EU Horizon Europe — utlysningar
Horizon Europe är EU:s ramprogram för forskning och innovation med en budget på 95 miljarder euro. EIC Accelerator riktar sig specifikt till startups och scaleups.
21 öppna utlysningar
Eurostars – internationell SME-samverkan
Stöd till innovativa SME:er som vill genomföra FoU-projekt i samarbete med partners i andra Eurostars-länder. Projekten ska vara marknadsnära (TRL 6-8) och ledas av ett SME.
Startup Europe
Open Horizons åben indkaldelse #3
HORIZON-EIC-2026-BAS-02-SCLATEUP
Odotetut vaikutukset: Toimella odotetaan olevan seuraavat vaikutukset: Vahvistetaan kasvutaitoja mentoroinnin ja kuratoidun vertaisoppimisen avulla perustavista kasvun esteistä, kuten osallistavasta työkulttuurista, organisaatiosta, osaajien houkuttelemisesta, kansainvälisestä laajentumisesta ja rahoituksesta. Lisätään strategisilta eurooppalaisilta ja Euroopan ulkopuolisilta yhteisinvestointikumppaneilta, kuten julkisilta ja yksityisiltä sijoittajilta (mukaan lukien kansalliset kehityspankit ja -laitokset ja/tai alueelliset pankit, jotka tarjoavat myöhäisen vaiheen investointeja), saatujen sijoitussopimusten määrää ja arvoa, mukaan lukien rahoitus listautumisannilla ja osallistuvien yritysten hankinnoilla. Lisätään asiakkaiden ja strategisten kumppanien, kuten yritysten, ostajien, infrastruktuurin ja palveluntarjoajien, tekemien kaupallisten sopimusten määrää ja arvoa EU:ssa ja ulkomaisilla markkinoilla. Lisätään houkuttelevuutta korkean osaamistason osaajien houkuttelemiseksi. Vahvan vertaisverkoston luominen Euroopan huipputason syväteknologian perustajille ja keskeisille mentoreille. Tuettujen yritysten näkyvyyden ja eurooppalaisen syväteknologian laajentumisen julkisuuskuvan vahvistaminen. Tavoite: EIC Scaling Club 2.0:n tavoitteena on lisätä menestystä ja tukea Euroopan huipputason syväteknologiayritysten kasvua vahvistamalla kasvun edellyttämiä ikätovereiden, sijoittajien ja asiakkaiden taitoja, tietämystä ja verkostoa. Soveltamisala: EIC Scaling Club 2.0:n olisi tuettava vähintään 70:tä syväteknologiayritystä, joilla on potentiaalia laajentua globaaleiksi johtajiksi tai mahdollisiksi yksisarvisiksi. Näistä yrityksistä vähintään 35:n olisi oltava peräisin EIC:n salkusta (ensisijaisesti EIC:n rahaston salkusta), ja muiden syväteknologiayritysten olisi oltava peräisin vastaavista ohjelmista jäsenvaltioiden ja assosioituneiden maiden tasolla. Määritettyjen yritysten, jotka ovat valmiita B+-sarjan rahoituskierroksiin, olisi osoitettava uskottavaa kasvupotentiaalia ja kehitettävä huipputason ratkaisuja keskeisillä teknologisilla aloilla, jotka edistävät Euroopan teknologista riippumattomuutta ja tukevat EU:n strategisia painopisteitä, kuten tekoälyä, kehittyneitä materiaaleja, kvanttiteknologiaa, bioteknologiaa, robotiikkaa ja avaruusteknologiaa, energiaa ja hiilestä irtautumista, kuten EU:n kilpailupassissa täsmennetään. [1] Eri aloilla toimivien tuettujen yritysten joukon olisi oltava maantieteellisesti ja sukupuolijakaumaltaan moninainen, ja siihen olisi otettava mukaan yrityksiä eri puolilta EU:ta ja Horisontti Eurooppa -puiteohjelmaan assosioituneita maita sekä tasapainoinen naisjohtoisten yritysten salkku. Aloitteen olisi tarjottava paketti kasvuun keskittyvää tukea valmiuksien kehittämiseen räätälöidyn verkostoitumisen ja oppimisen avulla vertaisryhmien ja kumppanien keskuudessa sekä helpotettava tiedotusta. Aloitteella olisi myös lisättävä valittujen yritysten ja Euroopan scaleup-yritysten näkyvyyttä. Toiminta Kasvuun keskittyvässä tukipaketissa yksilöidyille yrityksille olisi keskityttävä seuraaviin seikkoihin: investointivalmiuden vahvistaminen operatiivisen huippuosaamisen vahvistaminen uusien asiakkaiden, liikekumppaneiden ja markkinoiden tavoittamisen helpottaminen (esim. EU:n sisällä ja laajentuminen ulkomaisille markkinoille) helpottaa (myöhäisen vaiheen) rahoituksen saantia lahjakkuuksien saannin helpottaminen. Aloitteessa olisi hyödynnettävä olemassa olevia verkostoja ja hyödynnettävä sen edeltävän toimen, EIC:n Scaling Clubin, menestystä ja menetelmiä. Toteutusta varten toimessa olisi räätälöitävä Euroopan syväteknologiayritysten erityistarpeisiin eri aloilla. Se olisi toteutettava ketterästi siten, että samalla tasapainotetaan asianmukaisesti yritysten sitoutuminen ja toimen lisäarvo. toteutetaan tiiviissä yhteistyössä EIC:n yrityskiihdyttämöpalvelujen ja EIC:n ekosysteemikumppaneiden verkoston kanssa hyödyntäen synergioita ja edistäen ristikkäin asiaan liittyviä toimia, kuten kansainvälisiä messuja, kumppanuuksia yritysten kanssa, innovaatiohankintoja, sijoittajien tavoittamista jne. tukea osallistuvien yritysten osallistumista asiaankuuluviin scale-up-järjestelmiin EU:n tasolla (EIC Step Scale Up, InvestEU-aloite, EU:n innovaatiorahasto jne.) ja kansallisella tasolla (pehmeän laskun järjestelmät). toimia ennakoivasti autettaessa Euroopan innovaationeuvostoa rakentamaan kasvua, asiantuntemusta ja johtajuutta yritysten laajentamisen alalla edistämällä parempaa ymmärrystä Euroopan syväteknologian scale-up-yritysten konkreettisista haasteista ja tarpeista sekä tietämystä tehokkaimmista toimista haasteiden voittamiseksi. sitouttaa EIC:n Scaling Club -alumniyritykset ja hyödyntää niiden scale-up-kokemusta, näkemyksiä ja verkostoja uusien kohorttien ekosysteemin vahvistamiseksi. Alumniyritykset voivat toimia mentoreina tai vertaisneuvojina, jotka tarjoavat reaalimaailman näkökulmia ja edistävät yhteistyökulttuuria. Alumniyritysten jatkuva sitoutuminen paitsi vahvistaisi yhteisösiteitä myös t
Missing persons: prevention and investigation
Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following expected outcomes: Improved skills, tools and training curricula for Police Authorities in Europe and Civil Society Organisations (or Non-Governmental Organisations) to work with at-risk groups to prevent persons from going missing. Those improved skills, tools and training curricula are to take into account European multicultural dimension, as well as legal and ethical rules of operation; Enhanced investigation tools and methodologies for Police Authorities in Europe to tackle cold cases in the context of missing persons, based on modern (forensic) technologies and criminology; Modern training curricula for Police Authorities, their improved cross-border cooperation and enhanced tools and methodologies to tackle new cases of missing persons; Enriched European common approaches applied by Police Authorities in Europe to fight the issue of missing persons relying on the synergy of technology, the latest socio-psychological knowledge learned from cases, as well as field experience of Police Authorities and entities dealing with victims, while fully respecting fundamental rights such as privacy, protection of personal data and anonymity of victims. Scope: The issue of missing persons is a multifaceted challenge that encompasses diverse categories and is influenced by various factors. People may go missing under a variety of circumstances, such as voluntary disappearances, abductions, cases related to mental health crises, or because of conflict, migration, geopolitical instability, natural disasters. Groups in a vulnerable situation - notably children, victims of trafficking and exploitation, persons with disabilities and persons suffering from cognitive impairments - face an even greater risk of going missing, often under distressing and dangerous conditions. Tackling this issue requires a coordinated response from multiple stakeholders, from Police Authorities via Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) or Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to the involvement of the overall society. In an era of rapid technological advancement and societal developments, there is a pressing need to improve current European approaches to fight the issue of missing persons (prevention and/or investigation of cold and new cases) using innovative societal and technological solutions. To this end, modernised skills, training curricula and methodologies for Police Authorities, CSOs and NGOs to work with people in a vulnerable situation and children are needed, such as effective awareness raising campaigns, which should be accessible to persons with disabilities, that take into account European multicultural dimension. When it comes to investigation, Police Authorities need efficient tools that benefit from new and emerging technologies to solve cold cases while combining modern forensic