Blog

Unlocking New Horizons: The Impact of Horizon Europe’s Expansion

Unlocking New Horizons: The Impact of Horizon Europe’s Expansion

By: Adi Barel and Adina Beer

Share

The recent expansion and geographical growth of Horizon Europe’s international cooperation marks a significant shift in the EU’s approach to research and innovation collaboration, and opens up exciting possibilities for the EIT Global Outreach. 

Everyone is talking about the new countries associating to Horizon Europe. What does it actually mean? Why does it matter? And most importantly, how can you tap into new opportunities? 

  

What is Horizon Europe in a nutshell? 

Horizon Europe is the EU’s flagship research and innovation funding programme, fostering scientific excellence, innovation, and collaboration to tackle global challenges. It aims to strengthen Europe’s scientific leadership, address issues like climate change and health, and boost industrial competitiveness. The programme offers funding for a variety of activities, including research, innovation, and technology transfer, supporting stakeholders across Europe and beyond. Through collaborative projects, grants, and partnerships, Horizon Europe aims to deliver tangible societal impact and drive economic growth. 

 

Expansion of Horizon Europe Associated Countries 

Traditionally, Horizon Europe association was limited to countries in close geographic proximity to the European Union (“neighbours”). However, Horizon Europe has introduced a groundbreaking change, offering the opportunity for association to countries with robust science, innovation, and technology profiles, regardless of their geographic location, as long as they share a common understanding of fundamental principles and values in research and innovation

A recent notable association was the inclusion of the United Kingdom, which led to the launch of our new global outreach hub @EIT Hub UK. Horizon Europe since expanded its reach to include Canada, New Zealand, and most recently, the Republic of Korea.  

 

What does it mean to be a Horizon Europe associated country? 

Legal entities based in Horizon Europe associated countries can participate in Horizon Europe funding opportunities in the same manner as those from EU Member States, unless specific limitations or conditions are laid down. There are now a total of 20 countries associated to Horizon Europe, offering a wealth of opportunities for collaboration and partnership within the Horizon Europe framework, with benefits to both EU based organisations that can now expand their network and impact, and the associated countries that can access new opportunities. 

 

What is the added value of having new and diverse countries associated to Horizon Europe?   

  1. Global Connections: For EU based organisations, the addition of the UK, New Zealand, Canada and Korea broadens the innovation network, fostering more opportunities for cross border collaboration and knowledge exchange, and providing new avenues to reach an even wider span of potential partners in research and innovation endeavours. For organisations in the associated countries, this development enables them to tap into new opportunities, funding and physical resources that were not previously available to them. This will essentially increase the number of collaborative research projects and drive innovation forward on a global scale. 
  2. Diverse Perspectives: The new inclusion of the UK, New Zealand, Canada and Korea in Horizon Europe related projects injects fresh perspectives into discussions and consortiums, fuelling a global approach and encouraging global solutions to challenges that affect us on a global scale. 
  3. New Horizons: The expansion of Horizon Europe enables researchers, ecosystem managers, innovators and other stakeholders to connect with international partners from new geographical regions, and amplify their impact on a global scale. This is already evident in the EIT Global Outreach’s activities, with its new hub in the UK and its Calling2Scale scalerator that connects between Europe and the Canadian innovation ecosystem.

 

5 winning tips – How can you tap into horizon Europe opportunities? 

  1. Understand the Association Process: If your organisation is based in a newly associated country, familiarize yourself with the requirements and procedures for countries associated with Horizon Europe. Stay updated on the latest guidelines and criteria set by the European Commission for potential associate countries through your local government. This knowledge will help you navigate the application process and ensure compliance with the necessary regulations. If you are an EU based organisation that wants to partner with an organisation in a newly associated country, reach out to your National Contact Point for Horizon Europe to understand the guidelines in place for that specific country. 
  1. Build Strong Partnerships: Building trusting multi-lateral relationships is key to success in Horizon Europe initiatives. Organisations both in the EU and outside of it should leverage the expanded network of Horizon Europe to forge strategic partnerships with organisations and institutions. This is an opportunity to collaborate on joint research projects, exchange best practices, and share resources to maximize the impact of your initiatives. Cultivate relationships with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds and expertise areas to promote innovation and drive positive change on a global scale. 
  1. Connect with Ecosystem Players: Engage with ecosystem players that connect different geographical locations. Explore opportunities like the EIT Global Outreach ‘Bridging the Horizon’ virtual matchmaking series and Connect & Experience programmes. These initiatives, amongst others, provide excellent opportunities to connect with relevant stakeholders and explore potential collaborations, building your future partnerships. 
  1. Stay Engaged and Informed: Remain actively involved in Horizon Europe-related activities, initiatives, and read up on open calls to stay on top of emerging opportunities and developments. Attend workshops, webinars, and networking events organized by Horizon Europe and its contact points in associate countries. These events offer valuable insights into funding opportunities, collaborative projects, and policy changes. By staying informed, you can align your initiatives with the broader objectives of Horizon Europe and maximize your chances of success. 
  1. Utilize Networking Platforms: Leverage networking platforms to expand your reach and connect with relevant stakeholders. Follow LinkedIn accounts such as Horizon Europe, InnovateUK, ISERD, and the EU Commissioner for R&I to stay updated on the latest news, events, and opportunities. Engage in discussions, share insights, and build connections with professionals in your field. Networking platforms provide a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas, explore potential collaborations, and stay connected with the Horizon Europe community. 

