European Fund Backs Nine Cross-Border Innovation Projects with €2.4 Million
Maastricht, Wednesday, 11 February 2026.
Small businesses across Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium secured €2.4 million in European funding through STIPP’s streamlined partnership program. With an impressive 82% approval rate, twenty-six companies formed international consortia to tackle industrial challenges, from carbon-composite aircraft propellers to laser-cleaning robots for high-tech facilities. The initiative addresses a critical gap by offering matchmaking services that turn isolated innovation ideas into funded cross-border collaborations, strengthening the Meuse Rhine region’s competitive edge in advanced manufacturing.
STIPP Call 2 Results Drive Regional Innovation
The STIPP (SME Transition Innovation Partner Projects) instrument announced the approval of nine cross-border innovation projects on February 11, 2026, with a combined European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) value of approximately €2.4 million [1]. These initiatives represent a total project budget of nearly €5 million, demonstrating the leverage effect of European funding in catalyzing private sector investment [1]. The approval rate of 82% signals strong project quality and the effectiveness of STIPP’s pre-application support mechanisms [1][2].
Advanced Manufacturing Takes Center Stage
Among the standout projects, PREAMA focuses on boosting productivity in automated manufacturing of carbon-composite propellers for electric aviation while simultaneously reducing CO₂ emissions [1][2]. This project exemplifies the dual focus on industrial competitiveness and environmental sustainability that characterizes contemporary European innovation policy [GPT]. Meanwhile, LUCET develops an autonomous laser cleaning robot specifically designed for Ultra High Vacuum pipes, directly supporting high-tech sectors and the Einstein Telescope supply chain [1][2].
Looking Forward: Call 3 Opens New Opportunities
STIPP Call 3 opened on December 1, 2025, and will remain active until March 31, 2026, offering SMEs and innovation actors in the Interreg Meuse Rhine area another opportunity to submit cross-border innovation projects [1]. This timeline provides a three-month window for applicants to prepare proposals, benefiting from lessons learned from the successful Call 2 applications [1]. The program continues to offer SMEs practical pathways to develop and scale innovation ideas with cross-border partners, supported by ERDF co-funding [1].