science (including biometrics and digital forensics) and criminology, e.g., modern tools for using an old DNA, or accurate facial ageing, among others. When multiple practitioners are involved in exchanging sensitive data, data sharing tools in a privacy-preserving manner should be considered. Furthermore, for new cases of missing persons, apart from an improved cross-border cooperation, Police Authorities also need, on the one hand, a modernised training to face such situations more efficiently, improving the dialogues and interactions with families, taking into account a gender sensitive and intersectional approach when relevant, and on the other hand, modern technologies and forensic tools for, for example, fast and reliable cross-matching of DNA samples between new and cold cases. If a proposal concerns forensics, its consortium should involve forensic institutes as well. Coordination among the successful proposals from this topic should be envisaged to avoid duplication and to exploit complementarities as well as opportunities for increased impact. Proposals funded under this topic are expected to provide ideas on how they would engage with the Europol Innovation Lab during the lifetime of the project, including validating the outcomes, with the aim of facilitating future uptake of innovations for the law enforcement community. For aspects of training of Police Authorities, cooperation of successful proposals with CEPOL is expected, provided that the Agency opts out from applying for funding. To ensure the active involvement of and timely feedback from relevant security practitioners, proposals should plan a mid-term deliverable consisting in the assessment of the project’s mid-term outcomes, performed by the practitioners involved in the project. Finally, proposals are expected to address all applicable considerations expressed in the Introduction of the Fighting Crime and Terrorism Destination. null Activities are expected to achieve TRL 6-8 by the end of the project – see General Annex B.
New approaches for Human/AI collaboration for the workforce of the future (RIA) (Made in Europe and AI, Data and Robotics partnerships)
Expected Outcome: Industrial jobs are transformed through AI-based human-machine interactions (and skills linked to them) which enhance flexibility, inclusion, well-being, up-skilling, career evolution and knowledge sharing; Increased competitiveness and sustainability of advanced manufacturing industries by means of knowledge formalization and adaptability of the machines to workers and markets based on different cultures. Scope: Innovative AI approaches are poised to revolutionise human-machine collaboration in factories by fostering an environment where technology and human expertise synergistically enhance each other. AI can enhance the value of the companies by capturing and formalising the knowledge which is dispersed and not explicit. This allows companies to really own the knowledge and use it to reduce the onboarding time of new employees and support personnel upskilling to adapt to the evolving technological landscape. AI has a great potential to make task simpler by reducing the complexity offering intuitive interfaces and real-time feedback allowing workforce to be more efficient and effective while facilitating access to more complex tasks including those involving various forms of planning. AI can also adapt the interaction of automation with the worker taking into account particular needs of the human, including adaptation to the different abilities of the workers and facilitating inclusion. Finally, AI can be used to allow easier export of automation produced in EU by facilitating its interaction with workforce having different cultures adapting the interaction of the machines to the different needs. Proposals should produce dedicated innovative AI approaches for human-machine collaboration in advanced manufacturing to be applied in at least two of following fields: Human-AI Co-Learning and knowledge capture to share competences, capture expert knowledge, provide interactive mentoring to up-skill the workforce, and support re-qualification and continuous training – leading to increased knowledge at factory level and avoiding loss of know-how. Human-AI teamwork thanks to innovative natural interaction models (considering the e.g. related hardware interfaces and/or collaborative machine tools), enabling to control complexity in cognitive cooperating production systems, including planning activities at shop floor level. Interfaces with automation which automatically adapt to the need of the humans including different abilities and different cultural needs. Proposals should integrate a gender perspective and avoid any type of discrimination in the design and deployment of AI systems and human-machine interaction models, including addressing differences in user needs, such as needs of persons with disabilities, physical and cognitive ergonomics and training pathways. Proposals are also expected to identify and address other potential biases in AI systems to promote inclusive design that ensures safe and effective use by all workers. Human/AI collaboration requires utmost sensitivity to and consideration of human values and consideration of ethical principles as represented in Digital Humanism, therefore, appropriate consideration must also be given to the contribution of SSH. This topic is linked to the Apply AI Strategy, therefore proposals should seek collaboration with relevant initiatives. In addition, proposals are invited to build on the results of past projects on Extended Reality Technologies (XR), such as HORIZON-CL4-2021-HUMAN-01-13, HORIZON-CL4-2021-HUMAN-01-14, HORIZON-CL4-2021-HUMAN-01-25, HORIZON-CL4-2021-HUMAN-01-06, HORIZON-CL4-2021-HUMAN-01-28. Proposals should include a business case and exploitation strategy, as outlined in the introduction to Destination ‘Leadership in materials and production for Europe’. This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnerships Made in Europe and AI, Data and Robotics. null Activities are expected to start at TRL 4-5 and achieve TRL 6 by the end of the project – see General Annex B.
Advanced integrated photonic devices for extended features and ultra-low power consumption (RIA) (Photonics Partnership)
Expected Outcome: Advanced integrated photonic devices and circuits with enhanced functionality and performance enabling wider application across multiple sectors including digital, automotive, industrial, health and security Reinforced competitiveness of EU photonics actors by demonstrating advancements in representative system configurations and validating real-world applicability Significantly improved performance of electro-optic systems in applications such as communication, computing, sensing, medical diagnostics, data processing, AI supporting the introduction of photonic elements into such systems Low power consumption sensors with increased performance in application domains Scope: R&I should enhance the functionality, efficiency, and integration of photonic devices and circuits with a focus extended system performance. Action should address at least two of the following aspects. Enhanced performance through improved spectral purity, wavelength coverage, output power and noise characteristics. Increased modulation or detection speeds going beyond the capability of existing PIC material platforms, improved signal-processing capabilities, and integration of novel materials such as thin-film LiNbO3, BTO, graphene, silicon carbide, phase change materials and TMDCs. Miniaturised, high-complexity photonic circuits (e.g. multilayer photonics, chiplets, multiple integrated functional elements), scalable interconnects and electronics-photonics integration (co-packaged, heterogeneous, or monolithic) to improve performance, reliability, and cost-efficiency. Reduction of power consumption for example through improved electrical-to-optical conversion, lower optical losses, devices operable at higher temperatures to reduce cooling needs, and low-power circuit actuation and control. Proposals should consider system-level impact and demonstrate advancements in representative configurations relevant to one or more application domains. This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnership on photonics. null Activities are expected to start at TRL 3 and achieve TRL 6 by the end of the project – see General Annex B.
