Grants for Researchers in European Union

Expected Outcome: This action will strengthen Europe's strategic autonomy in quantum-secure communications by advancing core QKD technologies and integration capabilities. Expected results include: Development and demonstration of next-generation QKD systems, with a focus on cost-effectiveness and integration, with specific measurable improvements in one of the following parameters or features: (i) key rate (>1 Mbps over metropolitan distances), (ii) operational coverage of a network at the regional scale, >300 km for fibre-based QKD, including e.g. twin field and free-space links also for non-wired segments and for redundancy, (iii) development and demonstration of advanced quantum cryptographic protocols beyond QKD with provable security advantage over classical cryptographic systems. Implementation of hybrid quantum-classical cryptographic frameworks combining QKD and post-quantum cryptography (PQC), tested on clearly defined real-world applications. Integration of quantum communication components with network equipment and orchestration systems (e.g., software-defined networking). Validation of QKD-based security in high-priority use cases beyond EuroQCI infrastructure,…

Expected Outcome: This action will strengthen Europe's leadership and strategic autonomy in quantum technologies by advancing experimental pilot line capacities as a vital stepping stone toward future industrial-scale quantum hardware production. Qu-Pilot serves as the critical intermediary between academic research and the stable pilot lines under the Chips Joint Undertaking, offering a testbed for technological innovation, reproducibility, and manufacturability. Expected outcomes include: Deployment of experimental quantum pilot lines addressing diverse platforms and materials, laying the groundwork for broader integration into Chips JU pilot lines. Establishment of scalable and reproducible quantum fabrication processes, advancing TRL 4–6 technologies and addressing early-stage certification, standardisation, and quality control. Reinforcement of a pan-European quantum hardware ecosystem through shared infrastructure and open-access models, fostering participation from SMEs, startups, and research institutes. Demonstrated ability to accelerate technology maturity and feed critical feedback loops into future Chips JU stability pilot lines. Enhanced synergies with testing…

Expected Outcome: This action will consolidate Europe’s position in superconducting quantum computing through: Establishment of a full-stack superconducting quantum computer aiming at 1.000 physical qubits and QPU architecture based on chiplet technology. The system should feature a scalable and user-adjustable architecture, T1 coherence time above 100 us, gate fidelities (both one- and two-qubit gates, and read-out) of at least 99.9%, read-out speed below 300 ns, two-qubit gate speed below 20 ns. Demonstration of quantum advantage on selected industrial use cases, validated through benchmarking with best-in-class classical methods. Deployment of a cloud-accessible quantum system integrated with high-performance computing environments. Maturation of fault-tolerant quantum computing protocols, including effective quantum error correction and noise mitigation schemes. Delivery of a comprehensive, standardised software stack supporting system bring-up, calibration, control, benchmarking, and user access. Strengthened supply chains and industrial capacity in Europe for superconducting quantum technologies. Scope: The proposal should contribute to the scale-up and practical deployment…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Public authorities, industry, technology providers, energy producers and consumers profit from de-risking of cost-effective essential value chains of those renewable fuel technologies that can contribute to domestic commercial fuel production beyond 2030 customized to their needs, from improved access to better financing exploiting synergies across funding schemes, and from more effective market uptake, business models, increased competitiveness, and commercialization opportunities. Energy producers, clean tech manufacturing industries, researchers and consumers benefit from improved performance, lower environmental impact, security and competitiveness of ad-hoc renewable fuel technologies compared to existing ones, as well as new market opportunities. Community, public authorities and industry benefit from sharing the de-risking cost and reducing it by engaging several competing solution suppliers/technology providers in parallel, boosting transnational public and private investments in de-risking and attracting new players to tackle supplier lock-in issues The implementation…

Expected Outcome: This action will advance Europe’s leadership in trapped-ion quantum computing by achieving the following key outcomes: Establishment of a full-stack ion-trap quantum computer aiming at more than 1.000 qubits, fully integrated into high-performance computing (HPC) systems, and accessible via the cloud. Demonstration of quantum advantage for selected real-world applications, validated against benchmarks. Strengthened European capabilities to develop modular, interoperable, and scalable quantum computing architectures. Implementation and demonstration of advanced error correction and fault-tolerant quantum computing techniques. Integration of full-stack hardware-software systems with standardised and certified interfaces. Engagement with industry and academia through open access to quantum computing resources and co-design of applications. Scope: The action should support the scale-up of European trapped-ion quantum computing platforms, aiming at technological maturity and usability for industrial and scientific applications. In particular, the action must address at least two major technical roadblocks defined in the Strategic Research and Industry Agenda (SRIA…

Expected Outcome: This action aims to establish European leadership in neutral-atom quantum simulation and digital quantum computing by delivering: Fully programmable industry-ready quantum simulators based on 10.000 neutral atoms in a scalable architecture, accessible via cloud platforms, and with the possibility of integrating them into high-performance computing environments. Fully programmable platform for neutral-atom quantum computing capable of both analogue quantum operations and gate-based computing with 1.000 physical qubits and a clear path to further scalability to 10.000 physical qubits. Coherence time of the order of hundreds of interaction times and infidelity of operations below 1%. Demonstration of quantum simulation and/or computing operating beyond classical computability, validated through benchmarking with classical methods. New real-world applications across science and industry (at least two) (e.g: in the energy and health sectors) The software stack for these applications, including enhanced software for verification, algorithm implementation, and user programming interfaces. Demonstration of the full quantum stack – including quantum control, electronic…

