Empowering AI/generative AI along the Cognitive Computing continuum (RIA) (AI/Data/Robotics Partnership)

The grant opportunity titled "Empowering AI/generative AI along the Cognitive Computing continuum (RIA) (AI/Data/Robotics Partnership)" falls under the Horizon Europe program, specifically HORIZON-CL4-2025-04-DATA-02. This initiative aims to advance research and innovation in artificial intelligence (AI), generative AI, and associated technologies, focusing on their integration within the cognitive cloud-edge-IoT continuum.

Eligible applicants include legal entities established in EU member states and certain associated countries, such as Iceland, Norway, Canada, Israel, South Korea, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The grant primarily utilizes a Research and Innovation Action (RIA) funding type, which is a grant-based mechanism. A consortium of multiple stakeholders from academia, industry, and partnerships is generally expected for participation.

The geographic scope of participation encompasses EU member states and associated countries. The target sectors of this grant include areas related to AI, generative AI, cognitive computing, and cloud computing, with applications in various sectors like manufacturing, healthcare, and smart cities.

Projects under this grant should focus on the research and development stage, and the expected funding could range from €6 million to €8 million per project, with an overall budget for the call set at €30 million. The submission process is single-stage, with applications due by October 2, 2025. Monetary support will be offered through grants, encouraging strategic industrial cooperation to enhance AI capabilities across computing environments.

The call promotes innovative developments aiming for seamless integration and interoperability across diverse computing environments, addressing the challenges posed by next-generation AI technologies. To participate, applicants must align their proposals with the described research themes and expected outcomes, and any proposals ensuring significant applicability across multiple sectors are highly encouraged.

This is a Horizon Europe call, specifically HORIZON-CL4-2025-04-DATA-02, focused on "Empowering AI/generative AI along the Cognitive Computing continuum (RIA) (AI/Data/Robotics Partnership)". It falls under the DIGITAL - HADEA (HORIZON-CL4-2025-04) call and is a HORIZON Research and Innovation Action (HORIZON-RIA). The Model Grant Agreement type is HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG]. The deadline model is single-stage. The planned opening date is 10 June 2025, and the deadline is 02 October 2025 at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The expected outcomes of this call are: Novel AI-enabled Cloud and Edge management solutions tailored for the processing needs of AI workloads across the cognitive cloud-edge-IoT continuum, Strategic industrial cooperation across the Cloud-Edge-IoT cognitive computing continuum to support future hyper-distributed AI applications, Seamless and trustworthy integration and interoperability across diverse computing and data environments spanning from core cloud (including HPC) to edge to IoT and across different technology stacks, Enhanced openness and open strategic autonomy in the evolving data and AI-economies across the computing continuum validated through key business/societal sectors, and Guaranteeing a minimum level of interoperability and portability thereby facilitating European access to foreign markets.

The scope of this call is to address the challenges in the Cloud to Edge Continuum, which requires seamless and trustworthy integration of diverse computing and data environments spanning from core cloud to edge to IoT. This integration should support the data, processing needs, and new resource types brought by next generation AI technologies. Different types of AI processes have different requirements for compute infrastructures. Generative AI and large language models rely on high-performance processing and very large AI models, but cutting-edge hardware accelerators are scarce and costly. Gathering, processing, and transmitting massive amounts of data to central data processing environments remains a barrier for many AI applications. Efficient tools and mechanisms are needed to empower the distribution of AI training and inference processes throughout the computing continuum. Empowering next generation AI technologies with on-demand, agile, and situation-aware infrastructure will allow end-users to exploit AI across the computing continuum without compromising security and trust, while optimizing energy use. These challenges span various aspects of the continuum, including on-device data processing, data orchestration and sharing, AI integration, decentralised intelligent management, decentralized and global optimization, energy and resource heterogeneity support, data management, security/privacy, and synergies with 5G/6G. Addressing these challenges is crucial for realizing the vision of a cognitive cloud-to-edge continuum as a key enabler for any emerging trends such as AI/generative AI. The Cognitive Computing Continuum could be extended to include other computational resources, such as HPC, and provide abstraction layers to maximize the benefits of available hardware. The aim is to develop generic and AI-enabled cloud-edge technologies encompassing the whole computing continuum to empower the development of AI/generative AI technologies and applications. The proposals should demonstrate the generic applicability of the proposed technological solutions across various application domains such as manufacturing, healthcare, robotics, transportation, and smart cities.

