Implementing research infrastructure technology roadmaps

The Horizon Europe Research Infrastructures 2025 grant opportunity, identified as HORIZON-INFRA, aims to enhance European research infrastructures through the implementation of technology roadmaps. This initiative specifically focuses on projects structured as European Research Infrastructure Consortia (ERIC) and supports collaborative efforts across multiple sectors, including energy, environment, health, and more. Eligible applicants include consortia consisting of research institutions, universities, public-private partnerships, and intergovernmental organizations. Each proposal must involve at least two distinct research infrastructures. The geographic scope is primarily limited to EU member states, associated countries, and may extend to select non-EU countries. The funding type is designated as a grant under the Horizon Europe framework, specifically within Research and Innovation Actions (RIA). The expected funding amount for successful projects typically falls between €1 million and €5 million, depending on specific project conditions. Notably, projects should align with existing technology roadmaps and focus on development and validation phases. The application procedure is an open call format with a single-stage submission required by September 18, 2025. While there are no specific co-funding requirements detailed, beneficiaries are generally expected to supplement EU funding contributions. The success rates for applications in this competitive grant are anticipated to be around 10% to 39%. In summary, this grant opportunity seeks to bolster Europe’s research infrastructure landscape by fostering innovation and collaboration across research and industrial sectors. It aims to tackle technological challenges and enhance overall competitiveness within the EU while addressing strategic needs related to manufacturing capabilities and fostering the growth of innovative-technological ecosystems.

The Horizon Europe Research Infrastructures 2025 call (HORIZON-INFRA-2025-01) includes several funding opportunities aimed at enhancing European research infrastructures. The call is structured around different types of actions, including Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) and Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), each with specific objectives and budget allocations. The general call information includes the programme, which is Horizon Europe (HORIZON), and the call which is Research Infrastructures 2025 (HORIZON-INFRA-2025-01). The submission deadline for all topics is September 18, 2025, at 17:00:00 Brussels time, and all topics are single-stage submissions.

The expected outcomes of the projects funded under this call include:enhanced scientific and technological competitiveness of European research infrastructures, increased research infrastructure capacities to address research challenges and EU policy priorities, increased technological level of European industries through the co-development of advanced technologies, increased availability of research infrastructure component manufacturing capabilities in Europe, long-term integration of research infrastructures into local, regional, and global research and innovation ecosystems, and strengthened foundations for the development of innovative companies in Europe.

The scope of the call emphasizes the need for constant technology development and upgrades in research infrastructures to meet the evolving requirements of user communities. It highlights the importance of co-creation with industrial partners, especially SMEs, and addresses the issue of lacking manufacturing capabilities within the EU, which impacts Europe's technological sovereignty.

Specific conditions include admissibility conditions related to proposal page limits and layout, eligible countries as defined in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, and additional eligibility criteria requiring proposals to include at least two different research infrastructures as beneficiaries, each being an ESFRI Landmark, ERIC, or another international European research organisation.

Financial support to third parties is allowed in the form of grants, with the possibility of exceeding the standard limit of €60,000 if duly justified. Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP) subcontracting activities are also encouraged to foster the competitive development of new solutions and open market opportunities for industry and SMEs.

Applicants are advised to consult various guidance documents, including the Horizon Europe Programme Guide, Online Manual, and FAQs, and to contact National Contact Points (NCPs) and the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) for support.

The budget overview for the call includes the following topics:

HORIZON-INFRA-2025-01-DEV-01:HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions, with a budget of €10,000,000, contributions ranging from €1,000,000 to €1,500,000, and an indicative number of 8 grants.

HORIZON-INFRA-2025-01-DEV-02:HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions, with a budget of €16,500,000, contributions ranging from €1,000,000 to €1,500,000, and an indicative number of 11 grants.

HORIZON-INFRA-2025-01-DEV-03:HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, with a budget of €30,000,000, contributions ranging from €3,000,000 to €4,000,000, and an indicative number of 8 grants.

HORIZON-INFRA-2025-01-DEV-04:HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions, with a budget of €3,000,000, contributions ranging from €1,500,000 to €3,000,000, and an indicative number of 1 grant.

HORIZON-INFRA-2025-01-DEV-05:HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions, with a budget of €4,500,000, contributions ranging from €1,000,000 to €1,500,000, and an indicative number of 3 grants.

HORIZON-INFRA-2025-01-EOSC-01:HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, with a budget of €30,000,000, contributions ranging from €6,000,000 to €8,000,000, and an indicative number of 4 grants.

HORIZON-INFRA-2025-01-EOSC-02:HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, with a budget of €16,000,000, contributions ranging from €5,000,000 to €8,000,000, and an indicative number of 2 grants.

HORIZON-INFRA-2025-01-EOSC-03:HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, with a budget of €15,000,000, contributions ranging from €7,500,000 to €15,000,000, and an indicative number of 2 grants.

HORIZON-INFRA-2025-01-EOSC-04:HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions, with a budget of €8,000,000, contributions ranging from €5,000,000 to €8,000,000, and an indicative number of 1 grant.

HORIZON-INFRA-2025-01-EOSC-05:HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, with a budget of €37,500,000, contributions ranging from €7,500,000 to €10,000,000, and an indicative number of 4 grants.

HORIZON-INFRA-2025-01-SERV-01:HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, with a budget of €30,000,000, contributions around €10,000,000, and an indicative number of 3 grants.

HORIZON-INFRA-2025-01-SERV-02:HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, with a budget of €20,000,000, contributions around €5,000,000, and an indicative number of 4 grants.