Expected Outcome: This action will establish a pan-European open-access testing and experimentation infrastructure for quantum technologies, enabling systematic validation and certification of quantum components and systems. Expected outcomes include: Deployment of distributed quantum testing facilities accessible across Europe, including remote access and standardized test protocols. Provision of certification services aligned with future standardisation efforts, ensuring trust, quality, and interoperability of quantum technologies. Support for SMEs, start-ups, and research institutions in validating quantum components and sub-systems. Strengthening of Europe’s competitiveness by ensuring robust quality assurance mechanisms and accelerating the time-to-market of emerging quantum products. Scope: The proposal should implement the testing-related part of the action plan established under the Framework Partnership Agreement for Qu-Test. The action must include: Expansion and interconnection of open-access testing facilities in multiple Member States, covering a range of quantum technologies (e.g., processors, sensors, photonics, control systems). Development and deployment of…

Expected Outcome: Deep sedimentary/basement reservoirs are usually characterized by low permeability, high drilling cost and a scarcity of data, as they are typically ignored by hydrocarbon exploration. Major exploration challenges relate to predicting deep sedimentary and basement reservoir structures and properties to identify suitable locations for reservoir-independent approaches, capable of overcoming the low permeability obstacle, such as Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) or closed-loop geothermal systems. Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Increased knowledge base for developers to unlock unexploited geothermal resources, increase drilling success rate, increase geothermal sources performance and reduce the risk of induced seismicity and deploy geothermal energy in a sustainable way in environmental (notably on biodiversity and pollution) and socioeconomic terms. Citizens and local communities are engaged and benefit from local, more secure and affordable renewable energy sources. Scope: Advanced methods, technologies and conceptual models, for different geological settings, to identify suitable conditions for geothermal…

Expected Outcome: Projects under this topic will contribute to the following outcomes: Accelerate market expansion for European deep tech startups across EU regions and beyond by fostering collaboration and mutual support among European deep tech startup ecosystem actors; Interconnect top-tier tech startup and scaleup hubs embedded in research, technology and higher education ecosystems; Enable cross-border access to infrastructures, facilities, corporates, investors and talents to deep tech startups and scaleups, including those funded by the European Innovation Council (EIC); Enable more European deep tech startups, including women-led startups and scaleups, to succeed scaling into globally competitive companies; Strengthen less-connected innovation hubs by integrating them into a Europe-wide collaborative network; Boost private and public investment in deep tech ventures established within the participating innovation hubs. Scope: This action builds upon the EU’s strategic vision outlined in the EU Competitiveness Compass [1] , the EIC scaling strategy [2] , and the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy [3] . It aligns with the objectives of strengthening Europe’s deep tech…

Expected Outcome: Proposals are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: stakeholders are empowered to co-create, deploy and replicate viable ecosystem restoration measures leading to their wider uptake, with solutions to address implementation bottlenecks and financing issues; competent authorities in charge of implementing the EU Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR) can design and reuse effective deployment frameworks, informed by evidence and lessons generated through living labs across different contexts; social, economic and environmental co-benefits, risks and trade-offs of nature restoration activities are demonstrated, addressed and made explicit to support informed decision-making and scaling, including, where appropriate, potential One Health aspects. Scope: The NRR requires Member States to put in place area-based restoration measures, including Nature-based solutions, as highlighted and recommended in both the EU Climate adaptation strategy and in the European Water Resilience Strategy. Notably measures to implement the NRR article 9 on free-flowing rivers support the objectives of the European Water Resilience Strategy to restore and protect…

Expected Outcome: Proposals are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes: stakeholders involved in biodiversity conservation and restoration activities have an improved understanding of how direct and indirect drivers [1] of biodiversity decline work, considering spatial and temporal scales and dynamics, and their interactions; the implementation at different spatial and temporal scales of the EU biodiversity policies and legislation, notably the Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR) is improved, enabling the prioritisation of actions and the identification of systemic solutions; stakeholders, including primary producers, whose business models rely on ecosystem services are better equipped to take strategic decisions that support biodiversity, thereby increasing opportunities while reducing their exposure to risks linked to the decline of these services. Scope: Biodiversity decline has rippling effects on climate, economy, and human well-being. Focusing on representative groups of invertebrates (including insects, molluscs and crustaceans and, in particular, understudied taxonomic groups) across representative European terrestrial, freshwater and marine…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following expected outcomes: Police Authorities in Europe are equipped with specialised skills and technologies to counter an increase in illegal activities related to the climate change and the emergence of new (opportunistic) criminal patterns; Improved understanding by policymakers of the effects of climate change on law enforcement with a view of developing related effective European policies; improved knowledge of the impacts of climate change phenomena on social dynamics which can raise demands from public authorities to keep public order, moving beyond traditional perspectives about crime and terrorism. Scope: Global climate change is a megatrend expected to affect our societies over the next decade. As stated in “Germany: National interdisciplinary climate risk assessment” [1] , “We are already living in the climate crisis. This brings substantial security risks at global and national levels. (...) Anyone thinking about security needs to think about climate as well”. Climate change will affect European law enforcement in various ways [2] , [3] . Notably, it is likely to create new…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Police Authorities in Europe are empowered with modern, accessible and validated tools, methodologies and training curricula to anticipate and cope with the misuse of new and emerging technologies for criminal purposes, with the aim to facilitate prevention, detection, efficient data access and investigation of criminal offences in a lawful manner and with full respect of fundamental rights, including the right to protection of personal data and to privacy; Reinforced interdisciplinary collaboration at the European level through the establishment of partnerships among technologists, policymakers and Police Authorities, resulting in a holistic understanding of the challenges posed by emerging technologies and in sharing of best practices; Clear guidelines and frameworks are created, including on procedures and rules, that ensure lawful access to data, balancing the needs of security with respect for privacy and that foster a European approach to the related challenges for the police and the judiciary. Scope: New and emerging technologies (e.g., new communication technologies,…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following outcomes: Identification and analysis of potential new security risks related to innovative technologies being deployed in the urban and peri-urban environments; Innovative and modern tools to identify and measure changes in urban and peri-urban areas caused by the green transition, insofar as they concern security and possible resilience approaches; Verification of measures countering potential safety and security risks, hazards and challenges arising in areas hosting green technologies; Contribution to building awareness and societal acceptance for the safety and security aspects of the green transition; Impacts of incidents involving new and emerging technologies are examined, including environmental and climate risks; Security, safety and resilience aspects of the supply chains of green technologies are analysed, including the technological and resource dependencies, and their aligning with the European strategic autonomy principle; Authorities and critical infrastructure operators are equipped with efficient evaluation methodologies for safe and secure deployment and integration of…

