Travel support for UK businesses to attend European events - apply now

Innovate UK is offering travel support for companies to attend consortia-building events in Europe. Our travel awards are an excellent mechanism for supporting companies who want to expand their networks across Europe and make an impact in collaborative international research and development projects. These awards encourage UK participation, engagement and visibility at international events and aim to accelerate UK involvement in European research programmes (incl. Horizon Europe and EUREKA.)

To be eligible for support, you need to be a for-profit UK-based R&D performing SME according to the EU definition (see definition here). If successful in your application for travel and accommodation costs, you will receive pro-active support from Innovate UK to help you maximise the benefit of attending. Please note, that successful applicants will need to adhere to Innovate UK’s policy for reasonable travel expenses (in line with HMRC travel and subsistence overview), a copy will be provided to successful applicants.

Up to £700 is available to help cover travel and subsistence costs needed to attend the following events:

• European Forum for Electronic Components and Systems (EFECS) 2024, 5-6 December 2024, Ghent, Belgium (Application deadline: 18 November 2024, Notification date: 20 November 2024)
• Geographical Indications Conference 2025, 28-29 January 2025, Alicante, Spain (Application deadline: 6 January 2025, Notification date: 10 January 2025)
• Electronic Components and Systems (ECS) Brokerage Event, 18-19 February 2025, Brussels, Belgium (Application deadline: 29 January 2025, Notification date: 31 January 2025)
• European Ocean Days 2025, 3-7 March 2025, Brussels, Belgium (Application deadline: 3 February 2025, Notification date: 7 February 2025)
• TRANSFIERE, European Meeting on Science, Technology and Innovation, 12-14 March 2025, Málaga, Spain (Application deadline: 10 February 2025, Notification date: 13 February 2025)
• ‘Forward Green’ (FG) Expo, 13-15 March 2025, Thesaloniki, Greece (Application deadline: 10 February 2025, Notification date: 13 February 2025)
• Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU) Info Day 2025, 3 April 2025, Brussels, Belgium (Application deadline: 3 March 2025, Notification date: 7 March 2025)
• Wind Europe Conference, 8-10 April 2025, Copenhagen, Denmark (Application deadline: 3 March 2025, Notification date: 7 March 2025)
• European Human Genetics Conference, 24–27 May 2025, Milan, Italy (Application deadline: 28 April 2025, Notification date: 2 May 2025)
• Smart Energy Systems Conference, 16-17 September 2025, Copenhagen, Denmark (Application deadline: 25 August 2025, Notification date: 29 August 2025)

Other support and opportunities available

Horizon Europe UK and Czech Partnership Event, 27 – 29 January 2025 (includes travel time)

Innovate UK are committed to fostering international cooperation. In line with this strategy, a new bilateral initiative between the UK and Czech has been launched to strengthen partnerships for future Horizon Europe Research and Innovation (R&I) projects. To support this, a two-day Partnership Event will be held in Prague on 27th – 29th January 2025 (including travel time), in partnership with Technology Centre Prague (TCP), British Embassy in Prague and UK Science & Innovation Network in Czech Republic. This expression of interest is for UK registered organisations only. Apply here.

European event travel award testimonials summary

After speaking with those who have previously received travel support, here is an overview of the feedback they shared with us:

“These Innovate UK European event travel awards enabled us to meet with experienced companies as well as universities to discuss collaborating on Horizon Europe international projects and learn about collaborative European funding opportunities which was especially useful as the UK is now associated with Horizon Europe. We really enjoyed expanding our international network by joining research groups and forming consortiums with valuable business partners. Working alongside industry specialists from a diverse range of countries to understand how to develop and implement a new technology into the global marketplace provides endless possibilities.”