Eurostars is a joint programme between EUREKA and the European Commission that supports international innovative projects led by research and development- performing SMEs. It's co-funded from the national budgets of 36 Eurostars participating states and partner countries and by the European Union through Horizon 2020. In 2014-2020, it has a total public budget of €1.14 billion.

With its bottom-up approach, Eurostars supports the development of rapidly marketable innovative products, processes and services that help improve the daily lives of people around the world. Eurostars has been carefully developed to meet the specific needs of SMEs. It is an ideal first step in international cooperation, enabling small businesses to combine and share expertise and benefit from working beyond national borders.

Eurostars applies a decentralised funding procedure. Participants do not receive funding directly from the EUREKA Secretariat or the EU; all funding to participants in approved projects is managed by their respective funding body and according to their national funding rules and procedures.