2nd ARISE Open Call

The 2nd ARISE Open Call is a funding opportunity under the Horizon Europe program, specifically targeting projects in the field of advanced human-robot interaction (HRI). This call aims to advance industrial HRI technologies in Europe through agile, human-centric, and real-time open-source solutions. The total funding available is €2,600,000, with each selected project receiving a fixed grant of up to €200,000, supporting approximately 13 projects.

Eligible applicants must form a consortium of up to three entities, including at least one small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) as the team leader. The roles within the consortium include a main technology provider, which can be any entity with technical capabilities, an optional second technology provider, and a mandatory end-user who proposes the application use-case. A critical requirement is that if the main technology provider is an SME, the end-user may be the same SME or another entity. Conversely, if the main provider is not an SME, the end-user must be an SME.

The application process is a single-stage submission, opening on December 3, 2025, with a deadline for submissions by February 3, 2026, at 17:00 Brussels time. The project duration is 12 months and includes a structured support and mentoring program that covers various stages: individual mentoring, proof of concept, deployment and experimentation, and launching shareable HRI modules.

The evaluation of applications follows a rigorous six-step process:eligibility checks, scope assessments by a selection committee, independent evaluations, a consensus meeting, final decisions by the selection committee, and formal checks on pre-selected beneficiaries. While specific success rates are not provided, a typical competitive call may yield a 10 to 39 percent success rate.

There are no explicit co-funding requirements for this grant, making it an accessible opportunity for resource-constrained SMEs and fostering innovation in the field of HRI technologies. Overall, the initiative reflects a strong commitment to enhancing industrial competitiveness in the autonomous systems and robotics sectors while ensuring ethical technology development through participation and input from end-users.

The ARISE 2nd Open Call is a funding opportunity under the Horizon Europe program, specifically within the scope of HORIZON-CL4 - Industrial leadership in AI, Data and Robotics – advanced human robot interaction (AI Data and Robotics Partnership) (IA). The project acronym is ARISE, and the full name of the EU funded project is Agile, human-centric, and Real-tIme enabled open SourcE technologies advancing industrial HRI in Europe. The grant agreement number is 101135784.

The opening date for the call is December 3, 2025, and the deadline for submissions is February 3, 2026, at 17:00 Brussels time. The deadline model is single-stage.

The expected duration of participation is a 12-month Support and Mentoring Programme, which includes the following stages: Stage 1. Individual Mentoring Plan, Stage 2. Proof of Concept, Stage 3. Deployment and Experimentation, and Stage 4. Launch sharable HRI modules.

The total funding available for this call is €2,600,000.00. The exact amount of financial support to be granted to each selected entity is a fixed lump sum of up to €200,000 per project. The ARISE 2nd Open Call will select up to 13 projects.

Teams can be composed of up to 3 entities. At least one SME per team is required, and it has to be the team leader. The entities will have the following roles:

1. Main Technology provider (mandatory):An SME (including Startups) and Mid-Caps responsible for the development of HRI capabilities.

2. Second Technology provider (optional):May be an entity of any type with a technical profile.

3. End-user (mandatory):Proposing the use-case setting the needs of the HRI application.

Specific conditions apply to the composition of the team:

If the main Technology provider is an SME, the end-user may be either the same SME or another entity of any type.

If the main Technology provider is not an SME, or if there is no second technology provider, or if the second Technology provider is not an SME, the end-user has to be an SME.

The submission process is through the application form available at:opportunities.getonepass.eu

The selection of proposals will be carried out in a six-step process:

Step one:Checking the proposals against the eligibility criteria.

Step two:In/Out Scope Screening by a Selection Committee to assess the proposal according to the criteria.

Step three:Independent evaluators assess the proposal according to the criteria.

Step four:The ARISE Consensus Meeting to agree on a common position, including comments and scores for all evaluated proposals.

Step five:The Selection Committee decides the Provisional List of FSTP recipients and Reserve List in a Jury Day.

Step six:Formal check of the pre-selected beneficiaries.

Further information can be found in the ‘Guide for Applicants’.

