I3FLOAT 1st Open Call

I3FLOAT 1st Open Call offers cascade grants to SMEs for near-to-market innovations in floating offshore wind, targeting projects at TRL 6–8. The call has a total budget of €2,520,000 and provides up to €60,000 per SME or €120,000 for two-SME consortia. Projects must be implemented over 12 months between 1 January 2027 and 31 December 2027; the call opened on 7 September 2026 and the submission deadline is 10 November 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time. Eligible applicants are SMEs under the EU definition with headquarters or an affiliate in I3FLOAT regions or specified Less Developed, Outermost or Overseas Regions, applications must be in English via the Goodgrants platform and are subject to financial capacity checks and a three-step evaluation process.

What it funds

Scope and technology readiness

Cascade funding to support SMEs developing technological innovations for Floating Offshore Wind. Projects should be close to commercialisation (expected TRL 6–8) and respond to one identified Specific Challenge (11 available) or one Open Challenge (44 prioritised innovation lines).

Funding amounts:Total budget available €2,520,000. Individual SME grants up to €60,000; a single application may include up to two SMEs from different eligible regions for a combined maximum of €120,000. Selected SMEs also receive advisory support and access to the I3FLOAT ecosystem ¹.

1. 1Who can apply: SMEs (European definition) with HQ or affiliate in an eligible I3FLOAT region, members of an I3FLOAT cluster partner by June 2026, or established in a Less Developed, Outermost or Overseas Region.
2. 2Consortia: applications may be submitted by one SME alone or by up to two SMEs from different eligible regions; one SME must act as coordinator.
3. 3Eligibility rules: one application per SME (if multiple submitted only the last is admissible), proposals must address exactly one challenge, applicants must demonstrate financial capacity and have no ownership link to I3FLOAT consortium partners.
4. 4Language and timing: applications in English only; projects run for 12 months (implementation window 1 Jan 2027 to 31 Dec 2027).

Evaluation:three-step process (eligibility check, qualitative evaluation by partners/advisors, ranking by challenge). The call will fund up to 10 Open Challenge innovations and up to 11 Specific Challenge innovations (one per Specific Challenge).

Footnotes

1. 1Submission Toolkit and full call documentation, including eligible regions, eligible costs and application form, are available from the I3FLOAT resources and the official submission platform. See the Submission Toolkit and application portal for details Submission Toolkit

The I3FLOAT 1st Open Call is a cascade funding opportunity under the Interregional Innovation Investments Strand 1 I3-2024-INV1 implemented by the I3FLOAT consortium and co-funded by the European Union through EISMEA. The call targets SMEs developing technological solutions for the Floating Offshore Wind (FOW) sector with projects close to commercialisation (expected current TRL 6–8). Total cascade funding available for this 1st Open Call is €2,520,000. Projects must be implemented between 1 January 2027 and 31 December 2027. The call opens on 7 September 2026 and the submission deadline is 10 November 2026, 17:00 CET (Brussels time).

Eligible Applicant Types

Eligible applicants are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as defined by the European Commission. Applications may be submitted by one SME alone or by a collaboration of up to two SMEs from different eligible regions. Consortia of SMEs must submit a single joint proposal with one SME acting as coordinator. Specific eligibility constraints include: applicants must not have any ownership connection with any partner of the I3FLOAT consortium; only one application per SME is allowed (if multiple are submitted only the last submitted will be admissible); applications must be written in English; applicants must demonstrate financial stability and pass a financial check. Membership in, or headquarters/affiliate located in, eligible I3FLOAT regions or being established in a Less Developed Region (LDR), Outermost Region or Overseas Region as defined by the Submission Toolkit are required where applicable.

Funding Type and Amount

Primary financial mechanism:Grant via cascade funding to SMEs.

Per-applicant funding:A single SME applicant may request up to €60,000. A proposal may include up to two SMEs from two different regions; in that case the maximum combined budget for the project application is €120,000.

Total funding available:€2,520,000 for the 1st Open Call (I3FLOAT cascade funding tranche).

Consortium Requirement and Application Type

The call accepts single-SME applications or collaborative applications of two SMEs. SMEs applying as a consortium must submit one joint application with one SME designated as coordinator responsible for submission and follow-up. The call uses a single-stage, open call model where applicants complete and submit the online application form on the Goodgrants platform before the fixed deadline.

Geographic Eligibility (Beneficiary Scope)

Geographic eligibility is limited to SMEs headquartered or with an affiliated entity in one of the regions represented in the I3FLOAT consortium, SMEs that are members of a cluster partner within I3FLOAT by June 2026, or SMEs established in eligible Less Developed Regions (LDR), Outermost Regions or Overseas Regions according to European Commission definitions. Applicants should consult the Submission Toolkit for the full list of eligible regions and cluster membership conditions ¹.

