What is “Empowering SMEs”?

Empowering SMEs 2024 Call seeks small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including startups, ready to scale up their business by addressing industrial challenges and contributing to a competitive and sustainable European manufacturing sector.

Proposals should:

Adapt existing solutions to new sectors or industrial contexts:

• Existing solutions must already be on the market with demonstrated success;
• Applicants should provide references from current clients and show evidence of generated revenues;

Include innovation and experimentation, with solutions applied in real industrial environments (test areas or simulations are not eligible):

• New solutions require a balance between proven success and innovation to deliver commercially viable and impactful results;
• New solutions should achieve Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 8 or higher by the end of the project;
• The SME should proof the sales of the new solution generating at least EUR 10 000 of revenue no later than 6 months after the project’s end.

Be implemented in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country.

The total budget allocated to this is call is of EUR two million.

Important note: proposals that harm the environment, social welfare, or discriminate based on gender, age, socio-economic status, disability, ethnicity, or identity, and those not aligned with the “Do No Significant Harm” principle, are not eligible.

Who can apply?

Empowering SMEs 2024 Call is open to:

• Any SME and startup established in one of the Member States (including overseas countries and territories, (OCTs) or Associated Countries to Horizon Europe and the low- and middle-income countries;
• Applicants may choose one of the following configurations:
  • Sole applicant (SME, including startups);
  • Small consortium (SME + 1 Industrial end-user). The industrial end-user could be either a SME or a Large Company;
  • A Letter of Commitment from the end-user, stating the commitment to support the SME in identifying the requirements and test the developed solution is mandatory.