Horizon Europe, the EU's flagship research and innovation programme for 2021-2027, is proving to be a major driver of economic and societal benefits. According to an interim evaluation published by the Commission, for every euro of costs to EU society, the programme is expected to generate up to six euros in benefits for EU citizens and up to EUR 11 in GDP gains by 2045. With a total budget of EUR 93.5 billion, Horizon Europe is one of EU’s largest programmes with significant contribution to research, innovation and economic competitiveness. 

The interim evaluation draws on a wide ranging evidence base, including nearly 1,700 public consulsation responses, over 1,000 interviews with project beneficiaries, Commission and national representatives and implementing bodies, as well as surveys of both successful and unsuccessful applicants. 

Key findings include: 

• Impact: At its halfway point in January 2025, the programme has funded over 15,000 projects with a combined budget of more than €43 billion. Initiatives such as fuel cell electric buses in European cities, new antibiotics, and accessible artificial intelligence technologies for the scientific community highlight Horizon Europe's tangible impact. 
• Scientific excellence: 80% of European Research Council-funded projects have led to scientific breakthroughs or major advances. Since their launch in 1984, EU research and innovation programmes have supported 35 Nobel Prize laureates. 
• Innovation: Every euro invested in innovative companies through the European Innovation Council (EIC) Fund has attracted over three euros from private investors, demonstrating the EIC’s - a novelty under Horizon Europe – role as a game-changer in EU support for startups and scaleups. 
• Participation: Efforts to close the research and innovation divide among EU Member States are yielding positive results. The share of collaborative projects involving ‘Widening' countries (those with lower research and innovation performance) has risen to 58%. This is a significant rise from 47% under the previous Horizon 2020 programme. 
• Simplification:  Lump sum grants – a fixed amount to cover the entire project –are estimated to reduce beneficiaries' administrative costs by 14% to 30% over a project's lifetime, saving up to €63 million across all lump sum projects signed so far. These grants reduce cumbersome financial reporting requirements, making them particularly attractive to small-and-medium-sized enterprises and newcomers. 

The Commission will use this interim evaluation's insights to enhance the impact of its policies and programmes. Upcoming Horizon Europe Work Programmes will incorporate measures to simplify the application process and project implementation. Targeted investments will further support researchers and entrepreneurs. Improved collaboration will bring stakeholders closer together, helping to translate knowledge and results to market. A further aim is to reduce barriers for launching and scaling up of innovative companies, through initiatives like the upcoming Start-up and Scale-up Strategy, the European Innovation Act, and the remaining Work Programmes of the EIC.