From lab to market: Strengthening the role of Technology Transfer Offices in bringing knowledge to the market

The grant opportunity under the Horizon Europe Programme is titled "From lab to market: Strengthening the role of Technology Transfer Offices in bringing knowledge to the market," with identifier HORIZON-EIE-2026-03-CONNECT-01. This call focuses on enhancing the commercialization of academic research by empowering Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs) across Europe to bridge the gap between scientific discoveries and their market applications.

Eligible applicants for this funding include universities, research and higher education institutions, and research technology organizations (RTOs). A consortium of at least three legal entities from different Member States or Associated Countries is mandatory, with at least one entity from a "widening country" to foster inclusive innovation. Innovation agencies and national or regional authorities are also encouraged to participate by offering support for intellectual asset management policies. Startups and SMEs should be consulted as stakeholders, although they are not direct beneficiaries.

The funding mechanism is a lump sum grant totaling 5 million EUR, with an expected contribution of around 1 million EUR per project. The call aims to fund approximately five projects, and the application process will follow a single-stage submission, opening on June 9, 2026, and closing on September 22, 2026.

The targeted sectors include education, research, innovation, and technology transfer, specifically focusing on improving collaboration between academia and industry, and developing startup-friendly practices for intellectual asset management and licensing. The intended outcomes of the projects include the commercialization of research results, reduction of transactional barriers, and the establishment of standardized frameworks for licensing and benefit-sharing models.

Successful projects will address key challenges such as the fragmented nature of TTOs across Europe and the high transaction costs associated with accessing academic research. The initiative aligns with the EU's broader goals to enhance competitiveness and reduce innovation disparities among regions.

There is no co-funding requirement, and the expected success rate for applications is anticipated to be below 10%, given the competitive nature of the initiative. The call is part of the Interconnected Innovation Ecosystems destination, which aims to strengthen innovation capacities across Europe and improve access to resources and collaboration opportunities.

This is a call for proposals under the Horizon Europe Programme, specifically focusing on Interconnected Innovation Ecosystems (2026.3). The topic is titled "From lab to market: Strengthening the role of Technology Transfer Offices in bringing knowledge to the market" with the call identifier HORIZON-EIE-2026-03-CONNECT-01. It falls under the category of HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA) and utilizes the HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] Model Grant Agreement.

The call adopts a single-stage submission process with a planned opening date of 09 June 2026 and a deadline of 22 September 2026 at 17:00:00 Brussels time. The total budget allocated for this topic is 5,000,000 EUR, with an indicative contribution of around 1,000,000 EUR per grant, aiming to fund approximately 5 projects.

The expected outcomes of successful projects include: Increased commercialization of academic research results, facilitated access for industry, startups, and scaleups to academic intellectual assets, strengthened collaboration between industry and academia, introduction of startup-friendly intellectual asset transfer/licensing policies, increased number of spinoffs, reduced transaction costs related to IPR negotiations, and optimized transfer/licensing processes.

The scope of the call emphasizes the role of academic knowledge-producing organizations (universities, research and higher education institutions, and RTOs) as innovation engines. It acknowledges that Europe's research valorization potential is underutilized due to challenges faced by industrial actors in accessing academic results with commercial potential, a complex landscape of TTOs, and a lack of incentives for academic researchers. The call references the Draghi report's recommendation for a more coordinated, commercialization-minded, and startup-friendly intellectual asset management approach.

Participating beneficiaries are expected to engage in activities such as: adopting startup-friendly intellectual asset management strategies, accelerating the commercialization of academic research results, reinforcing the adoption of best practices in intellectual asset management, improving support to researchers and students in commercializing research results, enhancing intellectual asset management practices through portfolio approaches, and facilitating collaboration between researchers, startups, and innovative companies.

Project participants should identify and share best practices in knowledge valorization, create a common set of tools for startup-friendly licensing/transfer adapted to national/regional contexts, develop a common incentives and benefit-sharing model, and test these tools and models through pilot cases. The outcomes should inform the development of a blueprint for licensing, royalty- and revenue-sharing, and equity participation for academic institutions and their inventors.

The participation of innovation agencies and/or national and regional authorities is encouraged, and beneficiaries should consult relevant stakeholders, particularly startups and SMEs. Leveraging relevant complementary programs such as the EIT Higher Education Initiative is also encouraged.

The call aligns with the destination "CONNECT - Interconnected Innovation Ecosystems (2026-27)," which aims to enhance innovation ecosystems across the EU through a holistic, collaborative, and inclusive approach. It seeks to address systemic challenges, strengthen links between resources, organizations, and investors, and improve framework conditions for startups and scaleups.

The destination offers a package of actions to increase the capacity to convert research results into innovative products and services, reinforce EU strategic autonomy, establish pan-European alliances of deep tech hubs, facilitate market expansion for deep tech startups, strengthen less-connected innovation ecosystems, increase public and private investments in innovative companies, establish stronger links between regions and countries with different innovation performances, and promote better alignment of innovation policies.

