Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs

TOPIC ID: SMP-COSME-2026-EYE

Type of grant: Call for proposals

General information

Programme: Single Market Programme (SMP)

Call: Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs (SMP-COSME-2026-EYE)

Type of action: SMP-GFS SMP Grants for Financial Support

Type of MGA: SMP Action Grant Budget-Based [SMP-AG]

Status: Open for submission

Deadline model: single-stage

Opening Date: 05 February 2026

Deadline dates: 21 April 2026 17:00 (Brussels time)

Topic description

Expected Outcome:

The expected results are:

a) Circa 7,000 individual entrepreneurs matched;

b) Circa 10,000 entrepreneurs registered;

c) Circa 100 Intermediary Organisations involved in the implementation of the programme;

d) Circa 35 countries covered;

e) Rate of successful exchanges above 90% (entrepreneurs’ feedback).

Scope:

Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs is a mobility scheme that allows potential or newly established entrepreneurs to spend a period of time collaborating with an experienced entrepreneur in another participating country. These mobility actions aim to help the entrepreneurs enrich their business knowledge and experiences as well as learn and network with entrepreneurs in other programme participating countries. This measure will expand and strengthen the existing network of Intermediary Organisations (IOs) which act as local contact points in participating countries.

The IOs are in charge of recruiting and matching the entrepreneurs and facilitating the mobility actions. They also promote the programme and its benefits at local and national level and collect feedback from participants. This action also aims at offering opportunities to entrepreneurs from SMP participating countries to foster an exchange of business knowledge and expertise in new destinations beyond SMP countries.

The specific objectives are:

a) Enhancing entrepreneurship and supporting creation of start-ups.

b) Helping new entrepreneurs acquire and build managerial skills and further develop their business plan/activity by learning from experienced entrepreneurs.

c) Learning on the job by the new entrepreneurs by working with the host entrepreneur on concrete business projects.

d) Supporting the host entrepreneur in researching, developing and testing or piloting new business concepts, products or services by the new entrepreneurs bringing in fresh ideas from another environment (in national, academic, market etc. terms).

e) Raising entrepreneurs awareness for the benefits from going international and, in particular, from exploiting the potential of the European market.

f) Intensifying the networking and business relationship between entrepreneurs from different participating countries, especially laying the ground for further internationalisation of SMEs' businesses and for further spreading of innovative methods or products.

g) Promote the participation of entrepreneurs from the EU outermost regions referred to in article 349 TFEU and from their neighbouring third countries.

Start submission

To access the Electronic Submission Service, please click on the submission-button next to the type of action and the type of model grant agreement that corresponds to your proposal. You will then be asked to confirm your choice, as it cannot be changed in the submission system. Upon confirmation, you will be linked to the correct entry point.

To access existing draft proposals for this topic, please login to the Funding & Tenders Portal and select the My Proposals page of the My Area section.

Get support

Please read carefully all provisions below before the preparation of your application.

For help related to this call, please contact [email protected]

Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ – Submission of proposals.

IT Helpdesk – Contact the IT helpdesk for questions such as forgotten passwords, access rights and roles, technical aspects of submission of proposals, etc.

Online Manual – Step-by-step online guide through the Portal processes from proposal preparation and submission to reporting on your ongoing project. Valid for all 2021-2027 programmes.

Enterprise Europe Network – Contact your Network national contact for advice to business with special focus on SMEs. The support includes guidance on EU research funding.

Intellectual Property Helpdesk – Contact the IP Helpdesk for advice on the IP elements of your grant agreement.