AI improved advanced manufacturing and production processes in factories (RIA) (Made in Europe and AI, Data and Robotics partnerships)

The grant opportunity is titled "AI improved advanced manufacturing and production processes in factories (RIA)" under the HORIZON-CL4-2026-02-DIGITAL-EMERGING-51 topic within Horizon Europe. This Research and Innovation Action (RIA) focuses on leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance manufacturing processes, specifically targeting circularity, operational efficiency, and sustainability. The total budget for this initiative is €30 million, with each grant expected to provide funding in the range of €4 million to €6 million, with approximately five grants anticipated.

Eligible applicants include a wide range of legal entities from EU Member States and Associated Countries, which can comprise research organizations, universities, enterprises (including SMEs and large companies), and other capable entities engaged in research and innovation activities. The project encourages collaboration through consortia, emphasizing the importance of multi-stakeholder involvement. Participation from the industrial manufacturing sector is particularly favored, aiming for enterprises that can bring diverse expertise together.

The call is set to open on December 16, 2025, with the first submission deadline on March 17, 2026, and a second deadline on October 13, 2026. The submission process involves a two-stage structure. Stage one includes a blind evaluation of preliminary proposals, while successful candidates advance to stage two, where they will submit comprehensive proposals with additional pages to outline business cases and exploitation strategies.

The successful projects must demonstrate practical, innovative AI-based solutions addressing real-world manufacturing challenges, particularly in areas such as process efficiency optimization, quality control, and material regeneration. The proposal should include a viable business case, explainable AI strategies, and address industrial data confidentiality and security.

Funding will be provided through a lump sum grant mechanism, which streamlines financial administration for applicants. Co-funding is expected, with articulated requirements aligning with standard Horizon Europe practices. The initiative supports the overall objectives of the European competitiveness agenda and the Clean Industrial Deal, contributing to Europe’s Industrial Strategy focused on advanced manufacturing through AI integration.

Overall, this opportunity represents a significant commitment to advancing AI-driven manufacturing capabilities and fostering innovation within the EU, aligning with ambitious goals for sustainability and operational excellence in the manufacturing sector.

This is a Horizon Europe call, specifically HORIZON-CL4-2026-02-DIGITAL-EMERGING-51-two-stage, titled "AI improved advanced manufacturing and production processes in factories (RIA) (Made in Europe and AI, Data and Robotics partnerships)". It falls under the Horizon Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) and uses the HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] Model Grant Agreement. The call employs a single-stage deadline model. The planned opening date is 16 December 2025, with a deadline of 17 March 2026 at 17:00:00 Brussels time and another deadline on 13 October 2026 at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The expected outcome is increased competitiveness and productivity through innovative AI-enabled advanced manufacturing processes and operations, including real-time monitoring and adaptive optimisation, and a reduction of emissions aligning with Clean Industrial Deal objectives.

The scope focuses on AI approaches in manufacturing processes to enhance circularity, process and operational efficiency, and sustainability. It addresses untapped value in areas like quality improvement, optimal process operating conditions, scrap reduction, and energy usage optimization. Real-time monitoring and adaptive optimization using AI models are emphasized for agile responses to production variability.

New solutions should leverage enabling technologies such as deep learning, large language models, digital twins, synthetic data, and data-driven models to improve production system efficiency, product quality, and address challenges in energy consumption and carbon footprint. The focus is on operational excellence and sustainability, ensuring factories maintain a competitive advantage while contributing to environmental goals. The AI solutions should support all structures and phases of operation, in technical and non-technical terms.

Proposals should produce dedicated innovative explainable AI-based solutions in advanced manufacturing for at least two of the following:

Improve processes and operational efficiency, and reduce climate and environmental impact through dynamic selection of optimal processes and production parameters, exploiting AI for process modelling and/or optimisation.
Avoid the production of defective parts using AI to detect process drift and anomalies and correct proactively defects in real time.
Maximise the fraction of regenerated components or materials used in the production using AI to optimise the material flow.

Proposals should demonstrate the potential for AI tools to adapt to changing production needs and real-time data, and should describe how industrial data access, confidentiality, and secure data-sharing will be addressed. Projects are encouraged to link with AI Factories, including the Data Labs, and validate results in Testing and Experiment Facilities (TEFs), and further deployed via European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs). Collaboration with relevant initiatives under the Apply AI Strategy is encouraged.

Proposals can optionally address the conditions for implementing novel AI solutions within an organisation's structure and value creating models, contributing to a systemic approach of implementing a smart organisation.

Proposals should include a business case and exploitation strategy, as outlined in the introduction to Destination ‘Leadership in materials and production for Europe’. This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnerships Made in Europe and AI, Data and Robotics.

General conditions include:

Admissibility Conditions: Applicants submitting a proposal for a blind evaluation must not disclose their organisation names, acronyms, logos nor names of personnel in the proposal abstract and Part B of their first-stage application. The page limit in part B is exceptionally extended by 3 pages for second-stage proposals to include a business case and exploitation strategy. Proposal page limits and layout are described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.

Eligible Countries: Described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific provisions exist for non-EU/non-Associated Countries.

