Innowwide drives the internationalisation of Europe’s innovative SMEs

Good news for innovative SMEs. Eureka – the intergovernmental European network created in 1985 to promote R&D cooperation among companies, technology centres and universities – has launched the fourth call of the Innowwide programme. With a budget of €4.2 million to fund 70 projects, the initiative aims to promote the internationalisation of European SMEs and those from associated countries such as Iceland, Israel, Norway, Switzerland, Türkiye and the United Kingdom. Applications are open until 25 November.

Innowwide offers innovative SMEs the opportunity to explore new international markets and assess the commercial and technological feasibility of their products, services or processes in cooperation with local partners outside the European Union. Each project can last up to six months and receive up to €60,000 in funding, covering 70% of eligible costs. The remainder must be co-financed by the beneficiaries themselves.

In 2024, Innowwide also funded 70 proposals, of which 26 targeted the United States, seven India and five Japan.

Main purpose and beneficiaries

“The goal is to help SMEs take that first international step which, due to a lack of resources or local knowledge, is often postponed indefinitely,” explains Patricia Urdánoz, consultant in the Entrepreneurship knowledge area at Zabala Innovation. “Innowwide acts as a strategic lever to validate innovative ideas in real markets before making more ambitious investments,” she adds.

The programme funds individual projects led by SMEs that must collaborate with entities in the target country through subcontracting. This approach allows companies to carry out technical, market, legal or socio-economic studies to validate the potential of their innovative solutions in international contexts. By connecting European innovators with local players, Innowwide strengthens knowledge exchange and encourages the creation of global innovation partnerships that can evolve into larger collaborative R&D projects.

Eligible activities and objectives

Funded activities include co-creation and technology transfer, market studies (both desk and field research), regulatory compliance checks, business prospecting trips, and the preparation of technical and promotional materials to enhance the value of technology.

The main objective is to identify local technical, commercial and regulatory conditions that could facilitate or limit the deployment of European innovations in foreign markets.

Each project must focus on a clearly defined target country outside Europe, where the company works with a local partner — a supplier, customer, end-user, research centre or technology developer. Expected results should generate a tangible and positive impact in the target country, demonstrating real potential for adoption or technological cooperation.

The innovation journey of SMEs

Innowwide is designed to support SMEs at different stages of their innovation journey. Companies may apply whether they are in the early exploratory phase of an R&D idea or have completed a project and wish to assess its market potential abroad. In both cases, the programme offers a structured methodology and financial support to prepare for global expansion. It therefore plays a vital role in bridging the gap between research results and international commercial success, helping small firms transform innovation into global competitiveness.

“Internationalisation isn’t just about selling abroad, but about understanding the local environment and adapting innovation to the specific needs of each market,” says Urdánoz. “That’s why programmes like this are key for European SMEs to transform their technological capacity into real economic impact,” she adds.

The challenge of internationalisation

Internationalisation remains one of the main challenges for European SMEs, which need resources, local knowledge and strategic partnerships to compete in global markets. Innowwide seeks to lower those initial barriers by funding the first steps that help establish strong collaborations and open new opportunities in international innovation ecosystems.

“At Zabala Innovation, we support our clients through all stages of the European funding process – from defining their idea to submitting a successful proposal. Our teams help them design a strong project, identify the right partners and maximise their chances of obtaining funding,” concludes Urdánoz.