IDEAL-IST STORY
The Horizon Europe Cluster 4 digital NCP Network - active since 1996.
Ideal-ist is the international Horizon Europe Cluster 4 digital National Contact Point (NCP) network, supporting research and innovation activities for the EU Framework Programmes. The network includes more than 65 partners from Member States, Associated Countries, Eastern European Partner Countries (EEPC), Mediterranean Partner Countries (MPC), and other countries throughout the world.
- Long-standing experience in EU Framework Programmes (Ideal-ist was established in 1996)
- Expertise in proposal writing and project management
- An international quality team to support proposers, e.g. to better focus proposals
- Ideal-ist information services: Briefings, Social Media, Work programme information, Events
- Brokerage events with pre-scheduled meetings
- Full proposal check events with experienced evaluators
- Pre-Proposal Check: A new tool to check proposal outlines
- Toolbox. A tool to support proposers during the whole application process from project idea to project completion and future planning
- Topic Tree. A tool that helps you identify historical and future links to call topics and offers background information provided by Ideal-ist and the EC Funding and Tenders Portal
Ideal-ist supports small and medium enterprises (SMEs), large enterprises, academia, research organisations, non-profit organisations, public administrations, and consultancies in
- Interpreting the Cluster 4 digital Work Programme of Horizon Europe
- Submitting project ideas in line with the topics of Horizon Europe
- Building consortia
Dissemination and Communication
How can we help you with your dissemination and communication needs?
Contact us:
National Institute for Research and Development in Informatics - ICI Bucharest, Romania
Name: Monica Barbu, WP2 Leader
eMail: [email protected]
Ideal-ist Communication Resources
Feel free to download and print all our documents and publications for use in your information campaigns:
For information on roll-ups, logos etc. please contact
National Institute for Research and Development in Informatics - ICI Bucharest, Romania
Name: Monica Barbu, WP2 Leader
eMail: [email protected]
In May 2025, during the closing event of our previous project in Brussels, we launched a series of three promotional videos highlighting key perspectives from across the European research and innovation landscape.
The videos feature short interviews with a European-funded project evaluator, a project proposer, and a Cluster 4 Digital National Contact Point (NCP). Together, they provide valuable insights into the evaluation process, proposal development, and the support mechanisms available to applicants under Horizon Europe.
These interviews aim to support and inspire stakeholders by offering practical guidance and first-hand experiences from experts actively involved in European funding programmes.
Project Proposer
Otto Vainio, National Contact Point for Horizon Europe Cluster 4 (Digital) in Finland, highlights how the IDEAL-IST network strengthens proposers' research and innovation capacity through hands-on services such as the “Topic Tree” and “Pre-Proposal Check.”
Explore his insights and discover how NCPs can stay connected to the network’s services - empowering them to guide their clients at every stage of proposal preparation and submission.
CL4 Digital NCP
Dr. Kaspars Ozols, Deputy Director of Development and Senior Researcher at EDI (Latvia), highlights four key benefits of IDEAL-IST.
Discover how these four advantages can bring real value not only to proposers, but also to expert evaluators and the wider research community.
Expert Evaluator
Ondřej Bojar from Charles University in Prague shares how his team leveraged the IDEAL-IST “Full Proposal Check” service to strengthen their proposal.
Discover how this tailored support helped refine their application and boost its overall quality.