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Strategic Analysis
This call targets the development of cutting-edge frontier AI solutions, with a strong emphasis on ensuring their safety, computational efficiency, and energy frugality. A winning proposal will demonstrate a clear strategy for advancing state-of-the-art AI models while rigorously addressing ethical considerations, computational demands, and fostering a robust European AI ecosystem.
TRL 2 → 4
Advance developments of frontier AI models towards highest-level performance, ensuring energy efficiency, addressing computational constraints, and strengthening safety.
Develop and train a frontier AI model demonstrating state-of-the-art performance, multimodal capabilities, and optimization for agentic AI capabilities such as tool use, reasoning, and autonomous problem-solving.
Support research on comprehensive methods to reduce the computational demands of frontier AI models and to ensure their safety, including technical methodologies such as automated testing and interpretability.
Conduct research in compression and distillation techniques aimed at reducing the complexity of large AI models.
Innovate in AI architectures with a focus on models that significantly lower computational demands for training and inference.
Develop algorithmic approaches aimed at minimizing computational load during pre-training, post-training, and inference.
Address misalignment, particularly unintentional misalignment of large AI models.
Explore methods to detect and mitigate sophisticated misbehaviour, such as alignment faking, reward hacking of human oversight, and encoded reasoning in chain-of-thought (CoT).
Enhance robustness against adversarial attacks, jailbreaks, and backdoors.
Advance AI models transparency and interpretability.
Consider risks that may arise when embedding frontier models within agentic AI frameworks, significantly contributing to the trust and safe adoption of powerful AI solutions.
Establish strong links with the Resource for AI Science in Europe (RAISE), ensuring its priorities inform the research topics addressed.
Involve the European AI research community and attract and retain top AI talent working on frontier models and related areas.
Incorporate mechanisms for assessing and demonstrating progress, including qualitative and quantitative KPIs, benchmarking, and progress monitoring.
Build on and reuse public results from relevant previous funded actions when possible.
Share communicable results with the European R&D community through the AI-on-demand platform.
Link to the resources offered by the AI Factories and the Data Labs.
Establish links with European companies developing frontier AI models where relevant.
Allocate tasks for cohesion activities with the European Partnership on AI, data, and robotics (ADRA) and the CSA HORIZON-CL4-2025-03-HUMAN-18: GenAI4EU central Hub.
Strengthened European capabilities in the development of frontier AI models.
Improved computational efficiency of frontier AI models, resulting in reduced computational costs.
Enhanced safety of advanced AI systems based on frontier AI models through the development and implementation of safe-by-design principles and/or AI agents acting as safety evaluators.
Consolidate Europe’s world-class research ecosystem through initiatives like the RAISE network of AI science labs.
Develop safe and efficient frontier AI models.
Deploy next-generation AI agents and robotics in strategic sectors.
Reinforce Europe’s excellence across quantum computing, sensing and communication.
Secure technological sovereignty (in quantum) through new infrastructures and standardisation.
Ensure Europe’s capacity to innovate, scale and compete globally in photonics and semiconductor technologies.
Further strengthen Europe’s position at the cutting edge to make sure Europe does not miss the emergence of new disruptive technologies.
Secure a cohesive, sovereign and future-proof European industrial base.
Apply AI Strategy
highHE Main Work Programme 2026-2027
highThe Horizon Europe Main Work Programme 2026-2027 is a key document that details the specific funding opportunities, topics, and expected impacts for research and innovation activities under Horizon Europe for the specified period. It translates the broader strategic orientations of the Framework Programme and Specific Programme into concrete calls for proposals, providing detailed guidance for applicants.
Proposals must demonstrate a precise alignment with the specific topic description, scope, and expected outcomes as detailed in the Horizon Europe Main Work Programme 2026-2027. Evaluators will assess the proposal's relevance to the call's objectives, its contribution to the expected impacts, and its adherence to any specific conditions or requirements outlined in the Work Programme.
HE Framework Programme 2021/695
highRegulation (EU) 2021/695 establishes Horizon Europe as the EU's framework programme for research and innovation for the period 2021-2027. It defines the programme's overarching objectives, structure (Pillars, Missions, Partnerships), funding instruments, and general rules for participation, aiming to strengthen the EU's scientific and technological bases and foster competitiveness.
Proposals must demonstrate full compliance with the Horizon Europe Regulation, including its general objectives, ethical principles, and rules for participation. Evaluators expect proposals to articulate how they contribute to the broader strategic goals of Horizon Europe, such as achieving scientific excellence, fostering innovation ecosystems, and addressing EU strategic priorities like digital transformation and strategic autonomy.
