The Delegation to the EU of the Spain Chamber of Commerce is hosting a training seminar on the “Excellence Hubs” call for proposals under the “Horizon Europe” programme
Brussels, 25 September 2026. – The Spanish Chamber of Commerce’s Delegation to the European Union today hosted a training seminar on the Excellence Hubs call for proposals (HORIZON-WIDERA-2027-04), which forms part of the Horizon Europe programme and is aimed at strengthening regional research and innovation ecosystems in the countries of the Widening group. The event was led by Raquel Fernández Horcajada, senior research programme manager at the “Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation” unit (REA.C3) of the European Commission’s Research Executive Agency (REA).
The seminar was opened by Pilar Ruiz Huélamo, Head of the Delegation to the EU of the Spain Chamber of Commerce, who highlighted the significance of this call for proposals for the network of Spanish chambers of commerce, emphasising that the Excellence Hubs tie in directly with the role played by chambers of commerce in their respective regions: acting as a bridge between businesses, public authorities and stakeholders in the local ecosystem, which is precisely the kind of connection that this initiative seeks to strengthen at European level.
Raquel Fernández Horcajada then gave a detailed presentation of the call for proposals, explaining that the Excellence Hubs aim to foster a culture of locally-rooted innovation in the Widening countries through transnational partnerships between regional ecosystems that bring together academia, businesses, governments and civil society under the quadruple helix model. The selected projects must design joint research and innovation strategies aligned with smart specialisation strategies (RIS3), develop investment plans that mobilise public and private funds, and generate new opportunities for SMEs, spin-offs and start-ups, particularly in advanced technologies. With a total budget of 100 million euros, the call for proposals aims to fund up to 30 projects, each receiving between 1.5 and 4.5 million euros, with a maximum duration of five years.
The seminar was conducted in a interactive format, combining a presentation of the requirements, objectives and assessment criteria with a session for questions and discussion on the preparation of proposals.
At the Delegation to the EU of the Spain Chamber of Commerce, we will continue to work to bring European funding opportunities within reach of Spanish businesses and regional chambers of commerce, helping to improve their ability to participate in EU research and innovation programmes.