Large-Scale Photonic Quantum Computing Platform Technologies

HORIZON-JU funds the development of scalable, modular and interoperable photonic quantum computing platforms with an indicative single-project budget of €9.5–€10.0 millionand a 36-month duration. Proposals must be led by a startup and include academic, industrial and RTO partners plus at least one major end-user to host a field demonstration. Projects are required to address at least two major technical roadblocks (deterministic, high-efficiency photonic entanglement and loss-tolerant architectures; and standardized integrated control stacks with reliable benchmarking) and to progress from TRL 4 to TRL 7. Submission is single-stage via the Funding & Tenders Portal (Part B page limit 40 pages) with a deadline of 30 September 2026 at 17:00 CET.

Who can apply

Lead and consortium

Call HORIZON-JU (HORIZON-JU-RIA). Proposals must be led by a startup with proven expertise in photonic quantum computing and include academic, industrial and RTO partners plus at least one major end-user to host a field demonstration.

What it funds

Large-scale, modular and interoperable photonic quantum computing platform technologies integrating hardware, control stacks and software; system-level interoperability and standardisation; field demonstrations and roadmaps for industrialisation and a European supply chain.

Funding range:Indicative grant per project €9,500,000 to €10,000,000.

1. 1Deadline: 30 September 2026 (single-stage).
2. 2Expected project duration: 36 months.
3. 3Type of action: Horizon JU Research and Innovation Action (HORIZON-JU-RIA).
4. 4Lead applicant: startup required.
5. 5Consortium: academia, industry, RTOs and at least one major end-user for field demonstration.
6. 6Geographic eligibility restricted to legal entities established in EU Member States, Norway, Iceland and associated countries listed for this topic (Canada, Israel, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Switzerland and United Kingdom); other third-country participation only if allowed in call rules or essential.
7. 7TRL: start at TRL 4 and expected to reach TRL 7 by project end.

Scope highlights:address at least two major roadblocks (deterministic high-efficiency photonic entanglement and loss-tolerant architectures; standardised integrated control stack and benchmarking); implement a coordinated R&I programme across chips, integrated control electronics, firmware, software stacks and hybrid photonic-HPC applications; build on Quantum Flagship and offer governance contributions.

Targets and expected results

Application notes:page limit 40 (Part B). Proposals should demonstrate industrialisation potential, standardised APIs, packaging and cloud protocols, and include a concrete industrial use case validated by the major end-user partner ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Topic details and submission portal: EU Funding & Tenders Portal - Topic HORIZON-JU-EUROHPC-2026-PQC-06-01.

Call and Administrative Details

Call title:Large-Scale Photonic Quantum Computing Platform Technologies. Type of action: HORIZON JU Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-JU-RIA). Host portal reference: HORIZON-JU. Opening/submission: open single-stage call with deadline 2026-09-30T00:00:00+00:00. Expected project duration: 36 months. Page limit: Part B application page limit 40 pages. Submission: electronic via the Funding & Tenders Portal submission system (use application form in Submission System, My Proposals page).

Purpose and Strategic Objective:Establish a strategic European initiative to develop scalable, modular, interoperable photonic quantum computing platform technologies, solving at least two major technical roadblocks (deterministic, high-efficiency photonic entanglement and loss-tolerant architectures; standardised integrated control stack with reliable benchmarking).

Technical and Programme Scope

Scope summary:Proposals must be led by a startup with demonstrated expertise in photonic quantum computing and form a multi-party consortium including academic, industrial and research & technology organisations (RTOs), and at least one major end-user who will host a field demonstration. Proposals should implement a coordinated durable R&I programme integrating hardware, software, system architecture and application-level use cases. Activities include platform development (semiconductor and/or glass photonic chips, deterministic single-photon sources, low-loss waveguides, on-chip detectors), integrated control electronics and firmware, system integration of modular quantum nodes with photonic interconnects, co-design of software (firmware, compilers, hybrid algorithms, APIs), validation via hardware-agnostic benchmarks and hybrid photonic-HPC applications, and industrialisation roadmaps (pilot manufacturing, QA, sovereign supply chain). Projects are expected to start at TRL 4 and reach TRL 7 at completion (see General Annex B).