Expected Outcome: Proposals are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes: more precise and more efficient biodiversity monitoring schemes, building on advanced technologies and more abundant data, are available; policymakers and relevant competent authorities have more efficient and user-friendly tools at their disposal to implement and evaluate results of the EU environmental legislation, leading to simplification of policy implementation and better protection and restoration of ecosystems. Scope: The implementation of the EU environmental legislation, in particular the Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR), the Soil Monitoring Law (SML) and the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD), requires precise monitoring of biodiversity to ensure that objectives are met. For instance, under the NRR, Member States are required to monitor annually the abundance and diversity of pollinator species using a specific monitoring method. Under the WFD implementation, the determination of ecological status of freshwater ecosystems is based on biodiversity monitoring. Under the SML, Member States have to monitor mandatorily the diversity of fungi and bacteria in soil through DNA…

Expected Outcome: Proposals are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes: the mechanistic understanding of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) effects on biodiversity, on ecosystems and on ecosystem services is improved and evaluations of their extent are available; research needs to close knowledge gaps and to address issues on biodiversity and ecosystem services are better identified; the new knowledge can be integrated by policymakers in their decisions related to biodiversity protection and restoration, environmental protection and protection of human health as well as in socio-economic cost-benefit analysis for policy measures on PFAS. Scope: PFAS pollution significantly impacts human health and the environment. Addressing PFAS is notably a flagship action under the Water Resilience Strategy [1] . There is growing evidence on impacts on biodiversity above and below ground and water, but more evidence is needed to substantiate the effects on different species, populations and entire ecosystems, and their extent. A European Commission study published on 29 January 2026 [2] revealed significant knowledge gaps on the effects of PFAS on biodiversity. In…

Expected Outcome: Proposals are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: society, end-users, industry and decision makers better understand, anticipate and address biodiversity impacts of Europe’s reindustrialisation and decarbonisation across the value chain, from the demand-side and the design and operational phase to the end-of-life and waste phases, thus preserving biodiversity and ecosystem services by choosing least-harm transition options; society, end-users, industry and decision makers understand the benefits and impacts on biodiversity of societal, political, economic and technological choices, taking into account the direct, indirect and cumulative, and spatial and temporal dimensions, thus avoiding burden-shifting across ecosystems, regions and value chains; clean and digital industries are more resilient and provided with solutions to mitigate their impacts on terrestrial, marine and freshwater ecosystems and work towards a nature-positive economy, in line the EU Taxonomy and the Do No Significant Harm principle. Scope: One of the EU’s biggest priorities is to achieve the sovereign clean transition and digital transition. The Clean Industrial…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following expected outcomes: Development of innovative tools and methodologies to monitor and improve risk awareness across society, integrating diverse community perspectives and leveraging advanced technologies; Development and uptake solutions and tools for the successful increase of safety culture and societal resilience of communities with concrete material, while considering also the inclusion and protection of marginalized populations in disaster scenarios; Creation of comprehensive, inclusive preparedness plans that involve all societal sectors and governance levels, ensuring coordinated and effective responses to disasters (such as from early warning to early action), including scarcity of resources; Establishment of a resilient, adaptive response framework that enhances collaboration between public authorities, communities, and private sectors, improving overall disaster resilience. Scope: Building on the whole-of-society and whole-of-government approach, this topic should contribute to enhancing risk awareness and disaster preparedness through the development of innovative tools,…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following expected outcomes: Improved understanding of links between addictions and crime, including drivers of criminality; Innovative and effective solutions, including training curricula, for Police Authorities in Europe and relevant Civil Society Organisations (or Non-Governmental Organisations) to prevent addictions and related crimes, with a special attention to young people at risk; Evidence-based support to modernising European criminal justice system’s approach when dealing with addiction-related offenses; Novel approaches of collaboration between different stakeholders, primarily Police Authorities in Europe and Civil Society Organisations (or Non-Governmental Organisations), to increase communities’ addiction resilience, security and safety. Scope: A close and complex relationship exists between addictions, such as gambling, drug or alcohol use, and crime (e.g., criminals are often under the influence of drugs while committing crimes, gamblers or drug users commit crimes to pay for their debts or drugs). In this topic, successful proposals are expected to analyse the specific nexus…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Increased understanding of European policy makers, research community, biotech companies, and relevant security practitioners of the threat of bioterrorism and of synthetic biology, including a thorough lawful analysis of what needs to be monitored in this context, what needs to be regulated and how; Awareness raised within the related scientific community how research in synthetic biology can be used for malicious purposes. Scope: The rising threat of bioterrorism is driven by recent scientific advancements, notably by growing accessibility of synthetic biology, genetic engineering, related commercial services and public databases, which in turn enhance their obtainability to non-state actors and individuals with malicious intentions. The proliferation of do-it-yourself biohacking and community laboratories, including gene editing and sequencing technology, dropping costs of equipment and increased simplicity of use may inadvertently facilitate knowledge and skills dissemination about biological threats and open new pathways for bioterrorism. Challenges in detection,…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following expected outcomes: Accelerated adoption of high-TRL (Technology Readiness Level) disaster risk solutions across diverse sectors; Facilitated integration of innovative technologies into existing disaster prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery frameworks; Promoted collaboration among stakeholders to scale proven solutions and enhance resilience; Addressed barriers to deployment, ensuring accessibility and usability of advanced DRS technologies; Strengthened evidence-based decision-making through demonstration and validation of high-TRL solutions in real-world scenarios; Promoted visibility of civil security research results. Scope: This topic aims to foster the widespread adoption and integration of high-TRL (Technology Readiness Level) disaster risk solutions (DRS) across multiple sectors, enhancing societal resilience to various hazards, including climate. The focus is on overcoming barriers to deployment, ensuring accessibility, and strengthening collaboration among stakeholders to drive innovation uptake. Projects should promote the adoption of high-TRL solutions by public and…