The Open Call website is:opportunities.getonepass.eu

The Open Call helpdesk is:discord.com

The Open Call complaints email is:arise.complaints@fundingbox.com

The Project website is:arise-middleware.eu

In summary, the ARISE 2nd Open Call provides funding for projects focused on advancing industrial Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) in Europe. It targets SMEs and mid-caps working on HRI technologies, requiring them to form teams with end-users to develop and implement HRI solutions. The call offers up to €200,000 per project and includes a 12-month support and mentoring program. The selection process involves a multi-stage evaluation, including eligibility checks, scope screening, independent evaluation, and a consensus meeting. The goal is to foster agile, human-centric, and real-time enabled open-source technologies in the field of industrial HRI.

Eligible Applicant Types:The eligible applicant types are SMEs (including Startups), Mid-Caps, and entities of any type with a technical profile, and end-users. A consortium must include at least one SME, which must be the team leader. The consortium can have up to 3 entities. The roles within the team are: Main Technology provider (mandatory): An SME (including Startups) and Mid-Caps responsible for development of HRI capabilities; A second Technology provider (optional): may be an entity of any type with a technical profile; End-user (mandatory) proposing the use-case setting the needs of the HRI application. Specific conditions apply to the end-user depending on the type of the main technology provider. If the main Technology provider is an SME, the end-user may be either the same SME or another entity of any type. If the main Technology provider is not an SME, or if there is no second technology provider, or if the second Technology provider is not an SME, the end-user has to be an SME.

Funding Type:The funding type is a grant, specifically cascade funding, with a fixed lump sum.

Consortium Requirement:A consortium is required, with teams composed of up to 3 entities.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):The geographic eligibility is not explicitly stated, but given the context of the Horizon Europe program and the project being funded, it is likely that the eligibility extends to EU member states and associated countries. Further details would be available in the Guide for Applicants.

Target Sector:The target sector is industrial Human-Robot Interaction (HRI), focusing on AI, Data, and Robotics. This includes advanced human robot interaction (AI Data and Robotics Partnership). The project aims to advance industrial HRI in Europe through agile, human-centric, and real-time enabled open source technologies.

Mentioned Countries:No specific countries are mentioned, but the project is focused on Europe.

Project Stage:The project stages include Proof of Concept, Deployment and Experimentation, and Launch of sharable HRI modules, suggesting the projects should be at the development, validation, or demonstration stage. The program includes a 12-month Support and Mentoring Programme with the following stages: Stage 1. Individual Mentoring Plan; Stage 2. Proof of Concept; Stage 3. Deployment and Experimentation; Stage 4. Launch sharable HRI modules.

Funding Amount:The funding amount is a fixed lump sum of up to €200,000 per project. The total funding available for the 2nd ARISE Open Call is €2,600,000.

Application Type:The application type is an open call.

Nature of Support:Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a grant (fixed lump sum), and non-monetary services through a 12-month Support and Mentoring Programme.

Application Stages:The application process involves a six-step process: Step one: Eligibility check; Step two: In/Out Scope Screening by a ‘Selection Committee’; Step three: Assessment by independent evaluators; Step four: ARISE Consensus Meeting to agree on a common position; Step five: ‘Selection Committee’ decides the ‘Provisional List of FSTP recipients’ and ‘Reserve List’ in a Jury Day; Step six: Formal check of the pre-selected beneficiaries.

Success Rates:The success rate cannot be determined from the provided information, but the call will select up to 13 projects out of all applications received.

Co-funding Requirement:The information does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required.

Summary:

The ARISE 2nd Open Call is a funding opportunity under the Horizon Europe program, specifically targeting industrial leadership in AI, Data, and Robotics with a focus on advanced human-robot interaction. The call aims to support projects that advance industrial HRI in Europe through agile, human-centric, and real-time enabled open source technologies. The funding is provided as a fixed lump sum grant of up to €200,000 per project, and the call will select up to 13 projects. Eligible applicants must form a consortium of up to 3 entities, including at least one SME as the team leader. The consortium must include a Main Technology provider (SME or Mid-Cap responsible for HRI capabilities development) and an End-user proposing the use-case setting the needs of the HRI application. A second Technology provider is optional. The application process involves a six-step evaluation process, and selected projects will participate in a 12-month Support and Mentoring Programme. The opening date for the call is December 3, 2025, and the deadline for submission is February 3, 2026, at 17:00 (Brussels time). This call provides financial support and mentoring to projects focusing on developing and deploying innovative HRI solutions.