Horizon scanning and foresight in future enabling digital technologies (CSA)
Expected Outcome: European leadership in foresight activities on future enabling technologies and their transformational potential in industrial, societal and environmental terms. Increased collaboration between academia, industry players and other relevant stakeholders in iterative and multidisciplinary approaches for co-creating the enabling technologies of the future. Alignment with national or regional initiatives creating an expanding innovation ecosystem, anchored in local contexts across Europe, for selected emerging technologies. Accelerating the pick-up of novel advanced technology by industry and society. Scope: Proposals should establish a forum for emerging interdisciplinary areas and new technological visions. Proposals should enable and support a broad range of participants (across disciplines in science and engineering, RTOs, industry sectors, stakeholders) to meet, mutually inspire, cooperate and develop together innovative ideas for future enabling digital technologies covering from fundamental research up to proof of concept. Proposals should involve and be driven by representatives of the relevant actors of the field (e.g., academia, RTOs, industry including SMEs). Proposals should consider civil society engagement for seeking wider input. Proposals should connect with analogous EC-internal activities, either ongoing (e.g. FOSI4EIC involving EISMEA and JRC) or foreseen, such as the Competitiveness Coordination Tool and the technology observatory envisaged in the FP10 regulation. Beneficiaries that intend to transfer ownership or grant an exclusive licence must formally notify the granting authority (i.e. DG-CNECT and HaDEA) before the intended transfer or licensing takes place and the granting authority may up to four years after the end of the action object to a transfer of ownership or the exclusive licensing of results.
Apply AI: Challenge-Driven AI Innovation Booster in Apply AI prioritised sectors (RIA) (Partnership in AI, Data and Robotics)
Expected Outcome: The Apply AI Strategy [1] proposes a comprehensive set of measures to notably harness the transformative potential of AI. It lays down targeted measures to boost AI use in key strategic sectors of the EU economy including healthcare, mobility and manufacturing for example. With challenges designed to spark breakthroughs in such strategic sectors, the current topic will directly support key activities of the Apply AI Strategy. Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Significant technological progress and innovation in Apply AI Strategy's prioritised sectors driven by challenge-oriented, AI-powered solutions. Increase competitiveness and visibility of the relevant AI community within key application domains, and promote collaborative approaches for AI development in these domains, fostering the ecosystem. Increase adoption of AI technologies across the following three key application domains: healthcare, advanced manufacturing (including AI-powered robotics) and in-vehicle autonomous driving. Scope: The Challenge-Driven AI Innovation Booster aims to drive significant technological progress and innovation in Apply AI prioritised sectors through challenge-oriented, AI-powered solutions. This initiative seeks to boost Europe's developer community and the adoption of powerful, trustworthy AI solutions in three strategic domains such as: In healthcare - advanced AI will accelerate diagnostics and treatment plans, enhance robotic surgery, or improve patient care through predictive analytics. In advanced manufacturing - advanced AI will optimize production processes, improve quality control and product design, or enable predictive maintenance. In autonomous driving - advanced AI will enhance vehicle safety, improve navigation systems, or optimize traffic management. Provided sufficient quality of the proposals received, at least one selected project will focus on in-vehicle autonomous driving applications, in line with the Automotive Action Plan, ensuring coordination with the announced Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Alliance. Each proposal should focus exclusively on one of the three key sectors mentioned above. It is expected to focus primarily on the definition and organization of a multi-stage competition in the chosen sector, as well as on the accompanying support to the SMEs/teams taking part in each of the challenges. User-industry companies from the strategic sector targeted by the proposal should be core partners in each consortium. They should demonstrate a genuine interest in the project results and therefore support the challenge participants to reach the most powerful and exploitable results benefiting their industry. The expected results are pre-competitive, but the proposal must include a draft exploitation plan focused on how the solutions developed by the third parties will be taken up, with support from the user-industry partners for their future exploitation. The consortium leading the project is responsible for the various stages of the challenges. This consortium should provide the necessary support resources during each stage of the competition (including technical assistance and business support to develop an exploitation strategy) and, most importantly, the consortium should ensure that the teams competing for and receiving financial support to third parties have access to relevant data to fine-tune models and build high-impact solutions meeting industry needs. Proposals should be driven by impactful use-cases where advanced AI can make the difference: a number of industries from the targeted sector are expected to join forces to define challenging problems to solve with advanced AI solutions, which then drive the rest of the project. Based on such challenges, each project consortium should organize a multi-staged competition with an increasing level of complexity. In the different stages (see below), third parties, either single SMEs or small teams of organisations led by an SME, compete to address the challenges with advanced AI solutions. For each proposal: Stage 1 - Open call: The consortium launches an open call for proposals. A challenge, open to all, will allow the selection for Stage 2 of the 10 highest-ranked proposals according to a pre-defined selection process and criteria. Each solution is expected to be submitted either by a single SME, developer of advanced AI solutions, or a small team of organizations led by such SME. Stage 2 - Competition among Stage 1 winners: The 10 teams or organisations selected from Stage 1 receive a EUR 300,000 FSTP grant each in accordance with their successfully selected proposal (which addresses the tasks and challenges defined for this stage by the consortium). At the end of Stage 2, the 4 highest-ranked solutions will be selected for the next stage according to a pre-defined selection process and criteria. Stage 3 – Grand finale (Competition among Stage 2 winners): The 4 teams or or
Apply AI: AI-Driven Robotics for Industry: Enabling System Integration and Adoption (IA) (Partnership in AI, Data and Robotics)
Expected Outcome: The Apply AI Strategy emphasises acceleration pipelines to ensure a smooth transition from research to deployment of AI-powered robotics. Projects under this topic will deliver common frameworks and reusable building blocks that can serve multiple sectors and use cases, reinforcing Europe’s ability to bring AI-driven robotics to scale. Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Wider and faster deployment of robotics, bridging the gap between technology providers and end-users. Development and implementation of modular and interoperable integration frameworks and solutions, including standardized protocols for data, training and safety testing, evaluation and validation of robotic solutions in key use cases Improved competitiveness of European industries, notably SMEs via the development of advanced robotics systems, intelligent planning and control systems, user feedback rendering techniques and cutting-edge AI innovations Scope: The project will address the current European gap in system integration capabilities for robotics solutions addressing the various needs of industries. The project will aim at disseminating a deep understanding of state-of-the-art robotics components, including both hardware and software, and expertise in addressing interoperability issues for the upskilling of system integrators. To maximise the impact and adaptability of deployed systems, the approach should consider the most appropriate tools to speed up integration processes and suitable AI design, training and inference methodologies, ensuring scalability, transferability, transparency, robustness, flexibility, and real-world applicability in diverse industrial environments, and should remain adaptable to the latest technological developments. Integration frameworks will promote the use of energy-efficient AI models and hardware ('Green AI'), alongside carbon-aware deployment and operational strategies for robotic system. Where relevant, projects should contribute to open and widely recognised standards to foster interoperability and uptake across the robotics ecosystem. To enhance safety and performance, projects may include high-fidelity simulation environments or digital twins as testbeds for training, validation and verification, with measures to ensure smooth transfer from simulation to real-world deployment. By bridging the gap between technology providers and end-users, these integrators will enable the creation of seamless, reliable and scalable robotics systems that can be easily adopted by industries, especially SMEs, thereby supporting more flexible and efficient production processes. The project is expected to deliver: A deployable, modular integration framework, validated through at least three real-world industrial pilots covering different reference scenarios to demonstrate that the approach can be adapted to varied industrial needs and company sizes, including both SMEs and larger manufacturers. This framework should provide, for example, a common software layer, standard interfaces to connect to existing workflow and legacy system, possibly also to connect various robot components, coordinate multiple robots and link them with additional AI tools and IoT environments, as well as tested configuration templates and clear guidelines to ensure safe and efficient use. An Integration Kit, building on this framework, which offers ready-to-use modules, example configurations and practical tools that help system integrators and companies to set up, test and run AI-enabled robotics solutions more quickly and with reduced technical effort. Where relevant, high-fidelity digital twin testbeds should be linked to each pilot, allowing safe and realistic testing and training before deployment, and supporting a smooth transition from virtual models to actual production lines. Reusable, datasets (compliant with relevant regulation and IP protection) and practical benchmark tasks, made available to the wider robotics and AI community, to support further development and comparison of new solutions while respecting European data protection rules. A clear Step-by-Step Adoption Guide aimed at SMEs and other end-users, providing easy-to-follow instructions, practical checklists and examples to help companies plan, budget and implement AI-driven robotics in a safe and cost-effective way, even if they have limited in-house expertise, and including guidance to navigate regulatory compliance and certification. Concrete contributions to relevant open standards and clear guidance on certification pathways, to help ensure compliance with European regulations and build trust in the safe use of AI in robotics. Projects are expected to make full use of existing robotics resources and assets made available through the AI-on-Demand Platform, such as the EuroCORE repository and other relevant shared tools, to maximise synergies, avoid duplication of efforts and ensure broad disseminati