Expected Outcome: Proposals are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: policy and decision makers at relevant levels are better equipped to incorporate educational, cultural, societal and behavioural insights related to biodiversity – such as business dependencies, vulnerabilities and systemic risks – into future policy development, including through participatory and co-designed approaches; institutional, business, financial and economic actors have better awareness on the systemic effects of their interactions and interdependencies with ecosystems, including international trade, across value chains; the understanding and mapping of cross-actor and cross-sectoral relationships and their associated knowledge production and decision-making pathways are improved; transdisciplinary research communities from natural and social sciences and humanities (SSH), as well as cultural and creative sectors, among others, collaborate to improve understanding on the indirect drivers [1] behind biodiversity-harming practices, identify leverage points and test evidence-based interventions – including in relation to governance, incentives, narratives, norms and power…

Expected Outcome: Support the adoption of market-ready innovative AI-powered cybersecurity solutions, including solutions developed in the framework of EU-supported research and innovation projects. Provide and deploy up to date AI-powered tools and services to organisations (in particular SMEs) to prepare, protect and respond to cybersecurity threats. Integrate AI technologies into cybersecurity processes to improve the security of ICT solutions, including providing innovative approaches to training employees to use AI solutions for cybersecurity. Deployment of cybersecure tools and technologies relying on trustworthy AI; AI driven cybersecurity tools; Integration of tools to protect and secure AI solutions. Objective: To support the market uptake and dissemination of innovative AI-powered cybersecurity solutions (notably in SMEs, possibly using results stemming from Horizon Europe projects or similar) and improve knowledge and auditing of cybersecurity preparedness. SMEs often lack the resources to assess cyber risks, develop cybersecurity strategies and implement solutions, leaving them vulnerable to cyberattacks. The resilience of organisations that fall into this category is…

Expected Outcome: Proposals are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Living labs working on nature restoration [1] are better connected, they are better involved in policy developments, and they benefit from existing knowledge and experience, leading to scale up of solutions for nature restoration and to address bottlenecks to implementation in particular through strengthened ownership including by local communities, private actors and public authorities; the cooperation between research, practice and policy on nature restoration is increased, with attention to practitioners involved in nature restoration (farmers, foresters, fishers and/or other businesses depending on ecosystem services) and rural/local communities and authorities as well as traditional and local knowledge holders; public authorities, land owners and/or managers, water related stakeholders, food and bioeconomy actors and practitioners have access to shared, validated deployment and governance frameworks that support the scale up of nature restoration actions as well as estimates for demand for certified environmental outcomes supporting restoration objectives (certified carbon…

Expected Outcome: Development of closed-loop scientific experimentation systems that integrate automation with AI-driven, trustworthy decision-making processes in existing laboratory environments; Accelerated scientific discovery with increased efficiency and reproducibility; Improved scientific productivity; Advancement of laboratory automation, including development of best practices, challenges, and opportunities for accelerating R&D; and Prototype functional demonstrators that showcase the integration of automation with AI-driven decision-making, enabling the development of closed-loop scientific experimentation systems. Scope: This topic addresses the development of safe and trustworthy closed loop scientific experimentation systems through the integration of laboratory automation with AI-driven decision-making processes and robust data infrastructures. Funded projects will help scientific labs with an already advanced level of automation and digitalisation to design, develop, and test the intelligence layer that enables scientific instrumentation to semi- or fully autonomously plan, run, and analyse experiments, ideally in coordination/network with other labs and without…

Expected Outcome: Projects are to contribute to all of the following outcomes: European Union’s, Member States’ and Associated Countries’ policy making is supported with robust evidence and their visibility in deliberations of SRM strengthened. Evidence and new knowledge related to the points below supports the European Union’s, Member States and Associated Countries’ contributions to relevant international review and assessment processes of SRM, notably by the IPCC: Civil society, researchers, public authorities as well as policy and decision makers have access to a solid scientific-technological knowledge foundation concerning the detection, attribution and deterrence of SRM activities as a contribution to an emerging multilateral governance system spanning both SRM-related research and technological development. The development of a global SRM governance framework is supported through advanced knowledge, generated by desk research, modelling, earth observation, the documentation of development pathways of various SRM technologies and their potential impacts on the earth system and its parts (oceans, large-scale atmospheric circulation, regional climate such as monsoons as well…

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…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Housing-led approaches [1] aligned with the NEB are made available to stakeholders involved in tackling homelessness [1] . Robust evidence on NEB-aligned housing-led approaches tackling homelessness (including people temporarily hosted by acquaintances and family) to inform the development and/or update of policies and services for prevention and early intervention in the context of the green transition [1] in neighbourhoods [1] . Scope: Social and affordable housing is being advanced in the EU, including through the Affordable Housing Initiative [5] . Despite efforts, current policies for the green transition are failing to adequately address the housing crisis. Homelessness remains a structural challenge across Europe, with negative impacts on both individuals experiencing it (e.g. physical and mental health, social and economic conditions) and neighbourhood communities [1] (e.g. pressure on public services, erosion of social fabric [1] , etc.). Research and innovation gaps in tackling homelessness range from data collection (i.e. the variety of approaches to defining,…