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764
highCouncil Decision (EU) 2021/764 establishes the Specific Programme implementing Horizon Europe, detailing the specific objectives, budget breakdown, and broad lines of activities for each pillar and cluster, including the 'Digital, Industry and Space' cluster. It provides more granular guidance on the types of research and innovation activities to be supported within the broader Horizon Europe framework.
Proposals should clearly align with the specific objectives and expected impacts outlined in the Specific Programme Decision for the relevant cluster (e.g., Cluster 4 'Digital, Industry and Space'). Evaluators will look for how the project contributes to the detailed work programme priorities and expected outcomes, demonstrating a clear understanding of the strategic direction for space research and innovation within Horizon Europe.
EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509
highDraghi report
mediumThe Draghi report, officially titled "Future of European Competitiveness", was commissioned by the European Council and published in 2024. It provides an independent high-level analysis and recommendations on how to enhance Europe's competitiveness and productivity growth in a rapidly changing global landscape. The report emphasizes the need for strategic investments, a deeper single market, and a more agile regulatory environment to foster innovation and economic resilience.
Proposals should demonstrate an understanding of the challenges and opportunities identified in the Draghi report, particularly regarding Europe's competitiveness in frontier technologies like AI. Evaluators will look for how projects contribute to strengthening Europe's strategic autonomy, fostering innovation ecosystems, and addressing barriers to growth and scalability for advanced AI solutions within the EU.
Competitiveness Compass
mediumThe Competitiveness Compass is a framework or initiative, often associated with specific EU institutions or presidencies, aimed at guiding policy actions to enhance the EU's overall competitiveness. It typically identifies key areas for improvement, such as innovation, digital transformation, skills, and a well-functioning single market.
Proposals should demonstrate how they contribute to the strategic objectives outlined in the Competitiveness Compass, for example, by fostering innovation, strengthening the digital economy, addressing skill gaps, or improving the business environment in Europe to boost overall competitiveness.
1. Admissibility conditions — Proposal page limit and layout described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.
2. Eligible Countries — described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide .
3. Other Eligibility Conditions — In order to achieve the expected outcomes, and safeguard the Union’s strategic assets, interests, autonomy, and security, it is important to avoid a situation of technological dependency on a non-EU source, in a global context that requires the EU to take action to build on its strengths, and to carefully assess and address any strategic weaknesses, vulnerabilities and high-risk dependencies which put at risk the attainment of its ambitions. For this reason, participation is limited to legal entities established in Member States, Iceland and Norway and the following additional associated countries: Canada, Israel, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. In addition, entities established in third countries which may become associated to Horizon Europe during 2026 and 2027 may be eligible to participate in this topic if the third country is identified for this topic as an eligible country in the List of Participating Countries in Horizon Europe at the time of submission of the application[[See the List of Participating Countries in Horizon Europe available at https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/common/guidance/list-3rd-country-participation_horizon-euratom_en.pdf]]. In any case, the association agreement to the Programme must apply by the time of the signature of the grant agreement. For the duly justified and exceptional reasons listed in the paragraph above, in order to guarantee the protection of the strategic interests of the Union and its Member States, entities established in an eligible country listed above, but which are directly or indirectly controlled by a non-eligible country or by a non-eligible country entity, may not participate in the action unless it can be demonstrated, by means of guarantees positively assessed by their eligible country of establishment, that their participation to the action would not negatively impact the Union’s strategic assets, interests, autonomy, or security. Entities assessed as high-risk suppliers of mobile network communication equipment within the meaning of ‘restrictions for the protection of European communication networks’ (or entities fully or partially owned or controlled by a high-risk supplier) cannot submit guarantees.[[ The guarantees shall in particular substantiate that, for the purpose of the action, measures are in place to ensure that: a) control over the applicant legal entity is not exercised in a manner that retrains or restricts its ability to carry out the action and to deliver results, that imposes restrictions concerning its infrastructure, facilities, assets, resources, intellectual property or know-how needed for the purpose of the action, or that undermines its capabilities and standards necessary to carry out the action; b) access by a non-eligible country or by a non-eligible country entity to sensitive information relating to the action is prevented; and the employees or other persons involved in the action have a national security clearance issued by an eligible country, where appropriate; c) ownership of the intellectual property arising from, and the results of, the action remain within the recipient during and after completion of the action, are not subject to control or restrictions by non-eligible countries or non-eligible country entity, and are not exported outside the eligible countries, nor is access to them from outside the eligible countries granted, without the approval of the eligible country in which the legal entity is established.]] Described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion — described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds — are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes — are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual .
5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement — described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants — described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.
described in the [specific topic of the Work Programme]
Application form templates — the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System Standard application form (HE RIA, IA) Evaluation form templates — will be used with the necessary adaptations Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA) Guidance HE Programme Guide Model Grant Agreements (MGA) HE MGA Call-specific instructions Ownership Control Declaration Annex
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 7. Digital, Industry and Space HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes HE Programme Guide HE Framework Programme 2021/695 HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764 EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509 Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement Guidance on participation in EU calls with ownership and control restrictions
Evaluators will prioritize proposals that clearly articulate a vision for European technological sovereignty in frontier AI, showcasing concrete technical advancements in model performance, energy efficiency, and safety-by-design principles. Strong emphasis will be placed on the integration with existing European AI initiatives (RAISE, AI Factories, Data Labs, ADRA) and the capacity to attract and retain top AI talent within the EU. Measurable KPIs for progress assessment are crucial.
Everything the call asks for, seen from the call's point of view. Each line shows what answers it, and which partner carries it.
This matrix lists everything the call asks for: outcomes, impacts, scope, the requirements buried in the call text, and policy alignment. Sign up free and GrantForge tracks each line against the concept you build.
| Requirement | Covered by | Carried | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope activities | |||
| SC1Advance developments of frontier AI models towards highest-level performance, ensuring energy efficiency, addressing computational constraints, and strengthening safety. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC2Develop and train a frontier AI model demonstrating state-of-the-art performance, multimodal capabilities, and optimization for agentic AI capabilities such as tool use, reasoning, and autonomous problem-solving. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC3Support research on comprehensive methods to reduce the computational demands of frontier AI models and to ensure their safety, including technical methodologies such as automated testing and interpretability. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC4Conduct research in compression and distillation techniques aimed at reducing the complexity of large AI models. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC5Innovate in AI architectures with a focus on models that significantly lower computational demands for training and inference. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC6Develop algorithmic approaches aimed at minimizing computational load during pre-training, post-training, and inference. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC7Address misalignment, particularly unintentional misalignment of large AI models. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC8Explore methods to detect and mitigate sophisticated misbehaviour, such as alignment faking, reward hacking of human oversight, and encoded reasoning in chain-of-thought (CoT). | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC9Enhance robustness against adversarial attacks, jailbreaks, and backdoors. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC10Advance AI models transparency and interpretability. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC11Consider risks that may arise when embedding frontier models within agentic AI frameworks, significantly contributing to the trust and safe adoption of powerful AI solutions. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC12Establish strong links with the Resource for AI Science in Europe (RAISE), ensuring its priorities inform the research topics addressed. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC13Involve the European AI research community and attract and retain top AI talent working on frontier models and related areas. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC14Incorporate mechanisms for assessing and demonstrating progress, including qualitative and quantitative KPIs, benchmarking, and progress monitoring. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC15Build on and reuse public results from relevant previous funded actions when possible. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC16Share communicable results with the European R&D community through the AI-on-demand platform. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC17Link to the resources offered by the AI Factories and the Data Labs. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC18Establish links with European companies developing frontier AI models where relevant. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC19Allocate tasks for cohesion activities with the European Partnership on AI, data, and robotics (ADRA) and the CSA HORIZON-CL4-2025-03-HUMAN-18: GenAI4EU central Hub. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Expected outcomes | |||
| EO1Strengthened European capabilities in the development of frontier AI models. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO2Improved computational efficiency of frontier AI models, resulting in reduced computational costs. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO3Enhanced safety of advanced AI systems based on frontier AI models through the development and implementation of safe-by-design principles and/or AI agents acting as safety evaluators. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Other requirements | |||
| No other requirements in this call. | |||
| Expected impacts | |||
