Horizon 2020 SME Instrument - Are You Ready for a Slice of €80 Billion Fund?

Do you live, breathe and eat words like ‘Research’ and ‘Innovation’? It all sounds good to be the change and bring a change in the lives of others. But when reality strikes you come to know that people with the sharpest idea are poles apart from people who have the money to fund those ideas. Some of the most brilliant ideas in the world may have died an untimely death and buried in deep graves of time. The saddest part is that there are few who would even know about those innovations. Not anymore because if you happen to be a part of the European Union (sorry Brits but you missed the bus) you can claim a slice of the €80 Billion Horizon 2020 SME Instrument. 

 

Funding The Next Level of Innovation…     

 

The aim of Horizon 2020 Funding is to usher in a new era of great services, products and business models that would drive economic growth and better human lives. The aim of this fund is to support SMEs to bring out the next level of innovation and shape their research ideas. While there are no barriers to products and services that can seek H2020 grants there is only one basic guideline that SMEs need to follow and i.e. the products, services or business models that seek fund for shouldn’t have any adverse effects on the climate and environment. 

 

Small companies including start-ups are eligible for Horizon 2020 funding. Right from formulation of high-potential ideas to fixing the market and growth strategy and finally to training, skill development and introduction to investors the Horizon 2020 SME Instrument helps researchers and innovators at every stage of the process. Sounds good, right? And you would be eager to apply for the funds to take your ‘billion dollar idea’ to the next level. But this is where you need to be smart in the way you push forward your proposal and get your share of funding. 

 

Separating Your Idea Form the Crowd…    

 

When €80 billion is on offer you’d expect every SEM or start-up to apply for these funds. After all who wouldn’t like to give it a shot at being funded? Naturally, the bodies that are tasked with reviewing and sorting the best ideas get dozens of applications every hour. And most of these applications don’t even receive a fair share of attention. The problem lies with how these applications are sent to these bodies. 

 

The difference between success and failure is often the proposal you send explaining your innovation, its potential and the how you plan to turn your idea into a working business model. If you have tried writing one before seeking funds from an Angel or VC you know how tough it is. It is even tougher as far as grabbing eyeball of people tasked with Horizon 2020 SME Instrument is concerned. Unlike your Angel and VC, they receive a large number of applications on an hourly basis and the success rate is paltry 3-5%.  To separate your idea from the crowd you need to seek help from a professional H2020 proposal writing agency. Why? These agencies have expertise in doing so. 

 

They know the in and out of the Horizon 2020 funding process. They would turn your idea into a working business proposal highlighting the USPs of the idea and mentioning the groundwork you have carried out so far etc. As experts in proposal writing, they know how to catch the attention of people who are tasked with scrutinizing your application and getting your idea it’s much-deserved attention. And the best part is that these proposal writing companies don’t seek any fee from you if your application doesn’t get the funds. Did you ever hear a better proposal? Take a shot and this might propel you to newer heights.  

 

Summary

In this write-up, we discuss the Horizon 2020 SME Instrument and how you can get H2020 grants successfully.