Expected Outcome: Innovative advanced materials designed for circularity are adopted in products faster, through accelerated production and technology uptake; Business models become available to enhance the use of circular advanced materials in strategic value chains; and Resource efficiency (materials and energy) is increased significantly through a focus on circular advanced materials. Quality standards, harmonisation and regulatory requirements are addressed facilitating simplified market transition. Scope: The focus of this topic is on enabling circularity and resilient supply networks through R&I in advanced materials, in particular recyclable polymers and composites, magnets and metal (alloys) for additive manufacturing, and on accelerating their pathway to market. Proposals should develop new innovative advanced materials (IAMs) with superior or novel functionalities designed for circularity. The scope includes necessary developments of related processes and technologies to ensure integration in industrial manufacturing facilitating uptake of the developed solutions. Proposals should also develop circular business models considering the cost of changes needed along the life…

Expected Outcome: A viable industrial ecosystem for circularity in manufacturing industries emerges, enhancing both circularity and resilience; De-manufacturing technologies and practices become available, making decisive contributions to a European remanufacturing industry and market; Functions of products are retained, reused, upgraded or adapted through de-manufacturing and re-manufacturing; and Skills, standards and safety measures relevant to remanufacturing are developed. Scope: Proposals should focus on developing de-manufacturing and re-manufacturing technologies at the factory level, addressing at least three of the following: Technologies to efficiently analyse part condition and support predictive maintenance, including for re-manufactured parts or components of lower value, e.g. by combining multimodal sensor data, AI and human inputs; AI and robotic-assisted technologies, e.g. innovative end-effectors, to de-manufacture products and components, including handling, sorting and extended logistics; Model-based systems, to allow de-manufacturing and re-manufacturing operators to use CAD data and digital twins related to the original parts (and contribute to the…

Expected Outcome: Proposals are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes, in full alignment with the OceanEye initiative: scientists, public authorities and businesses benefit from strengthened and resilient global ocean observing capacities, coordinated under the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission’s Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), [1] through the deployment of ocean observation equipment, in particular for the provision of critical observations for marine biodiversity and ecosystem knowledge; public authorities prioritise investments on infrastructures and capacity building to advance ocean research, protect and restore ocean health and biodiversity and provide critical services through a global ocean observing system and data delivery that is fit-for purpose, cost efficient and designed across all its components; increased EU leadership and strategic autonomy in global ocean observation capabilities, in support of EU climate and biodiversity goals, strengthening the EU’s contribution to and influence within GOOS, and reducing the risk of critical dependencies, notably for key services (i.e. Copernicus Services); enhanced collaboration between…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following expected outcomes: Integrated single-hazard systems into multi-hazard next generation predictive models to assess cascading effects (e.g., heatwave, floods, droughts, landslides, heavy rain) and interactions across meteorological, geophysical, and technological hazards; Enhanced hazard forecasting and response through research on model integration and platform interoperability; Development of holistic risk and resilience metrics to support multi-hazard prevention strategies, encompassing main physical, economic and social effects; Improvement of analysis models considering evolving vulnerability state, due to cascading and cumulative effects, through numerical simulations and experimental tests, possibly also supported by AI applications; Collected reliable data (same granularity and format) and ways to share and analyse it. The interoperability of all kinds of systems and information sharing is crucial, based on the need-to-know principle; Improved knowledge/experience-sharing from past emergencies to cope with future emergencies, also strengthening trans-national knowledge and data…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Demonstrated approaches aligned with NEB allow architects, designers, spatial planners and neighbourhood [1] decision makers to ensure an efficient and effective integration of user perspectives in the spatial design and/or transformation of public spaces. The demonstrated approaches deliver positive climate, environmental, social and cultural impact (such as addressing inequalities and enhancing social cohesion, community [1] resilience, civic engagement and a sense of security, ownership and belonging). Scope: The design of neighbourhood public spaces defines their functionality, but also other aspects such as power dynamics and sense of belonging. A fair green transition [1] calls for neighbourhood public spaces to be designed and managed for diverse users. Integrating new methods (such as research-by-design, security-by-design [4] , or life-centric design) in the architectural design and spatial planning of public space can help reflect on the values, practices and stakeholder relations that underpin the design of public spaces; rethink how public spaces are understood;…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Robust evidence on how inhabitants experience their neighbourhood [1] and the impact of these experiences on their health and well-being. The research informs policies, strategies, neighbourhood planning and procurement for the green transition [1] of neighbourhoods, including their nature-positive [3] transformation and climate resilience. Scope: Neighbourhoods are human-social constructs and environments. They are shaped by complex inter-connections and interdependencies of human and non-human actors in the natural and built environment [1] they comprise. An increasing body of research is looking at the relationship between people and the built environment, from neuro-architectural aspects of space to atmosphere and ambiance aspects in urban design and planning, influencing also the perception of beauty. Digitalisation is also allowing to understand, map and enhance how inhabitants experience the built environment. Yet, more evidence is needed on how inhabitants react to and identify with their neighbourhoods as well as the effects of these experiences on their physical and…

