Alternatives to Skills Hubs of Excellence

Expected Outcome: This action will establish a strategic European initiative to develop scalable, modular, and interoperable photonic quantum computing platforms. Proposals for this topic are expected to address and provide credible solutions to at least two major technical roadblocks currently limiting the advancement of photonic quantum computing such as: The lack of deterministic, high-efficiency photonic entanglement and loss-tolerant architectures suitable for fault-tolerant scaling The absence of a standardised, integrated control stack combining photonic hardware, firmware, and system software with reliable benchmarking across platforms Project results are expected to contribute to the following expected outcomes: By 2028, demonstration of a photonic NISQ processor with ≥100 photonic qubits, integrating deterministic single-photon sources, low-loss waveguides, on-chip detectors, and a firmware stack (scheduler, controller, compiler), validated via hardware-agnostic benchmarks and hybrid photonic-HPC applications demonstrating classical-quantum crossover By 2030, delivery of a full-stack, high-connectivity photonic quantum computer, with modular scalability, integrated…

Expected Outcome: In support of the implementation of the Mission on Adaptation to climate change and of the upcoming European Climate Adaptation Plan , the successful project is expected to contribute to multi-level governance for climate adaptation by addressing all of the following outcomes: The relevant national governance for innovation and climate adaptation is further engaged and mobilised to contribute to the objectives of the Adaptation Mission and benefit from it. In turn, the Mission fosters multi-level governance, supporting Member States, regions and local authorities in their efforts to implement the European Climate Law’s requirements on climate adaptation, and to further develop and update their adaptation plans. Mission solutions are disseminated beyond the regions and local authorities actively involved in the Mission and peer learning opportunities (within and outside) the Mission are strengthened, to bridge the gap between the EU, the national and local levels. Scope: Regional and local authorities are the target group of the proposed activities and as such they are not expected to participate directly in the consortium, but they should benefit from the project…

Expected Outcome: Activities under this topic will help progress towards the objectives and targets of the Mission Soil and the EU Soil Strategy for 2030 . Activities should also contribute to the implementation of the Soil Monitoring and Resilience Directive after its adoption. Project results are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes: enhanced adoption of impactful sustainable soil management solutions and strategies supported by AI-powered decision support systems by land managers; harmonised, standard, robust, interoperable and accessible methods, protocols and logical architecture for long-term field experiments (LTEs) data collection and integration (including with other datasets) are in place; scientists, policymakers, and land managers gain enhanced access to comprehensive, high-quality soil data, enabling better research, informed decision-making, and effective land management practices. Scope: Long-term field experiments (LTEs) can be defined as “agricultural experiments for monitoring soil and crop properties under changing climate conditions and different management with a minimum duration of 20 years” [1] , [2] . LTEs are typically owned or…

Expected Outcome: The Synergy action for Teaming Centres of Excellence (CoE) responds to the need to ensure the sustainability of CoE funded under the Teaming calls [1] . The establishment of CoE in Widening countries, supported by a significant investment in Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe, has created new opportunities for scientific, societal, and economic impact. However, to fully capitalise on this investment and enhance the sustainability and international competitiveness of these CoE, it is essential to facilitate stronger collaboration and strategic joint initiatives among them. Proposals are expected to contribute to all the following outcomes: Stronger long-term collaboration among Teaming CoE through structured joint initiatives and clustering efforts to enhance mutual learning, resource sharing, and collective research and innovation capacity; Strategic transformation of R&I systems by enhancing institutional cooperation and supporting structural reforms at national and regional levels; Promotion of multidisciplinary and transnational cooperation that will enable CoE to address critical European and global challenges, and EU policy priorities; Promote ERA priorities…

Expected Outcome: Excellent capacities in research management are essential for institutions and national R&I systems to enhance their research excellence and capitalize on their R&I activities in a knowledge-based economy and society. The Research Management Facility aims at providing institutions in Widening countries that want to establish or upgrade their research management capacities with tailored support. The Research Management Facility also advises on an implementation strategy to introduce changes in the institutional set-up, in line with the ERA priorities. However, the action does not provide support for the implementation of the strategy. Strong research management ensures effective grant acquisition, resource allocation, compliance with funding regulations, and strategic planning. It supports high-quality research by streamlining administrative processes, facilitating interdisciplinary collaborations, attracting and retaining international high-profile researchers, and optimizing the use of research infrastructures. Proposals are expected to contribute to the following outcomes: Encourage the establishment of stronger research management capacities in Widening…

Expected Outcome: Proposals are expected to contribute to all following points: The projects must fulfil the performance targets, at the cell and system level, corresponding to the specific targeted application, to be specified in the proposal. Appropriate KPI must be defined for the energy density (volumetric and gravimetric), Power density and C-rate, number of cycles and cost defined under operational conditions. Boost EU competitiveness in next-generation battery technologies for mobility applications. Develop pilot manufacturing capability for next generation lithium-based batteries. Strengthen the EU battery value chain, including new manufacturing equipment, automation, and scalable production processes. Advance the understanding of next-generation battery interfaces at an industrial scale, ensuring manufacturability, durability, and cost-effectiveness. In the case of aviation, the battery requirements should be compatible at minimum with EASA CS.23 (level 4), CS.27 and preferably with CS.25 categories. Scope: This topic will support the scaling-up of next generation (i.e., beyond generation 3) lithium-based batteries (e.g., semi and all-solid state, generation5) from cell…