Proposals should set out a credible pathway to strengthening robust interconnected innovation ecosystems and creating a favorable environment to promote the scalability of businesses, including in the deep tech sector. Expected impacts include more competitive and efficient European innovation ecosystems, enhanced cross-border network connectivity, improved access to funding, enhanced knowledge and technology transfer, increased participation of less represented stakeholders, improved systemic conditions to tackle key EU strategic priorities, and increased coordination of innovation policy.

General conditions for admissibility, eligibility, financial and operational capacity, exclusion, evaluation, award, and legal/financial setup are outlined with references to relevant annexes and documents. The call requires the participation of at least three legal entities from different Member States or Associated Countries that are universities, research and higher education institutions, or RTOs, with at least one entity established in a "widening country." Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum.

Application form templates and evaluation form templates are available in the Submission System, along with guidance documents such as the HE Programme Guide, Model Grant Agreements, and call-specific instructions. Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027, EIC Work Programme 2026, ERC Work Programme 2026, HE Framework Programme 2021/695, and other relevant regulations and guidelines.

Partner search announcements are available, and the submission system is planned to open on the date stated on the topic header. Support resources include the Online Manual, Horizon Europe Programme Guide, Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, Research Enquiry Service, National Contact Points, Enterprise Europe Network, IT Helpdesk, European IPR Helpdesk, and Partner Search.

In summary, this funding opportunity aims to improve the commercialization of academic research within the EU by strengthening the role of Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs). It seeks to create a more streamlined and startup-friendly environment for transferring knowledge and intellectual property from universities and research institutions to industry, ultimately boosting innovation and competitiveness. The call encourages collaboration between academia, industry, and government, and emphasizes the importance of best practices, standardized tools, and fair incentives for researchers. The overall goal is to unlock Europe's underutilized research potential and drive economic growth through successful commercialization of innovative ideas.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types for this opportunity are universities, research and higher education institutions, and research technology organisations (RTOs). Innovation agencies and/or national and regional authorities are also encouraged to participate. Startups and SMEs should be consulted as relevant stakeholders.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Coordination and Support Action (HORIZON-CSA) with a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant (HORIZON-AG-LS) model grant agreement.

Consortium Requirement: A consortium is required. The action requires the participation, as beneficiaries, of at least three legal entities from at least three different Member States or Associated Countries. In addition, at least one legal entity shall be established in a widening country.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States, Associated Countries, and non-EU/non-Associated Countries that have made specific provisions for funding their participants in Horizon Europe projects. A key requirement is the inclusion of at least one legal entity from a widening country.

Target Sector: The target sectors are innovation, technology transfer, intellectual asset management, startups, and SMEs. The program aims to strengthen the links between academia and industry, fostering the commercialization of research results and the creation of spinoffs. Critical technology areas related to the EU’s economic security are of particular interest.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity is open to EU Member States, Associated Countries, and non-EU/non-Associated Countries that have specific provisions for funding their participants in Horizon Europe projects. The concept of "widening countries" is also mentioned, referring to countries listed under Article 2 of the Horizon Europe regulation.

Project Stage: The project stage is focused on development and implementation, specifically on adopting and testing startup-friendly intellectual asset management strategies, creating common tools for licensing/transfer, developing incentive models, and testing these models through pilot cases. The ultimate goal is to develop a blueprint for licensing, royalty- and revenue-sharing, and equity participation.

Funding Amount: The budget for the topic HORIZON-EIE-2026-03-CONNECT-01 is EUR 5,000,000. The indicative number of grants is 5, suggesting an average contribution of around EUR 1,000,000 per grant.

Application Type: The application type is a single-stage call.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant.

Application Stages: The application process is a single-stage process.

Success Rates: The indicative number of grants is 5, with a total budget of EUR 5,000,000. This suggests that the success rate will likely be below 10%, given the competitive nature of Horizon Europe calls.

Co-funding Requirement: The information provided does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required. However, applicants are encouraged to seek synergies with other EU, national, and/or regional innovation programs, including Cohesion Policy funds and the Recovery and Resilience Fund, which may imply a need for leveraging additional funding sources.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call, HORIZON-EIE-2026-03-CONNECT-01, aims to strengthen the role of Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs) in bringing knowledge from the lab to the market. It seeks to increase the commercialization of academic research results by fostering collaboration between academia and industry, introducing startup-friendly intellectual asset management policies, and reducing transaction costs related to IPR negotiations. The call encourages the participation of universities, research institutions, RTOs, innovation agencies, and national/regional authorities. Projects should focus on developing and testing tools and models for intellectual asset transfer and benefit-sharing, ultimately leading to a blueprint for licensing and equity participation. The funding is provided as a lump sum grant, and consortia must include at least three legal entities from different Member States or Associated Countries, with at least one entity from a widening country. The call is part of the Interconnected Innovation Ecosystems destination and aims to contribute to a more competitive and efficient European innovation ecosystem.