Eurostars is a cross-border funding program supported and financed by the 34 EUREKA member countries (EU-27 states and 7 partner countries) together with the European Commission. After a first funding period from 2008 to 2013 (Eurostars-1), the successor program Eurostars-2 for the funding period from 2014 to 2021 followed under Horizon 2020. The funding program is aimed at research-intensive small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that carry out cross-border R&D projects together with other European partners. According to the EU definition, these are SMEs that have an R&D intensity (measured in terms of sales or personnel) of at least 10%. Universities and research institutions can participate and be funded as additional project partners.

Funding for supported Eurostars 2 projects is provided at national level by the BMBF. Around 700 projects were funded by the BMBF in the course of Eurostars-2 with a total of almost 150 million euros, including around 400 collaborative projects.

The aim of the project is to evaluate national funding for German grant recipients within the Eurostars-2 funding program. The evaluation shall provide statements about the objectives and the achievement of the objectives, the effectiveness of the national funding and the efficiency of the program, in accordance with § 7 para. 2 BHO. In addition, recommendations for policy action will be developed, which are oriented towards societal concerns and provide impulses for the future design of the program.