Technical Outcomes Expected (Short and Medium Term):By 2028: demonstration of a photonic NISQ processor with ≥100 photonic qubits, integrating deterministic single-photon sources, low-loss waveguides, on-chip detectors, and a firmware stack (scheduler, controller, compiler), validated via hardware-agnostic benchmarks and hybrid photonic-HPC crossover applications. By 2030: delivery plan toward a full-stack, high-connectivity photonic quantum computer with modular scalability, on-chip and fibre interconnects, high-fidelity gates (indicative target error rates ≤10⁻³) and an indicative target of 1 000 photonic qubits; published interface specifications (packaging, APIs, compiler interfaces, cloud protocols compatible with telecom wavelengths); demonstrated entanglement distribution across modules and field demonstration with a major end-user use case; roadmap for pilot manufacturing and sovereign supply chain.

Eligibility and Consortium Requirements

Lead applicant:required to be a startup with demonstrated expertise in photonic quantum computing. Consortium composition: multi-actor consortium mandatory and must include: the lead startup, academic partners, industrial partners and RTOs for technology depth, and at least one major end-user who will provide a concrete use case and host the field demonstration. Projects may involve affiliated entities, associated partners and third-party in-kind contributions as described in Horizon/JU rules. Participation restrictions apply to preserve strategic assets (see Beneficiary Scope section).

1. 1Minimum consortium: one startup lead plus multiple partners across research and industry including at least one major end-user (the topic text requires a consortium, not single applicant).
2. 2Consortium should demonstrate both technological depth and market orientation, and capability to contribute to EU ecosystem governance (Quantum Flagship, STEP, Chips JU, IPCEI, EuroHPC).
3. 3Project-level TRL entry/exit: start TRL 4, target TRL 7 at project end (General Annex B).

Funding, Financial Model and Budgets

Funding type:Horizon JU action grant (budget-based Action Grant, HORIZON-AG). Primary mechanism: grant (non-repayable funding). Indicative funding envelope: the call-level Budget Overview (topic map) shows this specific topic expected grants: 1 expected grant with minimum contribution €9,500,000 and maximum contribution €10,000,000 (budgetYearMap indicated €10,000,000 in the topic map). The call-level action budgets and JU instruments should be checked in the Funding & Tenders Portal for final confirmation at submission time.

Grant form and Reporting:Form of grant: Budget-based Action Grant (HE Action Grant Budget-Based). Reporting: single-stage submission. Reporting and payments follow Horizon/JU rules; project duration expected 36 months.

Eligible Applicant Types

Eligible applicant types (detailed):startup (lead must be a startup with demonstrated photonic quantum computing expertise), SME partners, large enterprise partners (industrial partners for scale-up and manufacturing), universities, research institutes, research & technology organisations (RTOs), non-profit research organisations, public sector research organisations, end-user organisations (major industrial or infrastructure end-users), affiliated entities of beneficiaries, associated partners (non-funded participants where applicable), and international partners from eligible associated countries where allowed. Individuals cannot be coordinators but can be employed within beneficiary organisations as researchers. NGOs and standardisation bodies may participate where relevant (e.g., standards, APIs).

Beneficiary Scope and Geographic Eligibility

The topic sets specific geographic eligibility limits to protect Union strategic assets:participation and funding are limited to legal entities established in EU Member States, Norway and Iceland, and the following associated countries: Canada, Israel, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Entities from other third countries may be eligible only if identified as eligible in the List of Participating Countries in Horizon Europe at submission time or become associated during 2026-2027. Entities established in eligible countries but that are directly or indirectly controlled by non-eligible countries must demonstrate guarantees approved by their eligible country of establishment to avoid negative impact on Union strategic assets. Participants established in non-associated third countries may only participate as funded beneficiaries in very limited circumstances under General Annex rules or as associated partners without EU funding.

