AI-assisted Methods and Tools for Engineering Automation

The HORIZON-JU-CHIPS-2026-FT4-IA call is part of the Horizon Europe program and aims to advance AI-assisted methods and tools for engineering automation, particularly in the semiconductor sector and related fields. The call invites applications from consortia that include a mix of large and small enterprises, research institutes, universities, and other entities from eligible countries. Funding is available in the form of grants, specifically structured under Innovation Actions (IA).

The funding amounts range from €1,000,000 to €20,000,000 per project, with a total budget of €20,000,000 allocated for the initiative and only one grant expected to be awarded. The call is currently set to open for submissions on February 3, 2026, and will close on March 3, 2026.

Proposals are expected to result in advanced AI-assisted methods and tools for automating software engineering tasks, which could include generative AI applications. The focus covers multiple domains such as modeling, control, data management, communication, and mechatronics. Specifically, the initiative looks to address the challenges of legacy system integration and regulatory compliance.

The expected outcomes include the development of an integrated AI-assisted platform that facilitates collaboration among engineering teams, proof-of-concept demonstrations for software-defined vehicles showcasing efficiency improvements, and best practices applicable in sectors like healthcare and digital industries.

The call follows a single-stage application procedure, requiring applicants to submit complete proposals by the specified deadline. Evaluation will assess criteria such as excellence, impact, and implementation quality. Co-funding is not strictly mandatory, though for-profit entities typically receive a lower funding rate compared to non-profits.

Overall, this call seeks to harness advanced AI technologies to enhance efficiency, optimize resources, and improve decision-making within engineering processes.

The HORIZON-JU-CHIPS-2026-FT4-IA call, under the Horizon Europe program, focuses on AI-assisted Methods and Tools for Engineering Automation. It falls under the HORIZON JU Innovation Actions (HORIZON-JU-IA) and uses the HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG] model grant agreement. The call is currently open for submission with a single-stage deadline.

The opening date for submissions is February 3, 2026, and the deadline for submissions is March 3, 2026, at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The expected outcomes of the projects funded under this call are:

1.  Advanced AI-assisted methods and tools, including generative AI, for the automation of software engineering tasks. These tools should enhance human efficiency, optimize resource utilization, enable complex data/problems analysis/interpretation, and support intelligent decision-making. The focus is on engineering tasks that involve multiple domains such as modelling, control, data management, communication, and mechatronics, and multiple stakeholders. The projects should address the challenges of legacy integration, refactoring to replace obsolete technology, and compliance with specific standards, regulations, and certifications.

2.  An open and extensible AI-assisted integrated platform, based on methodologies including AI-support, AI-based tools and toolchains, following a well-defined engineering process, including the integration with legacy tools. The platform should provide flexible usage in small and large multi-domain and multi-stakeholder engineering teams, impacting existing and upcoming ECS engineering automation tools and their usage.

3.  Showcasing and evaluation for software-defined vehicles of efficiency enhancements in terms of cost and time for complex data/knowledge management, resource optimization, energy consumption, interoperability, product/process quality/trustworthiness, learning curve and usability, over the whole lifecycle, from design, through deployment, operations, and maintenance, to the product end-of-life and recycling, and its evolution.

4.  Best practices and small proof-of-concept studies for other sectors, such as the medical/pharmaceutical and/or digital industry.

The total budget for this topic is 20,000,000 EUR for the year 2026. The indicative number of grants to be awarded is 1, with contributions ranging from 1,000,000 to 20,000,000 EUR.

The admissibility conditions require adherence to proposal page limits and layout as detailed in Part B of the Application Form, which can be accessed from the Call documents section on the Chips JU website. Further details are available in Appendix 7 of the Chips JU Workprogramme.

The general conditions also cover eligible countries, other eligible conditions, financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria, evaluation and award criteria, scoring and thresholds, submission and evaluation processes, indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement, and the legal and financial set-up of the grants.

Specific conditions require applicants to visit the Call page of the Chips JU Website. The call document and annexes include:

*  Call document

*  Reference documents: Guide for Applicants, Evaluation form

*  Call submission documents and annexes: Application form template Part B, National funding table template, Ownership declaration template

*  Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA): Application form templates described in Appendix 7 of the Chips JU Workprogramme

*  Guidance: HE Programme Guide, Model Grant Agreements (MGA), HE MGA, Call-specific instructions, Information on financial support to third parties (HE), Information on clinical studies (HE)

*  Additional documents: EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, EU Grants AGA Annotated Model Grant Agreement, Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions, Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement

Partner search announcements are available for those looking to collaborate on this topic. LEARs, Account Administrators, and self-registrants can publish partner requests on the Funding & Tenders Portal.

