#2 OPEN CALL | LAUDS REPLICATION (OC-2024-LAUDSREP-01)

The LAUDS REPLICATION open call, designated as OC-2024-LAUDSREP-01, is part of the Horizon Europe program and promotes innovative collaborations between the creative sectors and technology providers aimed at enhancing sustainable urban manufacturing. The opportunity targets hybrid consortia composed of at least two legal entities: one entity must be an artist, creative, designer, or architect, and the other must be a technology provider. This call is open to entities established in EU member states or Horizon Europe associated countries.

The funding type consists of grants that are capped at €27,000 for each experiment, with a total budget of €216,000 designed to support a minimum of eight experiments. The grant payment is structured in three lump sums: 40% provided at the project start upon signing the sub-grant agreement, 40% released after an interim assessment, and the final 20% payable upon achieving the agreed milestones and deliverables.

Eligible applicants must form a consortium, which is a crucial requirement for proposal submission. The target sectors not only include urban manufacturing but also green solutions, promoting the New European Bauhaus principles that emphasize sustainable, inclusive, and aesthetic designs. The opportunity is limited to entities located in the specified regions, and projects should focus on the replication of existing solutions rather than initial research phases.

Applications will be accepted through an open call format, with a submission deadline set for September 4, 2025. The evaluation of applications involves a single-stage process, judged on several criteria including the technical approach, innovation potential, impact, and cost-effectiveness, each graded on a scale of 0 to 5. A proposal must achieve a minimum score of 3 for funding consideration.

Notably, there are no co-funding requirements stipulated for applicants, simplifying the financial obligations for participating entities. The aim of the open call is to stimulate interdisciplinary projects that contribute to sustainable and innovative urban manufacturing ecosystems, allowing selected projects to collaborate with LAUDS Factories on addressing key challenges related to this field. The total available funding and structured payment plan are intended to encourage proactive participation and risk-sharing among creative and industrial partners.

In summary, the LAUDS REPLICATION open call invites collaborative, interdisciplinary proposals from artists and technology providers to explore innovative, sustainable solutions in urban manufacturing, with financial support designed to facilitate the accomplishment of impactful project goals. Applicants are encouraged to refer to the LAUDS Factories website for additional information and submission guidelines.

The LAUDS Factories project is offering cascade funding through its second open call, specifically for Replication experiments (OC-2024-LAUDSREP-01). This call falls under the HORIZON-CL4-2023-HUMAN-01-53 topic, which focuses on Localised and Urban Manufacturing, supporting creativity and the New European Bauhaus (RIA using FSTP).

The opening date for submissions is June 2, 2025, and the deadline for submission is September 4, 2025, at 17:00 (Brussels time). The call is currently open for submissions. The expected duration of participation in a project is 6 to 9 months.

The total funding available for this open call is 216,000 Euros. This funding is intended to support at least 8 experiments. The maximum grant amount per experiment is 27,000 Euros. The grant will be disbursed in three lump sums: 40% upon sub-grant agreement signature, 40% after an interim assessment, and the final 20% upon achievement of agreed milestones and deliverables with expected outcomes. The LAUDS Factories Consortium reserves the right to not award all available funds or to redistribute them between the open calls planned within the project, depending on the quality of the applications received and the results of the evaluation.

To be eligible, proposals must be submitted by a consortium composed of a minimum of two legal entities. This consortium must include at least one artist, creative, designer, or architect and one technology provider. This hybrid team will be responsible for implementing the Replication experiment. All entities must be established in an EU member state or a Horizon Europe Associated country.

The evaluation process will assess proposals based on the following criteria: technical approach and art-tech congruency, innovation potential and impact, technical capacities, and cost-benefit. Each criterion will be scored from 0 (Fail) to 5 (Excellent). A minimum score of 3 is required for each criterion; proposals scoring less than 3 in any criterion will be rejected. Only proposals that meet the threshold for each criterion will be considered for funding.