Mentioned Countries (explicit in topic and general annexes):EU Member States; Norway; Iceland; Canada; Israel; Republic of Korea; New Zealand; Switzerland; United Kingdom; Egypt, Japan, Morocco, Türkiye, United States not automatically listed for funding under this topic (see general annex for rules). See the List of Participating Countries for complete details and transitional arrangements. Entities subject to EU restrictive measures are not eligible.

Technology & Science Requirements

Technical/technology focus:photonic quantum computing platform technologies spanning semiconductor and glass photonic chips, deterministic single-photon sources, integrated low-loss waveguides, on-chip detectors, photonic interconnects (on-chip and fibre), integrated control electronics and firmware (scheduler, controller, compiler), software stacks (compilers, hybrid algorithms, network APIs), benchmarking tools (hardware-agnostic), hybrid photonic-HPC integration, error mitigation and correction schemes, loss-tolerant and fault-tolerant photonic architectures, entanglement distribution protocols across modules, packaging, testing and QA for manufacturing, and cloud-compatible telecom-wavelength interoperability. TRL progression: start at TRL 4, achieve TRL 7 by project end.

1. 1Science & technology items to address: deterministic high-efficiency photonic entanglement; loss-tolerant architectures for fault-tolerant scaling; integrated control stack combining photonic hardware, firmware and system software; reliable interdisciplinary benchmarking across platforms.
2. 2Platform integration elements: single-photon sources, low-loss waveguides, on-chip detectors, integrated electronics, packaging, fibre and on-chip interconnects.
3. 3Software & systems: firmware stack, scheduler, controller, compiler, network APIs, hybrid algorithms and HPC interoperation.
4. 4Validation & demonstration: hardware-agnostic benchmarks, hybrid photonic-HPC applications, and a field demonstration with a major end-user partner that tests operational constraints.

Project Stage and Expected Maturity

Project stage and TRL:Activities are expected to start at Technology Readiness Level 4 and achieve TRL 7 by the end of the project (see General Annex B). This implies validated prototypes in operationally relevant environments with integration of hardware and software stacks and demonstrated use cases.

Target Sectors and Use Cases

Target thematic sectors:quantum technologies (photonic quantum computing and quantum communication interconnects), photonics, high-performance computing (EuroHPC interoperability), optical telecom compatibility, semiconductor photonic manufacturing, AI/HPC hybrid applications, quantum applications in materials science, chemistry, optimization and industrially relevant workloads. End-user sectors: telecommunication providers, HPC centres, industrial partners with data-centre and HPC needs, national laboratories, and other industrial end-users relevant to the selected use case.

Funding Amounts and Budget Guidance

Indicative single-project contribution range:the Funding & Tenders Portal mapping for the topic indicates expected grants: 1 expected grant with minimum contribution €9,500,000 and maximum contribution €10,000,000 for the action entry shown in the topic map. The Budget Overview in the portal shows a planned 2026 budget allocation of €10,000,000 for this topic. Applicants should assume large-scale funding (multi-million euro level). Confirm amounts in the Submission System at time of application. Typical EC funding rate for JU Research and Innovation Actions applies under the applicable JU rules; check model grant agreement provisions.

Application and Evaluation

Application type:open single-stage call. Submission: use the Application Form available in the Submission System (Funding & Tenders Portal). Proposal layout: see Part B of the Application Form in the Submission System. Page limit: 40 pages for Part B. Evaluation: follows Horizon JU/JU RIA standard evaluation criteria (Excellence, Impact, Quality and efficiency of implementation) and standard scoring (0-5 scale with thresholds) as per General Annexes. For RU RIA calls check specific weighting—typically thresholds are 3/5 for individual criteria; for two-stage calls alternate thresholds may apply. Evaluation forms and templates are available in Reference Documents. Ensure compliance with ethics, security, and Do No Significant Harm requirements where applicable.

