Pilot access schemes to Technology Infrastructures for European startups, scaleups and innovative SMEs (CSA)

Opened

Code: 39118 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-45 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 06/01/2026 | End submission calls: 21/04/2026

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.

Attracting management talent for capacity building for Technology Infrastructures staff members (CSA)

Opened

Code: 39115 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-44 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 06/01/2026 | End submission calls: 21/04/2026

A combination of factors including rapid technological advancements, inefficient strategic planning, skills gaps, and budget limitations can create sub-optimal technology infrastructure management. Proposals are expected to develop and provide schemes to attract management talent (including but not limited to organisational sciences) to technology infrastructures in EU member states. These management talent schemes should be aimed at attracting talents that will study the technology infrastructures needs, in terms of competencies, skills, organizations, and business models, to deliver more efficiently their services to industry, especially to SMEs, startups and scaleups.

Based on this sound understanding of Technology Infrastructures needs, the attracted management talents are expected to both develop and provide advice to Technology Infrastructures senior management and trainings to their staff members aimed at increasing their capacity to develop and provide services to industry. The developed trainings should be sector-agnostic, open-source, accessible remotely, easy to update, and take stock of other existing similar initiatives and experiences in Research and Technology Infrastructures.

Enhancing industry-academia knowledge exchange in Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) (CSA)

Opened

Code: 39112 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-41 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 06/01/2026 | End submission calls: 21/04/2026

This action aims to leverage the strengths of social sciences, humanities and arts (SSH) to address companies’ specific needs, fostering a dynamic and productive industry-academia co-creation for knowledge valorisation.

This action will implement SSH–industry co-creation (for example hackathons, team-based approaches, targeted mentorship and exchange programmes etc) focussing on specific challenges from industry and SMEs including, but not limited to understanding the socio-technical implications of new technologies and innovations, broadening the perspectives of companies’ strategic actions, creating a deeper understanding of customer needs, legal requirements and pathways to the market, strengthening the integration of social, economic and cultural inequality considerations into industry practices and innovation processes, developing new ideas and innovations and contributing to organisational development, sustainability and long-term profitability.

‘Proof of market’ to improve valorisation and commercialisation of Horizon generated R&I results (IA)

Opened

Code: 39109 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-48 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 06/01/2026 | End submission calls: 21/04/2026

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) part of Horizon 2020.

Advanced manufacturing for key products (IA) (Made in Europe partnership)

Opened

Code: 39106 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-01 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 06/01/2026 | End submission calls: 21/04/2026

This topic addresses technologies and machinery for advanced manufacturing, focusing on manufacturing excellence and on increasing circularity, including through the better use of innovative advanced materials and secondary raw materials. The focus is on key manufactured components and products that are competitive and have enhanced performance, and contribute to Europe’s technological leadership in manufacturing, but which are at risk of being lost to Europe or rely on raw materials or parts whose supply is mostly coming from outside Europe.

Technologies for innovative extraction of critical raw materials (RIA)

Opened

Code: 39103 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-12 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 06/01/2026 | End submission calls: 21/04/2026

Actions should develop and validate new sustainable concepts and technological solutions, for mining of complex or difficult to access mineral deposits, including abandoned mining sites, particularly addressing the challenges of accessibility, efficiency, industrial viability, safety and environmental and health impacts, including but not limited to water use, water, soil and air pollution, deforestation, biodiversity, ecosystem health, erosion, desertification, and GHG intensity of extraction.

Innovative technologies and tools for exploration and data modelling of raw materials (RIA)

Opened

Code: 39100 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-11 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 06/01/2026 | End submission calls: 21/04/2026

Actions should develop and validate advanced geological modelling and mineral system analysis using multi-source data (geological, geophysical, and geochemical) from ground-based and remote-sensing techniques to develop high-resolution 3D models of mineral deposits.

The integration of new (AI and machine learning) and conventional methods will be necessary to predict with the greatest accuracy the location of mineral deposits of critical raw materials and their carrier minerals. Actions contributing to the National exploration programmes under the article 19 of CRMA is encouraged.

European Partnerships – Accelerating farming systems transition (AGROECOLOGY)

Opened

Code: 39097 | Identifier Code: EP/AGROECOLOGY/0126 | Programme name: 2799 | Start submission calls: 15/01/2026 | End submission calls: 25/02/2026

The “European Partnerships” Programme aims to encourage entities from Cyprus to participate in international cooperation networks for the development of research and innovation projects in important priority areas for the country, which are implemented within the framework of the Joint Programmes of the European Partnerships of the EU Framework Programme “Horizon Europe” in which Cyprus participates. At the same time, it promotes the extroversion, cooperation and networking of research organisations and businesses of Cyprus with entities from other countries through their participation in the projects.

Participation in the AGROECOLOGY European Partnership aims to encourage businesses and other entities from Cyprus to participate in international research and development projects concerning the transition of agricultural systems towards agroecology. Additionally, it aims at networking and cooperation between Cypriot institutions with foreign institutions, through their participation in international research and development projects.

