Fostering Opportunity in Regional Growth across Europe (FORGE)

Fostering Opportunity in Regional Growth across Europe (FORGE) is an EIT Health cascade funding call under the Business Plan 2026–2028 seeking a consortium to design and deliver a blended capacity-building programme for regional health innovation ecosystems. The total call budget is €125,000 for projects of 24 months and eligible applicants are consortia of two to four organisations such as universities, technology transfer offices, accelerators, innovation agencies and clusters. Applications must be submitted via the EIT Health platform after registering for a PIC in the EU Funding and Tenders Portal by 02 November 2026 at 16:00 Brussels time. Proposals are externally evaluated, shortlisted applicants will pitch online, and only submissions scoring at least 70 out of 100 will be considered for funding.

Call at a glance

Essential facts

What it funds:design and delivery of a blended capacity-building programme for regional health innovation ecosystem actors (online learning, workshops, mentoring, study visits, peer learning) targeting Regional Innovation Scheme (RIS) regions.

Total budget and duration:Total funding available: €125,000. Expected project duration: 24 months.

1. 1Who can apply: consortia of 2 to 4 organisations with complementary expertise (universities, TTOs, accelerators, innovation agencies, clusters, RTOs or similar).
2. 2Eligible activities: programme design, delivery and evaluation of ecosystem capacity-building in RIS regions.
3. 3Selection process: single-stage submission, eligibility check, online pitching (panel of experts), Ethical Legal Social Issues review; minimum score to be considered for funding: 70/100.

How to apply:register your organisation on the EU Funding & Tenders portal to obtain a PIC, then submit via EIT Health’s application platform. Applicants must be available for scheduled pitching sessions and accept assigned times.

Call documents and application details are provided in the official call documentation Official call document ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Latest call documentation and submission platform links available at the EU Funding & Tenders Portal opportunity page: ec.europa.eu

Call identity and administrative details

Call title:Fostering Opportunity in Regional Growth across Europe (FORGE). Associated project acronym: EIT Health 26-28. Full name of the EU funded project: EIT Health Business Plan 2026-2028. Grant agreement / Identifier: HORIZON-EIT; Project ID 101269968. Opening date: 02 September 2026. Submission deadline: 02 November 2026 at 16:00 Brussels time. Deadline model: single-stage. Expected duration of participation: 24 months. Total funding available for this call: €125,000. Programme period: 2021-2027. Status: Open for submission at time of publication.

What the call requests and scope

Purpose:Select a subgrantee consortium to design and deliver the FORGE programme, a flagship capacity-building initiative that empowers regional health innovation ecosystem actors to become drivers of sustainable innovation across Europe. The programme must be delivered as a blended learning offering combining online learning, interactive workshops, mentoring, study visits, and peer learning. Target participants: actors from Regional Innovation Scheme (RIS) regions and other regional health innovation ecosystem stakeholders who will strengthen capabilities in ecosystem development, stakeholder engagement, innovation support, and strategic planning.

Key expected outcomes:More resilient and connected regional innovation ecosystems; implementation support for impactful ecosystem strategies; formation of a new generation of local ecosystem builders able to drive long-term change across European health innovation networks ¹.

Eligible applicants and consortium requirements

This call is open to consortia only. A minimum of two and a maximum of four eligible organisations must form the consortium. Eligible organisation types explicitly encouraged include universities and higher education institutions, technology transfer offices, accelerators, innovation agencies and regional development organisations, innovation clusters and ecosystem-building organisations, research and technology organisations, and other organisations with demonstrated expertise in health innovation and ecosystem capacity building. The consortium must bring complementary expertise in ecosystem building, innovation support, education, entrepreneurship and capacity-building programme delivery.

Eligibility, submission and evaluation process

How to apply:Step 1 register your organisation in the EU Funding & Tenders Portal to obtain a Participant Identification Code (PIC). Step 2 apply via EIT Health's application platform by clicking the Apply button on the EIT Health call page. The call is single-stage (no prior shortlisting) and features an admissibility and eligibility check, online pitching, an Ethical, Legal and Social Issues (ELSI) review, and final selection and contracting.

