Excellence Hubs

Excellence Hubs HORIZON-WIDERA is a Horizon Europe Coordination and Support Action to establish networks of regional innovation ecosystems in Widening countries for joint R&I strategies aligned with RIS3 and stronger academia-business-government-society linkages. Projects may run up to 5 years, with EU contributions from €1,500,000 to €4,500,000, an indicative topic budget of €100,000,000 and a funding rate of 70% of eligible costs requiring proposers to secure the remaining co-funding. Consortia must include at least two R&I ecosystems from different Widening countries, each demonstrating quadruple-helix participation, and coordinators must be legal entities established in Widening countries. The deadline is 4 March 2027 and proposals must present a balanced package including a distinct R&I work package, investment plans, pilot pre-planning and activities for knowledge transfer, skills development and stakeholder engagement.

Call overview

Quick facts

What it funds:creation and networking of regional innovation ecosystems (Excellence Hubs) in Widening countries to develop joint R&I strategies, investment plans, pilot projects, skills development and stronger academia-business-society linkages. Projects should align with regional/national smart specialisation strategies and include an R&I work package (not dominant). Expected duration up to 5 years.

Funds available:Typical EU grant per project: €1,500,000 to €4,500,000; call plans ~30 grants across 2026-2027 ¹.

1. 1Who can apply: coordinator must be a legal entity established in a Widening country (see Horizon rules). Consortia should principally represent R&I ecosystems in Widening countries; non-Widening legal entities may join only if necessary to achieve impacts.
2. 2Consortium requirements: proposals must involve at least two R&I ecosystems from two different Widening countries; each ecosystem must include the quadruple helix (academic, business, regional/local authority, societal actor) either via umbrella organisations or representative entities.
3. 3What activities are funded: joint cross-border R&I strategy design and implementation; research collaborations and a distinct R&I work package (max ~30% of grant); investment plans and business models; conceptual pilot planning (financed from other sources); knowledge transfer, skills development, secondments and networking.

Evaluation & other notes:single-stage submission; page limit and proposal structure follow Horizon Europe CSA templates; applicants should avoid overlap with existing initiatives (EIT Hubs, EIC Pathfinder, European Innovation Ecosystems, JRC partnerships) and show plans to leverage national/regional/private funds and to measure regional economic and societal impacts.

Footnotes

1. 1Topic page and official call text: Excellence Hubs topic.

Call basics and context

Call title:Excellence Hubs. Programme: Horizon Europe — Widening participation and spreading excellence. Topic identifier: HORIZON-WIDERA. Type of action: HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA). Expected opening (submission system): 2026-09-02. Deadline for full proposals: 2027-03-04 (single-stage submission). Expected maximum project duration: up to 5 years.

Primary objective:Create networks of regional innovation ecosystems in Widening countries (Excellence Hubs) to strengthen cross-border academia-business-government-society linkages, implement joint R&I strategies aligned with regional smart specialisation (RIS3) and European priorities, leverage national/regional/European and private investments, and foster economic and societal impact, with particular emphasis on deep tech, competencies and long-term institutional change.

Expected outcomes and scope

Expected outcomes:Excellence Hubs are intended to produce excellent and sustainable regional R&I ecosystems in Widening countries and beyond; long-term joint R&I strategies with concrete European-relevant action plans; common investment plans for R&I including infrastructures leveraging public and private funding; pilot R&I projects and demonstrators in line with regional/national strategies (RIS3); new competencies and skills for researchers, entrepreneurs and R&I professionals; strengthened academia-business-society linkages; and new business opportunities for SMEs, spin-offs and start-ups, notably in deep tech. Projects must align with ERA priorities, promote open science practices and inclusive gender equality where relevant.