Target Sectors and Thematic Scope

Thematic focus is Floating Offshore Wind (FOW) across the value chain. The call targets technologies and services addressing innovation lines included in the I3FLOAT Floating Offshore Wind Strategic Innovation Agenda. Key areas include: floating substructures, mooring systems and dynamic cables; electrical infrastructure and grid connection; wind turbine, tower or alternative supporting structures and FOW-specific control; industrialisation; logistics and offshore installation; operation, maintenance and decommissioning. The call accepts applications for two types of challenges: Open Challenges (aligned with 44 prioritised innovation lines) and Specific Challenges (11 sectoral needs proposed by Challenge Owners).

Specific Challenges — List of Challenge Owners and Topics

Project Stage and Expected TRL

The call targets late-stage development projects close to commercialisation. Expected current Technology Readiness Level (TRL) for funded projects is TRL 6–8 (system/subsystem demonstration in relevant environment to system complete and qualified).

Eligible Costs, Duration and Implementation Period

Projects must be implemented within a defined 12-month period. The implementation window for funded projects is from 1 January 2027 to 31 December 2027. Eligible costs, funding rules, payment conditions and reporting obligations are detailed in the Submission Toolkit; applicants must follow the eligible costs guidance in that document and the call-specific requirements.

Application and Submission Process

Applications must be submitted via the Goodgrants online platform before the deadline:10 November 2026, 17:00 CET (Brussels time). The call uses a single-stage submission. The submission process and required documentation are described in the Submission Toolkit and related documents (Submission Toolkit includes templates, annexes, financial self-assessment tools and detailed guidance) ¹.

Application language and exclusivity:All applications must be in English. Each SME may submit only one application; multiple submissions by the same SME will result in only the last submitted being admissible.

Evaluation, Selection and Success Stages

The evaluation and selection process is overseen by an Evaluation Committee (BASQUENERGY Cluster and Pôle Mer Méditerranée) with participation from other I3FLOAT partners and Advisory Board members acting as evaluators. The assessment is a three-step process: eligibility check, qualitative evaluation by three evaluators, and ranking/selection. For Specific Challenges there will be a ranking list per challenge and the highest scoring proposal per Specific Challenge will be selected until available slots (one per specific challenge) are filled. For Open Challenges there will be one ranking list and proposals will be funded following the ranking until the Open Challenges budget or quotas (up to 10 Open Challenge innovations) are expended.

1. 1Stage 1: Eligibility check of the application form (completeness, SME definition, regional/cluster eligibility, single-challenge alignment, English language, absence of ownership connection with consortium partners, financial capacity self-assessment).
2. 2Stage 2: Qualitative evaluation by three evaluators (I3FLOAT partners or Advisory Board members) according to published evaluation criteria in the Submission Toolkit.
3. 3Stage 3: Ranking and selection. For Specific Challenges a dedicated ranking per challenge will be used to select the top scoring application; for Open Challenges a single ranking is used until the Open Challenge funding envelope is exhausted.

Number of application stages:3 (eligibility, qualitative scoring by three evaluators, ranking/selection).

Success Rates and Quotas

The call will fund up to 11 innovations corresponding to each of the 11 Specific Challenges (one per specific challenge) and up to 10 innovations for Open Challenges, for a combined maximum number of selected innovations linked to the available budget and quality of applications. Exact success rate depends on the number of eligible applications received and their quality; the call provides quotas (11 specific challenge slots, up to 10 open challenge slots) rather than a fixed percent success rate. Applicants should expect competitive selection where only top-ranked proposals per challenge will be funded.

Co-funding and Financial Conditions

The information provided indicates funding is grant-based cascade funding and does not explicitly state a co-funding percentage in the summary. Applicants must demonstrate financial stability and pass a financial capacity check. Applicants should consult section 7.3.1 of the Submission Toolkit and the financial capacity self-assessment tools referenced in the call documentation for detailed co-funding, eligible cost and payment conditions. The Submission Toolkit contains explicit obligations and financial checks that applicants must satisfy ¹.

Nature of Support and Additional Services

Beneficiaries will receive monetary support in the form of grants (cascade funding) to develop their proposed solutions. In addition to financial support, selected SMEs will gain access to non-monetary advisory support services provided through the I3FLOAT cluster network, which may include networking and scale-up support, access to financing opportunities and investors, business model development, intellectual property support, stakeholder mapping, communication and pitching activities, and integration into the I3FLOAT innovation ecosystem.

Application Templates and Submission Toolkit

The Submission Toolkit contains the full set of application templates, guidance and annexes required to apply: the online submission form on Goodgrants, eligibility checklists, financial capacity self-assessment tool, evaluation criteria and scoring grid, eligible costs list, reporting templates and contractual obligations. Applicants are strongly advised to download and review the Submission Toolkit and associated fact sheets for each Specific Challenge prior to preparing the application. The toolkit provides the structure to prepare application content including project description, work plan, budget, expected TRL progression, impact, market readiness, scalability, risk assessment, and requested funding justification ¹.

Key Dates and Administrative Details

Contact and Helpdesk

For clarifications regarding the I3FLOAT 1st Open Call applicants may contact the call helpdesk at msuarez@basquenergycluster.com. Additional resources including the Submission Toolkit, the Floating Offshore Wind Strategic Innovation Agenda and Specific Challenge fact sheets are available on the I3FLOAT project website and the EU Funding & Tenders Portal ¹.

