How to create innovative ideas & approaches for research and innovation grant applications


One of the most important points that proposal and grant application writers should master is to create innovative ideas and approaches. This is relatively difficult even for experienced grant applicants that are required to come up with innovative ideas and practices as the cornerstone for winning European funded projects.

In this blog, I am providing a well-established approach based on my work and coaching with highly innovative and creative people that have been successful in developing successful European research and innovation grant applications (namely FP6, FP7, Horizon 2020) and pretty soon on Horizon Europe.

In principle, there are 6 steps in a virtual cycle that should be followed in a continuous way.

C.H.A.N.G.E.
  1. Challenge the status quo
  2. Have joint meals
  3. Associate
  4. Note/Observe
  5. Generate questions
  6. Experiment

For more details, please check my video below

For adding further value to what you have learned from this article/video, you can now register in my Funding Expert Accelerator Programme  that in addition to have exclusive access  every month to unique in-depth trainings on EU funds that I deliver nowhere else but only in this programme, you can also have  an one-to-one live session with me remotely where I can guide you specifically on any challenges you are facing (e.g. your strong and weak points and how to work for becoming a great funding expert, which funding programmes can support your idea or your organisation’s mission, how to get involved in proposals as partner, how to deal with specific issues in regards to a grant application or a funded project that you are involved, etc.) You set the agenda for our discussion and coaching session according to your own needs.

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Nikolaos Floratos

About Nikolaos Floratos

Nikolaos Floratos after his undergraduate and postgraduate studies with distinction as engineer in London (Imperial College, City University), UK, has been working for a number of consultancy and Information Technology companies as consultant and project manager across Europe. He completed also an MBA (Master in Business Administration - National Technical University of Athens and Athens University of Economics and Business) and the last 19 years he is involved in planning, managing and evaluating large and small projects in the area of research, education, ICT (Information Communication Technologies), social inclusion, entrepreneurship, standardization and consumer issues. As a funding expert, personal trainer and coach, he has supported hundreds of individuals and organisations mainly from Europe but also from all over the world on managing state funding (e.g. from European Commission, National Funds, etc) and receive support for deploying their business idea or mission and he has proved that anyone can become a great proposal writer or project manager of european funded projects through proper guidance, training and coaching. He is an expert on behalf of the European Commission on evaluating and reviewing projects and proposals since 2003 and currently, he researches through a PhD how eLearning courses can increase students' engagement and motivation. He is the creator of the Funding Expert Transfomation Process™ system that can transform anyone to a great proposal writer and project manager of european funded projects. He is also interested in investing in highly innovative start-ups and SMEs and he is member of the European Business Angel Network and of the Institute of Leadership and Management. He has received more than 50 recommendations at his linkedin profile (www.linkedin.com/in/floratos) as a funding expert, coach and trainer. He is also the author of the ebook "Who are the Horizon 2020 champions and what to learn from them". He is also listed in the top first three search results by google as "Funding expert".