Neutral-Atom Platform Technologies

Horizon Europe / EuroHPC Joint Undertaking call HORIZON-JU funds a single-stage Research and Innovation Action with an indicative budget of €20,000,000 (one grant, EU contribution €19–€20M) and deadline 17 November 2026. The topic seeks to develop industry-ready neutral-atom quantum simulators and programmable quantum computing platforms (targets: 10,000-atom simulators and platforms starting at ~1,000 physical qubits with a route to 10,000), including full software stacks, cloud/HPC integration, benchmarking beyond classical computability, and demonstration of at least two real-world applications. Proposals must target TRL progression from about 4 to 7, address specified SRIA 2030 technical challenges (e.g., stable multi-qubit atom control, QND measurement, high‑fidelity gates), and comply with standard Horizon Europe eligibility and consortium rules. Applications are submitted via the Funding & Tenders Portal under the Horizon Europe / EuroHPC call conditions.

What it funds

Research and innovation action to develop industry-ready neutral-atom quantum simulators and quantum computing platforms. Expected deliverables include large-scale neutral-atom simulators (up to 10 000 atoms), programmable quantum computing platforms (1 000 physical qubits with path to 10 000), high-coherence and high-fidelity operation, software stacks, cloud/HPC integration, demonstrations beyond classical computability, error‑mitigation/correction methods and supply-chain component development.

Who can apply

Consortia of legal entities (industry, research organisations, universities, SMEs and relevant suppliers) established in eligible countries under Horizon Europe/EuroHPC. Proposals must tackle at least two SRIA 2030 technical challenges for neutral-atom platforms (e.g. stable multi-qubit atom control, QND measurement, high‑fidelity universal gates) and target TRL progression from ~4 to ~7 by project end.

Funding range:Indicative contribution to a single grant: €19 000 000 to 20 000 000 ¹

1. 1Action type: HORIZON-JU-RIA (Research & Innovation Action) under the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking
2. 2Eligible applicants: legal entities from EU Member States and Horizon Europe associated countries (follow General Annexes for details)
3. 3Consortium expectations: large, multi-disciplinary consortia addressing hardware, control electronics, lasers/optics, software stacks and applications; clear industry integration and cloud/HPC access plans

Proposals must demonstrate practical real-world use cases (minimum two), benchmarking/verification beyond classical capability, full quantum stack integration, cloud/HPC interoperability and pathways for supply‑chain strengthening and ecosystem adoption. Technology Readiness Level: activities should start at TRL 4 and aim to reach TRL 7 by project end. Apply via the Funding & Tenders Portal topic page Topic page ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Official topic page and submission entry on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal: ec.europa.eu

Key facts

Call identifier:HORIZON-JU. Call title: Neutral-Atom Platform Technologies. Type of action: HORIZON-JU-RIA (Research and Innovation Action). Type of grant: HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based (HORIZON-AG). Submission model: single-stage. Opening date: 13 August 2026. Deadline: 17 November 2026, 17:00 Brussels time. Indicative total topic budget: €20 000 000 (budgeted in 2026). Indicative number of grants: 1. Indicative grant size: €19 000 000 to €20 000 000. Expected project start TRL: start TRL 4, target TRL 7 at project end. Topic webpage and official text: see portal topic page Neutral-Atom Platform Technologies ¹.

Deadline:17 November 2026, 17:00 Brussels time.

Purpose and expected outcomes

The action aims to establish European leadership in neutral-atom quantum simulation and digital quantum computing. Projects should deliver large-scale, fully programmable neutral-atom quantum simulators and computing platforms together with software stacks, cloud integration and demonstrators of quantum advantage on real-world problems. Expected outcomes include: industry-ready quantum simulators based on 10 000 neutral atoms in a scalable architecture accessible via cloud and HPC; neutral-atom quantum computing platforms supporting both analogue and gate-based computing with 1 000 physical qubits and a pathway to 10 000; coherence times of hundreds of interaction times and operation infidelity below 1%; demonstration of quantum simulation/computation beyond classical computability validated by classical benchmarking; at least two real-world applications demonstrated (examples energy and health); complete software stack for verification, algorithm implementation and user programming interfaces; robust quantum control, electronic control components and verification tools; programming interfaces suitable for non-expert users where possible; enhanced scalability, stability and usability; strengthened European industrial capacity and supply chain for key components (trapping and control optics, electronic control components, lasers, photonic interfaces); training and user engagement activities; contributions aligned with SRIA 2030, PASQuanS2 FPA foundations and Chips for Europe strategic autonomy goals. Projects must address at least two SRIA 2030 technical challenges for neutral-atom platforms (for example stable atom control during multi-qubit operations, QND measurement, high-fidelity universal gates) and pursue pathways toward scalable fault-tolerant systems.

