Australia Joins Horizon Europe
The EU and Australia have concluded negotiations for Australia to associate with Pillar II of Horizon Europe, which focuses on societal challenges in various sectors. Starting January 2027, Australian entities will shift from third-country status to ‘eligible entities’ from an associated country, granting them equal access to EU funding under Pillar II, including leading project consortia.
LINK to the news: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/mex_26_1309
Our latest activities
Innovation Acta continued supporting collaboration and training activities across several European projects in first half of 2026, contributing to the
- 1st Annual Meeting of AUREUS in Naples [read more]
- 2nd Annual Meeting of InFlaMe in Pavia [read more]
- 1st Annual Meeting of BIO2 in Tromsø, [read more]
- 3rd Annual Meeting of PROTO in Copenhagen
- 3rd Annual Meeting IMMUTOL in Siena [read more]
- GUIDE.MRD 4th General Assembly in Neuchatel [read more]
The company also organised transferable skills and scientific communication joint workshops for the AUREUS and GLYCO-N doctoral networks, strengthening interaction and professional development among early-stage researchers in glycoscience and biomedical research
Meeting @ the Mario Negri Institute Foundation
Innovation Acta presented at the 11th PhD Students Meeting at the MARIO NEGRI INSTITUTE FOUNDATION the funding opportunities and grant‑writing insights to next generation scientists, featuring a curated selection of fully funded postdoctoral positions across Europe. The initiative brings visibility to high-quality research opportunities in fields such as AI, health innovation, engineering and advanced materials, supporting early-career researchers in accessing cutting-edge programmes. An example of Inn-Acta’s commitment to fostering research excellence and connecting talent with strategic funding pathways.
Save The Date for geneTIGA Final Meeting
We are pleased to share an important milestone in the life of the geneTIGA project: the upcoming Final Meeting, which will take place in Rome on November 23–24, 2026.
The geneTIGA project will hold its Final Meeting in Rome on 23–24 November 2026, marking a key milestone in advancing European research in gene and cell therapy. The event will present the project’s final scientific results, with a strong focus on engineered T-cell approaches and next-generation gene editing strategies for immune-mediated diseases. Researchers, clinicians, and stakeholders will discuss how these breakthroughs can be translated into clinical applications and future therapeutic development pathways, while also fostering new collaborations across the European research landscape.
📍 Rome, Italy
📅 November 23–24, 2026
Registration will open soon.
In parallel, two new project videos are now online, offering an inside look at the people and science behind geneTIGA. Through short interviews, project coordinator Petra Reinke, along with Toni Catomen, Catherine Bull and Dimitrios Wagner, share insights into the project’s goals, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the integration of clinical expertise and technological innovation. A second video features Johanna Olweus, who reflects on recent achievements and outlines the next steps toward translating research into tangible clinical impact.
Both the Final Meeting and the new videos highlight geneTIGA’s commitment to advancing cutting-edge gene and cell therapy research, strengthening collaboration, and accelerating the path from discovery to patient benefit.
Innovation Acta for PROTO project @ ATiO 2026
As the leader partner for communication activities within the PROTO project, Innovation Acta will represent the project at the upcoming ATiO Conference 2026, one of the leading international events dedicated to osteoarthritis research and innovation, bringing together a highly specialized audience of experts, clinicians, and stakeholders.
PROTO will participate in the conference as an official sponsor, reinforcing its commitment to advancing research and innovation in osteoarthritis. This sponsorship represents a key opportunity to enhance the project’s visibility within the global scientific community.
As part of the conference programme, PROTO will deliver a dedicated pitch presentation to showcase its innovative approach and ongoing work in addressing major challenges in osteoarthritis. This will enable direct engagement with leading experts and support the creation of new opportunities for collaboration and impact.
Through this joint presence, Innovation Acta and PROTO further strengthen their role in disseminating cutting-edge research and contributing to advancing next-generation solutions for osteoarthritis.
Strong Momentum in Horizon Europe Submissions
Spring 2026 marked an exceptionally active period across Horizon Europe health and innovation calls, reflecting both the scale of competition and the continued commitment of the research community.
The HORIZON-HLTH-2026-01 call, which closed on 16 April 2026, attracted an impressive total of 1003 proposals. Submission levels varied significantly across topics, highlighting areas of particularly strong interest. The TOOL-03 topic led with 204 proposals, followed by ENVHLTH-01 with 119 and DISEASE-03 and DISEASE-02 with over 100 submissions each.
In May, the HORIZON-EIC-2026-PATHFINDEROPEN call closed on 12 May with an outstanding 2103 proposals submitted, confirming its position as one of the most competitive instruments supporting breakthrough and high-risk innovations in Europe.
Innovation Acta actively contributed to this intense proposal landscape, supporting international clients throughout the submission process while also participating directly in multiple consortia. Over April, we submitted 13 proposals under Health cluster and 1 IHI proposal. In May, our engagement continued with 6 EIC Pathfinder Open proposals.
This sustained level of activity reflects both the growing demand for high-quality project development support and our continued commitment to advancing impactful research and innovation initiatives at European level.
Horizon Europe Overview and Proposal Writing course at Policlinico di Milano
On 16 March, Innovation Acta delivered a hands-on training course at Policlinico di Milano titled “Horizon Europe Overview and Proposal Writing”. The course was designed for researchers and professionals interested in transforming their project ideas into competitive proposals under the Horizon Europe framework.
Navigating the complex world of funding opportunities can be challenging, and a good idea alone is often not enough. Writing an effective proposal requires the ability to identify the most suitable funding instrument, define a solid strategy and present the project with clarity and coherence.
During the course, participants explored the key features of Horizon Europe, the structure and logic of calls, and the main sections of a successful proposal. Through practical examples and interactive discussions, they worked on how to align their ideas with the expectations of evaluators and how to clearly demonstrate excellence, impact and quality of implementation.
Innovation Acta remains committed to supporting institutions and research teams in accessing European funding, providing tailored training and consultancy services to strengthen their capacity in proposal development and project management.
HorizonEurope 2026 Final Work Programme is out!
📣 HorizonEurope 2026 Final Work Programme is out!
🔗https://lnkd.in/dKumbqJQ
With new calls expected to open in early February and first deadlines in April 2026, now is the perfect time to align ideas, build consortia, and turn strategic research priorities into competitive proposals!
💡 Whether you’re shaping a new concept or joining an experienced consortium, early preparation is the key to success and InnovationActa can top that with a long-standing proposal writing expertise.
📌 Stay tuned for call openings and start the conversation now – drop us a few lines on your interest at 📧 info@innovationacta.eu
The New EIC Work Programme Is Out!
The New EIC Work Programme Is Out! The 2026 Calls are packed with opportunities you cannot miss! Are you curious about what’s new?🔗Learn more here
Now is the time to start shaping your strategy, validate eligibility of your potential partners, and align your proposal with evaluators’ expectations.
The European Innovation Council has just released its Final Work Programme for the upcoming year for Pathfinder, Transition, and Accelerator and more. This is the moment for deep-tech and science innovators, research teams, and ambitious startups to position themselves for one of the most competitive and impactful funding instruments in Europe.
