DOCTORAL PROGRAM FOR INTEGRATED RESEARCH ACTIVITIES TO UNLOCK A POTENTIAL OF TOP-LEVEL RESEARCHERS IN DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION FOR SUSTAINABILITY
PERSEUS
PERSEUS is a collaboration between NTNU – Norway’s largest university, 11 top-level academic partners in 8 European countries, and 8 industrial partners within sectors of high societal relevance.
The PERSEUS Doctoral Program aims at fostering the training of highly skilled doctoral researchers in thematic areas of Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, Digital Twins, Internet of Things, Extended Reality and Information and Cyber Security linked to sectors of the national importance to Norway, namely energy, healthcare, manufacturing, mobility and ocean-based technologies. The Program will award 40 outstanding PhD researchers who would be recruited at NTNU following open, fair and transparent selection procedures applied during two open calls for applications. The incoming 36 month fellowships will be open to all nationalities from all countries in the world in correspondence to MSCA-COFUND mobility rules.
PERSEUS DP will embed a set of digital skills, propose a substantial training in transferable skills, adopt carefully designed interdisciplinary and intersectoral approaches and explore opportunities presented by national and international partners to prepare the top-level researchers who contribute to smart, safe and sustainable future. NTNU will offer to the researchers the state-of-the art laboratories, involvement in prestigious long-term and large-scale research and innovation projects funded by H2020 and the Research Council of Norway and will link the PERSEUS DP to numerous international networks and alliances such as EERA, ERCIM, Climate KIC and NordicFiveTech.
The career perspectives of PhD candidates will be boosted by short term placements (1-3 months) at carefully selected 11 top-level academic partners from 8 countries in Europe and 8 industry partners located in Norway and further enhanced by participation in international events and in seminars and workshops proposed by the PERSEUS project. Finally, the PhD candidates will be proposed various support forms like language courses, guided tours and ESRs spouses integration to ensure a well-being and better integration in the Norwegian society of the foreign students and their families.
MSCA-COFUND-2020
INNOVATIVE PATHWAYS FOR LOW CARBON AND CLIMATE RESILIENT BUILDING STOCK AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT
Built4People Partnership
This Destination targets the energy demand side, notably a more efficient use of energy in buildings and industry. It contributes to the activities of the Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan) and its implementation working groups.
This Destination contributes directly to the Strategic Plan’s Key Strategic Orientations ‘ Green transition ‘, ‘ Digital transition ‘ and ‘ A more resilient, competitive, inclusive and democratic Europe ‘.
In line with the Strategic Plan, the overall expected impact of this Destination is to contribute to the ‘Using energy in buildings and industry in an efficient, affordable and sustainable way’ .
Expected Outcome:
Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
Scope:
EU and associated countries continue to develop innovative building solutions that support the decarbonisation and climate resilience of buildings and the built environment, addressing energy performance, circularity, sustainability, resource efficiency, climate resilience, safety, durability and adaptability of the building stock, and whole life carbon emissions. A key challenge remains the accelerated uptake of such solutions in building and renovation projects. Building value chain actors – such as housing associations, municipal and regional authorities, or policy makers – require planning methods and procedures that embed the uptake of innovative building solutions and define pathways for the decarbonisation and climate resilience of the building stock and the built environment under their responsibility.
Proposals are expected to address all of the following:
Selected proposals could consider the involvement of the European Commission’s Joint Research Center (JRC) whose contribution could consist of providing added value on innovative building solutions for resource efficiency, safety, durability and adaptability of the building stock, as well as performing experimental research for validating those solutions on full-scale prototype buildings.
This topic requires the effective contribution of SSH disciplines and the involvement of SSH experts, institutions as well as the inclusion of relevant SSH expertise (including social innovation), in order to produce meaningful and significant effects enhancing the societal impact of the related research activities.
This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnership on ‘People-centric sustainable built environment’ (Built4People). As such, projects resulting from this topic will be expected to report on results to the European Partnership ‘People-centric sustainable built environment’ (Built4People) in support of the monitoring of its KPIs.
The main impacts to be generated by topics under this Destination are:
Highly energy-efficient and climate neutral European building stock
Industry
The energy efficiency of EU energy intensive industries is improved, their consumption of fossil fuel and their GHG and other pollutants emissions are drastically reduced, while preserving / enhancing their global competitiveness.
Budget t: 15 million eur.
Link:
HORIZON-CL5-2026-02-D4-03
INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR A GENERATIVE AI-POWERED DIGITAL SPINE OF THE EU ENERGY SYSTEM
HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG]
This Destination includes activities targeting a sustainable, secure and competitive energy supply. In line with the scope of cluster 5, this includes activities in the areas of renewable energy; energy systems, grids and storage; as well as Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS).
