Objective
Early-stage failure in academic health ventures is predominantly non-technological. Regulatory misalignment, fragile business models, weak IP positioning and insufficient societal validation, not technology gaps, destroy innovation value before it reaches patients. Yet no harmonised, cross-ecosystem validated and EU-comparable methodology currently exists in Europe to assess and strengthen these dimensions in a cross-comparable, ecosystem-transferable way. UNICORN fills this gap.
UNICORN designs, pilots and validates a Four-Pillar Non-Technological Readiness Framework, integrating Business, Regulatory, Innovation and Societal readiness, across five European Lighthouse ecosystems (Portugal, Italy, Croatia, Austria and Belgium) representing diverse innovation maturity levels. Twelve partners with a combined direct reach of over 700 health, medtech and digital health startups implement 20 structured pilot actions, assess a minimum of 100 early-stage ventures through the Open Readiness Assessment Tool, and deliver full structured support pathways to 25 academic spinoffs and health startups, producing Integrated Readiness Roadmaps validated by structured Quadruple-Helix panels (≥16 external experts).
UNICORN directly addresses both Expected Outcomes of the topic by delivering upgraded guidance and services for academic spinoffs and startups, and by generating tested and shared innovative valorisation best practices for engaging industry, societal actors and end-users through cross-border pilot implementation. Its modular Guidance Package and open-access assessment tool are formatted for structured integration and long-term embedding within the EU Knowledge Valorisation Platform, supporting the Council Recommendation on Guiding Principles for Knowledge Valorisation (2022/2415), the ERA Policy Agenda 2025–2027, and the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.4.2 - Reforming and enhancing the European R&I System
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-CSA - HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-WIDERA-2026-06
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
08012 Barcelona
Spain
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.