Scope and required technical deliverables

Scope:advance maturity and usability of neutral-atom quantum processors focusing on practical applications. Proposals must include development and deployment of scalable processors with individually addressable neutral atoms supporting analogue simulation, hybrid analogue-digital techniques and gate-based computing; demonstration of minimum two real-world use cases in science or industry intractable for classical computing with benchmarking and verification strategies; development/integration of a complete software stack (quantum control systems, electronic control components, user programming interfaces, classical simulation support tools, operation protocols); cloud-based access and hybrid quantum-classical HPC workflows; error mitigation, detection, correction and quantification adapted to neutral-atom processors; benchmarking and cross-platform validation tools; pathways for quantum sensors and quantum metrology development; enhancement of EU supply chain for key components; coordination of partner activities including training, documentation and user engagement; overall architecture and verification of full quantum stack (control, electronics, lasers, photonics, software, verification). Technology readiness expectation: start TRL 4, achieve TRL 7 at project end.

Budget and grant information

Indicative topic budget:€20 000 000 (2026). Indicative grant amount per project: €19 000 000 to €20 000 000. Number of grants expected: 1. Funding mechanism: HORIZON-AG budget-based action grant (RIA). Funding rate and detailed financial rules follow Horizon Europe General Annexes and the HORIZON JU Research and Innovation Actions guidance. Projects will be budget-based mixed actual-cost grants; beneficiaries must follow standard Horizon Europe financial and reporting rules (Annexes A–G). Applications use the Funding & Tenders Portal submission and standard application forms (Part A and Part B). The portal hosts application templates, evaluation forms and model grant agreements.

Applicant eligibility and consortium requirements

Type of applicants:any legal entity may participate. To be eligible for funding beneficiaries must be established in an EU Member State, an OCT linked to a Member State, a country associated to Horizon Europe or in low- and middle-income countries listed in the General Annexes if provided for in the specific call/topic conditions. The topic follows Horizon Europe general eligibility and consortium rules, namely that a consortium normally must include at least three independent legal entities each established in a different country: at least one in a Member State and at least two other legal entities established in different Member States or Associated Countries. Affiliated entities, associated partners, third parties giving in-kind contributions, subcontractors and recipients of financial support to third parties are allowed under conditions. Specific restrictions for strategic assets and sensitive technologies may apply; the topic may impose additional eligibility or participation restrictions in line with Annex B of the Work Programme and the topic-specific conditions.

Recommended consortium composition and roles:Large multi-partner consortium required to deliver complex hardware, software and application integration: expected participants include academic research institutes and universities, major European quantum technology companies and SMEs, industrial partners in targeted application sectors (energy, health, materials, chemistry, optimization), suppliers of optical and laser components, electronics manufacturers, photonics and microwave subsystems vendors, HPC centres and cloud providers, software and algorithm teams, metrology laboratories, benchmark and standards organisations and user communities. The proposal should include demonstrator leads, system integrators, software/control teams, benchmarking and verification experts, and partners responsible for supply chain and component development.

Eligible applicant types (detailed)

1. 1Universities and higher education institutions
2. 2Research institutes and public research organisations
3. 3Large enterprises and industry partners including manufacturers of lasers, optics, electronics, photonic interfaces
4. 4Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) including deep-tech start-ups and scale-ups
5. 5Non-profit organisations, foundations and standardisation bodies
6. 6High-performance computing centres and cloud providers
7. 7Public authorities and government research bodies (where relevant)
8. 8International organisations and research infrastructures (subject to specific eligibility rules)
9. 9Affiliated entities linked to beneficiaries (subject to Horizon Europe definitions)

Funding type and nature of support

Primary funding mechanism:Grant (budget-based action grant under HORIZON-AG). Beneficiaries will receive monetary support in the form of budgeted grant payments (pre-financing, interim payments and final payment) based on actual eligible costs and contributions declared, including possible use of unit costs, flat rates or specific cost modalities as permitted by the Work Programme. The action does not use equity, loans or procurement as primary instrument. The grant finances research and development activities, demonstration, prototype and test deployments, software development, component integration, cloud access infrastructure, benchmarking and user engagement.