Mentioned Countries / Regions

The call documentation references eligible regions represented in the I3FLOAT consortium (24 partners across 8 regions). It also explicitly mentions eligibility for SMEs headquartered in I3FLOAT regions, cluster partners, Less Developed Regions (LDR), Outermost Regions and Overseas Regions. Specific countries are not enumerated in the summary text; applicants must consult the Submission Toolkit for the complete list of eligible regions and countries.

Project Summary and Final Explanation

The I3FLOAT 1st Open Call aims to accelerate commercial deployment of technologies for Floating Offshore Wind by providing cascade grants to SMEs with late-stage innovations (TRL 6–8). The call funds solutions addressing either one of 11 Specific Challenges defined by industry Challenge Owners or one of 44 Open Challenges framed by the Floating Offshore Wind Strategic Innovation Agenda. Funding is competitive, delivered through single-stage online submission on Goodgrants, and selected projects will receive both financial grants and advisory support from the I3FLOAT cluster network. Applicants must be SMEs meeting EU SME definition and geographic eligibility criteria, must submit proposals in English, and must pass financial capacity checks. The call funds up to €60,000 per SME (€120,000 for two-SME joint proposals) and will select projects through a three-step evaluation process (eligibility, evaluation by three evaluators, ranking/selection) with quotas per specific challenge and for open challenges. Applicants should consult the Submission Toolkit, Specific Challenge fact sheets and the I3FLOAT resources on the project website for full guidance, templates and the list of eligible regions before applying ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Submission Toolkit, Specific Challenge Fact Sheets, and the I3FLOAT Floating Offshore Wind Strategic Innovation Agenda are available on the I3FLOAT project website and the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Access the main call page: I3FLOAT 1st Open Call.

I3FLOAT 1st Open Call is a cascade funding opportunity for SMEs developing near to market innovations in floating offshore wind. The call targets projects at TRL 6 to 8, supports a 12 month implementation period in 2027, and has total funding of €2,520,000.[1][2]

Key funding facts

Who can apply

The call is open to SMEs under the European SME definition. Eligible applicants must have their headquarters or an affiliated entity in one of the regions represented in the I3FLOAT consortium, or be a member of one cluster partner in the project by June 2026, or be established in a Less Developed Region, outermost region, or overseas region under European Commission definitions.[1][2]

• SMEs may apply individually or as a consortium of two SMEs from two different eligible regions.[1][2]
• One SME in the consortium must act as coordinator and submit the application.[1][2]
• Only one application per SME is allowed, and if an SME appears in more than one proposal, only the last submitted proposal is admissible.[1][2]
• Applicants must not have any ownership connection with a partner in the I3FLOAT consortium.[1][2]
• Applications must be written in English.[1][2]
• Applicants must demonstrate financial stability and capacity and complete the required financial capacity self assessment.[1][2]

What the project should address

Projects must respond to exactly one challenge. Applicants may choose an Open Challenge, aligned with one of the 44 priority innovation lines in the Floating Wind Strategic Innovation Agenda, or a Specific Challenge defined by a Challenge Owner.[1][2]

Open Challenges cover topics such as floating substructures, mooring systems and dynamic cables, electrical infrastructure and grid connection, wind turbine and supporting structures, floating wind specific control, industrialisation, logistics and offshore installation, and operation, maintenance and decommissioning.[1][2]

Specific Challenges are more narrowly defined sector needs, with examples including Single pass welding outside for local FOWT serial assembly and Logistic optimization on the transport of offshore wind structures.[1][2]

Selection and implementation

1. 1Eligibility screening of the application form.[1][2]
2. 2Qualitative evaluation by three partners of the I3FLOAT project or members of the I3 Advisory Board.[1][2]
3. 3Ranking of scores, with a separate ranking per Specific Challenge and a single ranking for Open Challenges until the budget is exhausted.[1][2]

The evaluation is overseen by BASQUENERGY Cluster and Pôle Mer Méditerranée, while other project partners and Advisory Board members participate as evaluators.[1][2]

Practical applicant takeaways

• This is a near to commercialisation opportunity, so proposals should show credible technical maturity and a clear route to deployment.[1][2]
• The funding ceiling is modest, which suggests the call is best suited to targeted development, validation, demonstration, or industrial adaptation activities rather than large scale capital intensive projects.[1][2]
• Applicants should review the Submission Toolkit carefully, especially Annex 1 for Open Challenges and Annex 2 for the list of 11 Specific Challenges.[1][2]
• Selected SMEs may also receive networking, scale up, financial advisory and valorisation support according to project communications.[1]

Applications are submitted through the Goodgrants platform, and the call was opened on 7 September 2026 at 10:00 CEST.[1][2]

Project level communications indicate that I3FLOAT plans two open calls and aims to support up to 50 SMEs with around €3,000,000 in total, while the first open call currently carries €2,520,000.[12][13][1]