South Korea’s entry into Horizon Europe opened formal access to one of the world’s largest public R&D funding systems. The policy shift is clear. Korean organizations can now participate alongside European partners under largely equivalent conditions.
Yet in practice, access to Horizon Europe does not begin at submission. It begins much earlier, inside a layer that is less visible and harder to navigate. That layer is the consortium formation, where participation is shaped by relationships, prior collaboration, and trust.
So, the challenge for Korean startups no longer lies in eligibility, but in becoming part of a system where access is often determined before the call is even submitted.
Horizon Europe Access Is Open, but Entry Is Not Fully Neutral
Horizon Europe operates as a collaborative funding system. Most Pillar II projects require multi-partner consortia, often involving institutions across several countries.
Official guidance from the European Research Executive Agency indicates that building a consortium is not a last step. One approach is to assemble a core group first, then expand the partnership around that base.
This structure already signals a shift from open competition toward coordinated participation. Yes, the proposal is submitted publicly, but the core team is often shaped much earlier.
In parallel, UK Research Office guidance notes that identifying consortia in formation is not always simple. While some projects advertise partner searches through brokerage platforms or networking events, others develop through existing contacts and field-specific networks.
This creates a practical difference between formal openness and operational access. Even when calls are public, the path to joining a strong consortium is not always visible.
Consortium Formation Often Starts with Known Partners
At the operational level, this structure becomes more defined.
As discussion on Horizon Europe participation continues, Erel Rosenberg, Co-CEO of i46, described how consortia typically emerge based on prior collaboration rather than open partner selection. Rosenberg said in a correspondence with KoreaTechDesk,
“Consortia are typically formed by partners with prior collaborative experience on previous projects.”
He added that repeat participation is common within Horizon Europe networks.
“It is very common for the same organizations to frequently submit multiple proposals on various topics, often taking turns leading different proposals within the group.”
This pattern reflects a system where collaboration is not assembled from scratch each time. Instead, it evolves through continuity. Organizations that have worked together successfully are more likely to collaborate again.
Now, for new entrants, this creates an immediate constraint. Participation is not only about meeting technical requirements. It depends on being part of an existing collaboration loop.
Coordinators Control Access, Not Just Execution
Within each consortium, the coordinator plays a central role.
Coordinators are responsible for structuring the proposal, aligning partners, and managing delivery across the project lifecycle. This position also carries influence over partner selection.
Rosenberg explained that this is where trust becomes decisive.
“Coordinators prefer to work with known entities because a partner failing to deliver on their tasks during the project can jeopardize the entire endeavor.”
This risk dynamic shapes how partners are chosen. A single underperforming participant can affect the outcome of a multi-year project involving multiple institutions.
As a result, coordinators often prioritize reliability over experimentation. New entrants, especially those without prior European R&D experience, face a higher threshold for inclusion.
“Consequently, companies lacking prior experience with European R&D initiatives are highly likely to be excluded,”
Rosenberg noted.
Yes, this may not be a formal rule. However, it is a practical outcome of how risk is managed within sizable collaborative projects.
Network Position Matters More Than Individual Capability
The structure of Horizon Europe participation supports this interpretation.
European Commission data shows that participation is not evenly distributed across Horizon Europe. In the first three years of the program, non-widening member states accounted for 56% of unique applicants, 63% of submitted proposals, and 68% of requested EU funding, indicating that activity remains concentrated in more established research and innovation systems.
These patterns suggest that participation is shaped by network density and experience. While newcomers do enter, organizations that are already embedded in European research ecosystems tend to appear more frequently across projects.
Coordinator roles also reflect a similar pattern. European Commission data shows that a project coordinator receives around EUR 1.1 million in EU funding per project on average, compared to approximately EUR 300,000 for a typical consortium partner. This gap highlights not only the financial weight of the coordinator role, but also its central influence over project structure, partner selection, and execution.
For Korean startups, this creates a structural gap. Even when technically capable, they are often positioned outside these established networks.
That is why the issue is not only whether they can apply. It is whether they are visible and credible to those who assemble consortia.
Korean Participation Is Growing, but Still Network-Led
Korea’s participation in Horizon Europe is increasing, but current data shows that involvement remains relatively concentrated.
According to a January 2026 report by the Korea–EU Research Centre (KERC), Korean entities were involved in 70 Horizon Europe projects, with 88 participation instances. In Pillar II, 39 Korean institutions participated across 35 projects.
However, the same report indicates that coordination roles are largely held by European institutions. Among projects involving Korean participants, coordinators were primarily based in countries such as Germany, Greece, Italy, and Spain.
This suggests that Korean organizations are entering the system through existing European-led networks rather than leading consortium formation themselves.
Participation exists, but it is still mediated through established structures.
Korea Is Investing in Network Access, Not Just Funding Access
Knowing the complexity of Horizon Europe participation, the Korean ecosystem is already responding to this dynamic.
Programs led by the National Research Foundation (NRF) and KERC increasingly focus on pre-participation support. This includes consortium-building activities, partner matching, and networking initiatives across Europe.
For example, KERC’s Horizon Europe networking forums have already brought together researchers across borders. One forum held in October 2025 gathered around 80 participants from 19 countries, focusing on collaboration opportunities and early-stage consortium building.
At the same time, NRF-supported programs evaluate proposals not only on technical merit but also on their potential to form strong international research networks and transition into Horizon Europe participation.
Survey data from a 2025 KERC webinar further illustrates the stage at which many Korean participants operate. Among 166 respondents, only 11 respondents reported having an established consortium. Many were still exploring partnerships or at the early preparation stage.
This indicates that the ecosystem is still moving toward the network layer required for sustained participation.
Trust Is the Real Entry Layer to Horizon Europe
Taken together, these dynamics point to a consistent pattern.
Horizon Europe is formally open. Korean startups can participate, receive funding, and collaborate with European partners.
But participation is not defined only by eligibility or proposal quality. It is shaped by how consortia are formed, how coordinators manage risk, and how trust is built across partners.
So for startups entering from outside the European research ecosystem, this creates a different starting point.
They are not competing solely on innovation. They are entering a system where credibility is accumulated over time, often through repeated collaboration and visible execution within the network.
What This Means for Korean Startups and Global Participants
Finally, participation in Horizon Europe requires a different strategic starting point for Korean startups. Entry does not begin at submission, but earlier, through positioning within relevant networks, developing relationships with potential partners, and building credibility through smaller collaborative engagements.
At a broader level, the Korean case reflects a structural reality that extends beyond one country. Expanding access to a funding system does not automatically translate into participation. Network density, trust, and coordination dynamics continue to shape who is able to enter and sustain involvement.
Horizon Europe remains one of the most significant collaborative R&D platforms globally. But its structure reflects the realities of multi-party coordination, where trust becomes a functional requirement, not an optional advantage.
And so, the challenge is not only to apply.
It is to become the kind of partner that is invited before the proposal is written.
Key Takeaways
- Horizon Europe is formally open to Korean startups, with participation enabled through Korea’s 2025 association to Pillar II programs.
- Consortium formation often begins with a core group, and partner selection may occur before calls are publicly visible.
- Access is shaped by trust and prior collaboration, with coordinators preferring known and reliable partners.
- Repeat participation within established networks is common, creating continuity across multiple projects.
- New entrants are not excluded by rule, but face higher barriers without prior European R&D experience.
- Korean participation is growing but remains largely network-mediated, with most coordinator roles held by European institutions.
- Korea’s ecosystem is investing in network-building, including consortium formation support and cross-border collaboration programs.
- For startups, Horizon Europe entry is not just about eligibility, but about building credibility within the networks that define access.
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