1. 1Admissibility and eligibility check performed by EIT Health staff, verifying compliance with application conditions and call rules (referenced chapters 3.1-3.4 in the call document).
2. 2Online Pitching: invited applicants must attend pitching sessions. Each session consists of a pitch and Q&A. Evaluation panels will comprise three external independent experts and up to two EIT Health subject matter experts.
3. 3Scoring: each panel member scores applications (application, pitch and Q&A). Final score per application is the mean of reviewers' scores, total out of 100.
4. 4ELSI Review: independent experts assess ethical, legal and social aspects of projects proposed for funding to de-risk the EIT Health portfolio.
5. 5Final Selection Notification: EIT Health management makes funding decisions based on expert recommendations, scores and available funding. Only proposals scoring at least 70/100 will be considered for funding. Top-ranked proposals will be invited to contracting; if a top-ranked applicant fails contracting the next ranked applicant with at least 70/100 may be selected.

Important dates and timeline

Funding, financial model and amounts

Funding type:grant (cascade funding / subgranting model under EIT Health Business Plan 2026-2028). Total budget allocated to this call: €125,000. The opportunity description on the portal lists €125,000 as the amount available; applicants should consult the official call document for per-beneficiary/subgrant maximum amounts and financial rules. Funding modality: EIT Health will select subgrantee(s) and enter contracting; the selected consortium will receive monetary support to implement the FORGE programme.

Geographic eligibility and target countries

Beneficiary scope:European focus. The activity targets participants from Regional Innovation Scheme (RIS) regions across Europe; applicants should be organisations eligible under EIT Health / Horizon EIT rules (typically entities legally established in EU Member States and associated countries). The scraped content does not list specific countries; applicants must consult the official call documentation and EIT Health guidance for precise eligible country lists and legal entity rules.

Target sectors and technology focus

Primary sector:health and health innovation ecosystems. The call targets ecosystem building, capacity building, education, entrepreneurship support, technology transfer and regional innovation strengthening rather than a specific technology. Relevant thematic areas include health innovation strategy, stakeholder engagement, innovation support services, education for ecosystem builders, and support for regional health innovation actors.

Project maturity and expected activities

Project stage:capacity-building and implementation of learning programmes; expected maturity ranges from programme design and development through delivery, validation and demonstration of impact at regional ecosystem level. Activities include instructional design, content creation, workshop facilitation, mentoring, organising study visits, peer learning events, monitoring and evaluation, and stakeholder engagement.

Application format, templates and practical guidance

Application type:open competitive call, single-stage submission through EIT Health's application platform after PIC registration on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Applicants must register organisations to obtain PIC, then submit via the EIT Health platform. The evaluation includes a mandatory online pitch; applicants must be available for assigned pitching slots and cannot request rearrangements. Applicants should consult the official call document and supporting documents on the EIT Health call page for application templates, detailed eligibility criteria (chapters 3.1-3.4 referenced), budgets, workplan templates and required annexes.

Template and application structure (summary outline based on call references):Applicants should prepare a complete application consisting of: consortium composition and legal details (PICs); background and track record of each partner; detailed programme design and learning curriculum; workplan and Gantt for 24 months; deliverables and milestones; budget and budget justification; monitoring and evaluation plan; risk and mitigation plan including ELSI considerations; communication and dissemination plan; letters of commitment or partnership agreements where applicable. The official call document provides the exact application form and annex templates — applicants must use those templates when available ¹.

Selection thresholds, stages and success likelihood

Application stages:single-stage submission followed by: admissibility and eligibility check (stage 1); invited online pitching and Q&A evaluated by panel members (stage 2); Ethical, Legal and Social Issues review for proposals recommended for funding (stage 3); final selection and contracting (stage 4). Total stages: 4. Scoring: final score out of 100; the minimum score required for consideration is 70/100. Success rates: the scraped content does not provide historical success rate percentages or number of awards to be made; given the total budget (€125,000) and typical EIT subgrant sizes, competition is expected to be selective. Applicants should treat success as competitive and plan high-quality applications aligned with evaluation criteria.

Co-funding, financial obligations and contractual notes

Co-funding requirement:the scraped content does not explicitly state whether applicants must provide co-funding or in-kind contributions. Applicants must consult the official call document and EIT Health financial rules to determine co-funding requirements, eligible costs, indirect costs and reporting obligations. Contracting: successful applicants will be invited to contract with EIT Health starting 01 January 2027.

Who should apply and recommended consortium composition

1. 1Universities and higher education institutions with experience in health innovation education and executive training.
2. 2Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs) or units with demonstrated ability to support commercialization and knowledge transfer.
3. 3Innovation agencies, regional development organisations and cluster organisations experienced in ecosystem building and stakeholder engagement.
4. 4Accelerators, incubators or organisations delivering entrepreneurship and mentoring programmes in health/biotech/medtech sectors.
5. 5Research and technology organisations with capacity-building experience and networks in regional innovation.

Key risks and compliance considerations

Applicants must ensure timely registration on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and prepare for the mandatory pitch session dates. Ethical, legal and social issues must be proactively addressed in proposals as ELSI review is part of evaluation. Ensure consortium partners are legally eligible entities per EIT Health rules and able to sign grants/contracts. Be aware of limited total budget and plan realistic deliverables and costs.

Where to find official documents and support

Primary sources:the EIT Health call page for FORGE and the EU Funding & Tenders Portal opportunity entry. The call page lists an official call document, supporting documents and registrations for an information session and open Q&A (Call Information Session 9 September 2026; Open Q&A 20 October 2026). Applicants must consult the official call document (Latest Version 2 September 2026) and use the EIT Health application platform to submit. The EU Portal opportunity URL (reference) is: ec.europa.eu.

Categorisation answers (detailed extraction)

Eligible Applicant Types:Consortia of organisations. Specifically encouraged types: universities and higher education institutions, technology transfer offices, innovation agencies and regional development organisations, accelerators, innovation clusters and ecosystem-building organisations, research and technology organisations, and other organisations with demonstrated health innovation and capacity-building expertise. Individuals are not indicated as eligible. Public bodies or NGOs may be eligible if they match the listed organisation types and legal entity requirements in the call document.

Funding Type:Grant. This is a cascade funding / subgranting action under the EIT Health Business Plan 2026-2028 (EIT KIC instrument within Horizon framework).

Consortium Requirement:Consortium required. Minimum two and maximum four partner organisations per consortium.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):European focus, targeting participants from Regional Innovation Scheme (RIS) regions. Applicants should be legal entities eligible under EIT Health/Horizon rules (usually EU Member States and associated countries). No specific country list appears in scraped text; consult official call documentation for exact eligible countries.

Target Sector:Health innovation ecosystems, capacity building, innovation support, education and entrepreneurship in health/medtech/biotech and technology transfer related to health.

Mentioned Countries:None explicitly named in the scraped content. Region specified: Europe and RIS regions across Europe.

Project Stage:Programme design and delivery for capacity-building; stages span design, development, delivery, validation and demonstration of ecosystem-level impact.

Funding Amount:Total call budget €125,000. The scraped content does not specify per-project or per-consortium funding caps; consult official call documentation for per-award amounts.

Application Type:Open competitive call with single-stage submission via EIT Health application platform after PIC registration on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Nature of Support:Monetary grant funding to the selected consortium (subgrant). Non-monetary support expected in the form of EIT Health oversight, guidance and potential networking opportunities.

Application Stages:Four main stages: admissibility/eligibility check, online pitching and Q&A evaluation, ELSI review, final selection and contracting.

Success Rates:Not provided in the scraped information. Only proposals scoring 70/100 or higher will be eligible for selection. Given limited total budget and expected competition, success rates are likely low; applicants should assume competitive selection.

Co-funding Requirement:Not explicitly stated in the scraped content. Applicants must check the official call document for mandatory co-funding, in-kind contribution requirements or allowed cost categories. Budget justification and realistic cost allocation will be required during application.

