Latest Science|Business news & analysis

Welcome to the weekly Science|Business roundup of the most significant news in R&D policy and funding, tailored for our LinkedIn audience.

This week’s main R&D policy news: We finally have a name for who might be the next EU commissioner for research and innovation. Bulgaria’s Ekaterina Zaharieva has been tasked with steering through new acts on innovation and the European Research Area, but MEPs are fretting about fragmented responsibilities for technology, innovation and industry in the new European Commission.

Also, a new push for the European Research Area gains momentum. Stakeholders gathered in Brussels this week for an event hosted by the Commission looking at past achievements and future opportunities.

In other news, universities are not in favour of dual-use research, according to the results of a public consultation by the Commission on whether it should allow projects with military potential in FP10, the successor research programme to Horizon Europe.

In funding news, we take an in-depth look at how China is pursuing a more focused, centralised science and technology funding strategy. David Matthews tells us what the implications are for foreign researchers.

Back in Europe, we take a look at the ten companies selected by NATO to move to the second phase of its Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) start-up accelerator programme. ?

Meanwhile, at the European Research Council, the basic research funder announced it may increase the size of its grants from 2027 if it gets more money in Framework Programme 10. The amount of the grants has remained the same for years, and with inflation raising the costs of scientific work, they are losing their fire power.

In the Ecosystem column, Ian Mundell analyses why companies developing UV-C, a wavelength that kills airborne pathogens without harming humans, are struggling to commercialise the technology.

This week’s Funding Radar rounds up open research calls for clean hydrogen projects, while in the Data Corner, Raffaele Guerini examines which countries are racking up the most funding from the European Innovation Council.?

Policy Bulletin

Ekaterina Zaharieva announced as new research commissioner

She will steer through new acts on innovation and the European Research Area. But splitting off education has some worried. Click here to read more

Who is Ekaterina Zaharieva, new commissioner for start-ups, research and innovation?

Bulgarian national is a lawyer and former deputy prime minister, but has little experience of science or technology. Click here to read more

Bird’s eye view: Who will do what in the new Commission

References to education, science and technology are scattered across many of the new commissioner portfolios announced today. Click here to read more

MEPs are fretting about fragmented responsibilities in new Commission

Parliamentarians have been reacting to the new lineup. There’s a big focus on technology, innovation and industry, but it’s scattered across the team. Click here to read more

Push for European Research Area gains new momentum

Ursula von der Leyen plans for a European Research Area act to pave the way for research and innovation to be the fifth freedom of the single market. Click here to read more

Universities not in favour of dual-use research.

The responses are in to a Commission proposal to allow projects with military potential in FP10, the successor research programme to Horizon Europe. Click here to read more

Funding Newswire

Xi Jinping’s ‘new productive forces’: what researchers need to know

China is pursuing a more focused, centralised science and technology funding strategy, with implications for foreign scientists. Click here to read more

Ten companies advance to the 2nd phase of NATO’s DIANA technology accelerator

Last year’s cohort of start-ups has been slimmed down. The ten remaining will get up to €300K in funding and support. Click here to read more

European Research Council to consider raising grant sizes in next Framework Programme

A bigger EU research budget from 2027 would allow the ERC to restore the purchasing power of its grants. Click here to read more

Funding Radar: This week’s round up of calls for proposals in clean hydrogen power

Here’s a list of funding opportunities in the EU, India, Brazil, Australia, and the US. Click here to read more

The Data Corner: where does EIC funding go?

The EU’s newest research funding instrument does not break the old pattern. EU13 member states are still having a hard time getting access. Click here to read more

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