HORIZON-INFRA-2025-01-SERV-03:HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, with a budget of €20,000,000, contributions around €10,000,000, and an indicative number of 2 grants.

HORIZON-INFRA-2025-01-SERV-04:HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, with a budget of €20,000,000, contributions around €5,000,000, and an indicative number of 5 grants.

HORIZON-INFRA-2025-01-TECH-01:HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, with a budget of €25,000,000, contributions around €5,000,000, and an indicative number of 5 grants.

HORIZON-INFRA:HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, with a budget of €45,000,000, contributions around €10,000,000, and an indicative number of 4 grants.

HORIZON-INFRA-2025-01-TECH-03:HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, with a budget of €30,000,000, contributions ranging from €7,000,000 to €10,000,000 and an indicative number of 4 grants.

HORIZON-INFRA-2025-01-TECH-04:HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, with a budget of €40,000,000, contributions ranging from €8,000,000 to €10,000,000 and an indicative number of 4 grants.

In summary, this Horizon Europe call aims to bolster the European research infrastructure landscape by fostering technological advancements, promoting collaboration between academia and industry, and addressing strategic needs related to manufacturing capabilities and technological sovereignty. It supports a wide range of activities, from coordination and support actions to research and innovation actions, with a focus on implementing technology roadmaps and enhancing the innovation potential of research infrastructures. The call encourages the involvement of SMEs and the use of pre-commercial procurement to drive the development of cutting-edge solutions.

This Horizon Europe call is about investing in the future of European research infrastructures. It recognizes that these infrastructures are not static entities but require continuous upgrades and technological advancements to remain competitive and relevant. The call is designed to encourage collaboration between research institutions and industry, particularly SMEs, to develop and implement new technologies that will enhance the capabilities of these infrastructures. A key focus is on addressing gaps in European manufacturing capabilities to ensure that Europe maintains its technological independence. By funding projects that implement community-driven technology roadmaps, the call aims to create a more robust, innovative, and globally competitive research ecosystem in Europe. The call is structured to support both coordination activities and hands-on research and innovation, with a significant emphasis on translating research into practical applications and fostering the growth of innovative companies.

Eligible Applicant Types:The eligible applicant types for this opportunity include research infrastructures, industrial partners, including SMEs, and other technological partners. Specifically, the proposals must include at least two different research infrastructures as beneficiaries, each of them being an ESFRI Landmark, a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC), or another research infrastructure that is an international European research organisation. While industry, including SMEs, or other technological partners do not need to be consortium members, proposals should show evidence of their commitment via engagement letters or other forms of endorsement.

Funding Type:The primary financial mechanism used in this program is a grant, specifically HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA) under the Horizon Europe Programme. Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP) subcontracting activities are also encouraged. Beneficiaries may provide financial support to third parties in the form of grants.

Consortium Requirement:A consortium of multiple applicants is required, with a specific condition that proposals must include at least two different research infrastructures as beneficiaries. The participation of two nodes of the same ESFRI infrastructure or ERIC does not count as two different research infrastructures.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):The geographic eligibility includes EU member states, associated countries, and potentially non-EU/non-associated countries that have made specific provisions for funding their participants in Horizon Europe projects. The Horizon Europe Programme Guide provides information on eligible countries.

Target Sector:The program targets the research infrastructures sector, with a focus on technology development, manufacturing, and innovation ecosystems. Specific communities mentioned include accelerator, light source, and astronomy communities. The program also aims to foster the innovation potential of research infrastructures by reinforcing partnerships with industry, including SMEs, and promoting knowledge transfer and dissemination activities.

Mentioned Countries:The opportunity mentions EU member states and associated countries. It also refers to non-EU/non-Associated Countries that have made specific provisions for funding their participants in Horizon Europe projects.

Project Stage:The expected maturity of the project for this opportunity includes technology development, prototyping, R&D, integration, and validation. Projects should implement significant parts of, or entire existing research infrastructure technology roadmaps.

Funding Amount:The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic and type of action (RIA or CSA). The indicative contributions range from €1,000,000 to €15,000,000 for CSA actions and €3,000,000 to €10,000,000 or more for RIA actions. Some specific topics have contributions "around" a certain amount, such as €5,000,000 or €10,000,000.

Application Type:The application type is an open call with a single-stage submission process.

Nature of Support:Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of grants. They may also provide financial support to third parties in the form of grants, with a maximum amount that can exceed €60,000 if duly justified.

Application Stages:The application process involves a single stage.

Success Rates:The success rates are not explicitly mentioned in the provided text. However, the indicative number of grants for each topic provides some insight into the potential success rate, which would depend on the number of proposals received.

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

Summary:This Horizon Europe call, Research Infrastructures 2025 (HORIZON-INFRA-2025-01), aims to enhance the scientific and technological competitiveness of European research infrastructures. It seeks to upgrade and develop new technologies for research infrastructures, address EU policy priorities, and foster innovation through collaboration between research infrastructures, industry (including SMEs), and other technological partners. The call supports Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) with varying funding amounts, and it encourages Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP) activities. Eligible applicants must form a consortium that includes at least two different research infrastructures, and projects should implement existing technology roadmaps through co-creation with industrial partners. The call is open to EU member states, associated countries, and potentially non-EU/non-associated countries with specific funding provisions. The application process is a single-stage submission, and beneficiaries will receive funding in the form of grants. The call aims to strengthen Europe's technological sovereignty and promote the long-term integration of research infrastructures into local, regional, and global innovation ecosystems.