When thinking about collaborative, top-down projects, we at Euresearch often summarise the journey towards a successful proposal with the motto: “find it, team up, write it". This simple statement captures the 3 key stages of the process: finding a suitable funding opportunity, building a consortium, and writing a competitive proposal.
Of these three stages, applicants often consider consortium building to be difficult and complex. How do I find project partners if I am new to Horizon Europe? Which events should I attend? How can I be sure that potential partners will actively contribute and deliver throughout the project? These are some of the most common questions we hear.
Unlike technical challenges, consortium building revolves around people, trust and collaboration. There is no software, methodology or AI tool that can fully replace the human element in creating a strong partnership. Supporting applicants in this partnering quest is one of Euresearch’s core services. While we cannot provide ready-made consortia, we can offer a range of tools, opportunities and advice to make the search significantly easier.
We recommend combining several approaches: leveraging existing networks, exploring previous EU projects through the EU's CORDIS webpage and Funding & Tenders Portal, engaging with European partnerships, and participating in brokerage events and thematic conferences. Euresearch supports this process through targeted partner searches and its extensive network of National Contact Points across Europe. Through our collaboration with Enterprise Europe Network Switzerland, applicants can also access a network of more than 600 business, technology and innovation organisations in over 60 countries, creating additional opportunities to identify potential partners.
Upcoming European networking and brokerage events are regularly advertised through our e-alerts. Registering for events early often provides the opportunity to pitch your expertise and increase your visibility among potential consortium partners. Further tips, tools and videos are available on our website.
Author: Matthew Whellens and Sasha Hugentobler, National Contact PointsIllustration: Katja Stähli
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