International cooperation in AI (IA)
Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to one of the following outcomes: Faster uptake of tailored and enhanced AI solutions at innovation hubs in low- and middle-income countries by training and optimising them with local data and applied research. Easier large-scale deployment of local AI solutions in low and middle-income countries by increasing the efficiency of system demonstration in relevant, operational environments . Strengthened local innovation ecosystems that foster sustainable socio-economic impact by addressing key societal challenges in areas such as education, healthcare, agriculture, and environmental sustainability. Scope: System prototype, testing, validation, and demonstration in operational environment aligned to EU initiatives, such as the International Digital Strategy for the EU [1] and the AI Continent Action Plan [2] , to strengthen local AI ecosystems in African countries fostering responsible AI development, north-south digital cooperation on AI, and sustainable AI innovation. The main goal is to support the digital transition and foster inclusive economic and social transformation of partners globally by adapting and applying innovative solutions, research areas and capabilities developed in Europe to low- and middle-income countries. This Innovation Action will focus on accelerating the uptake of and access to AI solutions by local innovation hubs in these countries, better enabling their practical implementation and future market deployment in operational environments. Proposals should consider synergies and complementarity of ongoing research and innovation activities in the policy areas of international partnerships, digital and infrastructure like the Digital for Development Hub [3] and AI for Public Good [4] , and may follow an approach like Living Labs. Proposals should also support the European Union’s Global Gateway strategy to boost smart, clean, and secure connections in digital, energy and transport sectors, and to strengthen health, education and research systems across the world. Proposals should enable AI technologies that are locally relevant and sustainable, empower local communities and platforms, and reflect the EU’s emphasis on sustainable and resilient global partnerships. The proposals must support digital partnerships and international digital cooperation to promote an approach to AI that enhances human well-being and societal progress through: Support for gathering of and access to local data in line with EU’s data strategy for the training and optimisation of existing AI algorithms developed in initiatives like AI for Public Good and GenAI for Africa. Establishment and support of Living Labs within local innovation hubs in low-income countries, fostering co-creation spaces where community members, researchers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers can collaboratively tailor, enhance, test, and iterate AI-driven solutions. These Living Labs will serve as platforms for experiential learning, inclusive participation, and sustainable technology adoption. Tailored and contextualized AI-based solutions developed through a bottom-up approach, driven by the specific needs of low-income communities. These solutions will be trained and adapted using local data sources, enabling meaningful knowledge transfer and empowering local stakeholders with relevant and actionable technologies. Contribution, where possible, to solving global sustainable development challenges, especially climate and agriculture, biodiversity, health and humanitarian needs, education. Fostering an enabling innovation environment with reinforced talent pipelines and technological transfer of AI algorithms and solutions to local innovation hub. Full testing and validation of the solutions in real-life with scenarios and initial support to large-scale deployment in low and middle-income countries. Capitalise from existing EU initiatives like the call GenAI for Africa from HE WP25, the Global Gateway, and Smart Africa to up-scale the deployment of solutions in low-income countries. Beneficiaries that intend to transfer ownership or grant an exclusive licence must formally notify the granting authority (i.e. DG-CNECT and HaDEA) before the intended transfer or licensing takes place and the granting authority may up to four years after the end of the action object to a transfer of ownership or the exclusive licensing of results. null Activities are expected to start at TRL 5 and achieve TRL 7 by the end of the project – see General Annex B. [1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:52025JC0140 [2] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52025DC0165 [3] https://d4dhub.eu/ [4] https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/factpages/ai-public-good
EU Frontier AI Initiative: Developing frontier AI solutions that are safe and computationally efficient within Apply AI (RIA)
Expected Outcome: The Apply AI Strategy [1] also seeks to bolster EU capabilities and achieve excellence in AI to support the development of European frontier models. As part of the Frontier AI Initiative, which brings together Europe’s leading actors in the field, this topic will support the development of sovereign frontier AI ensuring safety by design. This topic directly contributes to the Apply AI Strategy. Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Strengthened European capabilities in the development of frontier AI models. Improved computational efficiency of frontier AI models, resulting in reduced computational costs. Enhanced safety of advanced AI systems based on frontier AI models through the development and implementation of safe-by-design principles and/or AI agents acting as safety evaluators. Scope: To advance developments of frontier AI models towards highest-level performance, while ensuring energy efficiency, addressing computational constraints, and strengthening safety. The approach of this topic is twofold. First, it aims to advance the AI field through the development and training of a frontier AI model. The AI model should demonstrate state-of-the-art performance, have multimodal capabilities, and be optimized for agentic AI capabilities such as tool use, reasoning, and autonomous problem-solving. Second, this topic supports research on comprehensive methods to reduce the computational demands of frontier AI models and to ensure their safety, including technical methodologies such as automated testing and interpretability. The primary drivers behind computational efficient AI systems are the urgent challenges posed by the growing energy footprint of AI and current computational limitations. Modern AI models, especially frontier AI models, require substantial computational resources, with a significant impact in the environment. Additionally, they create barriers to entry to those interested in advancing the AI field. Key research areas include compression and distillation techniques aimed at reducing the complexity of large AI models. Innovations in AI architectures are also relevant, with a focus on innovative models that significantly lower computational demands for training and inference. Further, algorithmic approaches aimed at minimizing computational load during pre-training, post-training, and inference can also be considered. Ensuring the safety of AI systems is essential, especially as AI models become increasingly sophisticated and pervasive. Potential research areas to be considered include addressing misalignment, particularly the unintentional misalignment of large AI models. Work in this area could explore methods to detect and mitigate sophisticated misbehaviour, such as alignment faking, reward hacking of human oversight, and encoded reasoning in chain-of-thought (CoT). Additionally, research could focus on enhancing robustness against adversarial attacks, jailbreaks, and backdoors. Further potential areas for innovation include advancing AI models transparency and interpretability. Safety research could also consider risks that may arise when embedding frontier models within agentic AI frameworks, significantly contributing to the trust and safe adoption of powerful AI solutions. This topic contributes to the EU Frontier AI initiative. The project should establish strong links with the Resource for AI Science in Europe (RAISE), ensuring that its priorities inform the research topics addressed. Activities are expected to involve the European AI research community and attract and retain top AI talent working on frontier models and related areas. All proposals are expected to incorporate mechanisms for assessing and demonstrating progress, including qualitative and quantitative KPIs, benchmarking, and progress monitoring. When possible, proposals should build on and reuse public results from relevant previous funded actions. Communicable results should be shared with the European R&D community through the AI-on-demand platform. The project selected in this topic should link to the resources offered by the AI Factories and the Data Labs. Where relevant, it could also establish links with European companies developing frontier AI models. All proposals are expected to allocate tasks for cohesion activities with the European Partnership on AI, data, and robotics (ADRA) and the CSA HORIZON-CL4-2025-03-HUMAN-18: GenAI4EU central Hub. null Activities are expected to start at TRL 2 and achieve TRL 4 by the end of the project – see General Annex B. [1] COM(2025)723 Apply AI Strategy
Connecting research infrastructures and a wider user community across the European Research Area through access to advanced research infrastructure services
Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes: Better connection of research infrastructures across the European Research Area reinforcing and spreading excellence throughout the European Research Area; mitigating scattered national and regional research infrastructures and pockets of scientific excellence, and increasing the circulation of knowledge; wider, simplified, and more efficient access to the best research infrastructures available to researchers to conduct curiosity-driven excellent research, irrespective of location; breakthrough and leading-edge research enabled by advanced research infrastructure services made available to a wider user community; enhanced integration of a wider user community in the European research infrastructure ecosystem; enhanced capacities of a wider user community to address research challenges and EU policy priorities; enhanced convergence of research capacities and increase of Europe’s competitiveness; a new generation of researchers trained to optimally exploit all the essential tools for their research; better management, including implementing FAIR data principle, of the continuous flow of data collected or produced by research infrastructures. Scope: The topic targets the further integration of a wider user community in the European RI ecosystem and the strengthening of this ecosystem across the entire European Research Area through access to research infrastructures and other activities. The proposed action should provide trans-national access (on-site or remote) and/or virtual access to services offered by a set of similar or complementary advanced national or pan-European research infrastructures, to enable curiosity-driven excellent interdisciplinary research. Proposals should adhere to the guidelines and principles of the European Charter for Access to Research Infrastructures[ https://op.europa.eu/publication-detail/-/publication/ec4692ae-ac6f-11ef-acb1-01aa75ed71a1 . Research infrastructures or laboratories from across the European Research Area should be consortium members and contribute to the offering of transnational access to services. Financial support to third parties may be used to extend the portfolio of services from access providers that are not beneficiaries, provided that the beneficiaries ensure that the conditions and requirements relating to access provisions as given in the “Specific features for Research Infrastructures” are fulfilled. Transnational access activities should be designed to stimulate excellence and impact and enhance convergence of research skills and capacities throughout Europe, with due attention to early-stage researchers. Proposals should address all the following aspects: Availability to researchers of a broad portfolio of research infrastructure services, including research infrastructures financed from funds under Union Cohesion Policy, which are relevant for frontier research in the chosen scientific area, including data services; all of the transnational access provisions should be led by the target of enhancing integration of a wider community in the European RI ecosystem; Bi-directional exchanges within a wide user community of researchers/research groups across the European Research Area, including also networking activities, all of which potentially leading to longer term collaboration (including short-term exchange programmes, favouring direct interaction over online interaction); Pro-active outreach measures to increase awareness about research infrastructure services among researchers in targeted countries; Activities targeting specifically early-stage researchers. In the case of financial support to third parties (FSTP), the relevant conditions and requirements of the “Specific features for research infrastructures” of this work programme should be included in the FSTP calls and the applicants to the FSTP open calls, should be the third party research infrastructures demanded by user-group(s). In the case of transnational access, the beneficiaries select the user-groups according to the conditions and requirements of the “specific features for research infrastructures” section of this work programme, with the above mentioned further condition. The beneficiaries ensure that the access provider selected through the FSTP calls is a state-of-the-art research infrastructure, and that it will provide appropriate documentation to support and justify the amount of access provided and the information on the users as specified in the “specific features for research infrastructures” section of this work programme. To simplify the selection process, proposals under this topic may combine the calls inviting researchers to apply for transnational access and the FSTP calls so that a one stage selection procedure can be implemented based on a joint application from the user group submitting the ‘user project’ and the needed third party access provider. The recipient of
Testing and optimising models of co-creation of advanced research infrastructure technologies
Expected Outcome: The objective of this topic is strengthening the European research infrastructure landscape as a pillar of Europe’s innovation-based competitiveness and reinforcing its role in the overarching policy priority of making Europe the top region for deep-tech startups and scaleups. Project results are expected to contribute to several of the following expected outcomes: Enhanced scientific and technological competitiveness of European research infrastructures, through the co-development of innovative technologies and solutions that improve the performance of RI services, addressing common needs across different types of research infrastructures, where applicable. Increased cooperation and coordination between European research infrastructures, and between them and other public and private research performing organisations, in order to create a coherent and supportive ecosystem for deep-tech innovation in Europe. A strengthened role of research infrastructures as centres of gravity for deep-tech innovation ecosystems. Strengthened EU innovation capacity and technological sovereignty. Scope: The topic focuses on supporting research infrastructures in developing and implementing innovative technologies and solutions improving the performance of their scientific services, while fostering cooperation with other research organisations, industry, and start-ups and scaleups to maximise the spillover effects of new RI technologies. Proposals should address all of the following aspects: Co-creation of advanced technologies that address research infrastructures needs, considering resource efficiency and environmental impacts as well as technological sovereignty. Development of partnerships and collaborations between research infrastructures and different types of research performing organisations including industry, to co-create technological solutions and promote their uptake and exploitation outside of the science market. Shared understanding of the commercial potential of innovative technologies, and support from RI technology transfer teams as early as necessary. Developments for the specific use case of research infrastructures are expected to go beyond TRL 4. When proposed developments have the potential to lead to applications beyond the specific use case of research infrastructures, the TRL of these additional developments should go up to TRL 3-4. Proposers should clearly describe which TRL will be reached at the end of the project for each proposed development. Projects are expected to share experiences about co-creation models with the project funded under HORIZON-INFRA-2025-01-DEV-05, area 3. Proposals may include PCP [1] subcontracting activities as described in part H of the General Annexes of the work programme. This option encourages the use of public procurements for the competitive development of new specific solutions, whilst opening market opportunities for industry and researchers active in the EU and Associated Countries. By establishing the procurement process in consecutive phases, the PCP activity can support the development of competing designs, prototypes, and solution testing. This ensures that investment risks do not prevent tackling specific scientific and technological issues and allows a problem to be approached from different angles and to test different solutions. In this topic the integration of the gender dimension (sex and gender analysis) in research and innovation content is not a mandatory requirement. [1] 'Pre-commercial procurement' is defined as procurement of R&D services involving risk-benefit sharing under market conditions and competitive development in phases . PCP focuses on the R&D phase before wide commercialisation. 'Risk-benefit sharing under market conditions' refers to the PCP approach in which procurers share with suppliers at market price the risks and the benefits related to the IPR resulting from the R&D. 'Competitive development in phases' refers to the competitive approach to buy the R&D from several competing R&D providers in parallel and to compare and identify the best value for money solutions on the market to address the PCP challenge. To reduce the investment risk for the procurer, reward the most competitive solutions and facilitate the participation of smaller innovative companies, the R&D is also split into phases (solution design, prototyping, original development and validation / testing of the first products), with the number of competing R&D providers being reduced after each phase.
Consolidation of the research infrastructure landscape – individual support for evolution, long-term sustainability and emerging needs of pan-European research infrastructures
Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to several of the following expected outcomes: better structured and strengthened European research infrastructure landscape; new services available to a wider user community, including participants in other parts of Horizon Europe, allowing to better tackle scientific and societal challenges; increased capacity to address EU policy priorities and/or socio-economic challenges; reinforced global competitiveness of the European Research Area; reduction of environmental (including climate-related) impacts as well as optimisation of resource and energy consumption integrated through the full life cycle of research infrastructures; increased long-term sustainability of European research infrastructures. Scope: This topic targets the consolidation of the EU research infrastructures landscape through the support, together with the countries that are members of the research infrastructures, to the strengthening, long-term sustainability, reorientation or evolution of ESFRI Landmarks or European Research Infrastructure Consortia (ERICs). The proposed action should justify the specific objectives and focus on activities that are critical for the sustainability and optimised use of the ESFRI Landmarks or ERICs, such as activities aiming at several of the following objectives: enlargement of the membership or broadening of the base of participating countries, notably widening countries and candidate countries; addressing critical aspects raised following an assessment or monitoring exercise, e.g. in the context of ESFRI activities; reinforcing international cooperation; revision of business/funding plan; development of managerial and technical skills for research infrastructure staff; structuring and strengthening of national/thematic nodes; extension of remote and/or virtual access; management of research data according to the FAIR principles; reorientation or evolution of the research infrastructure scope; development, update and or implementation of impact assessment of the research infrastructure. In case of reorientation or evolution of the research infrastructure scope, activities should fill gaps in the research infrastructures landscape [1] , enabling the research infrastructure to address new research or societal challenges and/or serve new user communities, increasing and improving service capacity and/or integrating new resources/facilities. Due attention must be given to related EU initiatives, strategies and priorities and, when relevant, to complementarity and relevance to activities in other parts of Horizon Europe, such as better addressing SRIAs of Horizon Europe partnerships. Proposals should explain any synergies with previous or current EU grants notably under the research infrastructures part of the Horizon Europe work programme e.g. INFRADEV and INFRATECH grants. Given the funding rate, proposals should ensure a minimum adequate backing by the beneficiaries, who should provide the remaining share for the activities covered by the Grant Agreement and foster the sustainability of the ESFRI Landmark or ERIC. Specific attention should be given, where relevant, to the greening of technologies and methodologies used by the research infrastructure, to the interaction with industry/SMEs, to the fostering of the innovation potential of the infrastructures, and to their integration into local, regional and global innovation ecosystems. [1] Although the action aims at individual support to a pan-European research infrastructure, applicants should consider the ESFRI Landscape Analysis and liaise during the action with other relevant ESFRI/ERICs to ensure complementarity.