Expected Outcome: Depending on the decision of each NCC, one or more of the following should be covered: Network of national initiatives to accelerate the cybersecurity industry and facilitate Access-to-Market. European frameworks for establishing cybersecurity incubators and accelerators. Cybersecurity Community Observatory to inform subsequent policy interventions by the ECCC and NCCs. Matchmaking events to create connections and build trust; platforms and events for Access-to-Finance and Access-to-Market including in the area of dual-use technologies. Strengthened Cybersecurity Community to support the European Cybersecurity Industrial, Technology and Research Competence Centre; Maintained technical registration possibilities for candidates for the Cybersecurity Competence Community; Technical assistance for potential applicants for ECCC calls. Uptake of cybersecurity solutions. Strengthened cybersecurity capacities of stakeholders. Synergetic activities that strengthen the role of NCC. Centralised the many initiatives focusing on raising awareness and work together with other NCCs to support a cross European approach covering education, studies, training courses and awareness…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: An increased number of local authorities systematically identify and quantify vacant, obsolete or underutilised spaces for reuse in neighbourhoods [1] in a context-sensitive way to address local community [1] challenges and needs. Increase in renovated, renatured, or converted spaces that address local community challenges and needs. Scope: Europe’s housing needs, inefficient use of the existing building stock, environmental commitments, and the EU’s goal of “no net land take” by 2050 make a compelling case for reusing the significant number of existing spaces, including buildings and infrastructure, that are vacant, obsolete or underutilised. In Europe, there are, for instance, an estimated 19,000 km² of underutilised brownfield land and 300 km² of vacant or underutilised office space [3] . The reuse of vacant, obsolete or underutilised spaces, following circularity [1] and sufficiency principles, can help address community challenges and needs thanks to their typical proximity and connection to essential infrastructure and services. While vacant, obsolete or underutilised…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following expected outcomes: Improved preparedness, evidence-based approaches and response capabilities, along with a strengthened ability to mitigate risks from diverse threats, by integrating validated disruptive technologies into real-world operations; Accelerated adoption of innovative solutions by reducing barriers through rigorous testing and validation, fostering collaboration among public authorities, industry, and researchers to align technologies with real-world needs. Scope: This topic aims to support the integration of disruptive technological innovations [1] into civil security by strengthening research and innovation activities that enhance preparedness, response capabilities, and risk mitigation. A key focus is bridging the gap between early-stage, low Technology Readiness Level (TRL) research and applied security solutions, ensuring that emerging technologies are effectively transitioned into operational use. Proposals should prioritize disruptive solutions that address diverse security threats while improving the efficiency and effectiveness of civil security operations. Emphasis…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Project promoters, public authorities, and investors have a better understanding of the capital market demand and supply dynamics that underlie investments in projects fostering the transformation of neighbourhoods [1] in line with the New European Bauhaus (NEB). Increased investments towards NEB-aligned projects for the sustainable [1] and inclusive [1] transformation of neighbourhoods. Scope: Increased investment in projects for the transformation of neighbourhoods in line with the New European Bauhaus (NEB) may be hindered due to a discrepancy between the demand and supply of capital in terms of size, diversity, returns, and risk. Small-scale NEB-aligned projects typically encounter large, short-term oriented, and highly risk-averse investment funds, which seek investment opportunities able to absorb large amounts of funding, driven by present legislation [4] . Place-based impact investing is an approach that can contribute to investments in NEB-aligned neighbourhood projects by providing risk-adjusted financial returns while creating local social, cultural, aesthetic [5] and…

Expected Outcome: The action should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes : The EU climate data and infrastructure sovereignty is strengthened, securing access to essential observation and modelling data for European research community. Effective delivery of climate information relevant for European and global climate policy, including timely contributions to the IPCC assessments and UNFCCC processes. The resilience of the Earth System Grid Federation (ESGF) is strengthened in Europe and globally, and the foundations for an integrated, sustainable long-term operational solution are laid. Scope: The evolution of the geopolitical situation, with the associated changes in science funding priorities and data access policies represent a major threat to evidence-based decision making. The continuity of production, maintenance and open access to climate data, including observations and projections, is fundamental for European and global climate science and policy action. Steps to ensure sustainability and resilience of the strategic resources and infrastructures in Europe needed to deliver these data are imperative. Acting on this offers an opportunity for the EU to…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to the following expected outcomes: Development of closed-loop scientific experimentation systems that integrate automation with AI-driven, trustworthy decision-making processes in existing laboratory environments; Accelerated scientific discovery with increased efficiency and reproducibility; Improved scientific productivity; Advancement of laboratory automation, including development of best practices, challenges, and opportunities for accelerating R&D; Prototype functional demonstrators that showcase the integration of automation with AI-driven decision-making, enabling the development of closed-loop scientific experimentation systems. Scope: This topic addresses the development of safe and trustworthy closed loop scientific experimentation systems through the integration of laboratory automation with AI-driven decision-making processes and robust data infrastructures. The funded project will help scientific labs with an already advanced level of automation and digitalisation to design, develop, and test the intelligence layer that enables scientific instrumentation to semi- or fully autonomously plan, run, and…

Expected Outcome: Proposals should describe a credible pathway from their project results and outcomes towards the expected impact of this Destination; Enable the acceleration of the market uptake of groundbreaking innovations in the decarbonisation of the chemical industries as well as alternatives to substances of concern. Scope: This open topic aims to speed up the adoption of new, groundbreaking innovations (starting TRL 4 ) as part of the Chemical Industry Action Plan, in the areas of decarbonisation of energy intensive industries, circular economy or breakthrough production technologies; as well as development of alternatives (new chemical substances, advanced materials or technologies) to substances of concern. Application of the SSbD Framework should be considered as appropriate.

Expected Outcome: Proposals should demonstrate the following expected outcomes: A sound understanding of the specific needs of industrial users (including but not limited to innovative SMEs, startups and scaleups) for Technology infrastructure services in specific priority areas including but not limited to advanced materials, clean energy, or health and biotechnology; Increased opportunities for industrial users for development, testing, up-scaling and deployment of new technologies via the use of services offered by Technology Infrastructures; Strengthened innovation and technology development capacity of European SMEs, startups and scaleups via improved access to Technology Infrastructures; Attractiveness and effectiveness of the developed access schemes for broadening the range of Technology Infrastructures users, especially for startups and scaleups, including with transnational access. Scope: Startups, scaleups and other innovative SMEs require access to state-of-the-art research and technology facilities, equipment and expertise to test, upscale, validate new products and technologies, shortening the time-to-market and increasing the chances for a successful…

Expected Outcome: Proposals should describe a credible pathway from their project results and outcomes towards the expected impact of this Destination; Proposals should enable open-ended breakthrough innovations in industrial technologies, feeding the pipeline of knowledge. Scope: This is an open topic, intended to cover breakthrough innovations, up to TRL 4, within the scope of the Strategic Research and Innovation Agendas (SRIAs) of the partnerships Made in Europe, Process4Planet, Clean Steel, Innovative Advanced Materials for the EU (IAM4EU) and Textiles for the Future. [1] Proposals should carefully describe their expected contribution to one or more of the R&I objectives of the respective SRIA. [1] https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe/european-partnerships-horizon-europe/digital-industry-and-space_en

