 If you've landed on the Enterprise Singapore Co-Innovation Programme (CIP) grant page and found yourself staring at terms like "EUREKA Clusters," "Globalstars," and "Eurostars" wondering what any of it means — you're not alone. These are not the same thing as EDG or PSG. They are international collaborative R&D and commercialisation programmes designed to help companies from different countries jointly develop technology, conduct applied R&D, and access international markets. Getting them confused is one of the most common — and costly — mistakes companies make before engaging a grant consultant. This guide explains the full EUREKA ecosystem, how each programme is different, and what questions you actually need to ask before deciding if your company qualifies. What Is Enterprise Singapore's Co-Innovation Programme?
Enterprise Singapore (ESG) administers Singapore's participation in several international innovation collaboration schemes under the broader EUREKA ecosystem. When companies come across the Co-Innovation Programme grant on ESG's website, they are effectively looking at a gateway to one of four distinct programme structures: 1. Eureka Clusters 2. Eureka Network Projects 3. Globalstars 4. Eurostars Each serves a different purpose, suits a different company profile, and operates under different eligibility conditions. Treating them as interchangeable is a mistake. What Is EUREKA? EUREKA is an international innovation cooperation network founded in 1985 to support market-oriented international R&D collaboration. It is not a single centralised EU grant fund. EUREKA itself does not directly fund companies. Instead, each participating country funds its own companies through its national funding agency. For Singapore companies, that agency is Enterprise Singapore. Think of EUREKA as the umbrella. Underneath it sit several separate programme structures, each with different collaboration models and objectives. The 4 Programmes Under the EUREKA Ecosystem 1. Eureka Clusters What they are: Eureka Clusters are long-term, industry-led international innovation ecosystems organised around specific technology domains. Examples include: · ITEA4 — Software-intensive systems, AI, digital infrastructure · Celtic-Next — Telecommunications, 5G/6G connectivity · Xecs — Semiconductors and embedded systems · Eurogia2030 — Sustainability and low-carbon technologies · SMART — Advanced manufacturing and robotics Who they suit: Deep-tech companies, industrial technology firms, and R&D-intensive businesses with a clear thematic fit to one of the cluster domains. These are not for companies dipping their toes into innovation for the first time. Key mindset: Clusters are not just grants. They are long-term industrial innovation ecosystems you are joining. 2. Eureka Network Projects What they are: Network Projects are flexible international R&D collaboration projects under the EUREKA ecosystem — not tied to a permanent thematic cluster or ecosystem organization. A Singapore company and one or more overseas partners identify a shared innovation opportunity and jointly submit a project. Typical use cases: · Applied R&D collaborations · Joint product or software development · Technical pilots and cross-border proof-of-concepts · Product commercialisation with a foreign partner Key mindset: Collaboration-driven, not ecosystem-driven. 3. Globalstars What it is: Globalstars is a separate EUREKA programme that supports international collaboration calls between EUREKA countries and selected partner countries — including Singapore, Japan, India, Brazil, Taiwan, and Korea. It operates through temporary bilateral or multilateral calls launched during specific windows, meaning the programme is only accessible when an active call between Singapore and the relevant partner country is open. Key mindset: Country partnership-driven, not ecosystem-driven. 4. Eurostars What it is: Eurostars is the flagship SME-focused programme under EUREKA, specifically designed for collaborative R&D projects led by innovative SMEs. It places strong emphasis on R&D-performing SMEs with genuine innovation work, technical credibility, commercialisation potential, and the SME playing a leading role in the consortium. Who it is NOT for: Pure resellers, generic agencies, simple integrators, or companies without proprietary technology or genuine innovation work. Key mindset: SME-focused and commercialisation-oriented. Quick Comparison: Which Programme Is Right for You? For companies deciding which Eureka-related programme is most suitable, the key is to understand the structure of each programme and match it to the company’s collaboration objective, R&D maturity, and commercialisation plan. Eureka Clusters are best for deep-tech companies, larger R&D players, or firms working on long-term industrial technology roadmaps. These are more suitable when the project is substantial, strategically aligned with a broader industry direction, and likely to involve more complex technical development. Network Projects are more flexible and are usually better for companies exploring bilateral international R&D collaboration. This is often a good starting point for companies attempting international innovation for the first time, especially where the project is practical, partner-driven, and not necessarily tied to a large industrial roadmap. Globalstars is most relevant when the opportunity is tied to a specific country-to-country call window. In simple terms, companies should look at Globalstars when they already have, or want to find, partners in the specific countries named in the call. The fit depends heavily on whether the company’s target collaboration country is included. Eurostars is best suited for innovative SMEs with strong commercialisation ambition. It is especially relevant when the SME is leading the R&D project and has a clear plan to bring the resulting product, technology, or solution to market. The Question Most Companies Get Wrong When evaluating whether they qualify for an ESG Co-Innovation Programme grant, most companies — and even some consultants — ask the wrong question: ✗ "Is this country part of EUREKA?" The correct question is: ✓ "For this specific ESG Co-Innovation call, is that country currently participating, and is there an active funding pathway?" Even if a country is generally part of the EUREKA ecosystem, that does not automatically mean the call is open, the country is participating in that specific call, or funding is currently available. Before committing anything to a client, you must verify: 5. The exact ESG Co-Innovation call details 6. Whether the call is currently open 7. Whether the partner country is participating in that specific call 8. Whether there is an active co-funding pathway between Singapore and that country 9. Whether the project fits any applicable thematic scope 10. Whether the overseas partner contributes meaningfully to the technical or commercialisation work Should Your Company Apply for the CIP Grant? The Co-Innovation Programme grant is one of the most powerful — and most misunderstood — grant programmes Enterprise Singapore offers. When the fit is right, it opens doors to international R&D funding, global partnerships, and technology commercialisation at a scale that domestic grants cannot match. But the fit needs to be genuinely validated. A misaligned application wastes months of your team's time and damages your credibility with the grant agency. At Real Inbound Consulting, we help companies determine exactly which programme under CIP they are eligible for, identify the right overseas partner profile, and structure the application to meet what assessors are actually looking for. If you're exploring Enterprise Singapore's Co-Innovation Programme and want a frank assessment of whether it makes sense for your company, get in touch with us. Published by Real Inbound Consulting — Singapore's specialist grant advisory firm for high-growth technology companies. Comments are closed.
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