Expanding and deepening the EOSC Federation (EOSC Partnership)
Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to the following outcomes: The EOSC Federation provides to EOSC users with state-of-the-art digital services addressing their needs to store, process and share data, run software, models and workflows, and collaborate with their peers. Research and digital infrastructures and other organisations providing scientific services are equipped with appropriate structures and technical, legal and coordination mechanisms to onboard, manage and sustainably operate digital tools and services in the EOSC Federation. Investments across Europe in the provision of FAIR scientific data and services within EOSC are more aligned and coordinated, achieving economies of scale and more efficient use of digital resources. Scope: In order to carry out typical research workflows, researchers need to use a broad range of digital services such as data storage, computing, applications, and collaboration tools. Such services are often cost-intensive and their provision is restricted, e.g. to researchers within a country/region or a specific thematic area. The EOSC Federation aims to provide a trusted, sovereign and secure environment to researchers in Europe to use high-quality, FAIR research data and run research workflows, with a focus on cross-disciplinary and cross-country research collaboration. The aim of the topic is to set up an EOSC Federation-wide mechanism that enables multiple organisations to seamlessly offer such digital services, and to support the sustained provision of these services to EOSC users. It also aims to enlarge the EOSC Federation by supporting the expansion of Nodes as gateways through which multiple organisations can offer their resources, such as data and services, to EOSC users. Proposals should cover the following activities: 1) Provide seamless, user-friendly access to EOSC users to digital services for typical research workflows such as data storage, computing, applications, and collaboration tools, through a fully integrated EOSC Federation-wide system. Gather requirements and analyse needs of researchers and EOSC users for such services and how they can best complement and integrate with existing resources in the EOSC Federation. Support developing and embedding a Federation-wide resource management and accounting system for the efficient provision of such services across the Federation, building on the design principles of the ‘virtual credit allocation’ system of the EOSC EU Node and any further development in the EOSC Federation. Provide access to EOSC users to such services, based on the researchers' and EOSC users' needs and requirements and making use of a Federation-wide resource management and accounting system and harmonised access policies, in line with the principles and guidelines of transnational and virtual access to European Research Infrastructures and related EOSC Federation policies. Upgrade the EOSC user experience through deep, back-end, cross-provider integration of key digital services covering the full research lifecycle, achieving a user-friendly and robust environment. Develop, test and demonstrate business models for the effective management of the supply and demand of such services, as well as for their long-term sustainable provision in the EOSC Federation, beyond the end of the project’s duration. Develop guidelines to facilitate a harmonised approach to the acquisition and provision of such services that supports research data sovereignty and research security in Europe, ensuring a trusted, secure and sovereign EOSC Federation. Establish mechanisms for continuous feedback and improvement, including indicators for monitoring the quality and usage of the services, building on and further developing existing mechanisms of the EOSC Federation, and ensuring that the evolving needs and requirements of EOSC users are met by the EOSC Federation. These activities should be fully concerted and aligned with related parallel activities carried out by the EOSC Federation. 2) Support the broadening, integration and structuring of the participation of research communities in the EOSC Federation through the development and establishment of intra-Node coordination mechanisms and organisational models to enable EOSC Nodes to effectively represent broad communities and multiple organisations in the EOSC Federation, the development and use of digital capabilities, and of options for harmonised legal arrangements, such as contractual or service-level agreements, for onboarding and sustainably provisioning communities’ services through EOSC Nodes, broadening organisations’ engagement with and contribution to the EOSC Federation, including underrepresented thematic research communities or geographic areas. Proposals should implement the activities through the organisation of joint calls that provide grants to third parties. The joint calls should be open to organisations that participate or are interested to participate in the EOS
Pioneering Destination Earth for a Sustainable Future: Large-Scale Pilots and Demonstrators
Expected Outcome: Actionable and widely tested research-to-action pilot solutions in addressing complex cross-sectoral problems caused and/or exacerbated by climate change in key socio-environmental and socio-economic sectors. Innovative use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) by further development of the data lab infrastructure around Destination Earth in line with the AI continent Action Plan [1] . Multi-country approach with real end user engagement to ensure solutions that are accessible, and effectively integrated into real policy, preparedness and response efforts. Scope: The focus is on large-scale pilots and demonstrators to enable researchers, expert and non-expert users, including decision-makers, to experiment with and through the existing Destination Earth system and harness it to widespread cross-societal use through new innovative methods, practices, tools and services. It will also leverage on the recent AI Continent Action Plan and the further development of the data lab infrastructure by bringing together and federating data from different AI Factories, linking to the corresponding Common European Data Spaces and making this data available to AI developers and ensuring their access to large volumes of high-quality data. The proposals should cover all following aspects: Planning, designing, and overseeing large-scale experimental pilots and demonstrators by using Destination Earth capabilities in critical impact sectors linked to public policy areas, tackling real-world challenges in relation to climate change adaptation and risk mitigation, and foster solutions that address clearly specified needs at European, national, regional and local scale. The pilots and demonstrators should improve the models and enable the coupling of models used in different sectors to combine cross-sectoral research and practice. They should consider the complex interrelationships emerging from the challenges caused and/or exacerbated by climate change, like for example climate-induced health effects or changes in the energy, agri-food or mobility sectors, and propose, test and analyse adaptation and risk mitigation measures in real-life scenarios to be able to respond effectively to these complex challenges in the future. The pilots should contribute to the data infrastructure around Destination Earth for new AI-enabled digital twins by using the Data Labs of the AI Factories and integrating them in the DestinE system. Involvement of SMEs and/or startups, active in AI and/or deep tech and working in close collaboration with scientific research community is strongly encouraged. The pilots and demonstrators should be co-designed and experimented in at least three Member States and/or Associated Countries in close collaboration between research scientists, AI developers, public sector policy experts and decision-makers. The solutions need to demonstrate sustainable set-ups, including through interactivity with digital twins, adapting to changing data and on-demand visualisation capabilities and answering to existing and emerging socio-environmental and socio-economic challenges and the use of AI in solving them. The pilots and demonstrators should fully integrate place-based governance, socio-economic and identity characteristics and other context-specific data to ensure tailored, effective, and actionable responses. They should enable authorities to implement targeted, data-driven measures that enhance resilience, preparedness, and decision-making in their respective territorial contexts. Proposals will need to adhere to the standards and best practices set by the Destination Earth initiative to enable interoperability with the Destination Earth system. To the extent possible, the Destination Earth platform should be used as to facilitate the deployment and scalability of the proposed solutions, while enhancing their accessibility and impact across multiple sectors and user communities across Europe. To maximize impact, the work plan should include a scalability plan that drives the widespread adoption of the innovative use and solutions powered by Destination Earth, latest technologies, and scientific developments. It should be developed in close collaboration with the relevant public authorities and outline a clear, actionable pathway aiming to secure long-term commitments, including funding, governance and policy framework to ensure lasting impact beyond the projects’ duration. The proposals should demonstrate a clear and credible pathway towards collaboration with the implementing entities of Destination Earth initiative (European Space Agency (ESA), European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT)), and other key initiatives active in the intended impact sectors, like Mercator Ocean International, leading the European Digital Twin Ocean initiative. The proposals should also leverage the knowledge and solutions generat
Access to research infrastructure services to enable R&I addressing EU priorities and emerging challenges
