Founded in 1985, Eureka started as a European initiative with the signing of the Hanover Declaration by 18 countries and the European Union (EU). Today, it has expanded into a global network of 46 countries plus the EU, with collaborations extending to North and South America, Asia, and Africa. From July 2024 to June 2025, Canada and Germany co-chair Eureka. This is the first time in its 40-year history that this innovation network is co-chaired by two countries. Canada is also the partner country for Hannover Messe 2025, where the Global Innovation Summit shares the stage.
During the Summit, Claudia Müller, Parliamentary State Secretary of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) unveiled one of the largest calls in Eureka’s history: a major funding initiative for cross-border research and innovation projects in circular value creation. This call represents a significant public investment in advancing the circular economy. Ministries and funding agencies from 16 countries will fund organisations working on international R&D projects focused on circular value creation.
Update (7 April): According to the latest status, 18 countries are now involved in the call for funding: Austria, Belgium/Flanders, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Portugal, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, and Ukraine.
International project consortia can submit applications for funding between 12 June and 30 September 2025. To be eligible, projects must include at least two organisations from at least two of the participating countries.