1st stage: Preliminary Proposals

• 18 February 2026, 14.00 (CET)
• 25 February 2026, 13.00 (Cyprus time)

2nd stage: Full Proposals

• 8 July 2026, 14.00 (CEST)
• 15 July 2026 13.00 (Cyprus time)

European Rare Diseases Research Alliance (ERDERA)

Opened

Code: 39094 | Identifier Code: EP/ERDERA/0126 | Programme name: 2799 | Start submission calls: 12/01/2026 | End submission calls: 12/02/2026

The European Rare Diseases Partnership (ERDERA) was created to further contribute to the coordination of research efforts of European, associated and non-European countries in the field of rare diseases and to implement the objectives of the International Rare Diseases Research Consortium (IRDiRC). These actions follow the five joint transnational calls for research projects on rare diseases launched by the European Joint Programme on Rare Diseases (EJP RD) since 2019.

1st stage: Preliminary Proposals

• 12 February 2026, 14.00 (CET)
• 19 February 2026, 13.00 (Cyprus time)

2nd stage: Full Proposals

• 8 July 2026, (time to be announced by ES ERDERA)
• 15 July 2026, 13:00 (Cyprus time)

Optimise the usage of resources in a circular economy (RIA) (Processes4Planet and Clean Steel partnerships)

Opened

Code: 39087 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-04 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 06/01/2026 | End submission calls: 21/04/2026

The topic aims to optimise the efficiency of materials, water and energy use by recycling and upcycling of side streams from production and end-of-use waste, to become more competitive, safe and sustainable.

Material production becomes less dependent on imports and / or use of non-renewable materials by improving recovery along the value chain, developing and upscaling low-CO2 processes to recover materials, including to replace current efficient but CO2-intensive recycling.

Improving availability of secondary raw materials through recycling (IA)

Opened

Code: 39085 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-14 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 06/01/2026 | End submission calls: 21/04/2026

The focus is on raw materials (metals only), particularly on critical raw materials.

Actions should demonstrate new or improved systems located in the EU developing material efficient high-quality recycling of raw materials, improved resource efficiency and reduced impacts on biodiversity.

Actions should focus on the whole chain of recycling processes and procedures – from collection, logistics, characterisation, disassembly, separation, shredding, sorting, cleaning, refining, purification of secondary raw materials and quality of produced outputs, ending with renaturation of urban mines or waste deposits.

Efficient capture / purification / utilisation of CO2 for the production of competitive products (RIA) (Processes4Planet partnership)

Opened

Code: 39082 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-31 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 06/01/2026 | End submission calls: 21/04/2026

There are only a few products that can be competitively produced from CO2. Increased opportunities for CCU from process industry emissions require the development of a larger portfolio of potential CO2-derived products. The higher cost of CO2-based products compared to conventional production routes is mostly driven by the high energy demand arising from the thermodynamic constraints of CO2.

The smart integration of CO2 capture, purification and conversion can enable process optimisation with reduced energy consumption as well as reduced capital expenditure. Additionally, innovative processes can overcome the inherent equilibrium limitations of CCU production. The development of new integrated processes can be an opportunity to optimise the use of electricity, make use of available heat sources and relevant infrastructures and thus accelerate the development of CO2 valorisation.

Innovative AI methods and technologies for the process industries (RIA) (Processes4Planet and AI, Data and Robotics partnerships)

Opened

Code: 39079 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2026-02-DIGITAL-EMERGING-53-two-stage | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 16/12/2025 | End submission calls: 17/03/2026

Drastically improved AI methods and technologies hold transformative potential for the process industries, enabling advancements in process design, operational efficiency, and faster innovation across the entire lifecycle of plants and products. By using different AI approaches such as multimodal generative AI, foundation models, and agentic AI, the industry can move beyond conventional AI applications as e.g. predictive maintenance and quality control toward more intelligent, adaptive, and creative solutions.

AI improved advanced manufacturing and production processes in factories (RIA) (Made in Europe and AI, Data and Robotics partnerships)

Opened

Code: 39076 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2026-02-DIGITAL-EMERGING-51-two-stage | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 16/12/2025 | End submission calls: 17/03/2026

AI approaches in manufacturing processes hold the potential to significantly enhance circularity, process and operational efficiency as well as sustainability of modern factories.

Current state-of-the-art technologies have already paved the way for more streamlined operations, yet there remains untapped value in e.g. quality improvement, definition of optimal process operating conditions, reduction of scrap, optimization of energy usage. Real-time monitoring and adaptive optimisation using AI models can enable agile responses to production variability and support sustained, high-performance operations.