Expected Outcome: For all areas: More efficient access to the best research infrastructures available to researchers and innovators to conduct challenge-driven research, improve responsiveness to emerging challenges and foster innovation, irrespective of location, through a single-entry point access portal, integrated or interoperable catalogues of services and converging access conditions and selection procedures; Breakthrough and leading-edge research enabled by advanced research infrastructure services, including joint research activities, made available to a wider user community, including in emerging areas of research; A new generation of researchers trained to optimally exploit all the essential tools for their research with due attention to early-stage career researchers and researchers from widening countries and candidate countries; Cross-disciplinary fertilisations and a wider sharing of information, knowledge and technologies across scientific fields fostered by closer interactions between researchers and innovators active in and around research infrastructures, through encouraging cross-disciplinary and interdisciplinary joint research activities for customised services and with due attention to research security; better management, including implementing FAIR data principle of the continuous flow of data collected or produced by research infrastructures. Scope: For all areas: This topic aims at providing trans-national access (on-site or remote) and/or virtual access to integrated and customised research infrastructure services for challenge-driven research and innovation in each of the areas listed below, offered by a wide range of complementary and interdisciplinary top level research infrastructures. Proposals should adhere to the guidelines and principles of the European Charter for Access to Research Infrastructures [1] . Access also includes ad hoc users’ training and scientific and technical support (see Specific Features for Research Infrastructures). Additional training courses, including skills for data stewardship, may also be supported to prepare the new generations of researchers to properly exploit leading-edge research infrastructures. In addition, proposals should exploit the training potential of the successfully selected transnational access user projects by inviting researchers, notably early-stage career researchers, or research infrastructure technical staff from widening and candidate countries. Proposals should reserve sufficient resources for this purpose and should proactively advertise these opportunities (which should be arranged after the selection of user projects and have no impact on their evaluation). The main goal of this topic is access provision to existing services: this should be clearly reflected by the proposed activities and the allocated resources. The improvement and development of services, relevant to the challenges, will also be supported, provided the resulting services are opened and offered already under the actions (short term R&D) and that the long-term sustainability of such services is ensured by the participant research infrastructures. Further development of new or improved services for use in the mid-term (2-3 years) may also be supported when duly justified e.g. to address well identified needs such as in the ESFRI Landscape Analysis, or in the research agendas of Horizon Europe Missions or Partnerships or for better serving the needs of open EU industrial research and innovation. Data management (and related ethics issues), interoperability, as well as the connection of digital services (e.g. data services) to the European Open Science Cloud, should be addressed where relevant. Proposals should take due account of major European or international initiatives, of major EU priorities relevant in the domain. When appropriate, they should foster the use and deployment of (open) global standards. Proposals should make available to researchers a wide, inclusive and comprehensive portfolio of complementary research infrastructure services of European interest [2] , including data services, and customised workflows to enable R&I addressing the set challenge. Proposals should include at least one ESFRI Landmark or European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC) as beneficiary [3] . In case of a distributed ERIC, as an alternative to the ERIC participating as a beneficiary, a legal entity that is hosting ERIC facilities, resources or related services may participate as a beneficiary [4] . Access could also be open, in accordance with the ‘Specific Features for Research Infrastructure’ section of this Work Programme, to third countries’ researchers. Research infrastructures from third countries may be involved when appropriate, including, if the proposal can demonstrate they offer complementary or more advanced services than those available in EU Member States and Associated Countries as beneficiaries or affiliated entities [5] . Proposals should
Access to research infrastructures, their resources and services: large-scale pilots for more integrated scheme across (sub)domains
Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes: More efficient access to the best research infrastructures available to researchers and innovators to conduct basic and applied research and foster innovation, irrespective of location. A single-entry point access portal, integrated or interoperable catalogues of services and converging access conditions and selection procedures; A step towards a longer-term sustainable access programme harmonised across different ESFRI domains; Breakthrough and leading-edge research enabled by advanced research infrastructure services, including from emerging facilities, made available to a wider user community, including in emerging areas of research; A new generation of researchers trained to optimally exploit all the essential tools for their research with due attention to early-stage career researchers and researchers from widening countries and candidate countries; Interdisciplinarity and sharing of information, knowledge and technologies across scientific fields with due attention to research security; better management, including implementing FAIR data principles, of the continuous flow of data collected or produced by research infrastructures. Scope: This topic aims at testing ‘access programme like’ projects providing trans-national access (on-site or remote) and/or virtual access to integrated and customised research infrastructure installations and services for excellent research, from frontier and curiosity-driven to applied research, offered by a wide range of complementary and interdisciplinary research infrastructures with experience in transnational access. Access is provided by a core of state-of-the-art research infrastructures as beneficiaries/affiliated entities and by third party access providers on demand. Proposals should adhere to the guidelines and principles of the European Charter for Access to Research Infrastructures [1] . Proposals are expected to address one of the following areas, based on ‘ESFRI scientific domains [2] , and must explicitly state which area they address : Area 1, covering the following domains: Physical Sciences and Engineering; Data, Computing and Digital Research Infrastructures Area 2, covering the following domains: Health & Food; Social Sciences and Humanities Area 3, covering the following domains: Environment; Energy. These areas define in which pilot project a research infrastructure identified as a core access provider should be a beneficiary/affiliated entity. On demand third party access providers should expand access opportunities within the area or across-areas for interdisciplinary research. Proposals should make available to researchers and innovators a wide, inclusive and comprehensive portfolio of complementary research infrastructure services of European interest [3] , including data services. Proposals should include at least two ESFRI Landmark [4] and/or European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC) [5] as beneficiary. Access could also be open, in accordance with the ‘Specific Features for Research Infrastructure’ section of this Work Programme, to third countries’ researchers. Research infrastructures from third countries may be involved as beneficiaries or affiliated entities [6] when appropriate, if the proposal can demonstrate they offer complementary or more advanced services than those available in the EU Member States and Associated Countries. Access includes ad hoc users’ training and scientific and technical support (see Specific Features for Research Infrastructures). Additional training courses, including skills for data stewardship, may also be supported. In addition, proposals should better exploit the training potential of successful transnational access user projects by inviting researchers, notably early-stage career researchers, or research infrastructure technicians from widening and candidate countries to team up with selected user groups. Proposals should reserve sufficient resources for this purpose and should proactively advertise these opportunities. (which should be arranged after the selection of user projects and have no impact on their evaluation). Access provision to existing services should be clear in the proposed activities and reflected in the allocated resources. The improvement and development of services can also be supported, provided that the resulting services are offered already under the actions (short-term R&D) and that the long-term sustainability of such services is ensured. Data management (and related ethics issues), interoperability, as well as the connection of digital services (e.g. data services) to the European Open Science Cloud, should be addressed where relevant. Proposals should take due account of major European or international initiatives relevant in the domain. When appropriate, they should foster the use and deployment of (open) global standards. Proposals should include an outreach and engag
Consolidation of the research infrastructure landscape – development of complementarities, synergies and/or integration between a set of pan-European research infrastructures
Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to several of the following expected outcomes: better structured, integrated and strengthened European research infrastructure landscape; solid concepts and/or comprehensive plans for the integrated research infrastructures, to support decision making at national and European level, leading to increased sustainability, operational and financial efficiency; increased synergies between research infrastructures; increased capacity to address EU policy priorities and/or support EU industry; reinforced global competitiveness and attractiveness of the European Research Area. Scope: This topic targets the consolidation and improved functioning of the EU RI landscape through the support to the development of complementarities, synergies and/or integration between a set (two or more) of ESFRI Landmarks and/or other European Research Infrastructure Consortia (ERICs) or, if duly justified, between one ESFRI Landmark or ERIC and other European research infrastructures of European interest [1] . Proposals could address either a tighter operational integration between infrastructures, or instead the feasibility and the planning of a merging between infrastructures, which could be targeted in future by a specific topic. The rationale and the potential benefits of the planned consolidation action should be clearly spelled out in the proposals. When addressing an operational integration, projects will develop complementarities and/or synergies between infrastructures, at thematic and/or cross-disciplinary level, to optimise the functioning of the RI landscape. The development of complementarities (e.g. through service level agreements for the sharing of horizontal/common services/tools, including external ones) should lead to increased efficiency and prevent unnecessary duplications. Synergies should be exploited to address complex research challenges and EU priorities and should be implemented through cooperation mechanisms ensuring sustainable and long-term integration of services and resources (e.g. common horizontal services, joint scientific services). The needed joint staff skill development, including exchange programmes among the participating RIs, could also be supported. When addressing a merging between infrastructures, proposals should provide evidence that the project will effectively involve the funders of the different infrastructures, develop the concept of the merged infrastructure in all its dimensions, including governance, legal form and operation, and define the operational steps and the financial forecast for the actual merging process. Where relevant, pilots for the integration of services and resources (e.g. common horizontal services, joint scientific services) as well as joint staff skill development, including exchange programmes will also be supported. Proposals should explain any synergies and complementarities with previous or current EU grants notably under the research infrastructures part of the Horizon Europe work programme [2] . [1] A research infrastructure is of European interest when it is able to attract users from EU or associated countries other than the country where the infrastructure is located. [2] Such as under topic HORIZON-INFRA-2023-DEV-01-04: Consolidation of the RI landscape – development of complementarities, synergies and/or integration between a set of pan- European research infrastructures https://cordis.europa.eu/programme/id/HORIZON_HORIZON-INFRA-2023-DEV-01-04/en
