Artificial Intelligence for Cybersecurity applications

The Horizon Europe funding opportunity HORIZON-CL3-2027-02-CS-ECCC-01 targets the development of Artificial Intelligence solutions for cybersecurity applications. The call focuses on advancing research and innovation in areas such as AI-driven threat detection, adaptive cyber defense mechanisms, and enhancing Security Operation Centers. It is set to open on March 2, 2027, with a submission deadline of September 15, 2027.

Eligible applicants include legal entities established in EU Member States and Associated Countries, such as universities, research institutes, small and medium-sized enterprises, large companies, and public bodies. Participation is restricted for entities controlled by non-eligible countries. The funding mechanism is a lump sum grant, with individual contributions ranging from €4,000,000 to €5,000,000 and a total budget of €24,800,000 for this specific topic.

The call requires applicants to form consortia, emphasizing collaboration among various stakeholders in cybersecurity and AI research. It aims to address issues of bias and adversarial manipulation in AI technologies while promoting compliance with the EU AI Act. The project stage encompasses the research and development phases, focusing on creating real-time threat detection and adaptive systems that can respond to emerging cyber threats.

Projects funded through this opportunity will contribute significantly to strengthening Europe's cybersecurity capabilities and align with the EU's strategic interests in technology and digital infrastructure. The application process is structured as a single-stage submission, which simplifies the proposal phase by avoiding preliminary evaluation rounds. As of now, no specific success rates have been provided, but competition is expected to be high given the limited number of grants available. Overall, this initiative underscores the EU's commitment to advancing trustworthy and transparent AI solutions in the crucial field of cybersecurity.

This is a Horizon Europe call for proposals focusing on Artificial Intelligence for Cybersecurity applications, specifically under the Call Indirectly Managed Action by the ECCC (2027) (HORIZON-CL3-2027-02-CS-ECCC). The type of action is HORIZON-RIA, which stands for Research and Innovation Actions, utilizing a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] Model Grant Agreement. The call is forthcoming with a single-stage deadline model. The planned opening date is March 2, 2027, and the deadline for submission is September 15, 2027, at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The expected outcome of the proposals should contribute to one or more of the following: AI-driven solutions for real-time cyber threat detection, advanced adaptive AI systems that evolve with dynamic cybersecurity challenges, and contributing to drastically reduce reaction time for the recovery of systems.

The scope of the call addresses the increasing utilization of Artificial Intelligence in cybersecurity for threat detection, incident response, and adaptive defence mechanisms. It acknowledges the susceptibility of AI-driven systems to adversarial manipulation and bias. The topic aims to advance AI-based cybersecurity applications while ensuring that AI-driven solutions remain resilient, transparent, and compliant with regulatory frameworks such as the AI Act. It explores the role of all types of AI, including generative AI, in cybersecurity applications, including automated threat detection, adaptive cyber defence, and AI-driven cyber threat intelligence. Proposals should develop solutions for trustworthy AI in cybersecurity contexts, including addressing adversarial AI risks, in compliance with the provisions of the AI Act.

The topic is expected to: Develop AI-driven solutions and tools for real-time cyber threat detection, investigating novel machine learning techniques to detect anomalies, malicious activity, and AI-powered cyber threats in real time, improving situational awareness and response times. Develop adaptive AI systems capable of evolving with dynamic cybersecurity challenges, exploring AI techniques that continuously learn from new cyber threats, adapting to emerging attack patterns, while maintaining robustness and explainability. Support the future enhancements of Security Operation Centres/Cyber Hubs, developing AI-enhanced SOC frameworks that integrate predictive analytics, automation, and threat intelligence to strengthen proactive defence measures.

The general conditions for this call include:

1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout are described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.

2. Eligible Countries are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific provisions may exist for non-EU/non-Associated Countries, as detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

3. Other Eligible Conditions: Participation is limited to legal entities established in Member States and Associated Countries to safeguard the Union’s strategic assets, interests, autonomy, and security. Entities controlled by non-eligible countries cannot participate.

4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion are described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.

5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.

5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.

5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.

6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants: Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021. This is further detailed in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.

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

Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA) details are as follows: Application form templates are available in the Submission System, including a standard application form (HE RIA, IA). Evaluation form templates will be used with necessary adaptations, including a standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA). Guidance is provided in the HE Programme Guide, Lump Sum MGA, call-specific instructions, detailed budget table (HE LS), and guidance on lump sums. Additional documents include the Ownership Control Declaration and Information on Security issues.

Additional documents provided for reference include: HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction, HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 6. Civil Security for Society, 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 overview for the year 2027 includes four specific topics:

HORIZON-CL3-2027-02-CS-ECCC-01 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions: Budget of 24,800,000 EUR, single-stage, opening on 2027-03-02, deadline on 2027-09-15, contributions ranging from 4,000,000 to 5,000,000 EUR, with an indicative number of 5 grants.