This Destination contributes directly to the Strategic Plan’s Key Strategic Orientations ‘ Green transition ‘, ‘ Digital transition ‘ and ‘ A more resilient, competitive, inclusive and democratic Europe ‘.
In line with the Strategic Plan, the overall expected impact of this Destination is to contribute to the ‘Ensuring more sustainable, secure and competitive energy supply through solutions for smart energy systems based on renewable energy solutions’ .
This destination contributes to the activities of the Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan) and its implementation working groups.
Expected Outcome:
Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
Scope:
To achieve the Green Deal objectives for 2030 and 2050, substantial investments are required in a smart and digitally enabled energy system capable of integrating higher shares of renewable energy and electrification of demand and electricity storage. This encompasses various sectors such as transport (notably electric vehicles), industry (heating and hydrogen production) and residential heating.
Effective smart planning, operation and control of the electricity grid and numerous distributed devices – including smart electricity meters, smart bi-directional charging networks for electric vehicles, and smart building platforms – are essential. These efforts must be underpinned by markets for flexibility and demand response, along with seamless data exchange between actors and devices.
On-going innovation in the energy data space, smart Internet of Things (IoT) solutions, and digital twins for energy systems, coupled with energy price and market considerations, provide the foundation for advanced energy system intelligence. This intelligence will be further enhanced by leveraging generative artificial intelligence and the emerging AI Factories [1] .
The scope is to develop and pilot prototypes of a generative AI-powered digital spine [2] that enhances the digitalisation and decarbonisation of the EU energy system.
The overall scope is the development of a prototype of an automated, AI-powered, software-defined smart energy system leveraging and further developing existing (open-source) digital solutions of lower TRLs developed in EU and national research, innovation- and deployment-programmes, as well as AI algorithms and tools provided by the AI Factories, namely to:
The developed solutions should be dynamic, flexible, offering reconfigurable automated management, control and data exchange to ensure seamless operations across decentralized a setting.
Projects are expected to:
Renewable energy
Energy systems, grids & storage
R&I actions will support the just digital and green transformation of the energy system through advanced solutions for accelerating the energy systems integration and decarbonisation. The developed clean, sustainable solutions will contribute to making the energy system and supply more reliable, resilient, and secure. The solutions will contribute to increase flexibility and grid hosting capacity for renewables through optimizing cross sector integration and grid scale storage. They will enhance the competitiveness of the European value chain, reduce pressure on resources (also by making technologies ‘circular by design’) and decrease dependencies.
Innovative and cost-effective energy storage (integration) solutions are developed, that provide flexibility to the energy system, reduce total cost of grid operation and enhancement and that minimize the use of critical raw materials and ensure, to the best extent possible, their reuse and recycling, are key elements of the energy system.
Carbon capture, use and storage (CCUS) and carbon dioxide removal (CDR)
HORIZON-CL5-2026-02-D3-19
INNOVATIVE APPROACHES FOR THE DEPLOYMENT OF POSITIVE ENERGY DISTRICTS
HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS]
This Destination targets the energy demand side, notably a more efficient use of energy in buildings and industry. It contributes to the activities of the Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan) and its implementation working groups.
This Destination contributes directly to the Strategic Plan’s Key Strategic Orientations ‘ Green transition ‘, ‘ Digital transition ‘ and ‘ A more resilient, competitive, inclusive and democratic Europe ‘.
In line with the Strategic Plan, the overall expected impact of this Destination is to contribute to the ‘Using energy in buildings and industry in an efficient, affordable and sustainable way’ .
Expected Outcome:
Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
Scope:
Recent projects have demonstrated the feasibility of PEDs, but there is a need to further demonstrate climate-neutral impact, while developing and demonstrating innovative approaches and solutions for overcoming technical, business, social and organizational constraints in several domains. Such domains include, for example, climate mitigation, integration of renewable energy sources and energy storage in buildings, grid connections, accommodation of distributed energy generation and storage at district level, permitting, data privacy and security and the application of new technologies such as artificial intelligence. Presently, these constraints, which inhibit the demonstration of complete and qualified PEDs, require the cooperation of key professionals from the public and private sector, such as municipal and regional authorities and those from the energy and construction sectors, in complex implementation processes.
Proposals are expected to address all of the following:
This topic requires the effective contribution of SSH disciplines and the involvement of SSH experts, institutions as well as the inclusion of relevant SSH expertise (including social innovation), in order to produce meaningful and significant effects enhancing the societal impact of the related research activities.
