Zenodo is an open-access repository created to help researchers, institutions, EU-funded and EU co-funded projects share results openly, safely, and in line with Open Science principles. For Horizon Europe projects, Zenodo plays a key role in making research outputs visible, citable, and accessible beyond the project lifetime.
What is Zenodo used for?
Zenodo allows projects to store and publish a wide range of research and communication outputs in one trusted place. Each upload receives a DOI (Digital Object Identifier), which means the content can be referenced, tracked, and reused. This supports transparency, long-term preservation, and compliance with Horizon Europe dissemination and open-access requirements.
Why Horizon Europe projects should publish on Zenodo
Zenodo is not only for scientists — it also supports communication with policymakers, stakeholders, and the wider public as various type of content can be published there, far beyond the conference papers and research articles.
Publishing on Zenodo helps projects:
- Meet Open Science and open-access obligations
- Increase the visibility and reuse of results
- Ensure long-term access after the project ends
- Provide clear evidence of dissemination and impact
- Make outputs citable and traceable via DOIs
What type of content can be published
Zenodo is not just a place to archive documents — it is a space to tell your project’s story in different layers. A researcher may download a dataset or a technical report, while a policymaker may prefer a concise brief and a practitioner a visual explainer or recorded webinar. These results might be helpful also for journalists and educators as well as general public. By publishing a mix of formats, Horizon Europe projects can meet audiences where they are and allow each group to engage with results in the way that makes most sense to them.
Zenodo supports many formats.
Horizon Europe projects commonly publish:
- Scientific publications (articles, preprints, reports)
- Public project deliverables and milestones
- Datasets and supporting research data
- Software, code, scripts, and technical tools
- Presentations, posters, and conference materials
- Training and educational resources
- Policy briefs, guidelines, and white papers
- Communication materials such as factsheets, infographics, and videos
- Recordings and materials from events, webinars, and workshops
- Technical documentation and manuals
What should not be published on Zenodo
Not everything produced by a project belongs in an open repository. A simple rule applies: if the content is not intended for public access, it should not be uploaded to Zenodo.
Projects should not publish:
- Confidential or sensitive data
- Unpublished or exploitable research results
- Personal data that is not anonymised
- Internal consortium documents and discussions
- Draft proposals, evaluation strategies, or reviewer comments
- Content restricted by intellectual property or commercial agreements
Practical tips for publishing on Zenodo
It is very useful and actually crucial to validate the document or video you want to upload on Zenodo before with your other team members and consortium partners to double check the facts, spelling and confirm that no confidential information will be reviled.
To maximise impact and compliance, Horizon Europe projects should:
- Clearly list authors and contributors
- Mention affiliated organisations and the project consortium
- Acknowledge EU funding, including the programme name and grant number
- Use clear titles, descriptions, and relevant keywords
- Ensure consistency with project visual identity and terminology
- Provide clear description about the specific material
Zenodo as part of a wider communication strategy
Zenodo works best when combined with other communication channels. Content published on Zenodo can be referenced on project websites, shared on social media, linked in newsletters, and cited in reports. Used strategically, it becomes a central pillar of credible, transparent, and long-lasting Horizon Europe communication.
Zenodo is not just a repository — it is a tool for visibility, trust, and impact when used thoughtfully and responsibly.
