What is cascade funding?

Cascade funding (also called financial support to third parties) is money the European Commission gives to an EU-funded project, which the project then passes on to startups, SMEs, researchers or other organisations through its own open calls. You apply to the project, not to the Commission, and the project's own call rules apply.

Each call sets its own eligibility in its call document: usually organisations established in an EU member state or a Horizon Europe associated country, often startups and SMEs. Check the call's eligibility section and the official guide before you apply.

Do I need a consortium?

Most cascade calls accept single applicants, which makes them one of the easiest ways into EU funding. Some calls ask for small teams; the call document says which.

How large are the grants?

Typically tens of thousands of euros per applicant and rarely more than €200,000, because the EU rules for financial support to third parties keep amounts per recipient modest. The exact maximum is in each call.

Can I combine it with other EU funding?

Yes, as long as the same costs are not funded twice. Many startups use a cascade grant to build evidence before applying to larger programmes such as the EIC Accelerator.

Innovation Validation Call 2027 (EU cascade funding)

On this page · 7 sections→

01The project
02Consortium
03Similar calls
04Cascade funding FAQ
05Call scope
06Eligibility & conditions
07Official source

The project running this call: EIT Health 26-28

EIT Health Business Plan 2026-2028

EIT Health is one of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology’s (EIT) Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs), dedicated to transforming healthcare for the benefit of citizens and patients across Europe. Our mission is to improve health outcomes, strengthen healthcare systems, and contribute to Europe’s competitiveness and sustainability by bringing together key actors from business, research, education, and healthcare delivery. As Europe faces an ageing population, rising chronic disease, workforce shortages, and pressure on healthcare budgets, the need for innovation has never been greater. With more than 100 members, EIT Health responds by accelerating solutions that deliver tangible impact: scaling breakthrough technologies, fostering entrepreneurial talent, and shaping health policy through evidence and collaboration. This Business Plan builds on the transformation…

EU contribution

€67.3M

Total cost

€67.3M

Runs

1 Jan 2026 to 31 Dec 2028

Programme

Horizon Europe

Official project record ↗

Who runs it: the consortium

1 organisation in the project. The coordinator usually manages the open call and its evaluation.

EIT Health eV · GermanyCoordinator

Similar open calls from EU projects

Other cascade calls on related topics that you can apply to now.

Cascade funding: what to know before you apply

What is cascade funding?: Cascade funding (also called financial support to third parties) is money the European Commission gives to an EU-funded project, which the project then passes on to startups, SMEs, researchers or other organisations through its own open calls. You apply to the project, not to the Commission, and the project's own call rules apply.
Who can apply?: Each call sets its own eligibility in its call document: usually organisations established in an EU member state or a Horizon Europe associated country, often startups and SMEs. Check the call's eligibility section and the official guide before you apply.
Do I need a consortium?: Most cascade calls accept single applicants, which makes them one of the easiest ways into EU funding. Some calls ask for small teams; the call document says which.
How large are the grants?: Typically tens of thousands of euros per applicant and rarely more than €200,000, because the EU rules for financial support to third parties keep amounts per recipient modest. The exact maximum is in each call.
Can I combine it with other EU funding?: Yes, as long as the same costs are not funded twice. Many startups use a cascade grant to build evidence before applying to larger programmes such as the EIC Accelerator.

Cascade funding in the glossary · All open cascade calls

What this call funds

Step 1: register your organisation in the EU Funding & tender opportunities portal to obtain the nine-digit Participant Identification Code (PIC number). If you do not know if your organisation already has a PIC number, you can verify directly on the EU Portal whether your organisation is already registered.

Step 2: apply to the call via EIT Health’s application platform EIT Health Application Platform

Eligibility & conditions+

The selection process is a single-stage submission

1. Admissibility and Eligibility Check

2. Remote Evaluation: external independent experts will evaluate each application. Up to 15 shortlisted who score at least 70 / 100 will be invited to the online pitches.

3. Online Pitching: Teams are invited to pitch at an online session to a panel of five experts.

4. Ethical Legal Social Issues Review: Independent experts will evaluate each project on the Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues (ELSI).

Official source

Confirm the current call documents and submission conditions with the funding authority.

View on EU portal ↗

Source: EU Funding & Tenders Portal · synced 2026-11-09

On this page · 7 sections→

01The project
02Consortium
03Similar calls
04Cascade funding FAQ
05Call scope
06Eligibility & conditions
07Official source

The project running this call: EIT Health 26-28

EIT Health Business Plan 2026-2028

EU contribution

€67.3M

Total cost

€67.3M

Runs

1 Jan 2026 to 31 Dec 2028

Programme

Horizon Europe

Official project record ↗

Who runs it: the consortium

1 organisation in the project. The coordinator usually manages the open call and its evaluation.

EIT Health eV · GermanyCoordinator

Similar open calls from EU projects

Other cascade calls on related topics that you can apply to now.

Cascade funding: what to know before you apply

What is cascade funding?: Cascade funding (also called financial support to third parties) is money the European Commission gives to an EU-funded project, which the project then passes on to startups, SMEs, researchers or other organisations through its own open calls. You apply to the project, not to the Commission, and the project's own call rules apply.
Who can apply?: Each call sets its own eligibility in its call document: usually organisations established in an EU member state or a Horizon Europe associated country, often startups and SMEs. Check the call's eligibility section and the official guide before you apply.
Do I need a consortium?: Most cascade calls accept single applicants, which makes them one of the easiest ways into EU funding. Some calls ask for small teams; the call document says which.
How large are the grants?: Typically tens of thousands of euros per applicant and rarely more than €200,000, because the EU rules for financial support to third parties keep amounts per recipient modest. The exact maximum is in each call.
Can I combine it with other EU funding?: Yes, as long as the same costs are not funded twice. Many startups use a cascade grant to build evidence before applying to larger programmes such as the EIC Accelerator.

Cascade funding in the glossary · All open cascade calls

What this call funds

Step 2: apply to the call via EIT Health’s application platform EIT Health Application Platform

Eligibility & conditions+

The selection process is a single-stage submission

1. Admissibility and Eligibility Check

2. Remote Evaluation: external independent experts will evaluate each application. Up to 15 shortlisted who score at least 70 / 100 will be invited to the online pitches.

3. Online Pitching: Teams are invited to pitch at an online session to a panel of five experts.

4. Ethical Legal Social Issues Review: Independent experts will evaluate each project on the Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues (ELSI).

Official source

Confirm the current call documents and submission conditions with the funding authority.

View on EU portal ↗

Source: EU Funding & Tenders Portal · synced 2026-11-09

Innovation Validation Call 2027

The project running this call: EIT Health 26-28

Who runs it: the consortium

Similar open calls from EU projects

Cascade funding: what to know before you apply

What this call funds

Official source

Track this call and plan your application.

Innovation Validation Call 2027

The project running this call: EIT Health 26-28

Who runs it: the consortium

Similar open calls from EU projects

Cascade funding: what to know before you apply

What this call funds

Official source

Track this call and plan your application.