| EI1Consolidate Europe’s world-class research ecosystem through initiatives like the RAISE network of AI science labs. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI2Develop safe and efficient frontier AI models. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI3Deploy next-generation AI agents and robotics in strategic sectors. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI4Reinforce Europe’s excellence across quantum computing, sensing and communication. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI5Secure technological sovereignty (in quantum) through new infrastructures and standardisation. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI6Ensure Europe’s capacity to innovate, scale and compete globally in photonics and semiconductor technologies. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI7Further strengthen Europe’s position at the cutting edge to make sure Europe does not miss the emergence of new disruptive technologies. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI8Secure a cohesive, sovereign and future-proof European industrial base. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Underlying policies | |||
| POL1apply ai strategyThe Apply AI Strategy is central to this call, focusing on the deployment of AI in healthcare to improve screening, diagnosis, and patient outcomes. It emphasizes the creation of a European network of AI-powered screening centres. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| POL2he main work programme 2026-2027The Horizon Europe Main Work Programme 2026-2027 is a key document that details the specific funding opportunities, topics, and expected impacts for research and innovation activities under Horizon Europe for the specified period. It translates the broader strategic orientations of the Framework Programme and Specific Programme into concrete calls for proposals, providing detailed guidance for applicants. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| POL3he framework programme 2021/695Regulation (EU) 2021/695 establishes Horizon Europe as the EU's framework programme for research and innovation for the period 2021-2027. It defines the programme's overarching objectives, structure (Pillars, Missions, Partnerships), funding instruments, and general rules for participation, aiming to strengthen the EU's scientific and technological bases and foster competitiveness. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| POL4he specific programme decision 2021/764Council Decision (EU) 2021/764 establishes the Specific Programme implementing Horizon Europe, detailing the specific objectives, budget breakdown, and broad lines of activities for each pillar and cluster, including the 'Digital, Industry and Space' cluster. It provides more granular guidance on the types of research and innovation activities to be supported within the broader Horizon Europe framework. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| POL5eu financial regulation 2024/2509This regulation governs the financial management of EU funds, ensuring transparency, accountability, and efficient use of resources. It is relevant for proposals involving large-scale piloting and validation of AI systems in healthcare. | · | · | Sign up to track |
The binding rules of this call. Items marked auto are verified by GrantForge from the call and the template. The others are yours to confirm.
LMIC entities auto-eligible
Low/middle-income country entities are automatically eligible for funding.
EU space data infrastructures
If the project uses satellite-based Earth observation, positioning, navigation or timing data/services, beneficiaries must use Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS. Other sources may be added but not substitute EU infrastructures.
Civil applications only
Horizon Europe funds exclusively civil applications. Research with exclusive military or dual-use application is excluded.
Gender Equality Plan
Having a Gender Equality Plan (GEP) is an eligibility criterion for public bodies, research organisations, and higher education institutions from Member States and Associated Countries.
Open Science
Mandatory open access to peer-reviewed scientific publications and responsible management of research data (FAIR principles, DMP required).
Talk to the Grant Coach to build your concept. The steps below fill in as it takes shape, and your coverage tracks the progress. You can refine everything once your project workspace is created.
Step 1 of 2 · Build your concept
The problems this call frames, and who they affect. Your concept and plan address them.
The development and training of frontier AI models currently require significant computational resources and energy, leading to high costs and environmental impact, hindering broader accessibility and sustainability.
Frontier AI models, especially agentic AI, pose significant safety risks due to potential misalignment, sophisticated misbehaviour, and vulnerability to adversarial attacks, undermining trust and safe adoption in critical applications.
Despite strong research capabilities, the European AI ecosystem faces challenges in cohesion, talent retention, and coordinated development of frontier AI, risking technological dependency and hindering global competitiveness.
Individuals and teams actively involved in the research, development, and training of frontier AI models, including those focusing on computational efficiency, safety, and interpretability.
Enterprises, particularly SMEs, engaged in developing and deploying advanced AI solutions, including agentic AI and robotics, in strategic sectors.
The broader academic and research community interested in AI, machine learning, and related fields, benefiting from shared results, methodologies, and talent development.
European and national authorities responsible for shaping AI policy, regulation, and strategic initiatives, benefiting from insights into safe and ethical AI development.
Industries and public services that will adopt and benefit from next-generation AI agents and robotics, requiring safe, efficient, and trustworthy AI solutions.
Step 2 of 2 · Build your concept
The long-term impacts your project should drive — this shapes the objectives next.
The project will significantly strengthen Europe's capabilities in frontier AI research and development, fostering a world-class ecosystem and attracting top talent, thereby reducing reliance on non-EU sources.
The development of more computationally and energy-efficient frontier AI models will lead to reduced operational costs and a lower environmental footprint for AI development and deployment.
Through advanced safety-by-design principles, robust defence mechanisms, and enhanced interpretability, the project will significantly increase the safety and trustworthiness of frontier AI models, enabling their responsible adoption.
The project will facilitate the deployment of safe and efficient next-generation AI agents and robotics in key European strategic sectors, driving innovation and competitiveness.
By fostering a cohesive and future-proof European industrial base for frontier AI, the project will reinforce Europe's capacity to innovate and compete globally, securing technological sovereignty and reducing external dependencies.