1. 1Evaluation criteria: Excellence, Impact, Quality and efficiency of implementation (see General Annex D and call-specific award criteria).
2. 2Scoring scale: 0-5, half marks possible. Individual criterion thresholds apply (see evaluation forms in Reference Documents).
3. 3Submission materials: Part A administrative data, Part B (technical pre-proposal with sections on excellence, impact, implementation and consortium capability), budget tables and annexes. Use the form in the Submission System.

Application Templates and Forms

Available templates:use the Application Form in the Electronic Submission Service (Submission System). Reference documents and templates include: Part B layout guidance; HE Programme Guide; Model Grant Agreement (HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based); Evaluation forms (HE RIA, IA and CSA); other supporting guidance in Reference Documents on the Funding & Tenders Portal. The submission system includes the Part B template and the detailed budget table if requested.

Application form structure (outline and guidance):Applicants must complete Part A (administrative) and Part B (technical). Part B should follow the Submission System template and generally include: 1. Excellence: objectives (clear, ambitious), relation to state-of-the-art, methodology, TRL roadmap to TRL 7, integration of hardware/software and system architectures, open science and research security considerations. 2. Impact: credible pathways to achieve outcomes (demonstrations by 2028 and 2030 targets), exploitation, dissemination and exploitation plan including commercialisation and manufacturing roadmap, contribution to EU strategic coordination (Quantum Flagship, STEP, Chips JU, IPCEI, EuroHPC). 3. Implementation: work plan and work packages, milestones and deliverables, integration and system engineering approach, risk management, consortium roles and effort, resources and budget justification, ethics and security plans, data management plan (FAIR) and benchmarking approach. Annexes: letters of commitment from end-user hosting demonstration site, prior results and IP background, and CVs of key personnel.

Co-funding, Costs and Financial Rules

Co-funding:standard JU/Horizon Europe rules apply. The grant will be subject to the applicable funding rate and the Model Grant Agreement (see General Annex G). Project budgets must be realistic and justified. Costs are eligible only when incurred in compliance with General Annexes; do not double-fund activities already funded by other EU grants. Participants from non-associated third countries are typically ineligible for EU funding except in specific circumstances (see General Annex B).

Intellectual Property, Standards and Interoperability

IPR and results:beneficiaries retain ownership of results subject to Horizon model grant agreement rules on access rights. Projects are expected to publish interface specifications across photonic quantum hardware and software stacks including packaging, APIs, compiler interfaces and cloud protocols compatible with telecom wavelengths. Proposers should plan for standardisation engagement (CEN-CENELEC, ETSI) and include plans for published interfaces, benchmarking frameworks and open specifications where possible to foster interoperability.

Rules, Restrictions and Security

Security and sensitive information:the call highlights protection of EU strategic assets, autonomy and security. Participation/control by entities linked to ineligible countries is restricted unless guarantees approved by the eligible country of establishment are provided. Projects should explain research security measures, IP protection, dual-use considerations and compliance with export control where applicable. Classified information handling and security requirements should be followed if the action touches on classified information.

Validation, Demonstration and End-User Requirements

Demonstration:proposals must demonstrate results through a concrete use case provided by a major end-user partner within the consortium that will host the field demonstration on their infrastructure. The end-user must validate the platform’s relevance and performance under real operational constraints. Proposals must include the end-user’s infrastructure description, deployment constraints, and a letter of commitment stating intent to host the demonstration and to supply operational metrics to validate outcomes.

Commercialisation and Industrialisation

Industrialisation:proposals should include roadmaps for pilot manufacturing lines, quality assurance protocols, and steps to establish a sovereign European supply chain for photonic quantum technologies. Include market readiness assessments, IP and standardisation strategies, regulatory and supply chain risk assessments, and pathways to market (licensing, spin-outs, joint ventures) considering EU strategic autonomy concerns.