Expected Outcome: Successful proposals will contribute to the implementation of the EU initiative on Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing, the EU Life Sciences Strategy, the updated EU Bioeconomy Strategy, the EU Biotechnology Act, the Clean Industrial Deal, the European Chemical Industry Action Plan and the upcoming EU Circular Economy Act. Projects results are expected to contribute to the following expected outcomes: Full industrial scale biorefinery and related value chain(s) for the sustainable production of bio-based products using biotech as a key enabling technology. Availability of bio-based products meeting market and technical performance requirements as relevant for their respective application areas. Improvement of sustainability, circularity and resource efficiency compared to relevant benchmark(s). Contribution to increasing the EU’s strategic autonomy, resilience and competitiveness. Scope: Biorefineries integrating biotechnologies, underpinned by sustainably sourced bio-based feedstock, have a huge potential to transform the EU manufacturing landscape, spurring socio-economic growth, fostering job creation and contributing to defossilisation of the EU…

Expected Outcome: This flagship pilot is the culmination of the entire activity catalogue carried out by the CCAM Partnership since its launch in 2021. It will combine in one project the most promising CCAM use-cases across three key domains, with the technological advancements from all its R&I clusters [1] supporting and enabling CCAM systems and services towards market uptake. This action is expected to contribute to all the following outcomes: Large-scale demonstrations of inclusive, user-oriented, and well-integrated CCAM systems and services for people and goods in mixed traffic through Field Operational Tests (FOTs), Technology Pilots, and Living Labs, building upon advanced and emerging SAE Level 2 systems to move towards SAE Level 3 and 4 functionalities, at multiple test sites and corridors showcasing CCAM potential [2] , for a minimum of 12 months. Validation of enabling technologies that facilitate the extension of Operational Design Domains (ODDs) in large-scale operations and enhance perception performance under poor lighting and adverse weather conditions in large-scale demonstrations and pilots. Assessment of deployment readiness and demonstration of technological…

Expected Impact: Projects funded under this call are expected to deliver tangible industrial outputs that demonstrably advance the readiness and affordability of future governmental Ka-band user terminals for IRIS2 and GOVSATCOM services. Expected outputs include, for example: qualified production processes, calibrated sub-assemblies, pilot-run units, validated manufacturing equipment chains or manufacturing cost models. Purely analytical deliverables (studies, design reports) are not sufficient as primary outputs but may complement the above. Where relevant, outputs shall include documented design assumptions, interface parameters or process specifications enabling adaptation to different terminal configurations with limited re-engineering, so as to support uptake in follow-on integration, pilot deployment and scale-up activities. Objective: The aim of this call for proposals is to advance the industrial readiness of European Ka-band user terminal technologies, subsystems and manufacturing processes, with a view to enabling cost-effective production of user terminals for services provided under the Union secure connectivity programme (IRIS²) and GOVSATCOM. The target reference…

Expected Outcome: Proposals are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes: Accelerate the use of innovative technologies to decarbonise industrial processes and bring to the market more cost-effective clean products to strengthen the competitiveness, sustainability (including biodiversity), and resilience of EU industries; Create new innovative first-of-a-kind operational demonstrators and/or optimise newly installed industrial decarbonisation solutions in Europe; and Demonstrate the market readiness of the envisaged future clean products and their innovative processes via a credible business plan and an exploitation strategy for industrialisation, including market-tested use cases. Scope: The Clean Industrial Deal aims to secure the EU as an attractive location for manufacturing, including for energy-intensive industries, and to promote clean tech and new circular business models in order to meet Europe’s ambitious decarbonisation and climate neutrality targets. It focuses primarily on the competitive decarbonisation of EU industry and on the production of clean technologies in the EU. The following three technology areas on energy intensive industries having…

Expected Outcome: The expected outcomes of this topic are : A common EU evaluation platform for AI chips and racks, with transparent KPIs, workloads and benchmark reports used for Chips JU selection and procurement decisions. First pilot deployments of European AI compute systems validated for EU sovereign partitions of AI infrastructure. Structured collaboration between buyers and suppliers, supporting deployment, integration and optimisation of European AI compute solutions. Stronger EU demand for European AI chips and racks, helping to create a market for deployment-ready solutions. Increased EU technological sovereignty across the AI compute stack for European datacentres.

Expected Outcome: the project results are expected to contribute to all of the following outcomes: access to cutting-edge infrastructure for researchers and research teams from Euratom and Associated Countries to EU and international state-of-the-art nuclear research infrastructures; enhancing the network developed under the OFFERR project for optimised use of nuclear research infrastructures identified in the EU, thus supporting the implementation of the Euratom programme’s objectives and the establishment of the European Research Area (ERA) in the nuclear safety and radiation protection field; strengthened cross-border collaboration in nuclear safety and radiation protection research in the EU, a significant increase in transnational nuclear research and the fostering of shared expertise and resources; preservation of critical facilities, possibly increasing their number to ensure the long-term availability of key experimental facilities for research into safety, security, safeguards, radioactive waste management and radiation protection (e.g. materials testing research reactors in operation, irradiation infrastructure, hot cells and laboratories, mechanical and thermal…