About Project Idea Check
 

What is a Project Idea Check by Ideal-ist and how does it work?

A Project Idea Check by Ideal-ist is a free and confidential service designed to support researchers and organisations at the early stage of preparing a Horizon Europe proposal.
The service helps proposers assess whether their project idea fits the selected Horizon Europe topic and provides early feedback before significant time and resources are invested in developing the full proposal.

The idea is simple: You prepare a short description of your project idea and send it to the IDEAL-IST Project Idea Check coordinator. The coordinator will contact relevant IDEAL-IST National Contact Point (NCPs). Together, they will review your idea and provide practical feedback on its alignment with the selected topic, objectives, expected impact and consortium.

Project Idea Checks are particularly useful at the beginning of proposal preparation, when there is still enough time to refine the concept, strengthen the consortium and adjust the overall approach.

How does the Project Idea Check work?

1) Identify a potential Horizon Europe topic (recommend)
If you already have a Horizon Europe Cluster 4 Digital topic in mind, indicate it in your Project Idea Check form. If you are unsure which topic best fits your idea, you can still submit your idea and request guidance from the NCP team.

2) Download and complete the Project Idea Check form
Use the short Ideal-ist template to describe your project idea. Focus on the main challenge, objectives, proposed approach, expected impact and initial consortium.
If you have not yet identified a suitable Horizon Europe topic, you may leave this field open and request guidance.

3) Send the form to the Project Idea Check Coordinator
Send your completed Project Idea Check form to the IDEAL-IST Project Idea Check Coordinator, Salko Kovačić, at [email protected].
The coordinator will register your request and organise the review process with the relevant NCPs. Your project idea will be treated confidentially.

4) NCP Coordination and Review
The Project Idea Check Coordinator will organise the review with relevant National Contact Points (NCPs) from the IDEAL-IST network, involving your local NCP and additional experts where appropriate.
Your project idea will be treated confidentially and shared only with NCPs involved in the review process.
The review team will provide practical recommendations to help you improve your idea.

5) Receive feedback
You will receive coordinated feedback from the IDEAL-IST Project Idea Check team, including practical recommendations to improve your project idea, strengthen its alignment with the selected topic and prepare the next steps towards a full proposal.

When should I request a Project Idea Check?

The Project Idea Check is intended for the early stage of proposal preparation.
You do not need to have a complete consortium or a detailed proposal. However, your project idea should already be sufficiently developed to explain:

* the problem or challenge you want to address;
* the Horizon Europe topic you are targeting;
* the main objectives and proposed approach;
* the expected results and impact;
* the initial consortium or types of partners you are looking for.

We recommend submitting your project idea as early as possible during proposal preparation. This allows enough time for the NCP review and gives you the opportunity to use the feedback when developing your consortium and full proposal.

What kind of feedback can I receive?

The Project Idea Check can provide early feedback on:
Topic fit: Does the idea address the scope and expected outcomes of the selected topic?
Concept and objectives: Are the main objectives and proposed approach sufficiently clear?
Expected impact: Is there a clear link between the proposed activities, expected results and the impact requested by the topic?
Consortium: Does the planned consortium include the main types of expertise and organisations needed to implement the project?
Next steps: What should be strengthened or clarified before moving towards a full proposal?
The Project Idea Check is an advisory service. The feedback is intended to support proposal development and does not represent an official European Commission evaluation or guarantee the success of a future proposal.

Project Idea Check or Full Proposal Check?

Ideal-ist provides support at different stages of proposal preparation.

Project Idea Check is for the early stage, when you are developing the concept, checking its fit with the topic and building the consortium.

Full Proposal Check (FPC) is for the final stage, when you already have an advanced proposal draft and want detailed expert feedback before submission.

                                                                           Figure 1. How a Project Idea Check by Ideal-ist works

Any questions?

For questions about the Project Idea Check service or the submission process, please contact:
Project Idea Task Leader by IDEAL-IST: Salko Kovačić - [email protected]  

Reach out to your ICT National Contact Point (NCP)

Your local National Contact Point (NCP) can provide valuable guidance on Horizon Europe funding opportunities, call topics and proposal preparation.

You can find and contact your local NCP using the link below.

For the Project Idea Check service, please submit your completed form directly to the IDEAL-IST Project Idea Check Coordinator.