Scope and mandatory content:Proposals must foster a place-based innovation culture in Widening countries aligned with smart specialisation. Consortia should avoid overlaps with relevant EU initiatives (European Innovation Ecosystems, EIC Pathfinder, EIT KICs/EIT Community Hubs in Widening countries, JRC Partnerships for Regional Innovation, Widening Dissemination and Exploitation Facility). Projects should include a well-balanced package covering at least: (1) design and implementation of a cross-border joint R&I strategy aligned with regional smart specialisation strategies and European priorities; (2) an R&I collaboration stream strengthening academia-business linkages implemented through joint research projects (a distinct R&I work package is mandatory, but it must not dominate the entire project); (3) development of investment plans and business models leveraging private, national, regional and European funds; (4) conceptual design and pre-planning for pilots and demonstrators where applicable (financing for pilots must come from sources other than the Excellence Hub grant); and (5) complementary activities for knowledge transfer, skills development, visibility, staff exchanges and engagement with local governments and citizens. Proposals must clearly quantify expected impacts and indicators and include medium/long-term vision beyond state-of-the-art for the chosen R&I domain.

Geographic and participation focus:Excellence Hubs target Widening countries in the EU/Associated list (i.e., countries identified by the Horizon Europe regulation as Widening); legal entities from non-Widening countries may join only if demonstrably necessary to achieve the expected impacts. Participation as coordinator is limited to legal entities established in Widening countries. Projects must involve at least two R&I ecosystems from two different Widening countries. Each Widening country R&I ecosystem must comprise four categories of actors: academic institutions (universities and/or research centres), business entities, public authorities or authorised regional/local agencies, and societal actors (civil society organisations, citizens, media, cultural actors, end users). A Widening country ecosystem may be represented either by one or more umbrella organisations whose membership covers the four categories, or by separate beneficiaries representing each category. If represented by individual legal entities, at least one business entity per ecosystem must be an established firm with operational turnover and financial evidence (balance sheets/business reports) submitted in an EU official language.

Funding, budget and financial rules

Overall budget and expected grants:The 2026-2027 Work Programme budget overview shows an indicative topic-level budget of €100 000 000 across years (€15 000 000 in 2026 and €85 000 000 in 2027) for this action line. Planned expected grants: up to 30 Excellence Hub grants in the planned calls. Per-project EU contribution: minimum €1 500 000 and maximum €4 500 000 as indicated in programme budget mappings for this topic. Funding rate: 70% of eligible costs (note: the work programme indicates 70% for Innovation actions in general but for this CSA topic the specific funding rate stated in the topic conditions is 70% of eligible costs; proposals must explain how the remaining 30% will be secured and shared among beneficiaries).

Eligible applicant types and consortium rules

Eligible applicant types:Any legal entity may participate, subject to Horizon Europe General Annexes. For this topic, coordinators must be legal entities established in Widening countries. Eligible applicant types commonly expected to participate include universities and higher education establishments, public research organisations, research infrastructures, SMEs and larger enterprises (business entities), local or regional public authorities or agencies, civil society organisations and non-profits, technology transfer offices, incubators/accelerators, and umbrella organisations that represent the quadruple helix. The JRC may participate as beneficiary with zero funding or as an associated partner where relevant, but it does not participate in proposal preparation.

1. 1Consortium requirement: Consortiums must include at least two distinct R&I ecosystems from two different Widening countries.
2. 2Each Widening country ecosystem must comprise four categories of actors: (a) academic institutions, (b) business entities, (c) regional/local public authorities or authorised agencies, and (d) societal actors (e.g., NGOs, citizen groups, cultural actors, end users, media).
3. 3Coordinator restriction: only legal entities established in Widening countries can coordinate.
4. 4Representation options per ecosystem: either an umbrella organisation whose membership covers the four categories, or individual legal entities representing each category. For the latter, at least one business entity per ecosystem must be an established firm with proof of two years continuous establishment and operational turnover.

Funding type, nature of support and co-funding

Funding type:Union grants (Horizon Europe grants as HORIZON-CSA action grants). Nature of support: monetary grants (budget-based mix of eligible actual costs and applicable lump sums/units where specified in the Work Programme and MGA). Projects may also provide grants to third parties under strict conditions: financial support to third parties is permitted only in the form of grants limited to SMEs and start-ups, with a maximum amount per third party of €60 000; all rules on open calls, transparency and minimum durations apply as per General Annexes. Non-monetary services funded by the action are also expected (training, coaching, matchmaking, visibility and networking platforms). Co-funding requirement: 30% of eligible costs must be secured from other sources; proposal must explain how the remaining 30% will be secured and shared among beneficiaries.