Selected projects will collaborate with LAUDS Factories in activities such as: conceiving novel uses of technologies that help push for green solutions, and/or exploring alternative design methods using artistic practices creating new industrial models connecting potential manufacturers partners, creatives and end-users. These activities should provide answers to proposed challenges by the five LAUDS Factories with which the selected hybrid teams are to cooperate and should be replicated. Applicants should consult the Catalogue of Challenges available on the LAUDS Factories webpage.

The Proposal Template (Technical Annex), the Budget Template, and the Guidelines for Applicants for submitting proposals are available on the LAUDS Factories website: https://lauds.eu/. Proposals must be submitted electronically via https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/lauds-call-2-replication. Applicants are encouraged to contact the LAUDS Factories support team for additional information and guidance at:lauds.opencall@inova.business.

In summary, the LAUDS Factories project is offering funding to hybrid teams composed of artists/creatives/designers/architects and technology providers to conduct Replication experiments within the scope of localized and urban manufacturing, supporting creativity and the New European Bauhaus. The goal is to foster innovative solutions and new industrial models by addressing challenges posed by the LAUDS Factories. The application process involves submitting a proposal through the EU survey platform, and the proposals will be evaluated based on technical and artistic merit, innovation, impact, technical capabilities, and cost-effectiveness. Successful projects will receive funding in tranches based on project milestones and deliverables.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are consortia composed of a minimum of 2 legal entities, with at least one artist/creative/designer/architect and one technology provider. This constitutes a hybrid team.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant. Successful applicants will receive a grant that cannot surpass 27,000€ per Experiment. The grant will be paid in three lump sums: 40% at the beginning of the project with the sub-grant agreement signature, 40% with an interim assessment, and 20% at the end of the project pending the achievement of agreed milestones and deliverables.

Consortium Requirement: A consortium is required. Proposals must be submitted by a consortium composed of a minimum of 2 legal entities.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): Entities must be established in an EU or a Horizon Europe Associated country.

Target Sector: The program targets sectors related to localized and urban manufacturing, supporting creativity and the New European Bauhaus. This includes areas such as green solutions, alternative design methods using artistic practices, and new industrial models connecting manufacturers, creatives, and end-users. It also involves digital and sustainable factories.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity is open to entities established in EU countries and Horizon Europe Associated countries.

Project Stage: The project stage appears to be focused on replication and exploration, aiming to conceive novel uses of technologies and explore alternative design methods. This suggests a stage of development and demonstration.

Funding Amount: The funding amount is up to 27,000€ per experiment. The total funding available for the open call is 216,000€.

Application Type: The application type is an open call.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a grant.

Application Stages: The application process appears to be single-stage, with a single deadline for submissions.

Success Rates: The success rate is not explicitly mentioned, but the text indicates that the total budget is allocated for funding the participation of at least 8 experiments. The LAUDS Factories Consortium reserves the right not to award all available funds or to redistribute them between the open calls planned within the project, depending on the quality of the applications received and the results of the evaluation.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement.

Summary:

This opportunity is the LAUDS Factories Replication Open Call, which is part of the broader Local Accessible Urban Digital and Sustainable Factories project, aligned with the New European Bauhaus initiative. It seeks to fund experiments that explore novel uses of technology and alternative design methods to foster green solutions and new industrial models within urban manufacturing. The call is open to consortia of at least two entities, one being an artist/creative/designer/architect and the other a technology provider, both established in an EU or Horizon Europe Associated country. The selected projects will collaborate with LAUDS Factories to address challenges related to urban manufacturing and sustainability. The total funding available is 216,000€, with individual grants up to 27,000€ per experiment, distributed in three installments based on project milestones. The application deadline is September 4, 2025. The evaluation criteria include technical approach, art-tech congruency, innovation potential, impact, technical capacities, and cost-benefit. The application must be submitted electronically through the provided EU Survey link. This call aims to stimulate innovative, interdisciplinary projects that can contribute to more sustainable and creative urban manufacturing ecosystems.