To start the submission process, applicants should access the Electronic Submission Service via the submission button, selecting the appropriate type of action and model grant agreement. Existing draft proposals can be accessed by logging into the Funding & Tenders Portal and selecting the My Proposals page.

For help, applicants can consult the Online Manual, contact calls@chips-ju.europa.eu, or refer to the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ. The IT Helpdesk is available for technical issues, and a Partner Search function is also provided.

In summary, this call for proposals aims to foster innovation in AI-assisted methods and tools for engineering automation, with a particular focus on software-defined vehicles and potential applications in other sectors like medical and digital industries. The goal is to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance the quality and trustworthiness of engineering processes through the development and implementation of AI-driven solutions. The call encourages the creation of open and extensible platforms that can be used by diverse teams and integrated with existing tools and workflows.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, given that it is a Horizon Europe call under the Chips Joint Undertaking (JU) and involves Innovation Actions, eligible applicants are likely to include a mix of entities such as startups, SMEs, large enterprises, universities, and research institutes. The call encourages participation from multi-domain and multi-stakeholder engineering teams, suggesting a broad range of eligible organizations. Further details can be found in Appendix 7 of the Chips JU Workprogramme and related call documents.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG], as indicated in the "Type of MGA" section. The call falls under HORIZON JU Innovation Actions (HORIZON-JU-IA).

Consortium Requirement: While not explicitly stated, the call encourages participation from "small and large multi-domain and multi-stakeholder engineering teams," which implies that a consortium is preferred, although single applicants might be possible. The partner search announcements further suggest that collaboration is encouraged.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is not explicitly mentioned in the provided text. However, since it is a Horizon Europe call, it is highly likely that the primary geographic eligibility includes EU member states and associated countries. Further details can be found under "Eligible Countries" in the call documents.

Target Sector: The target sector is primarily focused on ICT, specifically related to the development and application of AI-assisted methods and tools for the automation of software engineering tasks. This includes areas such as modelling, control, data management, communication, and mechatronics. The call also mentions showcasing and evaluation for software-defined vehicles and best practices for other sectors like medical/pharmaceutical and/or digital industry. Therefore, the target sectors include software services, artificial intelligence, automotive, healthcare, and digital industries.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned in the provided text. The call is part of the Horizon Europe program, so it is implied that EU member states and associated countries are the primary focus.

Project Stage: The project stage is focused on innovation actions, which typically involve activities ranging from development to demonstration and validation. The call aims to develop and showcase AI-assisted platforms and tools, suggesting a focus on the development, validation, and demonstration stages.

Funding Amount: The total budget for the topic HORIZON-JU-CHIPS-2026-FT4-IA is EUR 20,000,000. The contributions are expected to range from EUR 1,000,000 to EUR 20,000,000 per grant, with an indicative number of 1 grant.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, with a single-stage submission process.

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

Application Stages: The application process is single-stage.

Success Rates: The indicative number of grants is 1, so the success rate is expected to be low, likely below 10%, depending on the number of applications received.

Co-funding Requirement: The provided text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement. Applicants should refer to the call-specific instructions and the HE Programme Guide for detailed information on co-funding requirements.

Summary:

This opportunity is a Horizon Europe call under the Chips Joint Undertaking (JU), specifically targeting the development and implementation of AI-assisted methods and tools for automating software engineering tasks. The call, titled HORIZON-JU-CHIPS-2026-FT4-IA, aims to foster innovation in areas such as modelling, control, data management, and communication, with applications in software-defined vehicles and potentially the medical/pharmaceutical and digital industries. The funding mechanism is a HORIZON Action Grant, with a total budget of EUR 20,000,000 and an expected contribution of EUR 1,000,000 to EUR 20,000,000 per project. The call follows a single-stage submission process, with the opening date on February 3, 2026, and a deadline on March 3, 2026. While the specific eligibility criteria for applicants are not detailed in the provided text, the call encourages participation from multi-domain and multi-stakeholder engineering teams, suggesting a broad range of eligible organizations from EU member states and associated countries. Applicants are advised to consult the Chips JU website, Appendix 7 of the Chips JU Workprogramme, and the Funding & Tenders Portal for comprehensive details on eligibility, application guidelines, and required documentation. The ultimate goal is to enhance efficiency, optimize resource utilization, and support intelligent decision-making in software engineering through the use of advanced AI technologies.