SME Call 2026

Top Sector Life Sciences & Health (LSH) invites SMEs and research organizations to participate in the SME Call 2026. This call encourages public-private partnerships (PPPs) focused on innovative industrial research within the LSH sector.

Why participate in the SME Call?

SMEs play a key role in strengthening innovation and accelerating the application of research results in practice. The SME Call enables SMEs to attract or retain an R&D employee (subject to conditions).This allows them to strengthen their development capacity and innovative strength.

For whom is this call intended?

The SME Call focuses on projects for innovative industrial research in which an SME party acts as lead applicant. Together with research organizations, they work on a concrete innovation issue that leads to a new or improved product, service or process. The project has a maximum duration of 2 years.

How much grant can the consortium apply for?

• SMEs: a total maximum of €150,000 PPP grant per project year
• Research organizations: total maximum PPP grant of €150,000 per project
• Available budget: approximately €12 million for this round, of which €8 million is specifically for SME parties

Important: Co-financing by both parties is mandatory and must comply with the PPP scheme.

Deadline: December 1, 2025