Development of safe and sustainable alternatives to substances of concern (IA)

Opened

Code: 39071 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2026-02-MAT-PROD-21-two-stage | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 16/12/2025 | End submission calls: 17/03/2026

The focus of this topic is on alternatives for the substitution of substances of concern (SoCs) as defined in the Ecodesign for Sustainable Product regulation. The design and development of these alternatives should lead to an innovation cycle covering their (re)design, development, production processes, and integration into products in manufacturing.

The scope includes necessary developments of related processes and technologies to ensure alignment with and integration in industrial manufacturing facilitating uptake of the develop alternatives. If relevant, challenges for the adaption of existing production lines should be identified and solutions proposed.

Next generation of renewable energy technologies

Opened

Code: 39068 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL5-2026-04-Two-Stage-D3-02 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Climate, Energy and Mobility (Cluster 5)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 18/12/2025 | End submission calls: 31/03/2026

The proposal is expected to address high-risk and high return technology developments for game changing renewable energy technologies. It could cover, for example, catalyst development, renewable energy storage systems, integration of renewable energy technologies into a single energy generation system, hybrid renewable energy systems, heating & cooling systems, fuels production systems, (direct) solar fuels and solar driven chemical processes, hybrid electricity generation solutions between different renewable energy sources, direct utilization of renewable energy sources.

Disruptive Technologies and Innovative Concepts for Energy Saving Onboard of long-distance ships (ZEWT Partnership)

Opened

Code: 39065 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL5-2026-06-Two-Stage-D5-10 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Climate, Energy and Mobility (Cluster 5)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 18/12/2025 | End submission calls: 14/04/2026

Energy consumption of long-distance shipping should be reduced significantly to achieve sustainable worldwide trade. To achieve a more sustainable and environmentally friendly shipping industry, it is essential to continue developing disruptive technologies, advanced materials, and innovative concepts that can significantly reduce energy consumption of long-distance shipping.

The objective of this topic is to support solutions for propulsion and non-propulsion energy consumption that aim to achieve at least at least 25% energy savings in long distance shipping as compared to 2008 levels, through the development and integration of standalone solutions.

These technologies include (but are not limited to) active or passive increased performance solutions, novel propulsion systems, augmented propulsion technologies capitalizing also on ship motions, hull performance enhancements and the use of advanced materials which can further enhance energy efficiency and reduce the environmental impact of vessels.

Any fuel-related proposals should only consider renewable low and zero-carbon fuels. These technologies and concepts should be applicable to various types of ships, including ro-pax, container ships, bulk carriers, and tankers.

Non-exhaust emissions in road and railway transport

Opened

Code: 39062 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL5-2026-06-Two-Stage-D5-19 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Climate, Energy and Mobility (Cluster 5)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 18/12/2025 | End submission calls: 14/04/2026

With continuous increase in electrification of the car fleet and railways, the share of non-exhaust particulate emissions into the environment becomes increasingly important. Non-exhaust emissions (NEE) of particles apply to all forms of ground transport and can be categorised as those coming from several sources, such as brake wear, tyre wear, pantograph-catenary wear, wheel-rail contact, road surface wear, as well as vehicle-induced resuspension of road/track dust deposited on the surface.

There may be other sources, e.g. engine belts and clutch plates. Quantitative data on the magnitude of non-exhaust emissions are fragmented and highly uncertain, particularly when compared to data for exhaust emissions. Emissions vary widely according to brake, tyre and road surface material, and with driving style. Further research efforts are necessary to increase the understanding of these particles, their creation, ageing and dispersion in the environment.

Closing knowledge gaps on Earth system science in support of global and regional assessments and climate policy

Opened

Code: 39059 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL5-2026-08-Two-Stage-D1-06 | Programme name: 19081 | Sub-program: Climate, Energy and Mobility (Cluster 5)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 18/12/2025 | End submission calls: 15/04/2026

The global community’s ability to mitigate and adapt to climate change requires the continuous advancement of climate science and related disciplines. International climate policy is informed primarily by the assessments made by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which provides the most comprehensive and authoritative evaluation of the state of knowledge on climate science, including the Earth’s climate system and its expected changes under different scenarios.

Despite the exponential increase of available data, other evidence and knowledge accumulated on these issues, there remain significant gaps in our understanding of key issues and processes. These may include factors such as insufficient or divergent evidence, low confidence findings or high uncertainties. Some of these gaps are identified in AR6 (specifically, in Working Group I contribution), “The Next Frontier for Climate Change Science” and other relevant sources. Moreover, science has progressed since the closing of the evidence base used for AR6, raising new questions and avenues for inquiry.

Improving climate and weather models for Africa

Opened

Code: 39056 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL5-2026-07-D1-05 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Climate, Energy and Mobility (Cluster 5)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 18/12/2025 | End submission calls: 15/04/2026

Africa is among the regions most severely affected by climate change, mostly due to high vulnerability and low adaptive capacity. While significant advancements in global weather and climate science have transformed resilience efforts elsewhere, their benefits in Africa remain to be harnessed, to unlock the continent’s ability to address climate challenges more effectively.