+ More Filters

Reset Filters

Title

Funding Organization

Funding Type

Eligible Country

Deadline

Other (Select all that apply)

Show Expired Programs

Show Verified Programs

Not Verified

Boosting the translation of biotech research into innovative health therapies

European Commission

Expected Outcome:

This topic aims at supporting activities that are enabling or contributing to one or several expected impacts of destination “Developing and using new tools, technologies and digital solutions for a healthy society”. To that end, proposals under this topic should aim to deliver results directed towards and contributing to all the following expected outcomes:

Healthcare providers, researchers and patients get faster access to innovative therapies.
The European Union benefits from more clinical trials being conducted with new biotech therapeutic approaches.
The competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from the EU and Associated Countries within the health biotech sector is strengthened.

Scope:

The Commission Communication 'Building the future with nature: Boosting Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing in the EU' [1] has recently identified research and technology transfer to the market as a major challenge for the biotechnology sector. This topic aims to speed up the development of innovative biotechnology-based therapies by supporting the initial phases of clinical research. SMEs play a key role in the EU's potential to innovate, with most biotechnology-derived drugs in development being progressed by SMEs and small biotech companies. However, transitioning from drug discovery and development stages to approved products requires substantial investment and sufficient resources in different areas (e.g., manufacturing, clinical trial management, regulatory affairs, etc.), with the time needed for clinical development often exceeding 10 years[2]. This topic targets collaborative multidisciplinary consortia of SMEs, academics, clinicians and research organisations bringing together the necessary expertise to launch the clinical development of novel biotechnology-derived therapeutics. Collaboration with the relevant European research infrastructures is encouraged. This topic does not address the full clinical development needed to bring products to market but aims to support the critical transition phase from preclinical to clinical development by supporting the early clinical phases. A non-exhaustive list of biotechnology-derived therapies in scope include monoclonal antibodies, (therapeutic) vaccines, recombinant biomolecules, Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs), nano-based drugs, RNA therapies etc. Whole blood, blood components and other substances of human origin are not within the scope of this topic.

Proposals submitted under this topic should include all the following elements:

A Clinical study either phase I, II or I/II depending on the appropriate stage of development.
The proposal should convincingly demonstrate a significant economic potential of the final product(s) for the Single Market.
A clearly defined exploitation plan, with a detailed proposed route to commercialisation, description of the intellectual property ownership and benefit for the SME(s). The plan should include an anti-shelving strategy, commercial forecasts for the product sales & revenue, and strategies for follow-up financing as well as market authorisation. The exploitation strategy should envisage a first deployment in the EU.
Justification of the patient populations that will benefit directly from the development of the therapies. Clinical indications where potentially large patient populations could benefit will be favoured.

The maximum project duration should not exceed four years.

Applicants should provide details of their clinical studies[3] in the dedicated annex using the template provided in the submission system. As proposals under this topic are expected to include clinical studies, the use of the template is strongly encouraged.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. Scientific Excellence Is Paramount

For ERC grants, excellence is the sole selection criterion—evaluations focus exclusively on the quality of the research and track record .

Peer-reviewers adhere strictly to predefined criteria (e.g., Horizon ITN evaluations), and weaknesses—rather than strengths—often decide the outcome.

🌍 2. Strategic Alignment with EU Priorities

Horizon Europe emphasizes Green & Digital Transitions and resilience, with specific budget steering across biodiversity, climate, digital, and societal missions .

Proposals that clearly align with these strategic orientations and EU missions are significantly more competitive.

🤝 3. Strong, Diverse European Consortia

Horizon projects demand well-balanced consortia across Europe—geographically and disciplinarily diverse, including academia, industry, SMEs, NGOs .

Effective leadership, communication, trust, and active collaboration are key success factors .

🧴 4. Proven Research Infrastructure & Track Record

A strong publication record—especially in high-impact venues—and prior grant awards bolster chances .

ERC starting, consolidator, or advanced grants require exceptional citation records, strong proposals, and investigator track records .

📈 5. Robust Project Management

For large collaborative grants, project coordination, administration, and communication are just as crucial as scientific content .

Demonstrating realistic budget planning (100% direct costs + 25% indirect costs), administrative frameworks, and governance structures strengthens proposals .

💼 6. Fostering Mobility & Career Growth

Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowships emphasize researcher mobility, interdisciplinary training, and developing future talent .

🧷 7. Geographical & Gender Equity

Northern and certain Eastern European institutions currently have higher success rates (≈22% vs below 18% in Southern Europe) 

ERC gender data: male and female applicants have similar success rates, though male applicants apply more frequently .

📌 Key Takeaways

Factor	Why It Matters
Excellence-first	Superior science and investigator record are non-negotiable.
Strategic fit	Alignment with EU green, digital, and mission goals is essential.
Consortium quality	Geographic, sectoral, and expertise balance enhances impact.
Management capacity	Good PM builds confidence in successful delivery.
Experience track record	Publications, previous funding, and citations build credibility.
Mobility & careers	MSCA focuses on researcher development and interdisciplinary collaboration.

