UK registered organisations (including corporate companies, small businesses and universities, RTOs and Catapult network members) can apply to join Horizon Europe Brokerage visits to Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands and Spain. Innovate UK in partnership with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), the UK Science and Technology Network (STN) and the UK National Contact Points (NCPs) will be leading these Horizon Europe Brokerage Visits.
Dates available
The Horizon Europe Brokerage Visits will take place throughout September to March 2026.
Award
Innovate UK will fund and organise flights, accommodation, in-market travel, and daily subsistence costs for successful applicants. Innovate UK will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments for delegates throughout the initiative. Only one representative from each organisation will be funded.
2026/2027 Work Programmes
The European Commission has published draft 2026/2027 Horizon Europe Work Programmes (subject to change) on the Comitology Register ahead of the formal adoption later this year. View here.
About Horizon Europe Brokerage Visits
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Application deadline: 12 December 2025 at 17:00
Evaluation and communication of successful applicants: by 19 December 2025
- HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-BM-01: Advanced border surveillance and situational awareness
- HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-BM-02: Accessible and available travel facilitation
- HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-BM-03: Reliability of age assessment methods in the context of security and border management
- HORIZON-CL3-2027-01-BM-01: Open topic on research and innovation for effective management of EU external borders that promotes fundamental rights and EU values
- HORIZON-CL3-2027-01-BM-02: Trusted, secure, quality future digital travel credentials
- HORIZON-CL3-2027-01-BM-03: Detection and characterisation of threats or illegal/ smuggled goods in cargo
Aims and Objectives
- Working with academia and industry (including RTOs and Catapults) to expand UK SME connections with businesses throughout Europe
- Boosting UK participation and funding share in culture, creativity and building an inclusive society by establishing new multilateral collaborations with key European countries.
- Creating a network of UK business and research organisations with high potential and/or strong ambition for future Horizon Europe collaborations, targeting sectors that are a priority to the UK.
What to expect
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The Visits will cover how the UK can benefit from participating in Horizon Europe. National Contact Points (NCPs) will provide an overview of the UK–Horizon Europe research and innovation landscape that can help innovators partner with European businesses with relevant research and industry expertise in the target countries.
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The UK delegation and in-country participants will deliver a 2-minute pitch in a facilitated workshop to showcase their idea or technology to industry experts and explore partnership opportunities with European/UK organisations to form a consortium. Activities will include group discussions, training sessions and case studies from past EU projects.
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A series of workshops will be delivered by an Innovate UK Business Connect Knowledge Transfer Manager, and Innovate UK NCP with UK and target country participants to look at sector challenges and opportunities to co-develop potential cross-border solutions. In addition, participants will be guided through the Horizon Europe application process with support from NCPs in how to build a consortium and proposal writing for upcoming opportunities.
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Innovate UK Business Connect will provide participants with the opportunity for the UK delegation to network with the target country participants and start thinking about consortium building. A networking lunch or dinner hosted by Innovate UK Business Connect or the UK Embassy and the in-country participants will also be organised to enable the delegation and target country to share their lessons learnt as well as exchange contact details to stay in touch and continue to collaborate after the brokerage visit.
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Day 1
UK Delegation to arrive in country (please note the Brussels visit will not follow this agenda, delegates will be attending the RTR conference.)
Day 2
- 09:30 – 10:00: Arrival of attendees.
- 10:00 – 10:10: Welcome and introduction
- 10:10 – 10:25: UK and Horizon Europe overview
Overview of how Horizon Europe can help innovators partner with relevant European stakeholders to collaborate on shared challenges.
- 10:25 – 10:35: Host Country and Horizon Europe overview
Overview of the host country landscape.
- 10:35 – 12:00: Company Pitching Session
5-minute pitch by attendees of their technology/idea and why they are looking to partner with in country/UK organisations.
- 12:00 – 13:00: Networking lunch
- 13:00 – 13:30: Innovation GAP Analysis
Introductory session to highlight innovation challenges in the UK & host country.
- 13:30 – 14:30: Breakout session
- 14:30 – 15:00: Refreshment break
- 15:00 – 15:45: Innovation challenges–Presentation
- 15:45 – 16:00: Closing comments and Next Steps
- 16:00 – 17:00: Free time
- 17:00 – 18.30: Networking Reception/ Dinner TBC
Day 3
- 10.00 – 10:15: Arrival of attendees.
- 10:15 – 10:20: Welcome and introduction
- 10:20 – 11:20: Speed dating session
Building on the previous day’s pitching session, this session facilitates 1:1
meetings between UK and country participants.- 11:20 – 11:30: Refreshment break
- 11:30 – 12:30: Proposal writing workshop
Participants will be led in a workshop for Horizon Europe proposals, including consortium building.
- 12:30 – 13.55: Networking lunch
- 13:55 – 14:00: Close
Important additional travel information
Please note that from 12 October 2025, the European Union’s (EU) new Entry/Exit System (EES) will begin. This is a new digital border system that will change requirements for British citizens travelling to the Schengen area. Click here for more information and guidance.
Previous Horizon Europe Brokerage Visit Highlights
Take a look at these news articles to discover key moments from the previous Horizon Europe Brokerage Visits:
