STIPP Call 4 opens with €3 million for cross-border SME innovation
STIPP Call 4 opens with €3 million for cross-border SME innovation
Interreg Meuse-Rhine invites SMEs to develop market-oriented products, services and processes with partners across national borders
The fourth call for proposals under STIPP – SME Transition Innovation Partners Projects – is now open. A total of €3 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is available for cross-border innovation projects led by small and medium-sized enterprises in the Meuse-Rhine region.
Applications may be submitted until 29 October 2026 at 12.00 noon through the JEMS-STIPP online portal. Successful projects can receive ERDF co-funding covering up to 50 per cent of eligible project costs.
STIPP supports SMEs from Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands that want to jointly develop innovative, market-oriented products, services or processes. Each consortium must include at least two mutually independent SMEs from two different Member States within the Interreg Meuse-Rhine programme area.
Projects should generate clear economic added value for the region and contribute to at least one of the programme’s three societal challenges:
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Industrial Transition, including Industry 4.0, artificial intelligence, digitalisation, the Internet of Things and data-driven production;
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Green Transformation, including circular solutions and the sustainable use of energy and materials;
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Healthier Citizens, including personalised healthcare, digital health applications and innovative diagnostic technologies.
The scheme primarily supports experimental development at Technology Readiness Levels 6 to 9. Activities at TRL 4 or 5 may also be included, provided that the project reaches at least TRL 6 by completion.
Up to €600,000 per project
The maximum ERDF contribution depends on the number of STIPP innovation regions represented in the consortium:
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two regions: up to €150,000;
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three regions: up to €300,000;
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four regions: up to €500,000;
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five regions: up to €600,000.
Each participating SME must provide at least 50 per cent of its eligible project costs from its own resources. The total eligible cost of a project must be at least €150,000. Projects may run for up to 24 months and must be completed by 30 September 2029.
Wider participation under Call 4
Call 4 introduces a clearer and more flexible arrangement for SMEs located outside the core programme area. These companies may join a consortium and receive up to 50 per cent ERDF co-funding for their eligible costs. A combined maximum of €30,000 can be awarded to SMEs outside the programme area, on top of the regular project ceiling for partners within the programme area.
Universities, research organisations and large companies may also contribute to a consortium where they provide clear added value, although they cannot receive ERDF funding through the STIPP SME grant scheme.
Call 4 also explicitly highlights innovations relevant to dual-use technologies and the development or implementation of the Einstein Telescope. Applicants working in these fields should clearly describe their contribution in the application. Where equally ranked proposals fall at the funding threshold, their contribution to dual-use technologies or the Einstein Telescope, as well as the geographical breadth of the consortium, may be considered in the additional ranking.
Practical support for applicants
The STIPP regional development agencies provide free support with project development, cross-border partner searches, consortium building, proposal preparation and the preliminary review of mandatory documents.
Applicants are encouraged to contact the STIPP team at an early stage. The formal selection process is expected to take approximately 13 weeks following the submission deadline. Pre-financing may be available following project approval, subject to the applicable conditions and available financial resources.
Further information, the Call 4 manual, the application templates and access to JEMS-STIPP are available at: