EP PerMed - the 2nd Fast Track Call (2026)

The EP PerMed 2nd Fast Track Call (2026) is a funding opportunity within the European Partnership for Personalised Medicine, aimed at enhancing validation and commercialization of personalised medicine innovations. The call opens on December 2, 2025, with a submission deadline of March 10, 2026. The initiative provides a total funding pool of 400,000 EUR, with each project eligible for up to 80,000 EUR, intended primarily for validation services, requiring at least 70% of the budget to be allocated to such services.

Eligible applicants can include incorporated start-ups or research teams associated with academic or healthcare institutions from EU Member States or Horizon Europe associated countries. Individual private applicants are not allowed. For participation in Stage 2, a partnership with a legally registered validation center is mandatory, which must maintain legal and financial independence from the applicant.

The project maturity must be at least at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3, indicating that the solutions have moved beyond conceptual stages. The program aims to advance projects by a minimum of one TRL during a six-month validation phase, focusing on transitioning innovations towards clinical application.

The application process consists of two stages: Stage 1 involves initial submissions evaluated by experts, with the top 10 proceeding to Stage 2, where detailed project plans and budgets must be submitted, after which five projects are selected for funding based on scoring that evaluates activity excellence, feasibility, and sustainability.

The opportunity emphasizes ethical considerations through an Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues (ELSI) review within Stage 2 applications. The program aligns with broad European health policy priorities and aims to bridge the gap in validating health innovations through structured support.

Key deadlines include eligibility checks by March 26, 2026, and final project reports due by April 30, 2027. Additional informational webinars are scheduled for prospective applicants. Overall, this opportunity seeks to enable personalized medicine innovators to validate and refine their solutions within a condensed, supportive framework.

The EP PerMed 2nd Fast Track Call (2026) is a funding opportunity under the European Partnership for Personalised Medicine (EP PerMed), designed to support start-ups, small teams, and researchers in the field of personalised medicine. The program aims to accelerate the validation and commercialization of promising innovations by providing resources and guidance. The call falls under the topic HORIZON-HLTH-2023-CARE-08-01.

The call opens on December 2, 2025, and the deadline for submissions is March 10, 2026, at 16:00 Brussels time. The expected duration of participation is six months. The total funding available is 400,000 EUR. The project acronym is EP PerMed, and the full name of the EU-funded project is the European Partnership for Personalised Medicine, with grant agreement number 101137129.

The Fast Track Programme aims to provide a pathway for PM innovators to validate their solutions, obtain critical evidence, and receive feedback within a condensed timeframe. This expedited process is designed to help innovators advance their projects by at least one Technology Readiness Level (TRL) and improve their readiness for market entry and commercialization. The funding is intended to cover validation services and eligible costs, with at least 70% of the budget allocated specifically to validation services.

The main steps in the program are:

1. Apply: Applicants submit their proposals through the call application platform.
2. Selection: EP PerMed, with the help of external evaluators, will evaluate applications and invite the top ten applications to the next stage.
3. Project Plan: If selected, the applicant and their validation center of choice will be invited to create a detailed project plan of their validation study. EP PerMed, with the help of external evaluators, will evaluate the project plan and budget. If ethical approval is required for the validation study, the application for ethical approval should be submitted before contracting.
4. Funding Decision: Five out of the ten applicants will be selected and move to the contracting phase based on the selection criteria, and they will have funding disbursed upon signature of all agreements.
5. Project Implementation: The six-month joint validation study is conducted in line with the project plan and budget.
6. Final Report: The applicant, together with the validation center, will submit a final report on the validation study at the end of the project to receive the final tranche of funding.

Up to five projects will receive funding of up to 80,000 EUR per project, which can be used to cover validation services and other eligible costs. At least 70% of the budget should be allocated to user validation services.

Eligibility criteria for Stage 1:

1. Applicants must submit their initial applications via the application platform before the deadline on March 10, 2026, at 16:00 CET.
2. Stage One applications can be submitted by either an incorporated start-up or a team/researcher affiliated with an academic or healthcare research organization registered in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe associated country. Private individuals are not eligible.
3. Applications must be written in English.
4. Applicants must use and upload any templates requested and provided in the application platform or call document.
5. The solution must be at least TRL 3.
6. The proposed solution must align with the definition of Personalized Medicine (PM) as outlined in the call document.

Eligibility criteria for Stage 2:

1. Stage Two applications (project plan and project budget) must be submitted by an incorporated start-up or a team affiliated with an academic or healthcare research organization and a validation center that is legally registered in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe associated Country.
2. Applications can request a maximum of 80,000 EUR.
3. At least 70% of the budget allocated must be for validation services.
4. Applicants must use and upload any templates requested and provided in the application platform or call document.
5. Applicants and the validation center must be legally and financially independent of each other.
6. Validation projects must be no longer than six months long.

The selection process involves two proposal submissions:

1. Stage One Initial Application: submitted directly by the applicant through the call application platform. This stage score will represent 70% of the total final score.
2. Stage Two Project Plan and Budget: Stage One applications that are positively assessed will be invited to develop a project and budget plan jointly between the applicant and their selected Validation Centre and submit it through the same call application platform. This stage score will represent 30% of the total final score.

Evaluation criteria for Stage One:

1. Activity excellence and strategic fit (45%)
2. Implementation and Feasibility (10%)
3. Impact and sustainability (45%)

The final scores of Stage One will be calculated according to the following formula: Final score Stage One = (Activity excellence and Strategic Fit score * Weight) + (Implementation & Feasibility score * Weight) + (Impact and Sustainability score * Weight). The top ten highest scoring projects will be invited to the second stage of the evaluation process.

Evaluation of Stage Two Project Plan:

Applicants invited to Stage Two will be required to develop a detailed project plan and project budget in close collaboration with the chosen validation center. Validation plans and budgets must outline the scope, actions, timeline, and resources required for the validation activities. Applicants must submit project plans and budgets through the call application platform.

This program uses lump sum funding. All budgets must be submitted using the Horizon Europe Lump Sum Budget template.

Final Score Calculation:

Final score = Score of the first stage*70% + Score of the second stage*30%

The top five ranked applicants by their final score will be awarded funding and will be invited to the program admission stage.

Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues (ELSI) Review:

All applications that submit a Stage Two application will undergo an ELSI review. As part of the Stage Two application form, participants will be asked to complete an ELSI self-assessment questionnaire.

For funding to be released and the program to begin, applicants must have achieved the following:

1. Both start-up and validation centers must sign the Financial Support Agreement.
2. Have submitted a validation plan and budget that has been successfully reviewed.
3. Where ethical approval is required for project implementation, the ethical approval required documentation must be submitted to the respective Ethical Board(s) before agreements can be signed.

Applicants can appeal against the final award decision if they suspect a breach in the evaluation and selection procedures by submitting their appeal to EIT Health via email (appeals@eithealth.eu) within seven calendar days following notification of the application outcome.

Key Dates:

Opening of the Call for Proposals submission: December 2, 2025
Deadline for Call submissions: March 10, 2026
Eligibility check outcome notification: March 26, 2026
Remote evaluation Stage 1: March 27 April 12, 2026
Remote review outcome notification Stage 1: April 17, 2026
Deadline for submission of the work Plan Stage 2: May 20, 2026
Stage 2 Validation plan and budget evaluation: May 21 June 8, 2026
Final outcome notification: June 9, 2026
Project implementation: June 30, 2026 March 31, 2027
Final project report submission deadline: April 30, 2027

An online webinar for interested applicants will be held on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at 11 am. A Q&A session will be held on March 3, 2026, at 11 am.

For more information, applicants can visit the EP PerMed 2nd Fast Track Call (2026) website or contact calls_eppermed@eithealth.eu, using the subject line: 2nd Fast Track call.

In summary, this call provides funding for start-ups, researchers, and small teams to validate their personalized medicine innovations. It is a two-stage application process where applicants need to demonstrate the excellence, feasibility, impact, and sustainability of their proposed activities. The funding aims to bridge the gap between promising research and clinical application by supporting validation services and covering eligible costs. The program emphasizes ethical considerations and provides a redress procedure for appeals. Successful applicants will receive up to 80,000 EUR to conduct a six-month validation study in collaboration with a validation center.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are incorporated start-ups or teams/researchers affiliated with an academic or healthcare research organization registered in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe associated country. Private individuals are not eligible. In Stage 2, a validation center legally registered in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe associated country is also required. The applicant and the validation center must be legally and financially independent of each other.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically cascade funding, intended to cover validation services and eligible costs. At least 70% of the budget must be allocated to user validation services. The funding is provided as a lump sum.

Consortium Requirement: A consortium is required in Stage 2, consisting of an incorporated start-up or a team affiliated with an academic or healthcare research organization and a validation center. In Stage 1, a single applicant is allowed, but progression to Stage 2 requires the formation of a consortium with a validation center.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States and Horizon Europe associated countries.

Target Sector: The program targets the health sector, specifically personalized medicine (PM). The topic is HORIZON-HLTH-2023-CARE-08-01 - European Partnership on Personalised Medicine.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity is open to EU Member States and Horizon Europe associated countries. No specific countries are explicitly named, but the eligibility is defined by membership in these two groups.

Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project is at least TRL 3. The program aims to move projects forward by at least one TRL and advance their readiness for market entry and commercialization, suggesting a focus on validation and demonstration stages.

Funding Amount: The funding amount is up to 80,000 EUR per project. A total funding of 400,000 EUR is available, which will be distributed to up to five projects.

Application Type: The application type is an open call with a single-stage deadline model, but the overall process involves two submission stages.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a grant to cover validation services and other eligible costs.

Application Stages: Applicants have to pass through two stages to obtain funding: Stage One involves submitting an initial application, and Stage Two requires submitting a project plan and budget developed jointly with a selected validation center.

Success Rates: The success rate can be estimated as follows: Top 10 applications from Stage 1 proceed to Stage 2, and then 5 out of these 10 are funded. This suggests a success rate of 50% for Stage 2 applicants and an overall success rate below 10% from initial application to funding.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement. However, applicants are expected to cover eligible costs within the provided grant, and at least 70% of the budget must be allocated to validation services, implying that the remaining 30% could potentially be covered by other sources if needed.

Summary:

The EP PerMed 2nd Fast Track Call (2026) is a funding opportunity designed to support start-ups, small teams, and researchers in the field of personalized medicine. The program aims to accelerate the validation and commercialization of promising PM innovations by providing funding of up to 80,000 EUR per project. The call is structured in two stages: an initial application and a project plan and budget submission in collaboration with a validation center.

To be eligible, applicants must be incorporated start-ups or teams/researchers affiliated with academic or healthcare research organizations registered in EU Member States or Horizon Europe associated countries. The proposed solutions must be at least at TRL 3 and align with the definition of personalized medicine. The funding is intended to cover validation services and eligible costs, with at least 70% of the budget allocated to validation services.

The selection process involves evaluation by external experts based on criteria such as activity excellence, strategic fit, implementation feasibility, impact, and sustainability. The top five ranked applicants will be awarded funding and invited to the program admission stage, where they will sign a Financial Support Agreement. The program also includes an Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues (ELSI) review to ensure that ethical considerations are addressed.

The timeline includes key dates such as the opening of the call on December 2, 2025, the deadline for submissions on March 10, 2026, and the final outcome notification on June 9, 2026. The project implementation is expected to take place from June 30, 2026, to March 31, 2027, with a final report due on April 30, 2027.

In essence, this call provides a fast track for personalized medicine innovators to validate their solutions, obtain critical evidence, and advance their projects towards clinical use and commercialization within a condensed timeframe of six months. It is a cascade funding mechanism under the European Partnership for Personalised Medicine, aiming to de-risk the EP PerMed portfolio and support the development of personalized medicine solutions.