Enhancing industry-academia knowledge exchange in Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) (CSA)

Overview

The HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-41 grant opportunity is titled "Enhancing Industry-Academia Knowledge Exchange in Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH)". It falls under the Horizon Europe program and focuses on Coordination and Support Actions (CSA). This call aims to foster collaboration between academia, particularly in SSH fields, and industry to improve innovation capabilities and address specific business challenges faced by companies, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Eligible applicants include universities, research institutes, industry organizations, SMEs, and public-private partnerships from EU member states and associated countries. The program encourages interdisciplinary consortia and aims to leverage the strengths of SSH researchers to deliver solutions to real-world industry problems.

The funding amount for this call is approximately €2 million, with two expected projects receiving €1 million each. The grant is provided through a lump sum, simplifying financial management for recipients. The application process is a single-stage submission, with timelines set to open on January 6, 2026, and close on April 21, 2026.

The projects are expected to implement co-creation methodologies such as hackathons and mentorship programs, promoting direct collaboration between SSH experts and industry representatives. The focus is on successfully integrating SSH perspectives into business strategies, addressing customer needs, and navigating legal requirements to facilitate innovation.

Co-funding requirements are not explicitly stated, and success rates are currently unreported as this call is forthcoming. The overall intent is to bridge the gap between academic research and industrial application, enhancing sustainability and long-term profitability for European businesses.

Detail

The EU Funding Opportunity is HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-41, titled "Enhancing industry-academia knowledge exchange in Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) (CSA)". It falls under the Horizon Europe (HORIZON) program, specifically the INDUSTRY (HORIZON-CL4-2026-01) call. It is a HORIZON Coordination and Support Action (HORIZON-CSA) with a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] Model Grant Agreement.

The deadline model is single-stage, with a planned opening date of 06 January 2026 and a deadline of 21 April 2026 at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The expected outcome is increased innovation capabilities for industry by harnessing the potential of Social Sciences and Humanities, including the Arts, to provide effective solutions to companies' research and innovation challenges and organisational development. It also aims to improve strategies to bring new products and technologies to the industry environment and ultimately to the market, and to facilitate industry exposure, SSH researchers’ better understanding of industry needs and opportunities for collaboration.

The scope of this action is to leverage the strengths of social sciences, humanities and arts (SSH) to address companies' specific needs, fostering a dynamic and productive industry-academia co-creation for knowledge valorisation. This action will implement SSH–industry co-creation (for example hackathons, team-based approaches, targeted mentorship and exchange programmes etc) focussing on specific challenges from industry and SMEs including, but not limited to understanding the socio-technical implications of new technologies and innovations, broadening the perspectives of companies’ strategic actions, creating a deeper understanding of customer needs, legal requirements and pathways to the market, strengthening the integration of social, economic and cultural inequality considerations into industry practices and innovation processes, developing new ideas and innovations and contributing to organisational development, sustainability and long-term profitability.

The action will cover the following activities: Developing a methodology for understanding how various needs from industry, SMEs and customers can be addressed by knowledge exchanges with SSH researchers and students. Service to industry and SMEs including spinoffs and startups to support solving company challenges with international teams of SSH researchers and students. A study to tackle the key questions concerning the technical and conceptual feasibility of Industry-Academia knowledge exchange with SSH to improve innovation management and organisational development.

The general conditions include:

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

2. Eligible Countries described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. 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. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

3. Other Eligible Conditions described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.

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

6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants The granting authority may, up to 4 years after the end of the action, object to a transfer of ownership or to the exclusive licensing of results, as set out in the specific provision of Annex 5. Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025). described 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): Application form templates the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System Standard application form (HE CSA) Evaluation form templates will be used with the necessary adaptations Standard evaluation form (HE CSA) Guidance HE Programme Guide Model Grant Agreements (MGA) Lump Sum MGA Operating Grants MGA Framework Partnership Agreement FPA Call-specific instructions Detailed budget table (HE LS) Information on financial support to third parties (HE) Information on clinical studies (HE) Guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?"

Additional documents: 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 Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement

The budget overview includes the following topics:

HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-01 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of 38,000,000 EUR, contributions ranging from 6,000,000 to 8,000,000 EUR, and an indicative number of 6 grants.

HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-04 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of 64,000,000 EUR, contributions ranging from 5,000,000 to 8,000,000 EUR, and an indicative number of 9 grants.

HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-05 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of 37,000,000 EUR, contributions ranging from 5,000,000 to 6,500,000 EUR, and an indicative number of 7 grants.

HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-11 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of 18,500,000 EUR, contributions ranging from 5,000,000 to 7,000,000 EUR, and an indicative number of 3 grants.

HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-12 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of 19,000,000 EUR, contributions ranging from 5,000,000 to 7,000,000 EUR, and an indicative number of 3 grants.

HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-13 - HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions with a budget of 4,000,000 EUR, contributions around 4,000,000 EUR, and an indicative number of 1 grant.

HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-14 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of 28,000,000 EUR, contributions around 7,500,000 EUR, and an indicative number of 4 grants.

HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-23 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of 50,000,000 EUR, contributions around 13,000,000 EUR, and an indicative number of 4 grants.

HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-24 - HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions with a budget of 800,000 EUR, contributions around 800,000 EUR, and an indicative number of 1 grant.

HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-31 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of 43,800,000 EUR, contributions ranging from 5,000,000 to 7,000,000 EUR, and an indicative number of 7 grants.

HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-41 - HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions with a budget of 2,000,000 EUR, contributions around 1,000,000 EUR, and an indicative number of 2 grants.

HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-44 - HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions with a budget of 2,500,000 EUR, contributions around 3,000,000 EUR, and an indicative number of 1 grant.

HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-45 - HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions with a budget of 5,000,000 EUR, contributions ranging from 1,500,000 to 2,500,000 EUR, and an indicative number of 2 grants.

HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-46 - HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions with a budget of 2,000,000 EUR, contributions around 2,000,000 EUR, and an indicative number of 1 grant.

HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-48 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of 5,000,000 EUR, contributions around 200,000 EUR, and an indicative number of 25 grants.

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In summary, this Horizon Europe funding opportunity aims to foster collaboration between industry and academia by leveraging the strengths of social sciences, humanities, and the arts. It seeks to address specific challenges faced by companies, particularly SMEs, through industry-academia co-creation activities such as hackathons, mentorship programs, and knowledge exchange initiatives. The goal is to enhance innovation capabilities, improve market strategies, and promote a deeper understanding of industry needs among SSH researchers. The funding is provided as a lump sum, and the call is a single-stage process with a deadline in April 2026. The opportunity is open to a wide range of entities, including research organizations, SMEs, and industry partners, with specific eligibility criteria outlined in the program guidelines. The initiative aims to bridge the gap between academic research and industrial application, ultimately contributing to organizational development, sustainability, and long-term profitability for European businesses.

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Breakdown

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but the opportunity targets industry and SMEs, including spinoffs and startups, as well as researchers and students in Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts (SSH). Therefore, eligible applicants could include SMEs, large enterprises, universities, research institutes, and potentially startups and spinoffs. The focus is on collaborations between industry and academia.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant. This is indicated by the "Type of MGA" (Model Grant Agreement) being "HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS]". There are also HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (CSA).

Consortium Requirement: While not explicitly stated, the emphasis on industry-academia co-creation and knowledge exchange suggests that a consortium of multiple applicants is preferred, if not required. The description mentions international teams of SSH researchers and students, implying the need for multiple entities to form a project.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU and associated countries. The text 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. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Target Sector: The program targets the industry sector, with a specific focus on leveraging Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts (SSH) to address industry needs. This includes a broad range of activities related to innovation, technology adoption, understanding customer needs, legal requirements, market access, and organizational development. The specific call, HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-41, falls under the "INDUSTRY" call within Horizon Europe, suggesting a focus on manufacturing and production-related industries.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity explicitly mentions EU countries and non-EU/non-Associated Countries that have made specific provisions for funding participants in Horizon Europe projects.

Project Stage: The project stage varies depending on the specific type of action. Innovation Actions (IA) suggest projects closer to demonstration and commercialization, while Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) indicate projects in the research, development, and validation stages. Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) focus on networking, coordination, and dissemination activities.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary widely depending on the specific topic within the call. The budget overview provides a detailed breakdown:
HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-01: €6,000,000 to €8,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-04: €5,000,000 to €8,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-05: €5,000,000 to €6,500,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-11: €5,000,000 to €7,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-12: €5,000,000 to €7,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-13: around €4,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-14: around €7,500,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-23: around €13,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-24: around €800,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-31: €5,000,000 to €7,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-41: around €1,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-44: around €3,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-45: €1,500,000 to €2,500,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-46: around €2,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-48: around €2,000,000

Application Type: The application type is an open call, with a single-stage submission process. The planned opening date is January 6, 2026, and the deadline is April 21, 2026.

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

Application Stages: The application process consists of a single stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the "Indicative number of grants" column in the budget overview provides some insight. For example, HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-01 aims to award 6 grants, while HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-48 aims to award 25 grants. The actual success rate will depend on the number of applications received.

Co-funding Requirement: The need for co-funding is not explicitly stated.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call, specifically HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-41, aims to enhance industry-academia knowledge exchange in Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH). It seeks to increase innovation capabilities within industry by leveraging the strengths of SSH disciplines to address specific challenges faced by companies, particularly SMEs. The program promotes co-creation activities like hackathons, mentorships, and exchange programs to foster a dynamic collaboration between industry and academia. Eligible applicants include a range of entities, such as SMEs, large enterprises, universities, and research institutes, ideally forming consortia. The funding is provided as a lump sum grant, and the geographic scope includes EU and associated countries, with potential provisions for non-EU countries. The call targets the industry sector, focusing on manufacturing and production, and encourages projects that are in various stages of development, from research and innovation to demonstration and commercialization. The application process is a single-stage open call with a deadline of April 21, 2026. The overall goal is to improve innovation management, organizational development, and the successful introduction of new products and technologies to the market by integrating SSH perspectives and expertise.

Short Summary

Impact
Increase innovation capabilities for industry by harnessing the potential of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) to provide effective solutions to companies' research and innovation challenges and organizational development.
Applicant
Applicants should possess expertise in Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts (SSH), along with experience in industry collaboration and co-creation methodologies.
Developments
Activities will focus on enhancing industry-academia knowledge exchange, particularly in the areas of innovation management, organizational development, and addressing socio-technical implications of new technologies.
Applicant Type
This funding is designed for universities, research institutes, industry organizations, SMEs, startups, and public-private partnerships.
Consortium
Consortia are required for this funding opportunity, emphasizing collaboration between multiple entities.
Funding Amount
€1,000,000 per project, with a total budget of €2,000,000 for approximately 2 projects.
Countries
The funding is relevant for EU member states and associated countries, as well as non-EU countries that have made specific provisions for participation in Horizon Europe projects.
Industry
The funding targets the Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) sector in collaboration with industry, particularly focusing on manufacturing and production.

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