EUROPE FOR BUSINESS LTD

Their core work

Europe for Business is a Manchester-based innovation consultancy that specializes in connecting EU research networks with international partners, particularly in agriculture, water management, and environmental sectors. They provide project coordination support, knowledge transfer facilitation, and capacity building services within large multi-country consortia. Their consistent role across Coordination & Support Actions (CSA) and MSCA-RISE schemes indicates they serve as a networking and dissemination partner rather than a technical research performer — bridging gaps between researchers, policymakers, and practitioners across Europe and the Middle East/North Africa region.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their early period (2015-2018), EFB focused on science diplomacy, agricultural innovation networks, and policy dialogue — projects like MERID and SKIN were about connecting people and building knowledge exchange platforms. From 2018 onward, their portfolio shifted toward environmental and health-related research mobility, with RECOPHARMA (wastewater treatment) and MERFISH (mercury-selenium in food safety) indicating a move into applied environmental science partnerships. The through-line is consistent: EFB facilitates international research collaboration, but the thematic focus has migrated from agriculture policy toward environmental health.

EFB is pivoting from general agriculture-innovation networking toward environment-health intersections (pollutants, food safety, water quality), suggesting future collaborations will likely involve One Health or circular economy topics.

How they like to work

EFB operates exclusively as a participant — they have never coordinated an H2020 project. However, their reach is remarkably broad for a small company: 64 unique consortium partners across 31 countries from just 6 projects, indicating they consistently join large, geographically diverse consortia. This pattern suggests they are valued as a reliable networking and dissemination partner who can bridge different institutional cultures, particularly between EU member states and neighboring regions.

With 64 unique partners across 31 countries from only 6 projects, EFB has one of the broadest per-project network ratios of any SME. Their geographic spread includes EU member states, Middle Eastern countries (via MERID), North Africa (Tunisia via FASTER), and Mediterranean partners, reflecting genuine global connectivity rather than concentration in a single region.

What sets them apart

EFB's standout quality is their ability to operate across vastly different thematic areas — from Middle East science diplomacy to pharmaceutical wastewater treatment to mercury in seafood — while maintaining a consistent role as a cross-border networking facilitator. For consortium builders, this means EFB brings an established network of 64+ partners across 31 countries and proven experience managing knowledge exchange in culturally diverse settings. They are especially useful for projects that need a UK-based partner with strong Mediterranean and MENA region connections.

Highlights from their portfolio

• SKIN
  Largest funding (€126,125) and most directly business-relevant — focused on short food supply chain innovation with direct farmer and SME engagement.
• RECOPHARMA
  Longest-running project (2018-2023) and marks EFB's pivot into technical environmental research via MSCA-RISE researcher exchange on nanocomposite wastewater treatment.
• MERID
  Demonstrates EFB's unique geopolitical reach — one of few UK SMEs facilitating EU-Middle East research and innovation dialogue.