Expected Outcome: Excellence Hubs allow innovation ecosystems in Widening countries and beyond, to team up and create better linkages between academia, business, government and society. This will foster a place-based innovation culture in Widening countries based on a strategic agenda aligned with regional or national smart specialisation strategies, and clearly identified expectations for economic and societal impacts. Projects should contribute to the following outcomes: Excellent and sustainable regional R&I ecosystems in Widening countries and beyond in relevant domains of cutting-edge science and innovation; Long term joint R&I strategies underpinned by concrete action plans of European relevance; Common investment plans for R&I, including infrastructures, leveraging national, regional and European funds as well as private capital in a synergetic manner; R&I pilot projects alongside a joint strategy and in line with regional and national strategies, notably regional innovation strategies for smart specialisation (RIS3); New competencies and skills for researchers, entrepreneurs and professionals in R&I intensive domains; Strengthened linkages between science, businesses and…

Expected Outcome: Enhanced valorisation of intellectual assets, including dormant patents, from universities and public research organisations to support the adoption of green and digital technologies by industry, SMEs and start-ups/spinoffs. Development of entrepreneurial skills and increased involvement of students, researchers, and innovators in the valorisation of research results. Uptake of effective models and tools to facilitate valorisation of unused IP and intellectual assets and access by startups, SMEs, and innovative companies to this untapped knowledge in public research organisations. Scope: Aligned with the European Union's policy priorities, this action will contribute to overcoming the innovation paradox by maximising the impact of public spending in R&I through improved knowledge valorisation practices, and facilitating the uptake of green and digital technologies by start-ups, spinoffs, and innovative SMEs. By unlocking the untapped potential of intellectual assets within universities and public research organisations, and leveraging the creativity of students, researchers, and innovators, the action seeks to improve value creation opportunities deriving from…

Expected Outcome: Project are expected to contribute to the following outcomes: a sustainable operational model and reference blueprint for a Data Lab for Science linking with the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) and the Resource for AI Science in Europe (RAISE), enabling researchers to accelerate the uptake of AI in Science; easier access for researchers to large amounts of AI-ready research data, and to associated high-quality data services to seamlessly develop and train AI models for science; and better alignment, interoperability and scaling across countries and disciplines of AI workflows and related services such as data pooling, anonymisation, curation, or synthetic data generation. Scope: Data Labs are introduced in the Data Union Strategy as a connector between AI factories and the Common European Data Spaces, providing specialised services to enable turning data into useable resources for AI training and the development of AI applications such as data pooling, curation, pseudonymisation, and synthetic data generation. A significant number of tools and services within the scope of the Data Lab concept have been developed by research infrastructures and scientific…

Expected Impact: The prize will boost public awareness of the potential, importance and contribution of women to the EU innovation ecosystem and create strong role models, inspiring more women to become innovators themselves. Expected Outcome: The prize will boost public awareness of the potential, importance and contribution of women to the EU innovation ecosystem and create strong role models, inspiring more women to become innovators themselves. Objective: The European Prize for Women Innovators celebrates the women entrepreneurs behind Europe’s game-changing innovations, so that they may inspire other women and girls realise their full potential as the EU’s future scientists, innovators, and tech leaders. This prize supports a culture within research and innovation organisations and companies allowing women to become the innovators and entrepreneurs of tomorrow. The prize is awarded every year to women from across the EU and countries associated to Horizon Europe, who have transformed their ideas into disruptive innovations to benefit people and the planet and who are inspiring leaders. As for the previous edition, the 2027 European Prize for Women Innovators is organised in…

Expected Outcome: Projects are expected to contribute to the following outcomes: Raised awareness of venture builders’ roles as part of the ecosystem of startup support in research performing organisations, including universities, Research and Technology Organisations and research and technology infrastructures; Upscaling or establishment of venture builders’ roles in research performing organisations; and Enhanced capacity for sharing resources supporting venture building, exchanging best practices and developing skills needed for successful venture building undertakings in research performing organisations, leading to increased commercialisation of research results (from lab to market). Scope: A variety of organisations across Europe support start up and spin off creation, including incubators, accelerators, innovation hubs, science parks and others. Within this ecosystem, venture builders emerge as playing a double role: on the one hand in building the start-up, drawing on innovative ideas and new technologies at very early stage and bringing together the founding team to create the start up; and on the other hand in providing the support needed to enable the start up to launch…

Expected Impact: The prize will boost public awareness of the potential, importance and contribution of women to the EU innovation ecosystem and create strong role models, inspiring more women to become innovators themselves. Expected Outcome: The prize will boost public awareness of the potential, importance and contribution of women to the EU innovation ecosystem and create strong role models, inspiring more women to become innovators themselves. Objective: The European Prize for Women Innovators celebrates the women entrepreneurs behind Europe’s game-changing innovations, so that they may inspire other women and girls realise their full potential as the EU’s future scientists, innovators, and tech leaders. This prize supports a culture within research and innovation organisations and companies allowing women to become the innovators and entrepreneurs of tomorrow. The prize is awarded every year to women from across the EU and countries associated to Horizon Europe, who have transformed their ideas into disruptive innovations to benefit people and the planet and who are inspiring leaders. As for the previous edition, the 2027 European Prize for Women Innovators is organised in…

