The main aim of SEREN5 is to improve and professionalise the skills of the Cluster 3 (CL3) National Contact Points (NCPs) across Europe, simplifying applicants’ access to Horizon Europe (HE) calls and raising the average quality of submitted proposals. Starting from the assumption that the NCP role is crucial in order to raise the participation in HE in terms of both quality and quantity, SEREN5 overall concept is that the CL3 NCP community requires knowledge, skills, competences and a proven comprehensive suite of tools to convey a message in a multicultural and multi-disciplinary environment such the one that characterises Cluster 3 and to effectively support its broad based constituency. Therefore, the project is based on three pillars: (i) NCPs capacity building and competence development, (ii) development of targeted and high quality services (events and tools) for CL3 applicants and stakeholders , (iii) CL3 community building and general mainstreaming of CL3 NCPs in Horizon Europe.

WHO: The proposal involves 40 National Funding Authorities and/or Agencies under the Umbrella of Eureka and is coordinated by the Eureka Secretariat in Brussels. Founded in 1985, Eureka is a global network, with 48 Member States plus the European Commission. It includes nearly all countries of the European continent as well as international members like Israel, Turkey, Korea, Canada, Singapore, South Africa, Argentina and Chile. The Consortium also benefits from the fact that is has successfully run the Eurostars 1 and 2 programs. WHAT: The proposed European Partnership on Innovative SMEs will comprise two main instruments (Eurostars 3 and Innowwide) as well as measures to connect to existing EU programs, initiatives and other European partnerships. EUROSTARS 3 (E*3) is an instrument that supports the international cooperation of SMEs in the field of non-military collaborative innovation projects. An E*3 project consortium must be composed of at least 2 independent entities from at least two participating countries and must be led by an innovative SME. The E*3 instrument benefits from accompanying measures that strengthen SMEs’ ability to access foreign markets like the INNOWWIDE instrument, which has already been piloted with the support of some Eureka network members in recent years. WHY: The biggest challenges for innovative SMEs are the access to international cooperation and to enter international markets as well the ability to receive funding. E*3 through its coordination of national innovation programs will in addition support the further development of a European Research Area. HOW: The Eureka Secretariat will organize two joint transnational calls per year for E*3 and one call per year for Innowwide. National Innovation Agencies actively support the implementation of E*3 via national funding and support measures as well as services to applicants and promotion of the program.

COSMOS4HE proposal is the successor of COSMOS2020plus and previous projects of Space NCP network. The consortium consists of NCP organisations from 16 countries balancing geographical coverage as well as diversity in level of expertise. The overall aim of COSMOS4HE is to support the professionalisation of the services rendered by the National Contact Points in Cluster 4 thematic area of Space in Horizon Europe and provide additional services targeting Space clients and applicants at EU level and beyond. The activities are structured according to the proposal’s specific objectives: 1) to increase the quality and support harmonisation of Space NCPs services, 2) to lower the entry barriers for newcomer applicants, to attract new types of players and applicants from widening countries, as well as to raise the quality of submitted proposals, 3) to increase the visibility of the thematic area of Space to new types of players by organizing matchmaking activities and ensuring bilateral communication about the crosscutting issues throughout Horizon Europe for the benefit of the European R&I community. The consortium will closely cooperate with the two other Cluster 4 NCP networks in thematic areas Digital and Industry developing synergies. Collaboration will be also sought with other NCP networks, EEN and space stakeholders aiming at maximising outreach and impact. Special focus will be put on broadening participation.