Consortium requirement and structure

Consortium requirement:multi-beneficiary consortium required. Single beneficiaries are not appropriate for this topic because the action requires multidisciplinary hardware/software integration, supply chain partners and end users. The minimum Horizon Europe rule applies: at least three independent legal entities, each established in a different country (one in an EU Member State, plus two other legal entities in different Member States or Associated Countries). Affiliated entities may participate but do not count toward this minimum. Proposals should clearly define roles and responsibilities, coordination and data management, management of IP and exploitation, and include a consortium agreement for internal arrangements.

Geographic eligibility and beneficiary scope

Applicants eligible for funding:legal entities established in EU Member States, OCTs linked to Member States, countries associated to Horizon Europe and, where specified in the Work Programme General Annexes, in certain low- and middle-income countries. The general Annex B eligibility rules apply. The action emphasises strengthening European technological and industrial supply chains and strategic autonomy; for that reason participation and funding rules may be tightened for specific procurements or security-relevant elements in line with the Work Programme. The topic description explicitly references European leadership and strategic autonomy, and therefore priority and eligibility for certain procurement or deployment activities may be limited to entities established in EU Member States and Associated Countries depending on security or strategic considerations.

Target sectors and thematic focus

Primary target sectors and themes:Quantum technologies (neutral-atom quantum simulation and digital quantum computing), ICT and quantum software, high-performance computing (HPC) integration and hybrid workflows, energy and health application demonstrations (explicit examples), materials science, chemistry and optimisation problems, quantum control systems, lasers and photonics, trapping and control optics, electronic control components, quantum metrology and quantum sensors, cloud platforms and interfaces, standardisation and benchmarking tools. The topic is DeepTech focused and spans hardware, software, algorithms and user-facing services.

Project maturity and expectations (TRL)

Declared Technology Readiness Levels:activities are expected to start at TRL 4 and achieve TRL 7 by project end. This requires prototype development, integration, large-scale testbeds and operational demonstrations validated in realistic environments. The project should present a credible TRL development and validation plan, including milestones, testbeds, benchmarking and verification steps.

Project stages, lifecycle and application type

Application type:single-stage open call on the Funding & Tenders Portal. Submission is electronic only via the portal. Standard Horizon Europe application form (Part A and Part B) applies, with Part B page limits described in the submission system. Evaluation is single-stage using Horizon Europe evaluation procedures and standard evaluation templates adapted to HORIZON-JU-RIA. Indicative timeline: publication and opening in August 2026; submission deadline 17 November 2026; evaluation results typically communicated about 5 months after deadline; grant signature around 8 months after deadline subject to checks.

Number of stages in selection and application:Single-stage submission, single evaluation stage.

Evaluation, scoring, thresholds and success rates

Evaluation:follows Horizon Europe General Annexes D–F and the specific RIA evaluation templates. Award criteria: Excellence, Impact and Quality and efficiency of implementation. Scoring out of 5 for each criterion; individual thresholds typically 3/5 and overall threshold typically 10/15 for full proposals (check topic-specific conditions). For this topic evaluators will assess scientific and technological excellence, feasibility of delivering hardware/software at scale, maturity and TRL progression, realism of the path to 10 000 atoms / 10 000 qubits roadmap, demonstration plans for quantum advantage, socio-economic impact and industrial uptake, supply chain strengthening, cloud and HPC integration, user access and training plans, and consortium capacity. Success rate: highly competitive and dependent on calls and budget; with an expected single award and very large requested budget, success rate will be low. Applicants should expect rigorous evaluation and legal/financial checks before grant signature.