Evaluation Process Details and Templates

Evaluation will use standard Horizon/JU evaluation forms (HE RIA) and follow criteria of Excellence, Impact and Quality & Efficiency of Implementation. Scoring uses 0-5 scale with half marks; individual criterion threshold typically 3/5 (check specific call forms). The portal provides evaluation templates and guidance documents (HE evaluation forms, HE Programme Guide, Model Grant Agreements, Annexes B-F etc.). Applicants must follow ethical review procedures and submit ethics self-assessment and data management plan. For two-stage calls, stage 1 criteria and thresholds differ; this call is single-stage.

Application Stages and Selection Process

Submission and stages:single-stage submission (one full proposal). The Funding & Tenders Portal will route to the appropriate submission entry. Evaluators will assess as submitted; they do not suggest changes to consortia or resources. The overall procedure includes admissibility check, eligibility check, peer review evaluation, consensus and ranking, and selection. Call coordinator may set thresholds and ranking rules to limit to the available budget. Applicants should expect publication of evaluation results and use standard appeal procedures in the portal.

Success Rates and Co-Funding Requirements

Success rates:not provided in the topic text; typical JU/Horizon large RIA success rates vary widely and are dependent on call demand. Applicants should budget for competitive evaluation and limited funding. Co-funding: no explicit mandatory private co-funding is specified for this topic beyond normal grant rules; but applicants must justify their financial plan including any co-investment, in particular for industrialisation and manufacturing roadmaps. Horizon JU grants normally require beneficiaries to cover non-eligible costs and to co-finance activities where appropriate.

Templates and Application Structure

Application templates:use the Application Form (Part A and Part B) in the Submission System. Part B must address sections: Excellence (objectives, methodology, TRL roadmap, technical workplan), Impact (pathways to impact, use case demonstration, industrialisation and supply chain roadmap, standardisation and interoperability plan, dissemination and exploitation), Implementation (work plan, resources, risk management, consortium capabilities, governance and coordination), Ethics and Security, Data Management Plan (FAIR), and budget justification. Include annexes for letters of commitment (end-user host and major partners), CVs of key personnel, and evidence of prior results (prior projects, IP status). Page limit: 40 pages.

How to Prepare a Competitive Proposal

Practical recommendations:ensure the startup lead demonstrates strong photonic quantum computing capability and leadership; include credible plans for hardware-software co-design; include at least two technology roadblocks addressed; clarify supply-chain and manufacturing plans; provide concrete benchmarks and performance metrics for 2028 and 2030 targets; provide a clear field demonstration plan with the major end-user and indicate deployment timeline and metrics; include realistic budget and staffing plan to reach TRL7; ensure legal/ethics/security aspects are described; register all participants in the Participant Register and keep the data current.

Summary: What This Opportunity Is About

This Horizon JU Research and Innovation Action topic funds a single, large-scale RIA led by a startup to develop end-to-end photonic quantum computing platform technologies that are scalable, modular and interoperable, addressing at least two major technical roadblocks (entanglement/loss-tolerant architectures and standardised integrated control stacks). The project must demonstrate a ≥100-qubit photonic NISQ processor by 2028 and deliver full-stack roadmap toward high-connectivity 1 000-qubit targets by 2030, publish standards and interface specifications, demonstrate inter-module entanglement in field trials hosted by a major end-user, and produce a concrete industrialisation and sovereign supply chain plan. The award is a large Horizon JU grant (indicative single grant in the order of €9.5-€10 million) awarded to a consortium led by a startup and including academia, RTOs, industrial partners and at least one major end-user. Applications must be submitted electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal, follow a 40-page Part B limit, and meet Horizon/JU eligibility and evaluation rules including TRL 4->7 progression, ethics, research security and data management (FAIR) requirements.

Footnotes

1. 1Confirm exact funding ceilings and eligibility at time of submission in the Funding & Tenders Portal. The topic mapping indicated an expected single grant with minimum contribution €9,500,000 and maximum contribution €10,000,000 for this topic in the portal budget overview.

Funding Opportunity Overview

Key Details at a Glance

This EuroHPC JU call HORIZON-JU funds a strategic European initiative to develop scalable, modular, and interoperable photonic quantum computing platforms, with a total indicative budget of €10 million for a single project and a deadline of 30 September 2026 at 17:00 CET ¹.