Make sure to follow EIT Global Outreach for more updates and opportunities to tap into. 

Helpful links: 

EU press release on association of Republic of Korea to Horizon Europe 

EU press release on association of Canada to Horizon Europe 

Horizon Europe website 

Horizon Europe Linkedin 

Government of Canada on Horizon Europe 

InnovateUK 

ISERD

Navigating Global Teams in Today’s Dynamic Work Space

Here at EIT Global Outreach we have the privilege to work with team members literally from across the globe on daily basis, and we are here to share with you the main challenges that we have identified, and the basic do’s and don’ts to turn global teams into a strategic advantage and propel you to international success.

By: Adina Beer

Open Innovation: Fueling the Automotive Industry’s Transformation 🚗

The automotive industry has undergone profound transformations driven by the global imperative to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate climate change. This ongoing revolution has given rise to new challenges, prompting automotive and mobility companies to develop innovative solutions that will drive future growth.

By: Batya Mor, Talya Ohana, Maayan Sharon and Peter Edelstein

2023-24 Innovation Trends & Forecasts

May 2022, Y Combinator Advises Founders to ‘Plan for the Worst’. The leading worldwide startup accelerator recently provided founders with valuable guidance to navigate unprecedented trends in order to ensure the survival of their companies.

By: Maayan Sharon

You may also be interested:

Navigating Global Teams in Today’s Dynamic Work Space

Here at EIT Global Outreach we have the privilege to work with team members literally from across the globe on daily basis, and we are here to share with you the main challenges that we have identified, and the basic do’s and don’ts to turn global teams into a strategic advantage and propel you to international success.

By: Adina Beer

Open Innovation: Fueling the Automotive Industry’s Transformation 🚗

The automotive industry has undergone profound transformations driven by the global imperative to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate climate change. This ongoing revolution has given rise to new challenges, prompting automotive and mobility companies to develop innovative solutions that will drive future growth.

By: Batya Mor, Talya Ohana, Maayan Sharon and Peter Edelstein

2023-24 Innovation Trends & Forecasts

May 2022, Y Combinator Advises Founders to ‘Plan for the Worst’. The leading worldwide startup accelerator recently provided founders with valuable guidance to navigate unprecedented trends in order to ensure the survival of their companies.

By: Maayan Sharon

Shedding Light on an Often-Overlooked Aspect of the Global Economy: Ports⚓️

Ports must embrace the opportunities offered by technological advancements in order to enhance their operations and contribute to greater economic growth in today’s rapidly changing world. 

By: Batya Mor, Talya Ohana, Maayan Sharon and Shaked Helft

Global Connections as Rocket Fuel for Ecosystems

Innovation ecosystems are a great thing, we all know that. Being an active and connected part of your local ecosystems brings many opportunities, collaborations, investments, and clients.

search

Full access to the community network

Connect & Experience offers more than training. The C&E community network is an active EU online and offline community offering easy access to opportunities, curated content, matchmaking, soft landing services, and support. The community provides a space for community builders from Europe and Horizon Europe associated countries to interact, share best practices, and collaborate to enhance your startup community.

SHOW MORE
To read the full report and receive a link to download it, please enter your email.
 
*For the best experience, we highly recommend reading the report on your desktop and not your mobile.

Access to Healthcare

The Health not The Death is a fundamental human right. A healthy population is not to be seen as human and social capital, an input, or by-product, towards economic growth. Alongside a healthy and sustainable environment, a solidarity, a healthy population must be the ultimate goal especially nowadays in helping Ukrainian migrants with cancer and their families.

Solidarity in health is a cornerstone of EU health policy. There are wide disparities in many health outcomes across the region and those outcomes. The access rules dramatically affect healthcare systems which are at the forefront of the migrant way, the people who are searching for help and the way how we could enhance and support their healthier and wellbeing status.

