HSBooster is back — and this time, no research project has an excuse not to engage with standards
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HSBooster is back — and this time, no research project has an excuse not to engage with standards
If you are reading this, you are already ahead of most researchers in Europe when it comes to standardisation. This newsletter is where we will share news, updates, success stories, and practical guidance over the next three years. Welcome!
HSBooster II launched this month, building directly on HSBooster I, which ran from 2022 to 2025 under Horizon Europe. The first phase supported 197 research projects across 28 countries, with satisfaction scores of 4.5 out of 5. Projects came from fields as varied as AI, clean energy, health technology, and smart cities.
The second phase inherits that infrastructure, expert community, and tools — and goes further.
"Every standard you've ever taken for granted — a plug socket, a safety label, a data format — was shaped by someone's research. That is how research quietly shapes the world we live in. HSBooster helps researchers make that translation, from findings to tangible impact. And it is high time that contributing to a standard is properly recognised as part of an academic career."
— Nicholas Ferguson, project coordinator, Trust-IT Services
Free, end-to-end support — from proposal writing to shaping the standard
Most research is closer to a standard than its authors realise. HSBooster offers diverse services, all entirely free, to EU- and nationally-funded research and innovation projects.
The Proposal Support Service comes in before a project begins. An expert reviews your proposal and identifies where standardisation could strengthen both the case to funders and the long-term routes to impact.
The Mentoring Service matches your project team with an expert for up to three months. Together you map the standardisation landscape, identify the relevant technical committees and bodies, and build a realistic strategy for engagement.
The Standards Accelerator Service is the most intensive offer — up to six months of hands-on support for projects ready to move from results to real standardisation deliverables. Drafting work item proposals, registering with technical committees, and preparing for working group meetings. For projects with the right results at the right moment, it is the difference between research that informs and research that shapes.
The Training Academy supports all three services with courses running from standardisation fundamentals through to advanced participation in technical committees. Dedicated modules are available for Technology Transfer Offices and National Contact Points.
Laying the groundwork for a permanent European standardisation support system
Beyond the services, HSBooster II is working towards things that do not yet exist at European level — a formal recognition system for researchers who contribute to standards, and concrete recommendations for what a permanent European standardisation support structure could look like.
Get involved
Apply for a service — Research projects funded through Horizon Europe, other EU programmes, or national schemes can apply through open calls at hsbooster.eu. Free, straightforward, and open to projects at any stage. The first open call will be announced in the next issue.
Invite us — Organising a project day, cluster meeting, or NCP event? The HSBooster team is available to speak — bringing standardisation literacy directly into the conversation, for audiences at any level of familiarity with the topic.
Follow and share — Tools, training materials, and success stories are published openly on the platform. Follow HSBooster on social media and help spread the word to projects that could benefit.