The research areas that should be addressed include: Development of novel mechanisms for the efficient development, deployment, and operation of AI workflows across heterogeneous and distributed infrastructures along the Edge to Cloud to HPC continuum that optimise training times, model accuracy and data management while factoring in performance metrics such as memory usage, energy efficiency, application processing and data transfer latency, and network overheads. These should factor in virtualisation and orchestration techniques that seamlessly integrate heterogeneous processor architectures and cater for the explainability of the applied cognitive optimisations. Decentralised and federated computing continuum tools and mechanisms to enable distributed AI architectures. These include scheduling, orchestration, and placement mechanisms that leverage the wide range of Edge computing environments available in the compute continuum, including on-device edge. Tools and mechanisms should take into consideration - where appropriate - data security and privacy aspects. The focus is on enhancing AI process execution through techniques such as model, data, hybrid parallelism and data compression, gossip, swarm, and federated training, or conditional computing. Cloud and edge processing tools and techniques to reduce AI processing power usage and emissions across the cognitive computing continuum, relying on hardware efficiency (for example, thanks to special-purpose accelerators and heterogeneous hardware processor architectures) and energy optimisation techniques, such as hardware and software approximation.

This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnership on AI, Data, and Robotics. Projects are expected to develop synergies and relate to activities and outcomes of the Digital Europe Programme (DEP) and any existing or emerging Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI) initiative, such as IPCEI-CIS. All proposals are expected to share communicable results with the European R&D community, through the AI-on-demand platform, and if necessary other relevant digital resource platforms in order to enhance the European AI, Data and Robotics ecosystem through the sharing of results and best practice.

Regarding admissibility conditions, proposal page limits and layout are described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System. Eligible countries are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. Participation is limited to legal entities established in Member States, Iceland and Norway and the following additional associated countries: Canada, Israel, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Entities directly or indirectly controlled by a non-eligible country or entity may not participate unless they can demonstrate that their participation would not negatively impact the Union’s strategic assets, interests, autonomy, or security. Entities assessed as high-risk suppliers of mobile network communication equipment cannot submit guarantees.

Financial and operational capacity and exclusion are described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes. Evaluation and award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes. Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual. The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes. The legal and financial set-up of the grants are described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes and in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

Application form templates are available in the Submission System, including the Standard application form (HE RIA, IA). Evaluation form templates, including the Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA), will be used with necessary adaptations. Guidance is provided in the HE Programme Guide. Model Grant Agreements (MGA) are based on the HE MGA. Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 1. General Introduction, HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 7. Digital, Industry and Space, HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 14. 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 2025 is 30,000,000 EUR. It is a single-stage application process with an opening date of 2025-06-10 and a deadline of 2025-10-02. The expected contribution per project is between 6,000,000 to 8,000,000 EUR, and the indicative number of grants is 4.

There are 32 partner search announcements available. LEARs, Account Administrators, and 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.

Applicants should read all provisions carefully before preparing their application. The Online Manual is a guide on the procedures from proposal submission to managing the grant. The Horizon Europe Programme Guide contains detailed guidance on the structure, budget, and political priorities of Horizon Europe. The Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ provides answers to frequently asked questions on submission of proposals, evaluation, and grant management. The Research Enquiry Service can answer questions about European research in general and the EU Research Framework Programmes in particular. National Contact Points (NCPs) provide guidance, practical information, and assistance on participation in Horizon Europe. The Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) can advise businesses, especially SMEs, and provide guidance on EU research funding. The IT Helpdesk can assist with technical aspects of proposal submission. The European IPR Helpdesk assists with intellectual property issues. CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk advise on standardisation in project proposals. The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment outline the roles, responsibilities, and entitlements of researchers, employers, and funders. Partner Search can help find partner organisations for proposals.