Highly energy-efficient and climate neutral European building stock
Industry
The energy efficiency of EU energy intensive industries is improved, their consumption of fossil fuel and their GHG and other pollutants emissions are drastically reduced, while preserving / enhancing their global competitiveness.
Budget: 15 million euros
Link:
HORIZON-CL5-2026-02-D4-04
EXPANDING INVESTMENT ECOSYSTEMS
HORIZON-EIE-2026-01-CONNECT-02
Today’s urgent challenges are inherently complex and systemic and will not be solved by individual actors or territories in isolation. Fostering enabling innovation ecosystems across the European Union (EU) requires a systemic approach that is inclusive and collaborative, involves diverse actors, institutions and territories, maximizes the value of innovation to all, and ensures equitable diffusion of its benefits.
As highlighted in the European Commission Communication on a New European Innovation Agenda [1] , by increasing the inclusion and interconnection of less represented regions and actors into a more strongly integrated European ecosystem, the EU can capitalize on the experience, needs, visions, and perceptions of an increasingly diverse range of people, companies and territories. In doing so, it can also take forward a uniquely inclusive European innovation model that is sustainable, guards against substantial labor market and wage gaps, and associated threats to territorial and social cohesion.
Moreover, such well-connected and diverse ecosystems provide innovative companies with the necessary support and conditions to thrive, i.e. through additional capabilities, data, customers, knowledge, and talents. Network connectivity within and between innovation ecosystems greatly contributes to sustainable business growth with high societal value. Therefore, the actions of this destination aim at strengthening and expanding cooperation between innovation players to better support the next generation of innovative companies whose solutions will lead the shift towards a more competitive EU and a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient world.
Besides stronger innovation performance, increased competitive sustainability, and more rapid transitions to a green and digital society, ecosystem integration can provide ecosystem actors and companies with access to new resources, markets, customers, and contribute to disruptive and innovative solutions. By being actively engaged in their local, regional, national, and European networks, companies can increase their overall growth potential.
Expected Outcome:
Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
Scope :
The lack of later-stage funding and partners for expansion to foreign markets is one of the most problematic aspects of business growth particularly for the startups from less developed innovation ecosystems. In order to scale to a leading business, startups need to expand to foreign markets beyond their region. At earlier stages start-ups are typically supported by local investors and partners. However, in order to expand within the EU they would need access to the funding from actors with presence and knowledge in these new markets. The lack of partners for expansion to foreign markets beyond their region is harmful for local start-ups’ growth and investor activity and the development of regional scale-ups, even more so for women-led companies. While the limited number of established European start-up hubs attract significant money and traction, the innovation ecosystems in other areas struggle to keep pace with fewer resources, including funds and technical expertise. In the struggle for resources, many start-ups make the choice to either forgo growth and ultimately close their business or move elsewhere, while foreign investors struggle to enter new markets due to insufficient information about the market, its opportunities and regulatory frameworks.
If organized and structured, investments ecosystems should be able to attract foreign investors into “emerging’ and ‘moderate’ innovation ecosystems by raising awareness of local innovation ecosystems and their start-ups, as well as the potential of the whole region, to capital providers from across Europe. Foreign investors should be interested to support startups from these ecosystems to expand to other markets and increase their connectivity to relevant partners and market knowledge.
The action supports co-designed programs of activities, of at least two (2) years, proposed by business acceleration service providers and/or investor networks and clubs, and/or innovation hubs [2] located in less developed innovation ecosystems (’emerging’ and ‘moderate’) and more developed ones (‘strong innovators’ and innovation leaders’), to facilitate the entry of foreign funders from ‘strong innovators’ and innovation leaders’ regions to less developed innovation ecosystems through activities, including at least five of the examples below:
All of these activities should be targeted to one or several of the 5 burning challenges of the New European Innovation Agenda in order to ensure more targeted and tailored match between participants and more tailored services. The 5 burning challenges include: reducing the reliance on fossil fuels, increasing global food security, mastering the digital transformation (including cybersecurity), improving healthcare and achieving circularity.
To ensure that the impact of the action goes beyond consortium members and their respective countries, it is encouraged that the consortium works closely with innovation agencies and/or similar government organisations, supporting start-ups and development of innovation and entrepreneurship from their respective territories and beyond, and seeks synergies with relevant EU initiatives such as the Enterprise Europe Network, as well as with the other projects funded under this topic.
