Open topic on supporting disruptive technological innovations for civil security

Open

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Expected Outcome:
Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following expected outcomes:

• Improved preparedness, evidence-based approaches and response capabilities, along with a strengthened ability to mitigate risks from diverse threats, by integrating validated disruptive technologies into real-world operations;
• Accelerated adoption of innovative solutions by reducing barriers through rigorous testing and validation, fostering collaboration among public authorities, industry, and researchers to align technologies with real-world needs. Scope:
This topic aims to support the integration of disruptive technological innovations[1] into civil security by strengthening research and innovation activities that enhance preparedness, response capabilities, and risk mitigation. A key focus is bridging the gap between early-stage, low Technology Readiness Level (TRL) research and applied security solutions, ensuring that emerging technologies are effectively transitioned into operational use.
Proposals should prioritize disruptive solutions that address diverse security threats while improving the efficiency and effectiveness of civil security operations. Emphasis should be placed on ensuring that these technologies are robust, reliable, scalable, and aligned with the needs of security practitioners. This includes fostering a structured pathway for transitioning low TRL innovations into practical applications, ensuring rigorous testing and validation processes for safety, performance, and interoperability.
To achieve this, proposals should promote strong collaboration between researchers, public authorities, industry partners, and end-users. Such partnerships will help align technological advancements with real-world security needs, facilitating the co-development of solutions that are both innovative and operationally relevant. Ensuring that emerging technologies are ethically sound, transparent, and accessible will also be crucial to their successful adoption.
The expected outcomes of this topic include improved preparedness through the adoption of cutting-edge technologies tailored to emerging security challenges, enhanced risk mitigation capabilities, and the accelerated integration of disruptive innovations into civil security frameworks. By fostering a collaborative ecosystem, projects should ensure that promising research transitions effectively into practical security applications, contributing to a more resilient and adaptive civil security landscape across Europe.
To ensure that the proposed research and innovation activities are aligned to EU long-term strategic priorities, proposers are encouraged to consult relevant technology foresight exercises[2].
Finally, proposals are expected to address all applicable considerations expressed in the Introduction of the Strengthened Security Research and Innovation Destination.
Technology Readiness Level - Technology readiness level expected from completed projects
Activities are expected to achieve TRL 4-5 by the end of the project – see General Annex B.

[1] In the context of this Destination, the concept of ‘disruptive technological innovations’ refers to breakthrough technologies starting at low or very low TRL (<4) and holding the promise of inducing a paradigm shift in the way civil security operations are currently carried out, e.g. by significantly improving performance and/or reducing costs if further developed.
[2] See, for instance, Conte, N., Maleville, A. d., Favino, R., Garcia Monreal, E., Montanari, E. et al., Emerging risks and opportunities for EU internal security stemming from new technologies, Publications Office of the European Union, 2025, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2760/9617320

Status

Open

Deadline

5 November 2026 (time not stated)

Opens

6 May 2026

Published

12 December 2025

Total budget

€3,000,000

Grant range

€1,500,000 – €1,500,000

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 — conditions §6

• Check the amount you plan to request against the call's range

Check you are eligible

• Confirm your technology readiness level against the range the call states
• 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

  Subject to restrictions for the protection of European communication networks. The following additional eligibility criteria apply: This topic requires the active involvement, as beneficiaries, of at least 2 relevant practitioners and 1 Research and Technology Organisation (RTO). For participants with practitioner status, applicants must fill in the table “Information about security practitioners” in the application form with all the requested information, following the … — 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

• Complete the detailed budget table standard for this programme

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

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