Eligible activities, project stage and technology focus

Eligible activities:Coordination and support activities to build and sustain regional R&I ecosystems, strategic joint R&I strategy design and implementation, R&I collaboration and joint research projects (distinct R&I work package mandatory but not dominant), development of investment plans and business models, conceptual design and pre-planning of pilots/demonstrators (pilots must be financed from sources other than the Excellence Hub grant), skills development, knowledge transfer, visibility, staff exchanges and secondments, and stakeholder engagement. Project stage: from development/validation to demonstration and ecosystem building. Technology and sector focus: open to any R&I domain of cutting-edge science and innovation with market potential; particular encouragement for deep tech areas, advanced manufacturing, advanced materials, digital technologies and other fields where regional smart specialisation and European strategic value chains can be advanced.

Application and evaluation

Application type and submission:Single-stage open call. Proposals must be submitted electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal submission system using the HE CSA application form parts A and B. Page limit for this topic: the page limit of the application is 40 pages (topic-specific limit indicated in topic conditions). The R&I component must be presented in a distinct work package. Use the application form templates available in the Submission System (HE CSA Part A and Part B).

1. 1Application must include: Part A (administrative info), Part B (technical description) and supporting annexes (legal, financial, gender equality plan self-declaration where applicable, proof of business turnover for required business partners, etc.).
2. 2Proposals must include a plan for exploitation and dissemination including communication activities and a data management plan (DMP) where relevant.
3. 3R&I component: Distinguished work package; must include long-term vision beyond state-of-the-art and demonstrate market potential; should not be the dominant part of the proposal.

Evaluation and award criteria:Proposals will be evaluated against the standard Horizon Europe award criteria (Excellence, Impact, Quality and efficiency of the implementation) as described in the Work Programme General Annexes. Scoring thresholds apply: threshold per criterion is generally 3/5 and overall threshold 10/15, unless otherwise specified for the call. The topic text specifies that proposals should clearly demonstrate expected impact and indicators; proposals exceeding thresholds but unfunded due to budget limits may receive a Seal of Excellence where applicable.

Application stages, timeline and success indicators

Application stages:single-stage evaluation and selection (1 stage). Indicative timetable: information on evaluation outcome is typically communicated about 5 months after the deadline and grant signature is normally around 8 months after the deadline; topic header indicates planned opening 2026-09-02 and deadline 2027-03-04. Success rates: programme documentation signals an expected 30 grants for this topic across the 2026-2027 budgeting; actual success rate depends on number and quality of proposals received and cannot be reliably forecasted in advance. Proposers should assume competitive evaluation and prepare robust impact and implementation plans.

Costs, reporting and grant management

Budgeting and eligible costs:follow the Horizon Europe MGA and General Annexes on budget categories and eligibility. For this topic, expected EU contribution per project is between €1.5M and €4.5M. Funding rate and eligible cost rules: topic specifies a 70% funding rate of eligible costs. The proposal must explain how the remaining 30% will be secured and shared among beneficiaries. Projects may include limited financial support to third parties (grants to SMEs/start-ups up to €60 000 per third party) under strict conditions. Reporting: periodic financial and technical reports per grant agreement; beneficiaries must comply with legal entity validation, financial capacity checks where applicable, and inclusion of deliverables, milestones and a DMP as required.

Templates and application form specifics:Application forms: Use the HE CSA Application Form (Part A and Part B) available in the Funding & Tenders Portal submission system. Part B must follow the CSA template structure (Excellence, Impact, Quality and efficiency of the implementation). Page limit: 40 pages for this topic. Include a distinct work package for the R&I component. Where financial support to third parties is foreseen, include the 'Information on Financial Support to Third Parties' annex as indicated in the submission system. Upload required proofs (e.g., company balance sheets for business partners from Widening countries if acting as representative business entities).

1. 1Part A: administrative data including participants, roles, budget table and declarations.
2. 2Part B: technical description following HE CSA Part B template (Excellence; Impact; Implementation) with required tables: work packages, deliverables, milestones, risks, person-months, subcontracting justification, equipment justification.
3. 3Annexes: proof of legal status for validation, financial documents if required for financial capacity checks, proof of business turnover where requested, ERA-specific attachments (e.g., CV of key people where requested), gender equality plan self-declaration for public research organisations/higher education institutions from Member States/Associated Countries.