Legal, financial and administrative requirements

Standard Horizon Europe admissibility, eligibility, financial capacity, operational capacity and exclusion checks apply (General Annexes A–C). Beneficiaries must register in the Participant Register and obtain PIC numbers (validation will be requested during grant preparation). Financial capacity checks apply to coordinators for grants above thresholds; further checks as needed. Ethics self-assessment must be completed; any ethics issues require ethics review and deliverables. Data protection and security requirements apply; projects handling EU classified or sensitive information must follow security rules and may need facility and personnel security clearances. Gender equality plans or self-declarations apply to public bodies, research organisations and higher education establishments established in Member States and Associated Countries. Open Science obligations and IPR rules apply per Horizon Europe Model Grant Agreement and Annexes. Grant management uses the Portal and eGrants system; prefinancing, mutual insurance mechanism and reporting schedules set out in the specific grant agreements.

Costs, revenue, profit rule and co-funding

Form of grant:budget-based mixed actual cost grant. Eligible costs categories include personnel, subcontracting, purchases, equipment (depreciation or full cost rules per grant), travel and subsistence, and other costs as specified in the Model Grant Agreement and the topic. VAT rules and eligibility follow Horizon Europe guidance. No-profit rule: for certain grants the no-profit rule applies (check Data Sheet in grant agreement). Co-funding: the grant finances a percentage of eligible costs as specified by the funding rate in the grant agreement; beneficiary own contribution is expected through declared eligible costs not covered by EU funding. Exceptional co-funding or third-country participant funding may be possible only under conditions set in the Work Programme and topic specific conditions.

Application templates and forms

Applicants must use the application form available in the Funding & Tenders Portal submission system. Part A (administrative data) is filled in online. Part B (technical description) is prepared using the portal template and uploaded as a PDF; page limits apply (full application typical limit 45 pages unless specified). Annexes and supporting documents are uploaded via the submission system. Applicants should consult reference documents on the Portal for example annexes, budget tables and guidance. Evaluation form templates relevant to RIA/HE RIA will be used; these are available in the Portal reference documents and include scoring rubrics (Excellence, Impact, Implementation). Applicants must complete an ethics self-assessment as part of the application.

Evaluation and award process

Evaluation follows Horizon Europe General Annex D–F procedures. Proposals are checked for admissibility and eligibility, then evaluated by independent experts against the award criteria. Scores and thresholds determine ranking. Successful proposals are invited to grant preparation; this invitation is not a formal funding commitment until legal checks (validation, financial capacity, exclusion checks) and negotiation of the grant agreement are complete. Applicants may request an evaluation review on procedural grounds within specified timelines.

Reporting, deliverables and project monitoring

Reporting and deliverables:continuous reporting through the Portal, periodic technical and financial reports per Data Sheet and model grant agreement. Deliverables include milestones, standardised progress reports, technical deliverables for hardware/software integration, benchmarking reports, user-engagement and training deliverables, ethics and security deliverables if applicable. Monitoring will include milestones to demonstrate TRL progression from 4 to 7, verification and benchmarking of quantum advantage claims, interoperability and cloud/HPC integration metrics, and KPIs for user engagement and supply chain strengthening. Project officers and reviewers will monitor progress against these deliverables and may request additional information or corrective measures.

Key technical and scientific criteria evaluators will assess

1. 1Technical feasibility of achieving scalable neutral-atom architectures with 10 000 atoms or clear path to 10 000 qubits
2. 2Quality of quantum control and individual atom addressability strategies
3. 3Plans for coherence time improvements and gate infidelity below 1% (experimental and engineering approaches)
4. 4Proposals to demonstrate quantum simulation/computation beyond classical computability and benchmarking strategies against classical methods
5. 5Software stack completeness (control software, verification, algorithms, user interfaces, cloud/HPC integration) and openness/interoperability
6. 6Real-world use cases (minimum two) with clear problem statements, success metrics and hybrid quantum-classical workflows
7. 7Error mitigation/detection/correction approaches adapted to neutral-atom processors and strategies for fault tolerance roadmaps
8. 8Supply-chain strengthening plans for trapping optics, lasers, electronics and photonics with industrial partnerships
9. 9System integration, verification and testing plans including standards and cross-platform validation tools
10. 10Project management, consortium competence, risk assessment and mitigation, training and user engagement plans

Security, ethics and sensitive considerations

Projects must comply with ethical principles and applicable EU, international and national law. Ethics self-assessment is mandatory. Projects involving sensitive infrastructure or potential dual-use aspects must follow security rules; participation by entities identified as high-risk suppliers for communication networks may be restricted in accordance with the Work Programme and EU guidance. Requirements for handling EU classified information are strict: projects cannot be funded if they would generate highly classified EU information beyond the permissible levels; if project tasks involve classified information, facility and personnel security clearances might be required prior to signature. Proposals must explain how they will protect research security, IP and prevent unauthorised transfers.

