UK–Ukraine Horizon Europe Support Initiative

The UK–Ukraine Horizon Europe Support Initiative, supported by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), is a structured programme that supports UK and Ukrainian researchers connect, build consortia, and develop competitive proposals for Horizon Europe 2026–2027. It provides practical support across the full early-stage collaboration journey — from collecting project concepts and sharing funding intelligence, to matchmaking, pitching, and facilitating proposal-shaping conversations.

Through this programme, we are:

  • Facilitating effective matchmaking between researchers and institutions in UK and Ukraine.

  • Supporting project concept development and consortium building to create strong, competitive proposals.

  • Capturing and sharing insights to enhance the UK research system’s capacity for international partnerships.

This initiative responds to the urgent need to strengthen UK–Ukraine research collaboration and provide a reliable pathway from promising ideas to fundable Horizon Europe projects. Rather than relying on informal networking, the programme offers a structured, facilitated model that helps researchers identify aligned partners, clarify roles, and move quickly towards credible consortia and submissions.

Impact Snapshot

450 Ukrainian researchers registered

238 UK researchers registered

2 newsletters issued (December 2025; February 2026)

385 concept notes submitted by Ukrainian researchers only

Partner Matching & Researcher Connections

From introductions to structured collaboration

Cormack Consultancy Group facilitates active matchmaking between UK and Ukrainian researchers around specific themes and concept notes. Introductions are not left to chance: the programme supports follow-up, helps schedule calls, and guides discussions toward concrete outcomes — including alignment around specific Horizon Europe topics, partner roles, and next steps for proposal development.

Impact Snapshot

  • 308 introductions facilitated

  • 212 introductory calls organised (facilitated by CCG)

  • 55 UK institutions engaged

  • 20 initiated collaborations (joint planning underway)

  • 10 existing partnerships supported

Matchmaking Event I - 9 December 2025 — Live Pitching & Networking

The first matchmaking event created a structured space for Ukrainian researchers to pitch live and for UK researchers to identify promising partnership opportunities. The event ran in two thematic sessions and attracted strong attendance on both sides, showing significant commitment to developing Horizon Europe collaborations beyond introductory interest.

Impact Snapshot

  • 259 Ukrainian registrations (including 209 pitches + 50 observers)

  • 296 UK registrations

Matchmaking Event II - 19 February 2026 — Advanced Partner Engagement

The second matchmaking event built on a subsequent set of concepts and ongoing conversations from earlier stages. A smaller, curated set of Ukrainian researchers were invited to pitch, enabling deeper partner discussions and more targeted follow-up for consortium formation. This format supports progression from interest to committed proposal-building.

Impact Snapshot

  • 30 Ukrainian researchers invited to pitch

  • 100 UK registrations

  • 27 pitches delivered live

  • Attendance: 63 UK | 27 UA

  • International observers: Italy (1)

Outputs - Early results and momentum toward submissions

The initiative is already translating collaboration into concrete outputs. Early proposal submissions demonstrate that the pipeline model — from concept notes to matchmaking, supported calls, and pitching — is producing real progress toward Horizon Europe participation. Multiple additional proposals remain under development as partnerships mature and calls are selected.

Impact Snapshot

  • 2 joint UK–Ukraine project proposals submitted

  • Multiple additional proposals in development