Horizon Europe
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Horizon Europe at a glance
Horizon Europe, the world's largest research and innovation program, places a strong emphasis on the space sector within its Cluster 4: Digital, Industry and Space, with a total of €1.6 billion allocated to the space sector under the current framework program. With a budget of €15.3 billion, this cluster is an integral part of the program's Pillar 2, which focuses on initiatives at technology readiness levels 2 to 8 (projects that are not high-risk).
| Pillar 1 Excellent science |
Pillar 2 Global challenges and European industrial competitiveness |
Pillar 3 Innovative Europe |
|---|---|---|
| Funding to support frontier research, fellowships, doctoral networks, research exchanges, and research infrastructures. Research should look to solve scientific challenges, seek integration with world-class research infrastructures, or host researchers across borders in top institutions. Canada is not an associated country of Pillar 1. | Canadian organizations may apply to research and development projects related to major societal challenges. Applications respond to calls for proposals for various topics under six funding clusters:
|
Funding for innovative start-ups and small- and medium-sized enterprises doing business in Europe or in a Pillar 3 associated country. Projects help advance Europe's innovation market and foster a European network of education, research and innovation. Canada is not an associated country of Pillar 3. |
| Widening participation and strengthening the European Research Area | ||
Canada has been an associated country of Horizon Europe since , allowing Canadian entities to participate on equal footing with European Union (EU) member states. This means they can not only join but also lead consortium projects and receive direct funding. To be eligible, Canadian participants must be part of a consortium that includes at least three independent legal entities from three different countries – specifically, EU member states or associated countries.
Funding
Funding under Cluster 4 (space) supports projects that help address challenges in the following areas:
Strengthening the competitiveness of the space sector and related ground systems
Development of modular, intelligent and reconfigurable satellites, capable of being assembled in orbit and equipped with deorbit functions. Objectives: reduction of costs, emissions and lead times through digitization, digital twins and module engineering – with clear links to the cluster's other priorities.
Strengthening the EU's ability to access and use space
Faced with increasing global competition, the EU is supporting innovation in launch services (small satellites, constellations, in-orbit services), developing key capabilities (Copernicus, space situational awareness, quantum technologies), and strengthening its autonomy with strategic actions in critical technologies, science, education and in-orbit demonstrations, in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA).
Find out about the relevant topics in Cluster 4: Digital, Industry and Space on the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2025 web page.
Eligibility of Canadian entities
Canadian entities are also eligible to submit projects to certain sensitive Horizon Europe calls, offering an opportunity to collaborate on several international space projects.
Why take part in Cluster 4: Space?
- Access to calls for projects with the same rights as European entities, including the possibility of receiving direct funding
- Join and lead research consortiums with some of the world's leading research organizations to tackle major global challenges together
- Collaborate with European and international partners in various fields of research and innovation
- Leverage expertise on the international stage, with opportunities to commercialize concrete solutions to global problems
- Co-innovation opportunities from 2 to 5 years
How to participate in Horizon Europe in five easy steps – Cluster 4: Digital, Industry and Space
Step 1: Create an account and register your organization
First, you must:
- Create a user account on the Funding & Tenders Portal
- Register your organization to obtain a Participant Identification Code (PIC), required to submit a proposal or join a consortium – see the registration steps
Step 2: Find a Horizon Europe call for proposals
Search for a Horizon Europe call for proposal
Access all open or upcoming calls:
- Select "All filters" in the filters
- Under PROGRAMME, select "Horizon Europe (HORIZON)"
- Under PROGRAMME PART, click on the > symbol beside "Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness" to display the drop-down menu
- Select "Digital, Industry and Space"
- Under SUBMISSION STATUS, select "Open for submission" and "Forthcoming"
- Click on "View results"
Step 3: Identify or create a consortium
To be eligible, you must be part of a consortium (with a minimum of 3 entities from 3 different countries, including one organization from an EU member state).