Key applicant requirements and recommended strategy

Mandatory requirements:coordinator must be established in a Widening country; project must include at least two R&I ecosystems from two different Widening countries, each ecosystem must show the four actor categories; R&I component must be presented in a distinct work package; R&I component should include a long-term vision beyond the state-of-the-art but not be the dominant activity in budget share; proposals must present investment plans and outline how they will leverage private and other public funding; proposals should detail plans for pilots/demonstrators where applicable and show how later-stage financing will be accessed (pilots must be financed by sources other than the Excellence Hub EU grant).

• Demonstrate institutional and regional buy-in (letters of support, public authorities’ commitments).
• Provide clear evidence of the quadruple-helix composition of each R&I ecosystem represented in the proposal.
• Quantify expected impacts with measurable indicators (e.g., increased R&I intensity, new partnerships, investments leveraged, jobs, patents, start-ups created, participation in Horizon Europe projects).
• Describe investment plans with business models and leverage pathways for national, regional, European and private funds.
• Plan a realistic timeline and governance structure for strategy implementation and institutional reforms over a 3–5 year horizon.

Success factors and common pitfalls

Success factors:strong, well-justified cross-border collaboration among Widening country ecosystems; clear demonstration of quadruple-helix engagement; a realistic and phased R&I strategy aligned with RIS3 and European priorities; a distinct but balanced R&I work package with credible scientific ambition and market potential; robust investment plans with credible leverage of national/regional/private funds; capacity-building measures and institutional reform pathways; measurable indicators and a plan for monitoring and evaluation; demonstrated ability to scale and sustain the Hub beyond the grant period.

Common pitfalls to avoid:submitting R&I research as the dominant activity without balanced strategy and investment plan; inadequate demonstration of the required four actor categories in each Widening ecosystem; failure to provide evidence of business partners’ turnover when required; weak or vague plans to secure the 30% co-funding share; overlap with existing EU initiatives without clear synergies; insufficient description of dissemination/exploitation and sustainability beyond EU funding.

Success rate, co-funding and evaluation stages

Application stages:single-stage competitive evaluation. Number of evaluation stages applicants face: 1 (single-stage evaluation by independent experts and panel review), followed by grant preparation for successful proposals. Co-funding requirement: yes — beneficiaries must explain how they will secure the non-funded portion (approximately 30% of eligible costs) and how it will be shared. Financial support to third parties: permitted only as grants to SMEs and start-ups, capped at €60 000 per third party and subject to strict open-call rules and transparency. Success rates: variable and dependent on the number and quality of submitted proposals; the Work Programme indicates an expectation of up to 30 grants for the overall Excellence Hubs action, but does not provide a per-call success percentage; applicants should plan for a competitive selection process.

Where to find official documents and further guidance

Mandatory reading before applying:the Excellence Hubs topic page on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, the Horizon Europe Programme Guide, the Horizon Europe General Annexes (Part 14), the HE CSA application form (Part A and Part B templates in the submission system), the Model Grant Agreement (HE MGA), the Online Manual, and support services such as National Contact Points (NCPs), Enterprise Europe Network and the IT Helpdesk. Applicants should consult the call-specific documentation on the topic page for any updates and topic Q&A.

1. 1Topic page and call documentation: Funding & Tenders Portal topic HORIZON-WIDERA Topic page ¹
2. 2Horizon Europe General Annexes (Part 14) for admissibility, eligibility, award criteria, financial rules and templates
3. 3HE CSA Application Form templates (Part A and Part B) available in the Submission System
4. 4HE Programme Guide, Online Manual, Model Grant Agreement and National Contact Points for local support

Short checklist for applicants

1. 1Ensure the coordinator is established in a Widening country and that at least two distinct Widening country R&I ecosystems are included.
2. 2Demonstrate the quadruple-helix composition for each Widening country ecosystem (academia, business, local/regional public authority, societal actors).
3. 3Prepare a distinct R&I work package with long-term vision (but do not make it the dominant project component) and present a clear strategy for joint R&I activities, pilots and demonstrators.
4. 4Develop comprehensive investment plans and business models detailing leverage of national/regional/EU/private funds and how the remaining 30% co-funding will be secured.
5. 5Provide evidence for business partners’ operational turnover where required (balance sheets/business reports in an EU official language).
6. 6Include a dissemination & exploitation plan, data management plan and gender/inclusiveness measures where applicable.
7. 7Respect the page limit (40 pages) and use the official HE CSA Part B template in the submission system.

