Eureka cohort visit to Vienna for Xecs and Smart funding calls

Eureka is an intergovernmental network of 47 countries, that supports bottom-up international research and innovation. Its Clusters bring together businesses, research organisations and other innovators to develop collaborative projects in strategic technology areas. Projects apply through a Eureka Cluster call and, if successful, participating organisations receive support through their relevant national funding bodies.

This cohort visit is designed to support UK SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises) developing, or ready to develop, a proposal for Xecs Call 6 and/or SMART Call 10. Xecs Call 6 supports innovation in electronic components and systems, while SMART Call 10 supports advanced manufacturing projects.

This opportunity is intended for UK-based SMEs that are:

• Developing a project idea in advanced manufacturing or electronic components and systems
• Are actively considering participation in Xecs Call 6 or Smart Call 10
• Are seeking partners with complementary technical capabilities, market access or routes to commercialisation

This cohort visit will give you the opportunity to:

• Learn how the Calls are structured
• Pitch, discuss and develop your collaborative project idea
• Meet potential international partners through structured partnering and networking
• Receive practical guidance on consortium building and proposal development from the UK’s Eureka National Project Coordinator and an Innovate UK Business Connect European Programmes Knowledge Transfer Manager

Xecs Project Outline Days: 6–7 October 2026

The two-day Xecs event will help you build connections and develop a competitive collaborative project. The programme includes project idea pitches, business-to-business meetings, networking and practical sessions on building a consortium, preparing an application and delivering a successful project.

Register for Xecs event

SMART Project Outline Day: 8 October 2026

The SMART Project Outline Day will help you connect with potential international partners, pitch and refine your project idea, learn from successful projects and hear practical advice from evaluators before preparing a proposal for SMART Call 10.

Register for SMART event

Innovate UK Business Connect will arrange and book international and in-country travel and accommodation for successful applicants. Additional expenses or costs cannot be claimed. Participants must be eligible to travel from the UK to Austria and be able to attend the full visit agenda. Participants should be prepared to take part actively in pitching, partnering meetings, networking and proposal-development sessions.

• 5 October: Travel from the UK to Vienna, Innovate UK Business Connect will identify evening flights where possible.
• 6 October: Xecs Matchmaking Event 2026, day one — an introduction to Xecs, the Xecs Innovation Awards, project idea pitches, business-to-business meetings and networking. View the full agenda here.
• 7 October: Xecs Matchmaking Event 2026, day two — advice on preparing a successful project application, and a site visit to the EMOTION3D automotive simulator. View the full agenda here.
• 8 October: SMART Project Outline Day — an introduction to Eureka and SMART, project idea pitches, success stories, evaluator tips and business-to-business meetings. Participants will travel back to the UK after the event. View the full agenda here.
• Travel from Vienna to UK, Innovate UK Business Connect will identify evening flights where possible.

Please note, the agenda is subject to change. Further details and the final agenda will be confirmed with successful participants.

• Applications will be assessed in the order of receipt on a rolling basis until 25 September 2026. We encourage interested SMEs to submit their application early.
• All offers are to be accepted within 3-business days of receipt of decision.
• As decisions are communicated on a rolling basis, and with a limited venue capacity, invitees are responsible for responding within the deadline provided in their notification email. We are sorry about being unable to extend confirmation deadlines for periods of absence, limited email access, scheduling conflicts etc.

Submit your expression of interest by 25 September 2026. Your application should outline your project idea, its relevance to the Calls in scope, how international collaboration will assist, and why participation in this Visit will help develop your idea.

Please ensure that you are registered for both events, ahead of submitting an application. All applicants must be eligible to travel from the UK to Austria from the 5 October 2026 and attend the full agenda.