Horizon Europe, the EUs leading research and innovation program for 2021-2027, is a major driver of economic and societal benefits. For every euro of costs to EU society, the program is expected to generate up to six euros in benefits for EU citizens by 2045. Economically, each euro of EU contribution is estimated to yield up to €11 in GDP gains by 2045, according to a Commission evaluation released today.
With a total budget of €93.5 billion, Horizon Europe is at the core of European competitiveness and innovation strength. Todays evaluation highlights the following conclusions:
- Impact: By January 2025, halfway through, the program funded over 15,000 projects with a combined budget of more than €43 billion. Initiatives like fuel cell electric buses in European cities, new antibiotics, and accessible AI technologies for the scientific community demonstrate Horizon Europes tangible impact.
- Scientific Excellence: 80% of projects funded by the European Research Council have led to scientific breakthroughs or major advances. Since their inception in 1984, EU research and innovation programs have supported 35 Nobel Prize winners.
- Innovation: Every euro invested in innovative companies through the European Innovation Council (EIC) Fund has attracted over three euros from private investors. This indicates that the EIC - a novelty under Horizon Europe - is a game-changer in EU support for startups and scale-ups.
- Participation: Efforts to close the research and innovation gap among EU Member States are yielding positive results. The share of collaborative projects involving Widening countries (those with lower research and innovation performance) has risen to 58%. This is a significant increase from 47% under the previous Horizon 2020 program.
- Simplification: Lump sum grants - a fixed amount to cover the entire project - are estimated to reduce beneficiaries administrative costs by 14% to 30% over a projects lifetime, saving up to €63 million across all lump sum projects signed so far. These grants eliminate financial reporting requirements, making them particularly attractive to small-and-medium-sized enterprises and newcomers.
Next Steps
The Commission will use insights from this interim evaluation to enhance the impact of its policies and programs. Upcoming Horizon Europe Work Programmes will incorporate immediate measures to simplify the application process and project implementation. Targeted investments will further support researchers and entrepreneurs, ensuring the EU continues to attract, nurture, and retain talent. Improved collaboration will bring stakeholders closer together, helping to translate knowledge and results to market.
A further aim is to reduce barriers for launching and scaling up of innovative companies, through initiatives like the upcoming Start-up and Scale-up Strategy, the European Innovation Act, and the remaining Work Programmes of the EIC.
Background
The interim evaluation draws on a broad evidence base, including extensive quantitative and qualitative analysis. It is based on an open public consultation with nearly 1,700 replies, over 1,000 interviews with project beneficiaries, Commission and national representatives and implementing bodies, as well as surveys of both successful and unsuccessful applicants.
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