🧭 Applicant Tips

Master criteria & avoid weaknesses: Make sure your proposal addresses common reviewer pitfalls—methodology, innovation, budget clarity.

Map to EU priorities: Explicitly connect your objectives to Horizon Europe’s strategic plan (2025–2027).

Build strong consortia early: Prioritize complementary expertise, geography, gender balance, and partner roles.

Show robust project management: Include a Work Package structure, governance plans, and clear communication strategies.

Leverage your track record: Highlight high-impact papers, leadership in projects, and previous awards.

Consider MSCA opportunities: Use them for mobility grants or integrating training into your project.

✅ In Summary

To maximize success with European Commission grants—especially ERC or Horizon Europe—focus relentlessly on scientific excellence, strategic EU alignment, consortium strength, and solid project planning. Combine these with a strong publication record and researcher development elements, and aim to close off any potential reviewer concerns.

Specialties

Public Health

Eligibility Requirements

General conditions

1. Admissibility Conditions, Proposal page limit and layout

Admissibility Conditions are described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.

Proposal page limits and layout are described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.

2. Eligible Countries

Eligible Countries are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.

A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

3. Other Eligible Conditions

In order to prove that the investigational product is ready for clinical testing, proposals must provide evidence of regulatory approval in the EU already in place for phase I clinical study.

The proposed EU contribution going to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) must be 50% or more of the total EU contribution to the project as a whole.

In addition to the eligibility conditions as described in General Annex B, the consortium must be composed of at most 5 legal entities as beneficiaries.

If projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data and services, beneficiaries must make use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS (other data and services may additionally be used).

Other Eligible Conditions are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.

4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion

Financial and operational capacity and exclusion are described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.

5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds

Eligible proposals submitted under this topic and exceeding all the evaluation thresholds will be awarded a STEP Seal[[https://strategic-technologies.europa.eu/about/step-seal_en]].

Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.

5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes

The thresholds for each criterion will be 4 (Excellence), 4 (Impact) and 4 (Implementation). The cumulative threshold will be 12.

Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.

5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement

Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.

6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants

Legal and financial set-up of the grants are described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Specific conditions

Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: European Commission

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: Rue de la Loi 200, B-1049 Brussels, Belgium.

Legal & Affiliation Disclaimer

Affiliation Disclaimer: Trialect operates independently and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or supported by any sponsors or organizations posting on the GrantsBoard platform. As an independent aggregator of publicly available funding opportunities, Trialect provides equal access to information for all users without endorsing any specific funding source, content, organization, or sponsor. Trialect assumes no responsibility for the content posted by sponsors or third parties.

Subscription Disclaimer: Upon logging into Trialect, you may choose to SUBSCRIBE to GrantsBoard for timely notifications of funding opportunities and to access exclusive benefits, such as priority alerts, reminders, personalized recommendations, and additional application support. However, users are advised to contact sponsors directly for any questions and are not required to subscribe to engage with funding opportunities.

Content Ownership and Copyright Disclaimer: Trialect respects the intellectual property rights of all organizations and individuals. All content posted on GrantsBoard is provided solely for informational purposes and remains the property of the original owners. Trialect does not claim ownership of, nor does it have any proprietary interest in, content provided by third-party sponsors. Users are encouraged to verify content and ownership directly with the posting sponsor.

Fair Use Disclaimer: The information and content available on GrantsBoard are compiled from publicly accessible sources in alignment with fair use principles under U.S. copyright law. Trialect serves as an aggregator of this content, offering it to users in good faith and with the understanding that it is available for public dissemination. Any organization or individual who believes their intellectual property rights have been violated is encouraged to contact us for prompt resolution.

Third-Party Posting Responsibility Disclaimer: Trialect is a neutral platform that allows third-party sponsors to post funding opportunities for informational purposes only. Sponsors are solely responsible for ensuring that their postings comply with copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. Trialect assumes no liability for any copyright or intellectual property infringements in third-party content and will take appropriate action to address any substantiated claims.

Accuracy and Verification Disclaimer: Trialect makes no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information provided by sponsors. Users are advised to verify the details of any funding opportunity directly with the sponsor before taking action. Trialect cannot be held liable for any discrepancies, omissions, or inaccuracies in third-party postings.

Notice and Takedown Policy: Trialect is committed to upholding copyright law and protecting the rights of intellectual property owners. If you believe that content on GrantsBoard infringes your copyright or intellectual property rights, please contact us with detailed information about the claim. Upon receipt of a valid notice, Trialect will promptly investigate and, where appropriate, remove or disable access to the infringing content.

View Funding Opportunity