topic Research

ERA-Net EuroTransBio

ERA-Net EuroTransBio was founded in 2004 by funding agencies from several European countries and regions to establish a joint funding programme for small and medium-sized biotechnology companies. This network of funding agencies will receive funding from the EU until the end of 2013. It is to be self-sustaining beyond 2012. Funding for R&D projects in small and medium-sized enterprises is provided by the respective national or regional agencies.

EuroTransBio has held a round of selection for transnational collaborative projects led by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) every year since 2006. The first seven rounds of selection (2006-2012) provided a total funding volume of 215 million euros to 125 research projects of transnational consortia whose members are biotechnology companies in the partner countries and their academic partners. The majority of the projects are in medical biotechnology (83%) but also include projects in agriculture and food research (10%), industrial biotechnology (6%) and marine biotechnology (1%). About 25 million euros are available in the annual selection rounds, of which nearly 5 million euros are earmarked for enterprises and academic institutions in Germany.

Unlike EUROSTARS, which is a European funding measure for SMEs in all fields of technology, EuroTransBio focuses on the particular conditions in biotechnology. Funding is flexible, and the selection process is relatively lean. The budget for funding is designed so as not to exclude high-quality projects because of budget restrictions.

For more details go to the Internet platform of EuroTransBio. Deadline for submission of pre-proposals is always 1 February of the calendar year.