Preparatory phase of new ESFRI research infrastructure projects
Expected Outcome: Projects are expected to contribute to several of the following expected outcomes: Increased performance, scientific capacity and excellence of the European landscape of research infrastructures enhancing problem-solving capacities of the ERA to address challenges in science, industry and society; Legal, financial and technical issues addressed, leading to long-term perspective for research infrastructure investments and the establishment of a new research infrastructure and ensuring commitment of Member States/Associated Countries to their long-term operation and use; Solid ground for the decision making on new research infrastructures (or major upgrades), is available to Member States/Associated Countries, their funding bodies and other relevant stakeholders (e.g. international organisations, third countries, foundations); Structuring effect on the ERA through a consistent and well-functioning European research infrastructures ecosystem through the development of synergies and complementarities between new and existing research infrastructures, and with other infrastructures such as technology infrastructures and infrastructures financed by ERDF or the Digital Europe Programme. Scope: This topic supports the preparatory phase of new ESFRI research infrastructure projects identified in the 2026 update of the ESFRI Roadmap. These ESFRI projects have been selected for the excellence of their scientific case and for their strategic importance for the European Research Area and the structuring of the European research infrastructure ecosystem. Proposal consortia should involve all the stakeholders necessary to move the project forward, to take the decisions, and to make financial commitments, before construction can start (including, but not limited to, national/regional ministries/governments, research councils or funding agencies from the countries that have already declared their commitment in the application to ESFRI). Operators of research facilities, research centres, universities, and industry may also be involved whenever appropriate. Proposals for research infrastructure preparatory phases should tackle all key questions concerning legal, financial and technical issues leading to the establishment of a new research infrastructure and ensuring commitment of Member States/Associated Countries to their long-term operation and use in all fields of science. In this respect, proposals should address all of the following aspects: the development of legal and financial frameworks/plans relating to the setting-up, construction and/or integration of national resources, operation and decommissioning of the research infrastructure as well as its governance structure; the complementarities between national and EU instruments and/or innovative financing; the preparation of legal and financial agreements, including site, governance, internal rules, financing of the new research infrastructures. These are deliverables that should be finalised before the end of the project (e.g.: through a Memorandum of Understanding; a 'signature-ready' document for the setting-up and the actual implementation of the research infrastructure); the establishment of plans for logistics and human resources management, in relation to the construction/integration and future operation, including RI service provision as well as for an efficient data curation and preservation and for the provision of access to data collected or produced by the future infrastructure, in line with the FAIR principles; the technical challenges concerning the joint development, transfer of knowledge and implementation of key RI technologies and the completion of the final technical design of the infrastructure; the development of plans for the provision of RI services to identified scientific user communities; the relevance of the RI for science and society, including its socio-economic impacts at local/regional level and links with the smart specialisation strategies at regional level. Proposals should explain any synergies and complementarities with previous or current EU grants notably under the research infrastructures part of the Horizon Europe work programme. When relevant, environmental (including climate-related) impacts as well as the optimisation of resource and energy use should be integrated in the preparatory phase of new or upgraded research infrastructures.
Strengthening the potential of the EOSC for knowledge valorisation and industry-academia collaboration (EOSC Partnership)
Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to the following outcomes: Better overview of the identified opportunities and barriers of the EU’s current legal framework on intellectual property (patents, copyright, licenses etc.) for researchers to valorise knowledge resources provided and/or processed in the EOSC Federation. Organisations contributing resources to the EOSC Federation have improved capacity, stronger incentives and better legal and technical conditions to valorise these knowledge resources and engage in open innovation practices and industry-academia collaboration. Organisations contributing to the EOSC Federation have clearer frameworks and incentives to offer their resources to innovators, deep-tech startups and startups emerging from academia. Organisations contributing to the EOSC Federation have established channels in EOSC to promote knowledge valorisation with the private sector, including SMEs and industry. Scope: This topic aims to support increasing and exploiting the potential of EOSC as a driver of innovation and a platform for researchers to develop new technologies and solutions that can be brought to the market. Knowledge valorisation is one of the EU’s key priorities for the European Research Area, aiming to ensure that the increasing amount of research results generated in the EU, mostly with full or partial public funding, are transformed to products, services and solutions that benefit society and contribute to economic competitiveness. Many initiatives have already been taken at EU level to boost knowledge valorisation, including the guiding principles, codes of practice and a platform to build a community to share experiences [1] . The EOSC Federation brings together and makes available to researchers, large volumes of knowledge resources, including data, publications, software, tools and services from different research and data infrastructures and scientific services providers across Europe. It therefore has the potential to facilitate and provide appropriate frameworks for knowledge valorisation, open innovation practices and industry-academia collaboration especially for what concerns results that stem from cross-discipline or cross-country research. Activities funded under this topic should aim to support the capacity of the EOSC Federation and its community to better valorise research results in line with the EU’s code of practice on intellectual assets management [2] and standardisation in the European Research Area [3] . A key element in this effort is to clarify the legal conditions to valorise knowledge resources, including resources provided in the EOSC Federation. As knowledge resources have various degrees of copyright protection, it is often challenging for researchers to navigate in what they are allowed to do with the knowledge resources and how they can be used in industry-academia collaboration. A better overview of requirements and more legal clarity will therefore incentivise researchers to valorise the knowledge resources of the EOSC Federation. This effort should also take into account the specific needs of different research communities contributing to the EOSC Federation, ensuring they have the possibility to set better legal terms for knowledge valorisation through appropriate choice of licenses etc. More guidance is therefore needed to ensure that contributors can share their knowledge resources in the EOSC Federation with fewer legal strings attached. Proposals under this topic should include the following activities: Analyse opportunities and barriers emerging from the provisions of the EU’s current legal framework on intellectual property and relevant types of licenses that set the legal conditions for researchers to valorise knowledge resources in EOSC Federation. Gather requirements and needs, develop and analyse potential business models and access schemes for innovators and start-ups in Europe to access and use resources available in the EOSC Federation. Develop a number of case studies of identified EOSC stakeholders valorising their results and/or establishing collaboration links with the private sector. Map out and evaluate the possibilities of relevant types of licenses for knowledge resources to facilitate knowledge valorisation and engage in open innovation and industry-academia collaboration. Organise workshops, webinars and awareness-raising campaigns, and develop guiding material targeted at EOSC users and communities contributing to EOSC on how to facilitate and engage in knowledge valorisation and industry-academia collaboration based on the knowledge resources of EOSC Federation. Develop recommendations and best practices, based also on the case studies, for further development of the EOSC Federation to facilitate knowledge valorisation and industry-academia collaboration. To ensure complementarity with and use of the latest EU guidelines and research results, proposals should build on ongoing and previous Hor
Hitta rätt bidrag med AI-matchning
Beskriv ditt projekt så matchar vi det mot alla öppna utlysningar — inte bara EU:s.
Starta matchning