EU grants advisory
Opportunity mapping, feasibility assessment, full proposal development, consortium building, and post-award reporting.
EU grants and tenders advisory
Funding is won on impact, not just excellence.
Aurelius Growth helps AI, deep-tech and hardware companies turn strong technology into funded projects: the right calls, a proposal that survives evaluation, and the partnerships that carry it.
More than ten years of fundraising work, predominantly alongside AI teams.
What a proposal has to clear
Horizon Europe · RIA and IA
Award criterionMinimum to pass
Excellence
3.0 / 5
Impact
3.0 / 5
Quality and efficiency of the implementation
3.0 / 5
All three together
10.0 / 15
Each criterion is scored out of 5. A proposal has to reach 3 on every one of them, and 10 in total, before it is considered for funding at all. A high score on one criterion cannot make up for a weak score on another.
The numbers
Good is not the same as funded.
Between 2021 and 2024 Horizon Europe backed the top 16% of applications. Almost seven in ten proposals the evaluators rated as high quality were turned down for lack of budget alone.
€93.5 bn
Horizon Europe budget for 2021 to 2027
16%
of all applications were funded between 2021 and 2024
~5%
success rate across EIC Pathfinder and Accelerator in 2024
100% / 70%
of costs covered in research actions and in innovation actions
Published by the European Commission: the Horizon Europe programme page, the 2026-2027 General Annexes and the interim evaluation of Horizon Europe.
What we do
Hands-on guidance across three pillars.
Aurelius Growth delivers result-oriented support to technology-driven companies, from the first eligibility check to the signed agreement.
Sales strategy and strategic partnerships
ICP definition and sales process design, go-to-market for Europe and the US, partnership outreach and negotiation, and pipeline structuring.
EU tenders
Procurement opportunities on TED and national portals, response strategy and writing, compliance review, and framework agreements.
Funding routes
Where the money actually comes from.
Six instruments cover most of what a European technology company can realistically go for. They differ in who may apply, what they fund, and whether they pay in grants, equity or both.
Horizon Europe, Pillar II
Collaborative research and innovation across six thematic clusters. Needs a consortium of at least three independent organisations from three different countries.
EIC Accelerator
For a single startup or SME with a market-creating innovation. Grant of up to €2.5 million over 24 months, plus €1 to €10 million of equity through the EIC Fund. Budget for 2026: €634 million.
EIC Pathfinder
Visionary research at low technology readiness, to prove the scientific principle behind a breakthrough. Up to €4 million per project. Budget for 2026: €262 million.
Eurostars
International R&D projects led by an innovative SME, with partners from at least two Eurostars countries. Paid by the national funding agencies, so the rate depends on your country.
Digital Europe
A deployment programme rather than a research one: supercomputing, AI, cybersecurity, semiconductors and advanced digital skills. Usually through consortia.
Innovation Fund
Demonstration of low-carbon industrial technology, financed from emissions trading revenue rather than the EU budget. €40 billion for 2020 to 2030, awarded by calls and competitive auctions.
Who we work with
Deep domain expertise, not generic consulting.
Artificial intelligence
Deep tech
Quantum
Biotech
Hardware design
IT startups and SMEs
Why Aurelius Growth
After more than 10 years of working as a fundraising professional predominantly in AI sector, I have seen companies struggle: oftentimes having exceptional products, but lacking the structured approach to access public funding, win tenders, or build scalable revenue.
This prompted me to create Aurelius Growth, a consultancy built on a simple premise: help technology-driven companies obtain necessary funding to make their exceptional ideas come to life.
Ksenija Ulićević Owner and Fundraising Consultant at Aurelius Growth
Vision
Aiming to become the go-to consultancy for ambitious IT and AI companies seeking to grow through public funding, strategic partnerships, and international sales. Recognised for integrity, work ethic, and a track record of measurable outcomes.
Mission
To empower technology-driven companies to access the funding, contracts, and market opportunities they deserve by translating complex EU systems and competitive sales landscapes into tangible business results through expert, trusted, and relationship-driven consulting.
Tell us what you are building.
Send a short description of your technology and where you are stuck. You will get a straight answer on whether public funding fits, and which route makes sense.
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