This destination offers a holistic package of actions that:
In particular, the actions under this destination should promote the creation of links:
Where appropriate, the applicants should consider and actively seek synergies with possibilities for further funding from other relevant EU, national and/or regional innovation programmes, including Cohesion Policy funds, the Recovery and Resilience Fund, the EU’s External Action instruments, the Growth plan for the Western Balkans [7] , the Growth Plan for Moldova [8] and the Ukraine Plan [9] , and other public and private funds or financial instruments.
Expected impact
Proposals for topics under this destination should set out a credible pathway to strengthening robust interconnected innovation ecosystems and creating a favorable environment to promote the scalability potential of businesses, including in the deep tech sector, and more specifically to one or several of the following impacts:
HORIZON-EIE-2026-01-CONNECT-02
COMPETITIVENESS, ENERGY SECURITY AND INTEGRATION ASPECTS OF ADVANCED BIOFUELS AND RENEWABLE FUELS OF NON-BIOLOGICAL ORIGIN VALUE CHAINS
This Destination includes activities targeting a sustainable, secure and competitive energy supply. In line with the scope of cluster 5, this includes activities in the areas of renewable energy; energy system, grids and storage; as well as Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS).
This Destination contributes directly to the Strategic Plan’s Key Strategic Orientations ‘Green transition’, ‘Digital transition’ and ‘A more resilient, competitive, inclusive and democratic Europe’.
In line with the Strategic Plan, the overall expected impact of this Destination is to contribute to the ‘Ensuring more sustainable, secure and competitive energy supply through solutions for smart energy systems based on renewable energy solutions’.
This destination contributes to the activities of the Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan) and its implementation working groups.
Expected Outcome:
European energy security and industrial competitiveness are contested by the geopolitical circumstances and market situations around the world. Advanced biofuels and renewable fuels of non-biological origin are in EU’s portfolio of technologies that contribute to net-zero manufacturing in Europe. However, remaining challenges impacting the security of supply and competitiveness of these technologies and the integration of their value chains need to be clearly understood, presented, and mitigated.
Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
Scope:
Projects are expected to assess the energy security and industrial competitiveness aspects of value chains for advanced biofuels and renewable fuels of non-biological origin, in view of the new situation in the EU regarding energy security and industrial competitiveness with the rest of the word. They are expected to also evaluate how these technologies could contribute to the EU’s energy security and industrial competitiveness through detailed value chain analysis and development of future scenarios, macroeconomic modelling, and strategic decision-making methods. Value chains closer to commercialisation with the potential to contribute more to the EU 2030 targets for green transition and industrial competitiveness and value chains for technologies under development with the potential to contribute to the longer term and could duly adopt mitigation measures, are both in scope. Proposals are expected to identify the research and innovation actions needed to improve the energy security and industrial competitiveness aspects of these value chains, and implement as appropriate research activities for such optimisation, as well as new standards definitions for advanced biofuels and RFNBOs as appropriate.
Competitiveness, energy security and integration challenges of the various steps in a value chain and of the relevant stakeholders are expected to be addressed. Integration aspects encompass every step of each individual value chain and every stakeholder. Proposals are expected to coordinate efforts towards development of win-win integrated solutions of sustainable value chains for advanced biofuels and renewable fuels of non-biological origin engaging all relevant stakeholders, including as relevant farmers, CO2 suppliers, technology providers, researchers, fuel producers, end users, policy makers, international organisations. Multidisciplinary issues related to advanced biofuels and renewable fuels of non-biological origin production, carbon removals, CO2 trading and valorisation, sustainable farming, production of nature-based soil amendments, fertilizers, and organic materials, fuel standardisation, trade-off/synergies of carbon farming with in-situ carbon storing and of land uses for fuels versus solar panels for derived fuels, are expected to be considered, to achieve benefits for all through the integration.
Value chains of renewable hydrogen as an end-product are not within the scope of this topic.
A sustainability assessment of integrated solutions including techno-economic, environmental and social aspects is expected to be carried out based on life cycle analysis.
Renewable energy
Energy systems, grids & storage
R&I actions will support the just digital and green transformation of the energy system through advanced solutions for accelerating the energy systems integration and decarbonisation. The developed clean, sustainable solutions will contribute to making the energy system and supply more reliable, resilient, and secure. The solutions will contribute to increase flexibility and grid hosting capacity for renewables through optimising cross sector integration and grid scale storage. They will enhance the competitiveness of the European value chain, reduce pressure on resources (also by making technologies ‘circular by design’) and decrease dependencies.
Innovative and cost-effective energy storage (integration) solutions are developed, that provide flexibility to the energy system, reduce total cost of grid operation and enhancement and that minimise the use of critical raw materials and ensure, to the best extent possible, their reuse and recycling, are key elements of the energy system.
