| Topic | HORIZON-CL4-2027-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-05 |
|---|---|
| Status | Forthcoming |
| Call | HORIZON-CL4-2027-04 — DIGITAL |
| Destination | Achieving open strategic autonomy in digital and emerging enabling technologies (2026-27) |
| Type of action | Innovation Actions |
| Opening | 17 November 2026 |
| Deadline | 18 March 2027 |
| Budget | around EUR 18 million per project · 1 project expected · EUR 18 million in total |
| TRL at the end | TRL 7 |
| Part B page limit | 40 pages (standard application form; check your call) |
| Template | Work Programme 2026–2027 application form |
Expected outcomes
Projects should contribute to all of the expected outcomes. The topic says: “The Apply AI Strategy emphasises acceleration pipelines to ensure a smooth transition from research to deployment of AI-powered robotics. Projects under this topic will deliver common frameworks and reusable building blocks that can serve multiple sectors and use cases, reinforcing Europe’s ability to bring AI-driven robotics to scale. Project results are expected to contribute to all of the…”
- EO1 Wider and faster deployment of robotics, bridging the gap between technology providers and end-users.
- EO2 Development and implementation of modular and interoperable integration frameworks and solutions, including standardized protocols for data, training and safety testing, evaluation and validation of robotic solutions in key use cases.
- EO3 Improved competitiveness of European industries, notably SMEs via the development of advanced robotics systems, intelligent planning and control systems, user feedback rendering techniques and cutting-edge AI innovations.
What evaluators will look for in this topic
Expected outcomes
- Projects should contribute to all of the expected outcomes.
- For each outcome (EO1 to EO3), name who will use or adopt your results (a specific group, not “industry” or “society”), how they get them, and the indicator that shows the change, with baseline, target and date.
- Use the topic's own words for each outcome, so the evaluator can tick it off.
What the scope asks for
Evaluators check the proposal against these sentences of the scope. Answer each one visibly, in the call's own words.
- “To maximise the impact and adaptability of deployed systems, the approach should consider the most appropriate tools to speed up integration processes and suitable AI design, training and inference methodologies, ensuring scalability, transferability, transparency, robustness, flexibility, and real-world applicability in diverse industrial environments, and should remain adaptable to the latest technological developments.”
- “Where relevant, projects should contribute to open and widely recognised standards to foster interoperability and uptake across the robotics ecosystem.”
- “The project is expected to deliver:.”
- “This framework should provide, for example, a common software layer, standard interfaces to connect to existing workflow and legacy system, possibly also to connect various robot components, coordinate multiple robots and link them with additional AI tools and IoT environments, as well as tested configuration templates and clear guidelines to ensure safe and efficient use.”
- “Where relevant, high-fidelity digital twin testbeds should be linked to each pilot, allowing safe and realistic testing and training before deployment, and supporting a smooth transition from virtual models to actual production lines.”
- “Projects are expected to make full use of existing robotics resources and assets made available through the AI-on-Demand Platform, such as the EuroCORE repository and other relevant shared tools, to maximise synergies, avoid duplication of efforts and ensure broad dissemination and reuse of results within the European AI and robotics community.”
- “This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnership on AI, data, and robotics (ADRA), and all proposals are expected to allocate tasks for cohesion activities with ADRA.”
Conditions that shape the proposal
- Part B, sections 1–3: 40 pages (standard application form). Text beyond the limit is not read; tables and figures count.
- TRL: the topic expects TRL 7 by the end of the project. State where you start and the evidence for it.
- Innovation action: evaluators expect a plausible path to commercialisation and named first users or customers.
- Other Eligible 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…”
- Other Eligible Conditions: “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…”
- Other Eligible Conditions: “[[ 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…”
Impact pathway and traps
- Users or citizens are part of the scope. Show how they take part in the design and testing, not only that they are informed.
- The scope expects pilots or demonstration. Name the sites, the partners who run them and what is measured there.
- Standardisation is mentioned. Name the committees or bodies and the partner who engages with them.
- Policy or regulation is in scope. Name the policy owners you will reach and what you will give them.
- Keep outputs, outcomes and impacts apart: what you deliver, what changes when others use it, and the long-term effect.
- Link your outcomes to the destination's expected impacts in the Work Programme. Destination impacts are long-term effects, not project deliverables.
- Name the barriers outside the project (regulation, markets, user behaviour) that could block uptake, and what you will do if they do.
- Section 2.3 (the summary canvas) is optional on this call; the old split into scientific, economic and societal impact is no longer required.
