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

Forthcoming

This is the status published by the official source.

Sign in to bookmark this

Expected Outcome:

• The commercial potential of Horizon research results is explored;
• Results of Horizon projects are valorised, by ensuring a pathway to commercialisation; and
• Startups and SMEs become involved in valorisation. Scope:
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)[1] part of Horizon 2020.
The consortia do not necessarily have to be made of former or current beneficiaries but should own or have access to the knowledge assets of projects, including intellectual property, where relevant.
Proposals should envisage valorisation activities, such as:

• demonstrating a technology (e.g. testing);
• defining a commercialisation process;
• undertaking:
• a market and competitiveness analysis;
• a technology assessment and/or certification;
• a verification of innovation potential;
• assessing potential “end users” of the expected innovation;
• testing, piloting with users or potential customers;
• complying with regulatory compliance and standards;
• consolidating IP rights. Proposals should address achieved results from ongoing or completed Research and Innovation Actions and Innovation Actions (RIA/IA) funded directly under Cluster 4 ‘Digital, Industry and Space’ or its predecessor activities under the Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies (LEIT) part of Horizon 2020.
Applicants can be owners of the achieved results from previous projects or new participants. Proposals should include at least one of the following:

• Confirmation that at least one of the applicants of the current proposal is the owner or holder of the relevant knowledge assets including Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and possesses the necessary rights to commercialise the results for the entire duration of the proposed project, or
• Commitment letter from the owner(s) of the relevant result(s) confirming the owner(s)’ willingness to negotiate fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory access to the results, including IPR where relevant, for the purpose of future commercial exploitation. The proposal should specify the grant number and acronym of the project(s) which generated the results.
Proposals should present a clear vision of the intended pathway to market. Hence, the participation of a business partner should be envisaged.
[1] Information and communication technologies, Nanotechnologies, Advanced materials, Advanced manufacturing and processing, Biotechnology and Space.

Status

Forthcoming

Deadline

2 February 2027 (time not stated)

Opens

22 September 2026

Published

12 December 2025

Total budget

€5,000,000

Grant range

€200,000 – €200,000

Country

European Union (EU-wide)

Programme

Horizon Europe (HORIZON)

Funder

European Commission

Official page

Open at the source portal

What applying involves

13 steps, all of them taken from this call's own documents.

Understand the call

• Read the call on the source portal and download its documents
• Write the proposal against the award criteria and thresholds standard for this programme

  are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes — conditions §5a

• Check the grant's legal and financial set-up standard for this programme

  The granting authority may, up to 4 years after the end of the action, object to a transfer of ownership or to the exclusive licensing of results, as set out in the specific provision of Annex 5. described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific conditions described in the [specific topic of the Work Programme] Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA): Application form templates — the application form specific to this call is … — conditions §6

• Note the opening date — a proposal cannot be submitted before it
• Check the amount you plan to request against the call's range

Check you are eligible

• Check your country of establishment is eligible

  The source scopes this to one country only. — ai_results.eligibility

• Check every partner is established in an eligible country standard for this programme

  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 — conditions §2

• Meet the call's other eligibility conditions

  In line with the “ restriction on control in innovation actions in critical technology areas ” delineated in General Annex B of the General Annexes, entities established in an eligible country but which are directly or indirectly controlled by China or by a legal entity established in China are not eligible to participate in the action. described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes — conditions §3

• Be able to show financial and operational capacity standard for this programme

  described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes — conditions §4

• Check the conditions for financial support to third parties

Prepare the documents

• Prepare Part B of the Application Form standard for this programme

  Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System. — conditions

Submit

• Check the submission and evaluation process standard for this programme

  are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual — conditions §5b

• Submit before the closing date shown above

  The source states the closing day but no closing time — check the portal before the last day. — calls.deadline

Sign in to track these

Other calls under Horizon Europe (HORIZON)

• PV based electrification of the economy: Designing & optimising PV systems supporting industrial electrification and promoting participation in electricity markets (EUPI-PV Partnership)Forthcoming · deadline 1 December 2027 · European Union (EU-wide) · €18,000,000
• Advanced TSO control rooms to enhance grid observability, stability and resilienceForthcoming · deadline 1 December 2027 · European Union (EU-wide) · €28,500,000
• Advanced Distribution Management Systems (ADSM) for more efficient and flexible distribution gridsForthcoming · deadline 1 December 2027 · European Union (EU-wide) · €28,500,000
• Community of practice - Data-Driven Decision-Making in EnergyForthcoming · deadline 1 December 2027 · European Union (EU-wide) · €6,000,000
• Industrial processes and equipment for innovative, reliable and scalable tandem technologies (EUPI-PV Partnership)Forthcoming · deadline 1 December 2027 · European Union (EU-wide) · €28,500,000
• Integrated Approaches for Retrofitting Infrastructures with Innovative Energy Storage TechnologiesForthcoming · deadline 1 December 2027 · European Union (EU-wide) · €22,500,000
• Demonstration of hydropower technologies for efficient and forward-looking refurbishment of existing hydropower plantsForthcoming · deadline 1 December 2027 · European Union (EU-wide) · €17,000,000
• Delivery of industrial CCUS clusters – Societal Readiness pilotForthcoming · deadline 1 December 2027 · European Union (EU-wide) · €30,000,000

All calls under this programme

Similar opportunities

• Startup EuropeForthcoming · deadline 15 September 2027 · European Union (EU-wide) · €18,000,000 · same funder, same programme
• International cooperation in AI (IA)Forthcoming · deadline 18 March 2027 · European Union (EU-wide) · €3,000,000 · same funder, same programme
• Unlocking the potential of academic intellectual assets for industry, SMEs and startups (CSA)Forthcoming · deadline 2 February 2027 · European Union (EU-wide) · €2,000,000 · same funder, same programme
• Strengthening cybersecurity capacities of European SMEs with cybersecure AI-powered solutionsOpen · deadline 14 January 2027 · European Union (EU-wide) · €20,000,000 · same funder, same country
• Enhancing the involvement of philanthropic organisations in innovation ecosystemsForthcoming · deadline 15 September 2027 · European Union (EU-wide) · €6,000,000 · same funder, same programme
• Large scale operational validation and upscaling of state-of-the-art (Generative) AI tools and models powering a next generation digital energy systemForthcoming · deadline 31 March 2027 · European Union (EU-wide) · €20,000,000 · same funder, same programme