Introduction
If you’re applying for Horizon Europe, there’s one thing you can’t avoid: the consortium.
Horizon Europe is built around collaboration — between startups, corporates, research institutions, universities, public bodies, and NGOs. Unlike the EIC Accelerator (where solo startups can apply), most Horizon projects require a formal partnership of at least three organizations from three different EU or associated countries.
This article breaks down why consortiums matter, how to build one, and how to position your startup for success in 2025.
Why Consortiums Are Required
The European Commission funds Horizon projects to:
- Promote cross-border collaboration
- Bridge research and commercial impact
- Ensure long-term scalability and policy alignment
For startups, this means:
- Access to high-profile research institutions
- Shared responsibility for deliverables and budgets
- Increased credibility with reviewers
A great consortium can be the difference between approval and rejection. Presenting your proposal effectively is critical—consider using an AI-powered pitch deck generator to create professional materials that showcase your partnership’s strengths.
Minimum Requirements
- At least 3 independent legal entities
- From 3 different EU Member States or Associated Countries
Typical roles:
- Coordinator – Usually a research institution or SME with grant experience
- Technical partners – Startups, tech providers, product builders
- Research & testing – Universities, labs, or pilot environments
- End-users – Corporates, cities, hospitals, NGOs
When defining your role in the consortium, it’s essential to clearly articulate your value proposition to demonstrate what unique capabilities you bring to the partnership.
Ideal Startup Roles in Consortiums
Startups typically participate as:
- Tech provider / WP leader – Leading a work package (e.g., AI integration)
- Pilot implementer – Running a real-world test of your product
- Dissemination / exploitation partner – Driving communication, adoption, or commercialization
WP = Work Package — a key project section with defined tasks, budget, and deliverables
Crafting a compelling market opportunity analysis is crucial when demonstrating how your consortium addresses real European needs.
Where to Find Partners
Finding the right partners takes effort — but you don’t need to do it alone:
Online tools:
- Funding & Tenders Portal
- CORDIS
- Ideal-IST
- Enterprise Europe Network (EEN)
- F6S
Communities & events:
- EU matchmaking webinars
- Startup Europe Week
- Web Summit, Slush, VivaTech (EU booth)
Personal outreach:
- Use LinkedIn + email to find complementary partners
- PitchBob + DeepSync_EU offers warm intros via our partner network
When approaching potential partners, having a concise startup one-pager can significantly increase your chances of getting a positive response.
Building a Strong Consortium: Best Practices
✅ Balance research, tech, and real-world impact
✅ Choose partners who are responsive and aligned
✅ Define roles and responsibilities early
✅ Draft a Letter of Intent (LoI) before submission
✅ Coordinate grant writing together
Understanding how to effectively communicate with investors will help you develop the communication skills needed for successful consortium coordination.
What Makes a Consortium “Winning”
- Clear innovation goal shared by all partners
- Real pilot site(s) and end-users
- Strong ethics and data governance plan
- Complementary expertise — not duplicates
- Partners with previous Horizon experience (but not required)
Hint: Review past funded projects on CORDIS to reverse-engineer strong consortiums. Effective timing is also key—your proposal should include a compelling why now slide that explains why your innovation is particularly relevant in the current environment.
Real Example: AIxSustain Consortium (2024)
An AI startup joined a consortium with:
- TalTech University (Estonia)
- Coimbra Hospital (Portugal)
- Infineon Technologies (Germany)
Project focus: AI-powered energy optimization in hospitals.
Startup role:
- Built and deployed prototype in 2 hospitals
- Led a work package on real-time integration
- Co-authored project dissemination and IP plan
Outcome: €1.8M in Horizon Europe funding across 3 partners.
When presenting technical solutions, a well-structured product pitch can help non-technical consortium members understand your contribution.
What If You’re Not Ready to Lead?
Not every startup needs to be the lead applicant.
You can:
- Join an existing consortium as a supporting partner
- Offer a niche capability (e.g., platform, API, sensor)
- Use one Horizon call as a pilot phase — and lead the next
Bonus: Participating in a Horizon project boosts your credibility for future EIC Accelerator applications. Creating a detailed financial model will help you determine reasonable funding requests for your contribution.
How We Help Startups Build Consortiums
At PitchBob + DeepSync_EU, we:
- Analyze your product and grant fit
- Introduce you to academic and industry partners
- Help draft your Work Package responsibilities
- Support Letters of Intent, grant writing, and submission
Book a free consortium strategy call with Sofia.
Or submit your project.
Final Thoughts
Horizon Europe is a powerful, collaborative engine for innovation in the EU.
Building or joining a strong consortium is your gateway to millions in non-dilutive funding, visibility, and access to top-tier partners. Understanding the differences between various funding presentations, like investor decks versus pitch decks, will help you tailor your materials appropriately for the Horizon Europe evaluation process.
Start now — and build something that matters, together. For more resources on creating successful funding applications, visit PitchBob.io.
