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Tag: Research and innovation

Horizon Europe 2027 – European Startup and Scaleup Hubs Pilot

Written on . Posted in Upcoming Opportunities.

Category: Horizon Europe / Innovation ecosystems / Startups
EU Programme: Horizon Europe – European Innovation Ecosystems
Deadline: 05.01.2027

Eligible Western Balkan Partners: Albania; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Kosovo; Montenegro; North Macedonia; Serbia

Main Topics: Startups; scaleups; innovation hubs; ecosystem connectivity

Short description: 
The pilot supports stronger and better-connected European startup and scaleup hubs, helping innovation ecosystems cooperate across borders and improve conditions for high-growth companies to access networks, services, investment and markets.

Why relevant for Western Balkans?
All six Western Balkan partners are associated to Horizon Europe. The call is relevant to innovation agencies, startup and scaleup hubs, public authorities and ecosystem organisations seeking deeper integration into European innovation networks.

Horizon Europe 2027 – Valorising Project Results via Innovation Ecosystems

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Category: Research & innovation / Innovation ecosystems
EU Programme: Horizon Europe – Bridging Actions
Deadline: 16.02.2027

Eligible Western Balkan Partners: Albania; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Kosovo; Montenegro; North Macedonia; Serbia

Main Topics: Innovation ecosystems; exploitation of research results; market uptake; collaboration

Short description: 
The Bridging Actions 2027 call HORIZON-BRIDGING-2027-06-02 supports the valorisation of Horizon Europe project results through innovation ecosystems, helping promising research and innovation outcomes connect with actors able to scale, deploy and exploit them.

Why relevant for Western Balkans?
Western Balkan organisations associated to Horizon Europe can participate subject to the call conditions. It is relevant to research organisations, universities, innovation agencies, businesses and ecosystem actors seeking to turn Horizon Europe results into wider economic and societal impact.

Creative Europe MEDIA 2027 – European Video Games and Immersive Content

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Category: Creative Europe MEDIA / Digital / Audiovisual
EU Programme: Creative Europe – MEDIA strand
Deadline: 2.02.2027

Eligible Western Balkan Partners: Albania; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Montenegro; North Macedonia; Serbia

Main Topics: Video games; XR; immersive content; creative industries; digital innovation

Short description: 
This Creative Europe MEDIA call supports European video game producers, XR studios and audiovisual production companies developing video games and interactive immersive experiences with strong potential to reach European and international audiences.

Why relevant for Western Balkans?
All six Western Balkan partners are associated to Horizon Europe and can participate subject to topic conditions. Relevant to SMEs, research organisations, public buyers and security-sector stakeholders.

Horizon Europe Cluster 3 – SSRI

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Category: Research & innovation / Border management
EU Programme: Horizon Europe – Cluster 3: Civil Security for Society
Deadline: 5.11.2026

Eligible Western Balkan Partners: Albania; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Kosovo; Montenegro; North Macedonia; Serbia

Main Topics: Security innovation; SMEs; pre-commercial procurement; market uptake

Short description: 
The 2026 SSRI call supports cross-cutting security research and innovation, with three topics covering SME innovation, preparation for future pre-commercial procurement of security technologies, and demand-led innovation in security. Indicative budget: EUR 13.83 million.

Why relevant for Western Balkans?
All six Western Balkan partners are associated to Horizon Europe and can participate subject to topic conditions. Relevant to SMEs, research organisations, public buyers and security-sector stakeholders.

Horizon Europe Cluster 3 – Effective Management of EU External Borders

Written on . Posted in Upcoming Opportunities.

Category: Research & innovation / Border management
EU Programme: Horizon Europe – Cluster 3: Civil Security for Society
Deadline: 5.11.2026

Eligible Western Balkan Partners: Albania; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Kosovo; Montenegro; North Macedonia; Serbia

Main Topics: Border management; security; travel; monitoring; age assessment

Short description: 
The 2026 call supports research and innovation in smarter border monitoring, easier and more accessible travel, and reliable age checks for border security. Indicative budget: EUR 21.33 million.

Why relevant for Western Balkans?
Relevant to Western Balkan research organisations, technology providers, public authorities and border-management stakeholders. All six Western Balkan partners are Horizon Europe associated countries, subject to topic restrictions.

Horizon Europe – Excellence Hubs 2026

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Category: Research & innovation ecosystem grant
EU Programme: Horizon Europe – Widening Participation and Spreading Excellence
Deadline: 04.03.2027

Eligible Western Balkan Partners: Albania; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Kosovo; Montenegro; North Macedonia; Serbia

Main Topics: Innovation ecosystems; research; regional development; academia-business-government-civil society cooperation

Short description: 
The Horizon Europe Excellence Hubs call supports regional innovation ecosystems in Widening partners by building stronger links between academia, businesses, governments and civil society. The 2026 call has an indicative budget of EUR 100 million and remains open until 4 March 2027.

Why relevant for Western Balkans?
A particularly useful long-deadline opportunity for Western Balkan research and innovation ecosystems. It gives institutions substantial preparation time and supports cross-sector partnerships rather than a narrow research topic.

Horizon Europe Cluster 6 – European Partnership of Agriculture of Data

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Category: Research & innovation grant / Agriculture & data
EU Programme: Horizon Europe – Cluster 6
Deadline: 26.11.2026

Eligible Western Balkan Partners: Albania; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Kosovo; Montenegro; North Macedonia; Serbia

Main Topics: Agriculture; data; digitalisation; research; environmental governance

Short description: 
This Horizon Europe Cluster 6 call supports additional activities for the European Partnership of Agriculture of Data. It sits within the Green Deal-oriented Cluster 6 programme and has an indicative budget of EUR 23 million, with proposals due on 26 November 2026.

Why relevant for Western Balkans?
Useful for Western Balkan research and innovation organisations working at the intersection of agriculture, data and digital transformation.

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions – Doctoral Networks 2026

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Category: Research & Innovation / Doctoral Training
EU Programme: European Commission / Horizon Europe – MSCA
Deadline: 24.11.2026

Eligible Western Balkan Partners: Albania; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Kosovo; Montenegro; North Macedonia; Serbia

Main Topics: Research; doctoral education; international cooperation; skills; innovation

Short description: Research; doctoral education; international cooperation; skills; innovation

Why relevant for Western Balkans?
The 2026 MSCA Doctoral Networks call supports international partnerships that develop innovative doctoral programmes and train doctoral candidates across all scientific fields. Consortia can bring together universities, research institutions, businesses, SMEs, public-sector organisations and other socio-economic actors.

COST Open Call 2026 – Propose a New COST Action

Written on . Posted in Upcoming Opportunities.

Category: Research networking / Open Call
EU Programme: COST Association / Horizon Europe
Deadline: 28.10.2026

Eligible Western Balkan Partners: Albania; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Kosovo; Montenegro; North Macedonia; Serbia

Main Topic: Research; innovation; scientific networking; interdisciplinary cooperation

Short description: The 2026 COST Open Call invites researchers and innovators to propose new interdisciplinary COST Actions. COST Actions fund pan-European research networking rather than research itself, supporting meetings, training schools, short-term scientific missions and other collaboration activities. Up to 80 new Actions are expected to be funded.

Why relevant for Western Balkans?
Particularly relevant for the region: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia are COST Full Members, while Kosovo participates as a Near Neighbour Country; COST specifically highlights all six Western Balkan research communities as beneficiaries.