HORIZON-CL3-2027-02-CS-ECCC-02 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions: Budget of 24,000,000 EUR, single-stage, opening on 2027-03-02, deadline on 2027-09-15, contributions ranging from 3,000,000 to 4,000,000 EUR, with an indicative number of 5 grants.

HORIZON-CL3-2027-02-CS-ECCC-03 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions: Budget of 19,000,000 EUR, single-stage, opening on 2027-03-02, deadline on 2027-09-15, contributions ranging from 3,000,000 to 4,000,000 EUR, with an indicative number of 3 grants.

HORIZON-CL3-2027-02-CS-ECCC-04 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions: Budget of 4,000,000 EUR, single-stage, opening on 2027-03-02, deadline on 2027-09-15, contribution around 4,000,000 EUR, with an indicative number of 1 grant.

There are 3 partner search announcements available. LEARs, Account Administrators, and self-registrants can publish partner requests.

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

For support, applicants are encouraged to contact the National Cybersecurity Coordination Centres (NCC) or the ECCC Applicants Direct Contact Centre. Additional 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, ETSI Research Helpdesk, the European Charter for Researchers, and Partner Search.

In summary, this Horizon Europe grant opportunity aims to foster innovation in AI-driven cybersecurity solutions. It seeks proposals that can enhance real-time threat detection, develop adaptive AI systems, and improve Security Operation Centres, all while adhering to the AI Act's principles of resilience, transparency, and trustworthiness. The funding is provided as a lump sum, and participation is limited to entities from EU Member States and Associated Countries. The call encourages collaboration and provides extensive support resources to guide applicants through the process.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are legal entities established in EU Member States and Associated Countries. Entities established in an eligible country but directly or indirectly controlled by a non-eligible country or entity are not eligible.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant, provided under the Horizon Europe Programme. Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum.

Consortium Requirement: While not explicitly stated, the partner search announcements and the nature of research and innovation actions suggest that consortia are expected or at least encouraged.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is limited to legal entities established in EU Member States and Associated Countries.

Target Sector: The target sector is cybersecurity, with a focus on the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and generative AI in cybersecurity, including automated threat detection, adaptive cyber defence, and AI-driven cyber threat intelligence.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity explicitly mentions the 27 EU Member States, Iceland, and Norway as countries with National Cybersecurity Coordination Centres (NCCs). It also refers to non-EU/non-Associated Countries that have made specific provisions for funding participants in Horizon Europe projects.

Project Stage: The project stage appears to be focused on research and innovation actions (RIA) and innovation actions (IA), suggesting projects in the development, validation, and demonstration stages. The emphasis is on advancing AI-based cybersecurity applications and developing solutions for trustworthy AI.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic:
HORIZON-CL3-2027-02-CS-ECCC-01: EUR 4,000,000 to EUR 5,000,000
HORIZON-CL3-2027-02-CS-ECCC-02: EUR 3,000,000 to EUR 4,000,000
HORIZON-CL3-2027-02-CS-ECCC-03: EUR 3,000,000 to EUR 4,000,000
HORIZON-CL3-2027-02-CS-ECCC-04: Around EUR 4,000,000

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 lump sum grant.

Application Stages: The application process involves a single stage.

Success Rates: The indicative number of grants varies by topic:
HORIZON-CL3-2027-02-CS-ECCC-01: 5 grants
HORIZON-CL3-2027-02-CS-ECCC-02: 5 grants
HORIZON-CL3-2027-02-CS-ECCC-03: 3 grants
HORIZON-CL3-2027-02-CS-ECCC-04: 1 grant
This suggests the success rates will vary depending on the number of applications received for each topic.

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state a co-funding requirement.

Summary:

This Horizon Europe funding opportunity, managed by the ECCC, aims to bolster cybersecurity by advancing the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and generative AI in threat detection, incident response, and adaptive defence mechanisms. The call is structured around four main topics, each with a specific budget and number of grants available, focusing on research and innovation actions (RIA) and innovation actions (IA).

The core objective is to develop AI-driven solutions that are resilient, transparent, and compliant with the AI Act, addressing the risks of adversarial manipulation and bias in AI systems. Projects should contribute to real-time cyber threat detection, adaptive AI systems, and the enhancement of Security Operation Centres.

Eligible applicants are legal entities from EU Member States and Associated Countries, with participation restricted to ensure the Union's strategic assets and security. The funding is provided as a lump sum grant, and the application process involves a single-stage submission.

The call emphasizes the importance of trustworthy AI in cybersecurity and encourages the development of novel machine learning techniques to improve situational awareness and response times. It also supports the integration of predictive analytics, automation, and threat intelligence in SOC frameworks.

Overall, this opportunity seeks to leverage AI to create more robust and adaptive cybersecurity solutions, aligning with the EU's broader goals of enhancing digital security and protecting its strategic interests.