50% success in Horizon 2020 – This is why our subsidy applications stand out

Horizon 2020, the European subsidy programme for R&D, is an important source of funding for many researchers and innovative companies. Yet, many fight over a limited pool of money and consequently the a priori success rates are very low (typically < 10%). Yet, in 2015 alone we have already established over € 65 million in funding for our clients from Horizon 2020 at a success rate that exceeds 50%. So, what makes our applications come out on top in the battle arena of European funding?

Of course there is no easy answer to this. Several factors that determine the success of any subsidy application, however neatly unite in what we call FFWD (“Fast Forward”): FIT – FRAMEWORK – WRITE – DEVELOP. Beyond a powerful marketing message, FFWD is the ultimate guidance for our daily operations, quality assurance and training.

Below I will attempt to elucidate some of the key factors that together constitute the ttopstart FFWD methodology.

FIT

Any subsidy application is - obviously - only successful if there is a 100% match between its three core elements: the subsidy call, the consortium and the plan.

The call: Finding the call that suits your R&D priorities can be very tedious. The legal gibberish used in the hundreds of call descriptions is very difficult to comprehend; even for us it takes time to really understand what is requested. To ease this understanding it may help to explore our funding database, where we try to map the funding opportunities for life sciences and provide our interpretations of the complex call descriptions.

The consortium: An excellent consortium literally makes or breaks an application. Only those people that have the best track record to accomplish a particular task should be involved; giving in on this prerequisite is not an option. The other way around, this means that partners should have their marketing and communication up and running: Whatever the expertise of a partner is, reviewers should be aware, preferably already well before they read the application.

The plan: Finally, the two elements above must synergise with the plan: Does the plan cover all aspects requested for in the call? Is the technology proposed of the right maturity?

Essentially it comes down to this when determining the fit of a proposal: Is everything in place to ensure the outcomes requested in the call can be delivered with the highest possible certainty?

FRAMEWORK

When there is a good fit and the rough outline of the plan is ready, we need to convey this in a concise message: the framework. The creative process where we at ttopstart conceptualise the ideas and vision of the consortium, usually starts from two perspectives: (1) What is the focal problem we are aiming to address and (2) why will this proposal stand out? Only if we can summarise this easily and convincingly, it is time to move to the next phase.

WRITE

There is no doubt that excellent writing skills are crucial for a successful subsidy application. Yet, there is more to it than composing nice poetry. There is namely one key uncertainty in grant writing: we have limited knowledge on who will review a proposal. Will it be an expert? Or somebody who is only marginally familiar with the field? When writing, we continuously ask ourselves: Is this necessary information? Will this excite? Won’t it confuse laymen?

DEVELOP

Finally, to convince reviewers that your solution will succeed, it is necessary to (1) clearly plot the hurdles that lie ahead and (2) highlight what choices have been made and what actions will be taken to make your R&D outcomes into successful products, services and policies.

Do you have more tips or other approaches? Please feel free to comment!