Concise step-by-step applicant checklist

1. 1Register your organisation on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and obtain a PIC number.
2. 2Assemble a consortium of 2-4 partners with complementary expertise in health innovation ecosystem building and capacity building.
3. 3Download and study the official call document and supporting documents on the EIT Health call page.
4. 4Prepare the application using the official templates: consortium declaration, workplan, budget and annexes (see call document).
5. 5Ensure capacity to attend an assigned online pitching slot in mid-November 2026 and prepare pitch materials and a Q&A plan.
6. 6Address Ethical, Legal and Social Issues proactively in the application and prepare supporting documentation for ELSI review.
7. 7Submit the full application via EIT Health’s application platform by 02 November 2026 16:00 Brussels time.

Summary:What is this opportunity about and how to explain it?

The FORGE call seeks to fund a small number of consortia to design and deliver a blended capacity-building programme for regional health innovation ecosystem actors across Europe, with a particular emphasis on RIS regions. The aim is to strengthen local ecosystem capacities in innovation support, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement and entrepreneurship to create more resilient and connected regional innovation systems that can drive long-term change in health innovation. Eligible applicants must form consortia of two to four complementary organisations (universities, TTOs, accelerators, innovation agencies, clusters, research organisations, etc.). The selection process is competitive and single-stage but includes an admissibility check, mandatory online pitching with Q&A, ELSI review and final contracting. Applicants should register on the EU Portal to obtain a PIC, prepare a full application using the official call templates, and be ready to pitch in November 2026. Total funding available for this action is €125,000 and the selected project(s) will run for 24 months starting 01 January 2027. For authoritative details, application templates, budgets and eligibility rules consult the official EIT Health call page and the EU Funding & Tenders Portal opportunity entry EIT Health FORGE call and EU Portal opportunity record. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1The official call document and supporting documents provide the exact application form templates, budget templates, eligibility rules and annex requirements. Applicants must use those official templates available on the EIT Health call page and EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

FORGE is a multi-topic cascade funding call under EIT Health 26-28 that focuses on strengthening regional health innovation capacity across Europe and supporting organisations that can equip innovation agencies, universities, technology transfer offices, accelerators, and clusters with the knowledge and tools to drive innovation[1][5][9].

Core call facts

What the funding is about

The call is designed to support a blended capacity-building programme that helps regional health innovation actors build skills, strategies, and connections needed to strengthen local and cross-border health innovation ecosystems[1][5]. The broader EIT Health Business Plan 2026-2028 aims to accelerate health innovation, develop talent, and reinforce Europe's health ecosystem[9].

Who can apply

The published call summary indicates that EIT Health is seeking an experienced consortium capable of designing and delivering the programme[5]. The target ecosystem described in the opportunity includes innovation agencies, universities, technology transfer offices, accelerators, and clusters working in regional health innovation[1][5].

• Consortia with proven capacity to design and deliver training or capacity-building activities[5].
• Organisations active in regional health innovation ecosystems, including innovation agencies, universities, TTOs, accelerators, and clusters[1].
• Applicants able to work at European scale and support regional impact across multiple countries[1][5].

How to apply and how proposals are assessed

1. 1Register your organisation in the EU Funding and Tenders Portal to obtain a PIC number[1].
2. 2Submit the application through the EIT Health application platform[1].
3. 3Pass the admissibility and eligibility check carried out by EIT Health staff against the call conditions[1].
4. 4If invited, take part in an online pitch and question and answer session that cannot be rescheduled to suit applicant availability[1].
5. 5Undergo an ethical, legal, and social issues review by independent experts[1].
6. 6Receive a final ranking and funding decision based on expert scores, recommendations, and available funding[1].

Evaluation details and applicant implications

Each proposal is reviewed by a panel of three external independent experts and up to two EIT Health subject matter experts, and the final score is calculated as the mean of the reviewers' scores out of 100[1]. Applicants must be ready for the assigned pitch slot because EIT Health states that pitching times cannot be rearranged[1].

Only applicants with a final evaluation score of at least 70 out of 100 are considered for funding, and the top-ranked applications are invited to contracting[1]. If a selected applicant does not complete contracting, the next ranked applicant may be approached, provided that the score threshold has also been met[1].

What applicants should know

The notice shows a total call budget of €125000 and a project duration of 24 months, but the extracted materials do not display a public funding rate or a per-project minimum and maximum grant amount[1]. Applicants should therefore review the full call documentation carefully for any additional admissibility, eligibility, or consortium composition requirements before submitting.