Forthcoming call: Excellence Hubs (HORIZON-WIDERA-2027-04)
Forthcoming call: Excellence Hubs (HORIZON-WIDERA-2027-04)
Planned opening date: 2 September 2026
Deadline: 4 March 2027 (17:00:00 Brussels time)
Funding: Budget-Based Action Grant (Actual costs)
Model: single-stage
Excellence Hubs allow innovation ecosystems in Widening countries and beyond, to team up and create better linkages between academia, business, government and society. This will foster a place-based innovation culture in Widening countries based on a strategic agenda aligned with regional or national smart specialisation strategies, and clearly identified expectations for economic and societal impacts.
Projects should contribute to the following outcomes:
- Excellent and sustainable regional R&I ecosystems in Widening countries and beyond in relevant domains of cutting-edge science and innovation;
- Long term joint R&I strategies underpinned by concrete action plans of European relevance;
- Common investment plans for R&I, including infrastructures, leveraging national, regional and European funds as well as private capital in a synergetic manner;
- R&I pilot projects alongside a joint strategy and in line with regional and national strategies, notably regional innovation strategies for smart specialisation (RIS3);
- New competencies and skills for researchers, entrepreneurs and professionals in R&I intensive domains;
- Strengthened linkages between science, businesses and society;
- New business opportunities for SMEs, university spin-offs and start-ups, especially in deep tech areas.