Other Eligible Conditions: Described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Financial and operational capacity and exclusion: Described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Evaluation and award: To ensure a balanced portfolio covering also textiles, grants will be awarded to applications not only in order of ranking but at least also to one proposal that is the highest ranked with focus on complex functional and technical textiles, provided that the applications attain all thresholds. First-stage proposals will be evaluated blindly. Award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Submission and evaluation processes: Described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.

Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement: Described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Legal and financial set-up of the grants: The granting authority may object to a transfer of ownership or exclusive licensing of results up to 4 years after the action's end. Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum, as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021.

Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA): Application form templates are available in the Submission System, including the Standard application form (HE RIA IA Stage 1 BLIND). Evaluation form templates will be used with necessary adaptations, including the Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA and CSA Stage 1 BLIND).

Guidance documents include the HE Programme Guide, HE MGA, Lump Sum MGA, Operating Grants MGA, Framework Partnership Agreement FPA, Detailed budget table (HE LS), Information on financial support to third parties (HE), Information on clinical studies (HE), and Guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?".

Additional documents include HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction, HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 7. Digital, Industry and Space, HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 14. Horizontal Activities, HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes, HE Programme Guide, HE Framework Programme 2021/695, HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme, 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, and Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

The budget for this topic in 2027 is 30,000,000 EUR. The indicative number of grants is 5, with contributions ranging from 4,000,000 to 6,000,000 EUR.

There is one partner search announcement. LEARs, Account Administrators, or self-registrants can publish partner requests for open and forthcoming topics after logging into the Portal.

The submission system is planned to be opened on the date stated on the topic header.

Support resources include the Online Manual, Horizon Europe Programme Guide, Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, Research Enquiry Service, National Contact Points (NCPs), Enterprise Europe Network, IT Helpdesk, European IPR Helpdesk, CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk, the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment, and Partner Search.

In summary, this Horizon Europe call aims to foster the development and implementation of innovative and explainable AI solutions in advanced manufacturing to enhance competitiveness, productivity, and sustainability. It encourages projects that address key challenges in manufacturing processes, such as quality improvement, waste reduction, and energy efficiency, while aligning with the objectives of the Clean Industrial Deal. The call promotes collaboration with AI Factories, validation in TEFs, and deployment via EDIHs, and seeks to integrate AI solutions within organisations' value creating models for a systemic approach to smart manufacturing. The funding is provided as a lump sum, and the first stage of proposal evaluation is conducted blindly.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but based on the nature of Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and Innovation Actions (IA), eligible applicants can include universities, research institutes, SMEs, large enterprises, and other organizations capable of conducting research and innovation activities. The program encourages participation from a variety of entities to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant. This means that eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum contribution as defined by the relevant EU decision.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. However, given the scope and nature of the projects, a consortium is highly probable. The encouragement of linking with AI Factories, TEFs, and EDIHs suggests that collaborative projects are favored.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU member states and associated countries as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. The program also mentions that 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.

Target Sector: The program targets the advanced manufacturing sector, with a focus on integrating artificial intelligence (AI) to improve circularity, process efficiency, operational efficiency, and sustainability. It also targets the textile industry, as grants will be awarded to applications with a focus on complex functional and technical textiles.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity mentions EU member states and associated countries. It also refers to non-EU/non-Associated Countries that have made specific provisions for funding their participants in Horizon Europe projects.

Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project is research and innovation actions (RIA) and innovation actions (IA). This suggests that the projects should be in the development, validation, or demonstration stages, with a clear path towards commercialization and scale-up.

Funding Amount: The funding ranges vary depending on the specific topic:
 HORIZON-CL4-2026-02-DIGITAL-EMERGING-51-two-stage: EUR 4,000,000 to EUR 6,000,000
 HORIZON-CL4-2026-02-DIGITAL-EMERGING-53-two-stage: EUR 4,000,000 to EUR 6,000,000
 HORIZON-CL4-2026-02-MAT-PROD-21-two-stage: EUR 6,000,000 to EUR 7,500,000

Application Type: The application type is an open call, with a two-stage submission process. The first stage involves a blind evaluation.

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

Application Stages: The application process involves two stages. The first stage proposals are evaluated blindly. For second-stage proposals, the page limit in part B of the General Annexes is exceptionally extended by 3 pages to include a business case and exploitation strategy.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned.

Co-funding Requirement: The co-funding requirement is not explicitly mentioned, but as part of Horizon Europe, co-funding may be required depending on the type of organization and the specific action.

Summary:
 This Horizon Europe call focuses on integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into advanced manufacturing processes to enhance circularity, efficiency, and sustainability. The call is structured around several topics, each with a specific budget and expected outcomes. The goal is to foster innovative, explainable AI solutions that can improve processes, reduce environmental impact, and optimize material flow in factories. Projects should demonstrate the adaptability of AI tools to real-time data and address data access and confidentiality. The call encourages collaboration with AI Factories, Testing and Experiment Facilities (TEFs), and European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs). Proposals should include a business case and exploitation strategy, aligning with the 'Leadership in materials and production for Europe' destination. The funding mechanism is a lump sum grant, and the application process involves a two-stage submission with a blind evaluation in the first stage. This initiative aims to boost the competitiveness and productivity of European manufacturing while aligning with the objectives of the Clean Industrial Deal.