Carbon capture, use and storage (CCUS) and carbon dioxide removal (CDR)
HORIZON-EIE-2026-01-CONNECT-02
SUPPORT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND MANUFACTURING OF CRITICAL TECHNOLOGIES
ERDF Lazio Regional Programme 2021-2027
Through the Notice, the Lazio Region supports projects which, pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2024/795 establishing the platform for strategic technologies for Europe, concern the development or manufacturing of critical technologies , or the safeguarding and strengthening of the respective value chains, in the following sectors:
Technologies that satisfy at least one of the following conditions are considered critical:
Beneficiaries
The support is intended for companies of any size that have, at the latest by the date of the first disbursement, the production unit located in Lazio which is the subject of the project.
Projects can be implemented by multiple entities, in partnership. Each company can implement only one project, either individually or as the leader of a partnership.
Research Organizations ( ROs) can collaborate in experimental development activities, covering up to 30% of the costs and participating in the aggregation with one or more companies that cover at least 70% of the costs of the activity.
Incentive A non-repayable grant
is foreseen , up to a maximum of 10 million euros per project.
ERDF Lazio Regional Programme 2021-2027
SCALING UP DEEP TECH ECOSYSTEMS
Expected Outcome:
Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
Scope:
Pan-European research infrastructures are strategic assets to boost R&I, scientific discoveries and deep-tech developments at regional, national and European levels. They have a strong role in increasing the R&I potential of academia and industry in local and regional ecosystems, thus enhancing competitiveness, innovation in strategic areas and overcoming fragmentation. The Council conclusions on strengthening the competitiveness of the EU and overcoming the fragmentation of the European Research Area[3] encouraged better use and deployment of Research Infrastructure facilities and services by academia and industry, including SMEs and start-ups across the entire EU.
As providers of advanced services and procurers of cutting-edge technologies, RIs have an innovation potential related to the development of components, instruments, services and knowledge that could be better exploited to push the edge of existing technologies and lead to their deployment for market-oriented or socially useful purposes.
The aim of the action is to respond to industry needs and to better valorise interactions that research infrastructures have with companies, facilitating deep collaboration and co-development.
The proposals should pilot the possibility to seed the development of innovation ecosystems around diverse technological areas related to pan-European research infrastructures by providing grants to pilot projects in three to five different technological areas.
The proposals should:
Today’s urgent challenges are inherently complex and systemic and will not be solved by individual actors or territories in isolation. Fostering enabling innovation ecosystems across the European Union (EU) requires a systemic approach that is inclusive and collaborative, involves diverse actors, institutions and territories, maximises the value of innovation to all, and ensures equitable diffusion of its benefits.
As highlighted in the European Commission Communication on a New European Innovation Agenda[1], by increasing the inclusion and interconnection of less represented regions and actors into a more strongly integrated European ecosystem, the EU can capitalise on the experience, needs, visions, and perceptions of an increasingly diverse range of people, companies and territories. In doing so, it can also take forward a uniquely inclusive European innovation model that is sustainable, guards against substantial labour market and wage gaps, and associated threats to territorial and social cohesion.
Moreover, such well-connected and diverse ecosystems provide innovative companies with the necessary support and conditions to thrive, i.e. through additional capabilities, data, customers, knowledge, and talents. Network connectivity within and between innovation ecosystems greatly contributes to sustainable business growth with high societal value. Therefore, the actions of this destination aim at strengthening and expanding cooperation between innovation players to better support the next generation of innovative companies whose solutions will lead the shift towards a more competitive EU and a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient world.
Besides stronger innovation performance, increased competitive sustainability, and more rapid transitions to a green and digital society, ecosystem integration can provide ecosystem actors and companies with access to new resources, markets, customers, and contribute to disruptive and innovative solutions. By being actively engaged in their local, regional, national, and European networks, companies can increase their overall growth potential.
This destination offers a holistic package of actions that:
In particular, the actions under this destination should promote the creation of links:
Where appropriate, the applicants should consider and actively seek synergies with possibilities for further funding from other relevant EU, national and/or regional innovation programmes, including Cohesion Policy funds, the Recovery and Resilience Fund, the EU’s External Action instruments, the Growth plan for the Western Balkans[7], the Growth Plan for Moldova[8] and the Ukraine Plan[9], and other public and private funds or financial instruments.