What is this opportunity about and how to explain it?

Excellence Hubs is a Horizon Europe widening action to establish networks of regional innovation ecosystems anchored in Widening countries. The action funds consortia led by Widening-country entities to co-design and implement cross-border R&I strategies aligned with regional smart specialisation and European priorities, to catalyse joint research & innovation work, to prepare investment plans and business models that leverage national/regional/EU and private funds, and to deliver capacity building, knowledge transfer, visibility and engagement activities. The grant supports the systemic transformation of regional R&I ecosystems into durable, competitive, and inclusive innovation hubs that create new businesses and jobs, strengthen academia-business-society linkages and raise participation and leadership in European R&I. Projects must include a distinct R&I work package, but the emphasis is on ecosystem strategy, investment and sustainability, not on R&I research alone. The grant provides up to 70% of eligible costs; applicants must explain how they will finance the remaining 30% and demonstrate strong institutional and stakeholder commitment. The call is highly strategic and competitive — strong alignment with smart specialisation strategies, realistic investment leverage plans and concrete indicators of long-term impact will be decisive.

Footnotes

1. 1Budget overview and planned opening date (2026-09-02) and deadline (2027-03-04) published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal topic page Horizon Excellence Hubs Topic Page.

Key Facts at a Glance

What is the Opportunity About?

Excellence Hubs are networks of innovation ecosystems in Widening countries designed to foster a place-based innovation culture aligned with regional or national smart specialisation strategies (RIS3). The initiative aims to create better linkages between academia, business, government, and society (quadruple helix) to strengthen regional R&I ecosystems and drive new European strategic value chains ¹.

Core Outcomes:Projects must contribute to excellent sustainable regional R&I ecosystems, long-term joint R&I strategies, common investment plans for infrastructures, R&I pilot projects, new competencies for researchers, and new business opportunities for SMEs and start-ups in deep tech areas ².

Who Should Apply?

Participation as coordinators is limited to legal entities established in Widening countries. Proposals must involve at least two R&I ecosystems from two different Widening countries ³.

1. 1Each ecosystem must comprise four actor categories: academic institutions, business entities (established firms with turnover), public authorities (regional/local), and societal actors (civil society, media, citizens).
2. 2Business entities per ecosystem must be established for at least two consecutive years with proven operational turnover.
3. 3Entities from non-Widening countries may join if they demonstrate necessary added value for achieving expected impacts.
4. 4Legal entities from China are not eligible for Innovation Actions, but this is a Coordination and Support Action (CSA), so eligibility rules differ slightly; however, general Horizon Europe restrictions apply.

Required Activities & Scope

Proposals must include a well-balanced package covering:design of a cross-border joint R&I strategy aligned with RIS3; R&I collaboration strengthening academia-business linkages (with a distinct R&I work package, though not dominant); development of investment plans with business models; conceptual design for pilots/demonstrators; and complementary activities for knowledge transfer, skills development, and staff exchanges ⁴.

Synergies to Avoid:Consortia must avoid overlaps with European Innovation Ecosystems, EIC Pathfinder, EIT Community Hubs, JRC Partnerships for Regional Innovation, and the Widening Dissemination and Exploitation Facility ⁵.

Financial & Administrative Conditions

The funding rate is 70% of eligible costs; applicants must explain how the remaining 30% is secured. Financial support to third parties is allowed only for SMEs and start-ups, capped at €60,000 per third party. The application page limit is 40 pages ⁶.

Footnotes

1. 1Official Call Description: ec.europa.eu
2. 2Expected Outcomes Summary: errin.eu
3. 3Topic Conditions & Eligibility: Horizon Europe Work Programme 2025 General Annexes (Part 14)
4. 4Scope & Activities Requirements: Primary Opportunity URL
5. 5Synergy Avoidance Clause: Primary Opportunity URL
6. 6Funding Rate & Page Limits: Primary Opportunity URL & General Annexes