request public funding

Selection criteria

  • Quality and efficiency of the implementation, including quality of the consortium, added value through cooperation, realistic and clearly defined project management and planning, and reasonable cost structure.
  • Impact, including market size, market access and risk, competitive advantage, clear and realistic commercialisation plans, and economic, environmental, and societal impact.
  • Excellence, including degree of innovation, new applied knowledge, level of technical challenge, and technical achievability and risk.
  • Applications are considered for funding only if they are among the best 200 projects evaluated by the remote experts, all project partners receive a positive legal and financial viability outcome, and the Independent Evaluation Panel considers them excellent or good quality.

Processing and Agreement

  • Eligibility check within one week of 10 September 2026.
  • Legal and financial viability check in mid-October 2026.
  • Expert evaluation by three independent experts per project takes place in mid-October 2026.
  • Independent Evaluation Panel ranking and ethics review take place at the end of November 2026.
  • Funding outcome is communicated by mid-December 2026, agreements with your national funding body are signed between five and seven months after the submission deadline, and the consortium leader can submit a redress request on procedural grounds with clear evidence.

Additional information

  • This page is archived and will not be updated.
  • Recordings of previous webinars are also available.

Contacts

Eric.Holdrinet@cnrc-nrc.gc.ca

Official sources

nrc.canada.ca

Official page

Eurostars Call 11 for projects - deadline September 2026

Program guide

Call 9 - Eurostars 3, EUREKA Network (2025)check guidelines (2025)European Partnership on Innovative SMEs / Eurostars eligibility guidelines (2026)

Application form

Assessment form in Word formatBefore completing the SME model declaration,Commitment and Signature FormEurostars application form (Word format)How to complete your SME declaration

Supporting document

Commitment and signature formEurostars SME declaration formGuidelines for obtaining a PIC number
Add helloDarwin as a preferred source on Google

Frequently Asked Questions about the Eurostars call for proposals Program

What is the Eurostars call for proposals?

Eurostars Call 11 for projects – deadline September 2026 offers up to 50% funding for Canadian SMEs through NRC IRAP in international collaborative innovation. It supports R&D projects focused on products, processes, or services for commercialisation in global markets.

How much funding can be received?

Eurostars call for proposals Funds up to 50% of admissible expenses, capped at $500,000 per project.

Who is eligible for the Eurostars call for proposals program?

To be eligible for the Eurostars call for proposals program, you must: Canadian SMEs must register with NRC IRAP before submitting the application. Canadian SMEs must be eligible for funding as NRC IRAP clients.

What expenses are eligible under Eurostars call for proposals?

R&D costs resulting from participating in the Eurostars programme.

Who can I contact for more information about the Eurostars call for proposals?

You can contact National Research Council Canada (NRC) by email at Eric.Holdrinet@cnrc-nrc.gc.ca.

Where is the Eurostars call for proposals available?

The Eurostars call for proposals program is available across Canada.

Is the Eurostars call for proposals a grant, loan, or tax credit?

Eurostars call for proposals is a Grant and Funding