Expected impact
Proposals for topics under this destination should set out a credible pathway to strengthening robust interconnected innovation ecosystems and creating a favourable environment to promote the scalability potential of businesses, including in the deep tech sector, and more specifically to one or several of the following impacts:
EUROPEAN NETWORK OF NATIONAL COMPETENCE CENTERS FOR INNOVATION PROCUREMENT
Expected Outcome:
Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
Scope:
Many public buyers around Europe still lack experience on innovation procurement and need training and guidance. To tackle this challenge, several countries around Europe have set up national competence centers that cooperate with policy makers in their country to implement capacity building measures for innovation procurement. With support of Horizon 2020 funding, in the past, five new competence centers were set up and started collaborating with five existing competence centers across borders[1].
Europe wide benchmarking identified that there are still significant gaps in national capacity building structures for innovation procurement[2]. This action therefore aims to support setting up a European wide network of national competence centers for innovation procurement[3], inspired by the experience and activities of the previous initiative, and extend it further to additional countries and reinforce its activities.
Activities undertaken by the network are expected to include the creation of new national competence centers for innovation procurement[4] as well as the enlargement and deepening of the scope of activities of existing competence centers. The expected minimum participation is 10 existing national competence centers for innovation procurement plus 5 public bodies that have the mandate to setup 5 new national competence centers for innovation procurement in 5 different Member States or Associated Countries, with at least 2 of the 5 new ones in ‘emerging’ or ‘moderate’ innovator countries[5]. The network will thus start with participation from at least 15 different EU Member States or Associated Countries and it is expected to aim for participation of national competence centers for innovation procurement from all Member States in the network by the end of the project.
Activities undertaken by the network should also include experience sharing on the implementation of pre-commercial procurement (PCP) and public procurement of innovative solutions (PPI) across Europe, promoting Horizon Europe funding and synergies with ESIF funding for PCP and PPI to public procurers in cooperation with NCPs as well as supporting public procurers in launching such procurements.
Cooperation among public procurers is important because potential market size is a key decision factor for firms to participate or not in a public procurement and to help them grow their business across Europe. Scaling up the impacts of completed innovation procurements by diffusing the uptake of innovative solutions to other public buyers is also vital to mainstream innovation procurement. Activities undertaken by the network are therefore also expected to facilitate the creation of national and transnational buyer groups that ensure wider diffusion of innovations from innovation procurements as well as the creation of transnational buyer groups that start new joint innovation procurements on new topics. In this context, attention should be paid to reinforcing procurements that involve strategic technologies that are key for safeguarding Europe’s economic security. The network is also expected to promote national innovation procurement business opportunities to companies across other EU Member States and Associated Countries. It is encouraged to collaborate closely with the EIC business acceleration services and the Enterprise Europe Network to ensure a wide outreach among European startups and SMEs and raise their awareness on the business opportunities offered by innovation procurement across EU Member States and Associated Countries.
Planned activities are also expected to include collaboration with national policy makers that are responsible for the policies that support the uptake of innovation procurement, in particular R&I and public procurement policies. The competence centers should cooperate with such policy makers to develop and coordinate policy actions to mainstream PCP and PPI across Europe such as implementing action plans, targets, monitoring and incentive schemes that encourage public procurers to undertake more PCPs and PPIs.
The network is expected to maximize synergies with national and ESIF funding and focus the budget requested from Horizon Europe on activities/partners that cannot be funded from ESIF or for which national funding is not available. The network is expected also to cooperate with other Horizon Europe funded initiatives on innovation procurement to maximize impact and synergies where possible.
The expected duration for the action is 4 years.
Today’s urgent challenges are inherently complex and systemic and will not be solved by individual actors or territories in isolation. Fostering enabling innovation ecosystems across the European Union (EU) requires a systemic approach that is inclusive and collaborative, involves diverse actors, institutions and territories, maximises the value of innovation to all, and ensures equitable diffusion of its benefits.
As highlighted in the European Commission Communication on a New European Innovation Agenda[1], by increasing the inclusion and interconnection of less represented regions and actors into a more strongly integrated European ecosystem, the EU can capitalise on the experience, needs, visions, and perceptions of an increasingly diverse range of people, companies and territories. In doing so, it can also take forward a uniquely inclusive European innovation model that is sustainable, guards against substantial labour market and wage gaps, and associated threats to territorial and social cohesion.
Moreover, such well-connected and diverse ecosystems provide innovative companies with the necessary support and conditions to thrive, i.e. through additional capabilities, data, customers, knowledge, and talents. Network connectivity within and between innovation ecosystems greatly contributes to sustainable business growth with high societal value. Therefore, the actions of this destination aim at strengthening and expanding cooperation between innovation players to better support the next generation of innovative companies whose solutions will lead the shift towards a more competitive EU and a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient world.