Budget Range:The expected grant contribution is between €9,500,000 and €10,000,000, covering a 36-month project duration from TRL 4 to TRL 7 ².

Deadline:Submission deadline is 30 September 2026 at 17:00 CET (Brussels time) via the Funding & Tenders Portal ³.

Who Should Apply

Consortium Requirements

Proposals must be led by a startup with demonstrated expertise in photonic quantum computing, collaborating with academic, industrial, and RTO partners to ensure technological depth and market orientation ⁴.

1. 1The consortium must include at least one major end-user whose operational needs shape the platform design and whose infrastructure hosts the field demonstration
2. 2The startup must collaborate with relevant academic, industrial, and RTO partners to ensure both technological depth and market orientation
3. 3The project must build upon prior Quantum Flagship results and align with synergies such as STEP, Chips JU, IPCEI projects, and EuroHPC

Technical Scope & Expected Outcomes

Core Technical Roadblocks to Address

Proposals must provide credible solutions to at least two major technical roadblocks:the lack of deterministic, high-efficiency photonic entanglement and loss-tolerant architectures for fault-tolerant scaling, and the absence of a standardized, integrated control stack combining hardware, firmware, and software with reliable benchmarking ⁵.

Key Activities

• Platform development: advancing open, scalable photonic quantum processors with semiconductor/glass-based chips, integrated electronics, firmware, and error mitigation
• System integration: realizing modular quantum nodes with photonic interconnects and validating scalable architectures under realistic noise and loss
• Software stack co-design: integrating low-level firmware, compilers, hybrid algorithms, and network APIs to demonstrate quantum advantage and HPC interoperability

Eligibility & Participation Rules

Geographic Eligibility

Participation is limited to legal entities established in EU Member States, Norway, Iceland, and associated countries including Canada, Israel, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, as per EuroHPC JU Council Regulation (EU) 2021/1173 ⁶.

Entities controlled by non-eligible countries may not participate unless guarantees approved by the eligible country confirm no negative impact on EU strategic assets, interests, autonomy, or security ⁷.

Application Constraints

• Maximum page limit: 40 pages
• Single-stage submission model
• Type of Action: HORIZON JU Research and Innovation Actions (RIA)
• Grant Agreement: HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based (HORIZON-AG)

Strategic Impact & Industrialization

The project must accelerate industrialization and commercialization by developing a roadmap for pilot manufacturing lines, quality assurance protocols, and a sovereign European supply chain for photonic quantum technologies ⁸.

System-level interoperability is critical, requiring published interface specifications for packaging, APIs, compiler interfaces, and cloud protocols compatible with telecom wavelengths, plus validation of entanglement distribution across modules ⁹.

Results must be demonstrated through a concrete use case provided by a major end-user partner, validating the platform's relevance under real operational constraints ¹⁰.

Footnotes

1. 1Official EuroHPC JU announcement: Four New EuroHPC JU Calls to Boost Quantum Innovation, 2 June 2026 EuroHPC JU Announcement
2. 2Budget overview from Funding & Tenders Portal: HORIZON-JU Funding Portal Budget
3. 3Updated deadline confirmed by EuroHPC JU Governing Board, 24 June 2026 EuroHPC Deadline Update
4. 4Scope requirements: Proposals led by a startup with demonstrated expertise in photonic quantum computing EuroHPC Scope
5. 5Expected Outcome: Address two major technical roadblocks in photonic entanglement and control stacks EuroAccess Call Details
6. 6Eligibility conditions per EuroHPC JU Council Regulation (EU) 2021/1173, last amended by Council Regulation 2026/150 EU Grants Eligibility
7. 7Control by non-eligible countries restriction with guarantee requirement EU Grants Eligibility
8. 8Industrialization and commercialization roadmap requirement EuroAccess Call Details
9. 9System-level interoperability and telecom wavelength compatibility EuroAccess Call Details
10. 10Concrete use case demonstration by major end-user partner French Ministry Horizon Europe