Search for partners:
- Global Affairs Canada's Trade Commissioner Service
- Enterprise Europe Network (European-Canadian Centre for Innovation and Research in Canada)
- Ideal-ist partner search tool
- EURAXESS partnering portal
- Partner search tool on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal
- National Contact Points (NCPs)
- Your own network
Tip: Consult past projects on CORDIS to identify potential partners.
Horizon Europe is a highly competitive program: on average, the success rate is 15%. We strongly recommend that researchers join a large consortium with more than the minimum of three partners. The average consortium size varies between 8 and 12 partners. It is not recommended for a participant with no previous experience of Horizon Europe to lead a consortium.
Step 4: Prepare your proposal
Your proposal must:
- Meet the call's specific objectives and criteria
- Demonstrate the added value of your Canadian expertise
- Include a clear budget and defined roles for consortium participants
Consult the Cluster 4 Work Programme for priorities, criteria and available funding.
Step 5: Submitting the proposal
Proposals must be submitted online via the Funding & Tenders Portal, within the deadlines indicated for each call.
- Fill in the required technical and administrative documents.
- All entities must validate their participation.
- Internal validations (by the organization) may be required.
- Submission deadlines vary from call to call. Please consult the official portal for specific details.
Useful tools and resources
Partner search
- See How to search partners and get noticed (PDF, 2.37 MB), a document developed by NCPs from the Health cluster containing practical information on finding partners, with options and tips by cluster.
Key references
- Depending on your area of interest, there are several references that deserve particular attention. We suggest that you consult the Guidelines for Newcomers, developed by COSMOS4HE, the space NCP network for Horizon Europe.
To know more
- Visit the EU web page for Cluster 4: Digital, Industry and Space
- Visit the Horizon Europe web pages of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), responsible for Canada's association with Horizon Europe, which continues to develop, compile and post content on its website. The site contains excellent information on the program. You can also subscribe to their newsletter. If you have any questions about Horizon Europe, you can also contact ISED by email at Horizon.Europe@ised-isde.gc.ca
- Visit the Horizon Europe NCP portal for information on tools and services useful for participation and other administrative issues
- Refer to the glossary developed by the NCPs to familiarize yourself with key terms commonly found in European Commission documents
- Find your European NCP for the space sector at the Cosmos network of NCPs for space
- Explore the EU Science & Innovation YouTube channel
Frequently Asked Questions
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How can I find partners for my project?
Networking and B2B events, the EU Funding & Tender portal and the Enterprise Europe Network are excellent ways of finding potential partners. The European Commission's Horizon Europe info days are also a great way to meet potential partners. Finally, you can also explore the EURAXESS North America page, which links North American researchers to the European Research Area. They offer free information and events on funding, research careers and collaboration opportunities with Europe.
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How can I find out more about the European Union's calls?
Horizon Europe info days are used by the European Commission to provide targeted information sessions on the content of the calls. They provide an excellent opportunity to ask questions or simply learn more about certain topics. What's more, these days generally encourage networking (see the section on finding partners above).
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Are federal and provincial government departments eligible for funding?
Under Horizon Europe Pillar 2, Canadian legal entities can access funding if they are part of a consortium that includes organizations from the European Union or associated countries. Provincial partners are eligible as beneficiaries if they meet the consortium criteria. Federal entities, and their employees, may participate in Pillar 2 open calls, but are probably not eligible to receive Horizon Europe funds directly. They must ensure that their participation does not contravene Canada's Financial Administration Act. Although federal entities and their employees are unlikely to receive direct funding from the European Commission, this does not prevent them from participating in Horizon Europe projects. As was the case prior to Canada's association, they can join a project consortium and contribute in kind, support their project activities or obtain funding from internal sources.
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How is intellectual property addressed?
We invite you to consult the guidelines published on the Government of Canada website about Horizon Europe. It is also recommended that you seek your own legal advice before beginning consultations on the consortium agreement.
Contact us
If you have any questions, please write to InnovationSpatiale-SpaceInnovation@asc-csa.gc.ca.