Besides stronger innovation performance, increased competitive sustainability, and more rapid transitions to a green and digital society, ecosystem integration can provide ecosystem actors and companies with access to new resources, markets, customers, and contribute to disruptive and innovative solutions. By being actively engaged in their local, regional, national, and European networks, companies can increase their overall growth potential.
This destination offers a holistic package of actions that:
In particular, the actions under this destination should promote the creation of links:
Where appropriate, the applicants should consider and actively seek synergies with possibilities for further funding from other relevant EU, national and/or regional innovation programmes, including Cohesion Policy funds, the Recovery and Resilience Fund, the EU’s External Action instruments, the Growth plan for the Western Balkans[7], the Growth Plan for Moldova[8] and the Ukraine Plan[9], and other public and private funds or financial instruments.
Expected impact
Proposals for topics under this destination should set out a credible pathway to strengthening robust interconnected innovation ecosystems and creating a favourable environment to promote the scalability potential of businesses, including in the deep tech sector, and more specifically to one or several of the following impacts:
Expected Outcome:
Proposals should demonstrate the following expected outcomes:
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 commercialisation. Access mechanisms to Technology Infrastructures as well as access contracts and collaboration or service provision agreements are often complex, while the costs of using such infrastructures can significantly surpass the financial capacities of growing innovative companies.
The action will develop and test pilot multi-site access schemes for startups, scaleups and other innovative SMEs, involving a critical mass of Technology Infrastructures operators and users in priority areas (including but not limited to advanced materials, clean energy, or health and biotechnology). It should build on existing initiatives with already developed single access points to a comprehensive set of facilities and services in a selected technology area, like for example Open Innovation Test Beds or other integrated networks, that allow for a quick deployment of a common access scheme.
The action should include setting-up a pilot centrally managed and funded access programme, allowing companies quick access to the needed services, with simplified and standardised access conditions applicable across the EU, to be coordinated and in line with the work on the envisaged European Charter of access for industrial users to research and technology infrastructures. While the focus shall be the provision of access and support services to companies, the action can also include enhancing the accessibility and usability of technology infrastructure services to ensure that they meet the evolving needs of users.
The action should aim at significant broadening of the user base of the technology infrastructures to address the needs of startups and scaleups that do not have access to such facilities in their local ecosystems. To this end, proposals should include the development and implementation of activities to increase the visibility and promote and demonstrate the uptake of technology infrastructures services provided to users across the EU.
Furthermore, proposals should aim to enhance transnational and multisite collaboration among Technology Infrastructures fostering the building of technology infrastructures ecosystems, the sharing of experience, resources, and best practices in management, service offer, staff exchange and networking. Proposals may also benefit, especially for communication and dissemination activities, from sharing best practices and taking stock of what other relevant projects are developing in the field of Technology Infrastructures.
CIRCULAR INNOVATIVE ADVANCED MATERIALS: FACILITATING THE TRANSITION FROM DESIGN TO MARKETS (RIA) (INNOVATIVE ADVANCED MATERIALS FOR THE EU AND MADE IN EUROPE PARTNERSHIPS)
Expected Outcome:
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 cycle of these new materials to facilitate their uptake.
The scope covers the full innovation cycle from the design for circularity and functional integration (new materials designs), development and scaleup (including scalable recovery, recycling and valorisation at end of life), to demonstration of industrial uptake and integration into products. The transformative potential of the developed solutions is to be showcased by demonstrators and industrial use cases. Projects should also explore possibilities to transfer developed solutions to other applications or sectors.
The SSbD framework[1] should guide the innovation process towards safer and more sustainable chemicals and advanced materials. Where relevant data generated within the proposal may be shared with the Common Data Platform for Chemicals. The new alternatives to be developed should meet the technical functions required in the specific applications while aligning their innovation process decision making with such framework.
Best use of digital tools and FAIR data, including AI and data-driven approaches throughout the innovation process should support the circular transition for industry and circular product design. This includes sharing FAIR and interoperable data and tools across supply networks and value chains, to foster circularity, including data needed for materials and component development, production and circular product design. Proposals should adhere to the FAIR data principles and adopt wherever relevant, data standards and data sharing/access good practices.
The approach should foster collaboration among stakeholders along the innovation chain and industrial value networks to accelerate the development and adoption of new circular solutions.
Projects should build on, or seek collaboration with, existing projects in EU Member States and Associated Countries and develop synergies with other relevant European, national or regional initiatives, funding programmes and platforms, in particular with the Materials Commons for Europe.