In summary, this Horizon Europe call aims to foster research and innovation in AI and generative AI technologies across the entire computing continuum, from cloud to edge to IoT. It seeks to develop solutions that enable seamless integration, interoperability, and efficient management of AI workloads in diverse computing environments. The call encourages strategic industrial cooperation and aims to enhance Europe's strategic autonomy in the AI and data economies. Eligible entities from Member States, Iceland, Norway, and associated countries are invited to submit proposals that address the specified research areas and contribute to the expected outcomes. The call provides a significant budget and support resources to facilitate the development and deployment of AI-enabled technologies across various application domains.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are legal entities established in Member States, Iceland, Norway, Canada, Israel, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. There are specific conditions regarding entities controlled by non-eligible countries. The call is open to a variety of entities including but not limited to research organizations, universities, SMEs, and large enterprises, provided they meet the eligibility criteria.

Funding Type: The funding type is primarily a grant, specifically a HORIZON Research and Innovation Action (HORIZON-RIA) and HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) under the Horizon Europe program. These actions are budget-based.

Consortium Requirement: While not explicitly stated, the nature of the projects and the desire for strategic industrial cooperation suggest that a consortium is preferred, if not required. The partner search announcements further imply that consortia are expected.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States, Iceland, Norway, Canada, Israel, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Participation is limited to legal entities established in these countries, with specific conditions for entities controlled by non-eligible countries.

Target Sector: The target sector is digital, specifically focusing on AI, data, and robotics. It aims to empower AI and generative AI technologies along the cognitive computing continuum. This includes cloud, edge, and IoT technologies, with applications in manufacturing, healthcare, robotics, transportation, and smart cities.

Mentioned Countries: Iceland, Norway, Canada, Israel, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Switzerland, United Kingdom, EU Member States.

Project Stage: The project stage ranges from research to innovation, covering both Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and Innovation Actions (IA). This suggests projects should be at least at the development stage, potentially moving towards validation and demonstration.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic within the call, ranging from 1,000,000 EUR to 15,000,000 EUR. For example, HORIZON-CL4-2025-04-DATA-02 has a budget of 30,000,000 EUR with contributions ranging from 6,000,000 EUR to 8,000,000 EUR, while HORIZON-CL4-2025-04-HUMAN-08 has a budget of 5,000,000 EUR with contributions ranging from 1,000,000 EUR to 2,000,000 EUR.

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 grants to support their research and innovation activities.

Application Stages: The application process is a single-stage process.

Success Rates: The success rates can be inferred from the indicative number of grants for each topic. For instance, HORIZON-CL4-2025-04-DATA-02 aims to award 4 grants, while HORIZON-CL4-2025-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-01 aims to award 5 grants. The actual success rate would depend on the number of proposals received, which is not specified in the provided text.

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

Summary:

This Horizon Europe call, under the DIGITAL - HADEA (HORIZON-CL4-2025-04) program, focuses on "Empowering AI/generative AI along the Cognitive Computing continuum (RIA) (AI/Data/Robotics Partnership)". It aims to foster research and innovation in AI, data, and robotics to enable seamless integration and interoperability across the cloud-edge-IoT continuum. The call seeks to address the challenges posed by the increasing data and processing needs of next-generation AI technologies, including generative AI and large language models.

The primary goal is to develop novel AI-enabled cloud and edge management solutions that cater to the processing demands of AI workloads across various computing environments. This involves strategic industrial cooperation to support hyper-distributed AI applications and enhance openness and strategic autonomy in data and AI economies.

Eligible applicants include legal entities from EU Member States, Iceland, Norway, and associated countries like Canada, Israel, South Korea, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The call encourages projects that demonstrate generic applicability across sectors like manufacturing, healthcare, robotics, transportation, and smart cities.

The funding is provided through HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and HORIZON Innovation Actions (IA), with a single-stage application process. The budget varies by topic, ranging from 5,000,000 EUR to 30,000,000 EUR, and the indicative number of grants per topic ranges from 2 to 5.

Projects are expected to share their results with the European R&D community through platforms like the AI-on-demand platform, contributing to the broader AI, Data, and Robotics ecosystem. The call emphasizes the importance of avoiding technological dependency on non-eligible countries and safeguarding the Union’s strategic assets and interests. The submission system is planned to open on June 10, 2025, with a deadline of October 2, 2025.