In order to ensure their access to care and continued cure in need, the probability of receiving a timely diagnosis and of surviving differs greatly from country to country where they are now. There is lack of information, help and inequalities in access. People need help in navigating cancer knowledge, diagnostics, secondary monitoring and prevention, way of treatments, and care.

Shifting our mindset, supporting healthcare connectivity, removing inequalities overall across Europe is our mission and even more now in a time of crisis, helping the Ukrainian people dealing with cancer is a good place to begin this transformative revolution.

1) Whether we have a chance to foster more holistic and integrated approaches to receive information and care, by supporting coordination and maximising an enabling and health-enhancing effect of care across services from different countries?

2) Whether actions should address the social determinants of health, the countries where they are now, the health need which they have, the social and language barriers are the conditions which have to be taken into consideration in a coordinated manner?

How might we improve patients and /or people who seek healthcare support, access to healthcare services at an EU & the Member States Healthcare systems level? Especially in a time of crisis in Europe.

How might we support refugees fleeing from their countries by navigating them to medical centres to receive best available care?  

SHOW MORE

Predictive Treatment

Precision medicine aims to personalise care for every individual. Nongenomic and genomic determinants, combined with information from patient symptoms, clinical history, and lifestyle (nutrition, physical activity, stress etc.), can facilitate personalised diagnosis and prognostics. Yet this goal requires access to massive amounts of data which may come from different structured and unstructured sources; these can be our medical records, laboratory testing, a range of medical devices as well as from the patient himself. AI & ML can combine input from these multiple sources, analyse them and identify biomarkers that can support health professionals make more informed decisions. The convergence of precision medicine with the advanced AI capabilities will improve the ability to personalise care – improve diagnosis, risk prediction as well as therapy planning.  

HCPs want to better predict treatment response, given uncertainty around which treatment to prescribe to which patient and when to prescribe. How do we risk assess the patients, match them with the right treatment (personalised). How can we transform the wealth of data and link it to the predictive nature of how the patient will respond?

SHOW MORE

Patient Journey Navigation

Being diagnosed with cancer is overwhelming and comes as a blow. Patients may feel on a roller coaster of emotions—they are scared, lost & confused not knowing what to expect, who to refer to, what to do and how to tell their loved ones.  They directly refer to “Dr. Google” to look for information about their disease, possible treatments, QoL strategies with the aim to have better understanding of their disease and learn how to better cope with their disease & treatment, yet information is not always valid, accessible, nor personalised or tailored to the patient’s status and needs therefore left with huge amounts of non-relevant information. Coming to the doctor, the physician’s time is limited and mostly focusing on the physical aspects of the disease & treatment, not leaving much time to ask questions nor discuss more holistic aspects of the disease such as emotional, psychological, social aspects. The patient (& caregiver in many cases) leaves the room with unanswered questions, doesn’t remember much of what has been said, and feels he is not heard, nor seen as a whole.

The need for navigating this journey along the emotional psychological stress is overwhelming & patients and their caregivers look for support (case manager/companion/partner) to help manage their disease holistically – starting from having clarity around their disease and treatment by having access to reliable and personalised information during their journey as well as having an integrated holistic care system , supporting them and their loved ones to navigate through the different aspects of their disease – medical, emotional, logistical, psychological, social, rights.

How can we support patients to navigate through the complexity of their disease and treatment ensuring they have validated holistic information about their disease journey & treatment and be empowered to  effectively manage their care 

SHOW MORE

Peer-to-Peer Medical Exchange

As medical events pivoted from conference centres and meeting rooms to the virtual settings, learning opportunities continue. Lectures and presentations are translated to the new digital world, yet the ability to connect and network is relatively lost. Peer interaction is essential not only for information exchange but to share practical insights, allows consultation & in-person experience cross country and across borders leading to better disease management.

This peer-based learning/ consultation is highly valued amongst practising clinicians and was generally achieved when HCPs and KOLs met their peers in national & Intl conferences, group debates, advisory boards and even during quick corridor conversations. Attempting to replicate these in-person experiences into the digital space creates challenges and are not effective nor impactful as face-to-face engagements. 

How might we improve HCP medical exchange enabling physicians to easily communicate, consult, exchange opinions leveraging individual experts & centres of excellence knowledge, experiences, and practices?

How can we leverage the technological expertise to allow HCPs to connect with leading experts across countries to get advice / counselling for their cases?

SHOW MORE

Application for 2022Calling2Scale is closed.
Interested in participating in the next cohort?
Email [email protected]