Expected Outcome: Integration of quantum computing into data pre-processing pipelines and learning workflows for data-heavy or computationally intensive tasks, demonstrating clear improvements in processing speed, computational complexity, modelling accuracy, and reduced sample requirements at scales achievable with NISQ-era devices, Reliable and scalable Quantum Machine Learning (QML) models and algorithms, integrated with existing AI frameworks and pipelines, enabling faster data processing, improved prediction accuracy, and enhanced computational capabilities, Validated quantum-enhanced AI methods demonstrating measurable improvements over classical baselines in terms of speed, accuracy, data efficiency, complexity, or scalability, supported by rigorous benchmarking and complexity analysis, Robust, noise-aware QML techniques suitable for NISQ hardware , including error-mitigation strategies and algorithmic adaptations that improve reliability, performance, and reproducibility on real quantum processors, Demonstrators or proof-of-concept applications showcasing the relevance of QML for real-world challenges (e.g. climate and environmental modelling, Earth observation, healthcare…

Expected Outcome: The commercial potential of Horizon research results is explored; Results of Horizon projects are valorised, by ensuring a pathway to commercialisation; and Startups and SMEs become involved in valorisation. Scope: The EU must do better in translating the knowledge generated by the Framework Programme into innovations with economic and societal value. The objective of this action is to provide financial support (‘Proof of market’) to small consortia (i.e. spin-offs, startups, SMEs) to explore the exploitation potential, in the EU, of achieved results from ongoing or completed projects funded under Cluster 4 ‘Digital, Industry and Space’ or its predecessor activities under the Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies (LEIT) [1] part of Horizon 2020. The consortia do not necessarily have to be made of former or current beneficiaries but should own or have access to the knowledge assets of projects, including intellectual property, where relevant. Proposals should envisage valorisation activities, such as: demonstrating a technology (e.g. testing); defining a commercialisation process; undertaking: a market and competitiveness analysis; a technology…

Scope: Objectives The Consolidator Grant supports excellent Principal Investigators who are consolidating their own independent research team or programme. A Consolidator Grant Principal Investigator should have already shown evidence of research independence. Size of ERC Consolidator Grants Consolidator Grants may be awarded up to a maximum of EUR 2 000 000 for a period of 60 months . The maximum amount of the grants is reduced pro rata temporis for proposals of shorter duration. Additional funding up to EUR 1 000 000 *1 can be requested to cover further eligible costs for any cost category when these are necessary to carry out the proposed work. The request for additional funding must be duly justified in the proposal. The maximum amount of the grant is reduced pro rata temporis for proposals of shorter duration. Additional funding is not subject to pro rata temporis reduction for projects of shorter duration. Both the grant amount and any additional funding requested are assessed during evaluation. *1 Except for Principal Investigators in Starting, Consolidator, or Advanced Grant re-locating to the EU or an Associated Country from elsewhere to take up their ERC grant. In this…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to the following outcomes: For supported doctoral candidates New research and transferable skills and competences, leading to improved employability and career prospects within and outside academia; New knowledge allowing the conversion of ideas into products and services, where relevant; Enhanced networking and communication capacities with scientific peers, as well as with the general public that will increase and broaden the research and innovation impact. For participating organisations Improved quality, relevance and sustainability of doctoral training programmes and supervision arrangements; Enhanced cooperation and transfer of knowledge between sectors and disciplines; Increased integration of training and research activities between participating organisations; Boosted R&I capacity; Increased internationalisation and attractiveness; Regular feedback of research results into teaching and education at participating organisations. Scope: MSCA Doctoral Networks will implement doctoral programmes, by partnerships of universities, research institutions and research infrastructures, businesses including SMEs, and other…

Expected Outcome: This action builds on the MSCA Doctoral Networks 2026 call (HORIZON-MSCA-DN-2026). The project results are expected to contribute to the following outcomes: For supported doctoral candidates: New research and transferable skills and competences in the application of AI in science, leading to improved employability and career prospects within and outside academia; New knowledge allowing the conversion of ideas into products and services, where relevant; Enhanced networking and communication capacities with scientific peers, as well as with the general public that will increase and broaden the research and innovation impact. For participating organisations: Improved quality, relevance and sustainability of doctoral training programmes and supervision arrangements; Enhanced cooperation and transfer of knowledge between sectors and disciplines; Increased integration of training and research activities between participating organisations; Boosted R&I capacity and uptake of AI in science; Increased internationalisation and attractiveness; Regular feedback of research results into teaching and education at participating organisations. Scope: Successful RAISE Doctoral…

Objective: This topic targets projects linked to a framework loan to address serious social, economic and environmental challenges deriving from the transition towards the EU’s 2030 climate and energy targets and the EU’s 2050 objective of climate neutrality, for the benefit of the EU territories identified in the Territorial Just Transition Plans. - The projects must be linked to an EIB framework loan. Framework loans by other banks or EIB financial intermediaries (including EIB Intermediated Framework Loans or Multi-Beneficiary Intermediated Loans) cannot benefit from PSLF funding under this topic. Scope: Projects related to a wide range of sustainable investments may be funded, such as: investments in renewable energy and green and sustainable mobility, including the promotion of green hydrogen efficient district heating networks public research digitalisation environmental infrastructure for smart waste and water management sustainable energy, energy efficiency and integration measures, including renovations and conversions of buildings urban renewal and regeneration the transition to a circular economy land and ecosystem restoration and decontamination, taking into account…

Objective: This topic targets projects addressing serious social, economic and environmental challenges deriving from the transition towards the EU’s 2030 climate and energy targets and the EU’s 2050 objective of climate neutrality, for the benefit of the EU territories identified in the Territorial Just Transition Plans. The projects must also qualify for a loan by the EIB (or one of its financial intermediaries). Scope: Projects related to a wide range of sustainable investments may be funded, such as: investments in renewable energy and green and sustainable mobility, including the promotion of green hydrogen efficient district heating networks public research digitalisation environmental infrastructure for smart waste and water management sustainable energy, energy efficiency and integration measures, including renovations and conversions of buildings urban renewal and regeneration the transition to a circular economy land and ecosystem restoration and decontamination, taking into account the ‘polluter pays’ principle biodiversity, as well as up-skilling and re-skilling, training, and social infrastructure, including care facilities and social housing. Infrastructure…