Proposals should support strategic value chains in the fields of mobility and medical devices. The portfolio approach will be used to fund at least one proposal from each of these two areas. Proposers should declare in their proposal the main application area of their proposal (i.e. mobility or medical devices).
Proposals should include a business case and exploitation strategy, as outlined in the introduction to this Destination.
This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnerships Innovative Advanced Materials for the EU (IAM4EU) and Made in Europe (MiE).
Budget: 37 million eur
DIGITAL EDUCATION: PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS FOR ETHICAL DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TOOLS IN EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Scope:
European policy experimentations are transnational cooperation projects that involve developing, implementing and testing the relevance, effectiveness, potential impact and scalability of activities to address policy priorities in different countries. By combining strategic leadership, methodological soundness, and a strong European dimension, they enable mutual learning and support evidence-based policy at European level.
Themes and priorities (scope)
This topic invites proposals that successfully establish public-private partnerships for the pedagogically driven design, development, deployment and use of ethical, trustworthy AI-based resources to improve teaching and learning. Proposal should demonstrate that their outcomes can be transferable and scalable across the EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme and should focus on formal education and training.
More information about this topic is available in the Call for proposals European policy experimentations (ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP).
Budget: 6 million eur
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 cycle of these new materials to facilitate their uptake.
The scope covers the full innovation cycle from the design for circularity and functional integration (new materials designs), development and scaleup (including scalable recovery, recycling and valorisation at end of life), to demonstration of industrial uptake and integration into products. The transformative potential of the developed solutions is to be showcased by demonstrators and industrial use cases. Projects should also explore possibilities to transfer developed solutions to other applications or sectors.
The SSbD framework[1] should guide the innovation process towards safer and more sustainable chemicals and advanced materials. Where relevant data generated within the proposal may be shared with the Common Data Platform for Chemicals. The new alternatives to be developed should meet the technical functions required in the specific applications while aligning their innovation process decision making with such framework.
Best use of digital tools and FAIR data, including AI and data-driven approaches throughout the innovation process should support the circular transition for industry and circular product design. This includes sharing FAIR and interoperable data and tools across supply networks and value chains, to foster circularity, including data needed for materials and component development, production and circular product design. Proposals should adhere to the FAIR data principles and adopt wherever relevant, data standards and data sharing/access good practices.
The approach should foster collaboration among stakeholders along the innovation chain and industrial value networks to accelerate the development and adoption of new circular solutions.
Projects should build on, or seek collaboration with, existing projects in EU Member States and Associated Countries and develop synergies with other relevant European, national or regional initiatives, funding programmes and platforms, in particular with the Materials Commons for Europe.
Proposals should support strategic value chains in the fields of mobility and medical devices. The portfolio approach will be used to fund at least one proposal from each of these two areas. Proposers should declare in their proposal the main application area of their proposal (i.e. mobility or medical devices).
Proposals should include a business case and exploitation strategy, as outlined in the introduction to this Destination.
This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnerships Innovative Advanced Materials for the EU (IAM4EU) and Made in Europe (MiE).
Budget: 37 million eur
DIGITAL EDUCATION CONTENT: SUCCESS FACTORS IN DECISION MAKING AND USE BY TEACHERS, TRAINERS AND SCHOOL/INSTITUTION LEADERS
Scope:
European policy experimentations are transnational cooperation projects that involve developing, implementing and testing the relevance, effectiveness, potential impact and scalability of activities to address policy priorities in different countries. By combining strategic leadership, methodological soundness, and a strong European dimension, they enable mutual learning and support evidence-based policy at European level.
Themes and priorities (scope)
This topic invites project proposals that:
More information about this topic is available in the Call for proposals European policy experimentations (ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP).
Budget: 2 million eur
ADULT EDUCATION: SUPPORT TO THE REGIONAL SKILLS PARTNERSHIPS IN THE PACT FOR SKILLS
Scope:
European policy experimentations are transnational cooperation projects that involve developing, implementing and testing the relevance, effectiveness, potential impact and scalability of activities to address policy priorities in different countries. By combining strategic leadership, methodological soundness, and a strong European dimension, they enable mutual learning and support evidence-based policy at European level.
Themes and priorities (scope)
This topic aims at supporting existing regional partnerships[1] (partnerships at the level of one region within a country or involving more than one region, within one or more countries) in the Pact for Skills to develop and implement concrete activities/commitments to train people of working age.
More information about this topic is available in the Call for proposals European policy experimentations (ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP).
Budget: 5 million eur
