Eligibility
Can I apply to Horizon Europe: Health Technology?
Horizon Europe: Health Technology is open to startups, SMEs, mid-caps or large companys in the EU or countries associated with Horizon Europe, applying in a consortium of at least 3 organisations from 3 countries, at TRL 2 to 8.
By country
- Can a company from an EU country apply?Yes
- Can a company from Poland (a Widening country) apply?Yes
- Can a company from the UK apply?Yes
- Can a company from Switzerland apply?Yes
- Can a company from Norway apply?Yes
- Can a company from Israel apply?Yes
- Can a company from Ukraine apply?Yes
- Can a company from Türkiye apply?Yes
- Can a company from Canada apply?Yes
- Can a company from Japan apply?Yes
- Can a company from South Korea apply?Yes
- Can a company from the United States apply?NoOrganisations in the United States can't apply: it is open to the EU or countries associated with Horizon Europe.
- Can a company from India apply?NoOrganisations in India can't apply: it is open to the EU or countries associated with Horizon Europe.
By organisation
- Can a founder without a company yet apply?Yes, ifRegister a company first: the applicant must be an incorporated SME.
- Can a startup apply?Yes
- Can an established SME apply?Yes
- Can a mid-cap company apply?Yes
- Can a large company apply?Yes
- Can a university apply?Yes
- Can a research organisation apply?Yes
- Can a company apply on its own, without partners?NoYou need a consortium of at least 3 organisations from 3 different countries.
By stage
- Can I apply with an idea or early research?Yes
- Can I apply with a proof of concept?Yes
- Can I apply with a prototype?Yes
- Can I apply with a pilot with real users?Yes
- Can I apply with a product on the market?NoToo far along: this funds work up to TRL 8.
The rules in full
- Where you must be based
- the EU or countries associated with Horizon Europe
Any partner in an EU or associated country can coordinate, including the UK, Switzerland, Norway and Israel.
- Who can apply
- a startup, an SME, a mid-cap, a large company, a university, a research organisation, a public body or a non-profit
Any legal entity can take part, from start-ups to universities. Individuals and teams without a company cannot apply.
- Who can join as a partner
- a startup, an SME, a mid-cap, a large company, a university, a research organisation, a public body or a non-profit
Partners from other countries can join as associated partners without EU money. Entities in the listed low and middle income countries are also funded.
- Alone or with partners
- Consortium of at least 3 organisations from 3 countries
At least 3 independent organisations, each in a different country: 1 in an EU Member State and 2 more in EU or associated countries. Affiliates of the same group do not count. Coordination and Support Actions can be a single organisation.
- Stage
- TRL 2 to 8
Set per topic. Most Health topics are Research and Innovation Actions (early research to clinical validation); only a few are Innovation Actions closer to market.
- What you get
- grants, up to €12M
Expected EU contribution per project in the 2026-2027 Health topics is mostly EUR 2M to 12M (median about EUR 7M). A few partnership topics go far higher. The amount is shared by the whole consortium; your share is a fraction of it.
- Funding rate
- Research and Innovation Actions: 100% of eligible costs. Innovation Actions: 70% for companies, 100% for non-profits. Coordination and Support Actions: 100%. Actual-cost grants add a 25% flat rate for overheads.
Conditions to check
- Your project must answer one specific open topic in the work programme. Good ideas outside a topic text are ineligible.
- Some topics change the rules: a few restrict participation to the EU and selected countries, and Innovation Actions in critical technology areas exclude entities controlled from China.
- Legal entities established in China cannot take part in Research and Innovation Actions or Innovation Actions in several Health destinations.
- Many Health topics also fund partners in the United States, citing the opening of US NIH programmes to European researchers. Check the topic's eligibility box.
- Two-stage topics: the short stage 1 proposal must score at least 4 out of 5 on Excellence and on Impact to be invited to stage 2.
Where applicants trip up
- Too few independent partners: three companies from one group, or partners from only two countries, fail the eligibility check.
- A private coordinator asking for EUR 500,000 or more gets a financial capacity check. A young company with thin accounts may be asked for guarantees or to hand coordination to a stronger partner.
- No clinical validation route or data access: topics expect hospitals, cohorts or trial capacity in the consortium, and a technology alone scores poorly.
Checked against these official sources on 18 October 2026. Each call can add its own conditions, so confirm in the call document before you apply.
