Directorate-General for Research and Innovation of the EU Commission (DG RTD)
2023
A published evaluation study, in which Prognos was involved, examines the impact of the Eurostars-2 SME funding programme, jointly funded by the European Union and participating Eurostars-2 countries during the 2014–2020 EU funding period. This programme was implemented by the Eureka Secretariat, a network of members from 47 countries worldwide, and supports small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the development of innovative products and services through cross-border cooperation with other innovation actors.
The final evaluation of the Eurostars-2 SME funding programme examines the impact of funding to support cross-border cooperation with research-oriented companies within Europe and selected partner countries worldwide. The study examines and evaluates the coherence, efficiency, effectiveness, relevance, and EU-added value of the funding programme on the basis of EU criteria. Based on the findings, the study provides recommendations for how the framework programme could be improved in the short-, medium-, and long-term.
The evaluation is based on a wide range of qualitative and quantitative data, such as secondary data and interviews with stakeholders. In addition, the EUREKA Secretariat (ESE) provided annual reports of the Eurostars-2 programme.
A total of 1,546 projects were funded within the Eurostars-2 programme and were positively evaluated by beneficiaries and national funding agencies. Findings from the evaluation show that Eurostars-2 grants help SMEs to further develop their innovative products, processes and/or services through transnational knowledge exchange. Further evidence shows that the Eurostars-2 programme was confronted with the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and national lockdowns. As a result, cross-border activities had to be postponed or cancelled. In addition, national funding rules represent another challenge for the programme and is expected to be addressed in the 2021–2027 funding period.
Eurostars-2 was part of the EU’s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, the EU’s main instrument for implementing the European Research Area from 2014 to 2020. With a budget of almost 80 billion euros, Horizon 2020 was the 8th EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation for the period 2014 to 2020. The objective is to contribute, within the framework of the Europe 2020 strategy, to the development of a knowledge-based society and economy across the union.
As part of a consortium with Idea Consult and led by PPMI, Prognos produced various case studies in the first phase of the project, such as an ex-post evaluation of the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Horizon 2020. The final evaluation study of the Eurostars-2 programme is part of a series of evaluation studies that have been incorporated into the ex-post evaluation of Horizon 2020.
Published evaluation of Eurostars-2 (EU Kommission website)
More information about the project
More information on Horizon 2020 (EU Commission website)
More information on Eurostars (EU Comission website)
More about our work on this project
Project team: Dr Jan-Philipp Kramer, Dr Thomas Stehnken, Marie-Kristin Komendzinski, Jan Reichert, Victor Wichmann, Diana Nadyesva
Senior Project Manager
Partner, Head of EU Services
German industry is heavily dependent on raw materials and intermediate products from abroad, especially from China. Prognos analysed supply chains and developed recommendations for action.
How can innovations be implemented in practice? This is where the BMBF's ‘Innovative University’ funding initiative comes in. Prognos and Fraunhofer ISI are evaluating the programme.
Smart City and Smart Region – are they about innovative solutions or are they just expensive gimmicks? The Trendreport 2025 looks at the status quo and future prospects for Smart City in Germany.
Specialists waste a lot of time on tiresome routine tasks. 3D planning tools or digital twins can help. Our analysis for the Fraunhofer IGD shows which professional groups benefit directly from their digital technologies.
The Fraunhofer IGD develops software solutions in the field of visual computing. Sounds complicated? We show where these technologies solve specific problems.
The I3 Support Facility boosts interregional projects in smart specialisation, with Prognos leading the Capacity Building Hub.
Prognos will support the Federal Ministry of Economics in preparing the NECP progress reports until 2027.
With the involvement of relevant stakeholders, Prognos and partners developed conclusions for the further development of European structural funding after 2027.
In the field of AI, we are lagging behind internationally. But there are also opportunities. Together with the Handelsblatt, we show which players in the German AI landscape give cause for hope.
Eurostars supports cross-border research cooperation between SMEs in Europe. On behalf of the BMBF, Prognos analysed the effectiveness of the Eurostars 2 programme at national level.
Prognos is one of the oldest economic research centres in Europe. Founded at the University of Basel, Prognos experts have been conducting research for a wide range of clients from the public and private sectors since 1959 – politically independent, scientifically sound.