The scope, as published
The project will address the current European gap in system integration capabilities for robotics solutions addressing the various needs of industries. The project will aim at disseminating a deep understanding of state-of-the-art robotics components, including both hardware and software, and expertise in addressing interoperability issues for the upskilling of system integrators. To maximise the impact and adaptability of deployed systems, the approach should consider the most appropriate tools to speed up integration processes and suitable AI design, training and inference methodologies, ensuring scalability, transferability, transparency, robustness, flexibility, and real-world applicability in diverse industrial environments, and should remain adaptable to the latest technological developments. Integration frameworks will promote the use of energy-efficient AI models and hardware ('Green AI'), alongside carbon-aware deployment and operational strategies for robotic system. Where relevant, projects should contribute to open and widely recognised standards to foster interoperability and uptake across the robotics ecosystem. To enhance safety and performance, projects may include high-fidelity simulation environments or digital twins as testbeds for training, validation and verification, with measures to ensure smooth transfer from simulation to real-world deployment. By bridging the gap between technology providers and end-users, these integrators will enable the creation of seamless, reliable and scalable robotics systems that can be easily adopted by industries, especially SMEs, thereby supporting more flexible and efficient production processes. The project is expected to deliver: A deployable, modular integration framework, validated through at least three real-world industrial pilots covering different reference scenarios to demonstrate that the approach can be adapted to varied industrial needs and company sizes, including both SMEs and larger manufacturers. This framework should provide, for example, a common software layer, standard interfaces to connect to existing workflow and legacy system, possibly also to connect various robot components, coordinate multiple robots and link them with additional AI tools and IoT environments, as well as tested configuration templates and clear guidelines to ensure safe and efficient use. An Integration Kit, building on this framework, which offers ready-to-use modules, example configurations and practical tools that help system integrators and companies to set up, test and run AI-enabled robotics solutions more quickly and with reduced technical effort. Where relevant, high-fidelity digital twin testbeds should be linked to each pilot, allowing safe and realistic testing and training before deployment, and supporting a smooth transition from virtual models to actual production lines. Reusable, datasets (compliant with relevant regulation and IP protection) and practical benchmark tasks, made available to the wider robotics and AI community, to support further development and comparison of new solutions while respecting European data protection rules. A clear Step-by-Step Adoption Guide aimed at SMEs and other end-users, providing easy-to-follow instructions, practical checklists and examples to help companies plan, budget and implement AI-driven robotics in a safe and cost-effective way, even if they have limited in-house expertise, and including guidance to navigate regulatory compliance and certification. Concrete contributions to relevant open standards and clear guidance on certification pathways, to help ensure compliance with European regulations and build trust in the safe use of AI in robotics. Projects are expected to make full use of existing robotics resources and assets made available through the AI-on-Demand Platform, such as the EuroCORE repository and other relevant shared tools, to maximise synergies, avoid duplication of efforts and ensure broad dissemination and reuse of results within the European AI and robotics community. This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnership on AI, data, and robotics (ADRA), and all proposals are expected to allocate tasks for cohesion activities with ADRA.
Technology readiness, as published
Activities are expected to start at TRL 4 and achieve TRL 7 by the end of the project – see General Annex B.
Other topics in HORIZON-CL4-2027-04
- HORIZON-CL4-2027-04-DATA-03 — New approaches for decentralized, federated and sustainable AI data processing…
- HORIZON-CL4-2027-04-DATA-08 — Demand-side 3C pilot demonstrators on converged Telco Edge Cloud…
- HORIZON-CL4-2027-04-DATA-09 — Energy efficiency and sustainability of AI data processing in Data Centres (IA)
- HORIZON-CL4-2027-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-04 — Apply AI: Challenge-Driven AI Innovation Booster in Apply AI prioritised…
- HORIZON-CL4-2027-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-11 — EU Frontier AI Initiative: Developing frontier AI solutions that are safe and…
- HORIZON-CL4-2027-04-HUMAN-01 — Advanced and Innovative hardware components for Virtual Worlds (RIA) (Virtual…
- HORIZON-CL4-2027-04-HUMAN-02 — Create a thriving and competitive Virtual Worlds and Web 4.0 ecosystem (CSA)…
- HORIZON-CL4-2027-04-HUMAN-07 — Facilitate the engagement of European stakeholders in international digital…
Source and attribution
Topic text from the official topic page on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, retrieved 19 October 2026. © European Union, reused under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU (CC BY 4.0). Changes: the expected outcomes and impacts are split into numbered statements, long passages are shortened, and the evaluator checklist is GrantWise's own commentary. Your call and the Work Programme always win; check them before you submit. GrantWise is independent and not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of the European Commission.