We were delighted to be part of the organizing team behind an international online matchmaking event dedicated to Horizon Europe Cluster 6 calls, focusing on bioeconomy and circular economy topics.
The event attracted strong interest across Europe, bringing together more than 110 participants from over 25 countries. It also received more registrations than it could accommodated- clear evidence of the growing importance of these themes within the research and innovation community.
In the opening remarks, Živilė Grabauskė, Policy Analyst at LINO, highlighted the value of such initiatives as it helps bring people together from different countries and strengthens cooperation in research and innovation across Europe.
Ana Costa from INOVA+ shared clear and actionable advice on building successful consortia. She walked participants through key steps, including how to form a strong core team, where to find the right partners and what to avoid during the process. Her practical “dos and don’ts” were particularly valuable for those preparing new project ideas.
Piotr Michałowski, researcher and expert at the European Network of Cultural Centres (ENCC) in Brussels, offered an inside perspective on proposal evaluation. He highlighted common challenges applicants face and also stressed the importance of balance- ensuring that all parts of a proposal are well developed, rather than focusing too heavily on one section. He also cautioned against over-reliance on AI-generated content, encouraging applicants to use such tools critically.
Together, these presentations provided practical, experience-based guidance that directly addressed the needs of applicants.
The second part of the event focused on interaction and collaboration. Participants joined call-specific breakout rooms, where they could present their ideas, exchange expertise, and explore potential partnerships. These sessions, guided by moderators, were highly engaging and created a space for meaningful discussions and early-stage consortium building.
Overall, the event was designed as a hands-on, participant-driven experience. It offered a structured yet flexible environment for networking, idea development, and building future collaborations.
We are proud to have contributed to this initiative alongside a strong and diverse group of partners:
- Lithuanian RDI liaison office (LINO) and NCPs at the Research Council of Lithuania
- University of Pannonia, Hungary
- Hungarian University of agriculture and life sciences (MATE)
- University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture, Croatia (FAZ)
- Slovak Liaison Office for Research and Development in Brussels (SLORD)
- The National Centre for Research and Development Poland (NCBR)
- Euro Atlantic Diplomacy Society, Romania (EADS)
