Vulcanus in Japan 2027-2028 - A training programme for students in engineering and other scientific fields

The project running this call: EUJCIC 2026-2028

EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation - Activities 2026-2028

The EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation (EUJCIC), a long-standing joint venture between the European Commission (DG GROW) and Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), implements activities to support the competitiveness of European companies, especially SMEs, in the Japanese market and to deepen EU–Japan industrial cooperation. The Centre’s activities align with key bilateral frameworks (including the EPA, SPA, Green Alliance, Digital Partnership, and the Competitiveness Alliance) and with the EU’s evolving industrial and economic security priorities, notably the 2025 Competitiveness Compass focused on innovation, decarbonisation, and resilience. Against the backdrop of Japan’s major market potential and its strategic role in diversifying and de-risking supply chains, the Centre will pursue two core objectives: (i) facilitating EU–Japan business partnerships…

Official project record ↗

Who runs it: the consortium

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

• Eu-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation · JapanCoordinator

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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