Templates and application structure guidance

Application forms:use the Portal Part A and Part B templates. Part B must address Excellence (objectives, state-of-the-art, methodology, TRL pathway), Impact (expected outcomes, exploitation, dissemination, communication, market and user strategy, standards and benchmarking contributions), and Implementation (work plan, work packages, Gantt chart, milestones, deliverables, resources, consortium capabilities, risk register). Provide detailed work packages for hardware, software, integration, benchmarking and user engagement. Include a comprehensive budget table in Annex 2 per the portal. Include a detailed description of technology and component suppliers, supply chain development, and industrialisation pathways. Provide training and user onboarding plans. Include IPR management plans and data management plan (FAIR), ethics and security deliverables. Use the model grant agreement templates available on the Portal for legal/financial clauses. Proposals exceeding page limits will have excess pages hidden.

Success factors and evaluator expectations

1. 1Clear demonstration plan showing quantum advantage beyond classical capabilities and robust benchmarking strategies
2. 2Detailed hardware roadmap with component sourcing, supplier involvement and supply chain strengthening
3. 3Integrated full-stack solution plan: hardware, electronics, lasers, control software, verification and cloud/HPC interfaces
4. 4Strong, balanced consortium with complementary expertise across quantum hardware, software, applications and industry adoption
5. 5Realistic TRL progression plan and risk mitigation with contingency measures
6. 6Demonstrable plan for delivering at least two real-world applications with non-expert user use cases where feasible
7. 7Concrete deliverables for training, documentation, user access, community building, and contribution to standardisation and cross-platform validation
8. 8Comprehensive IPR/data/ethics/security management and dissemination plan
9. 9Clear exploitation and sustainability plan for long-term operation, industrial adoption and path to further scale-up

How to apply and useful resources

Apply online through the Funding & Tenders Portal. Use Part A (online) and Part B (uploaded PDF) templates in the submission system. Read General Annexes A–G of the Horizon Europe Work Programme, the HORIZON JU and EuroHPC specific guidance, the Online Manual, Program Guide and Model Grant Agreements. Consult National Contact Points and the Partner Search facility on the Portal to form consortia. The Portal hosts evaluation templates and reference documents including the Model Grant Agreement, Application Form templates, Annexes and Guidance on ethics, security and financial rules. For this topic consult: topic page Neutral-Atom Platform Technologies ¹.

This summary reflects the topic text and the Horizon Europe General Annexes as published on the Funding & Tenders Portal for HORIZON-JU. It reproduces the topic objectives, scope, eligibility and evaluation framework and extracts all significant technical and administrative requirements to help applicants prepare a compliant proposal. Applicants must read the official topic description, guidance documents and General Annexes for full legal and procedural details; the Portal is the authoritative source.

Footnotes

1. 1Official topic page: Neutral-Atom Platform Technologies. Available at: ec.europa.eu

This Horizon Europe topic under the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking supports a single-stage Research and Innovation Action to advance European neutral-atom quantum simulation and digital quantum computing, with the goal of moving from laboratory maturity to operational, cloud-accessible platforms and industrial use cases.[1][5]

What the funding is about

The call seeks to establish European leadership in neutral-atom platforms by delivering industry-ready quantum simulators based on 10,000 neutral atoms and a programmable quantum computing platform capable of analogue and gate-based operations, initially targeting 1,000 physical qubits with a clear route to 10,000 qubits.[1][5] The topic also requires coherence times on the order of hundreds of interaction times, operational infidelity below 1 percent, and demonstration of performance beyond classical computability through benchmarking against classical methods.[1]

• At least two real-world applications must be demonstrated, for example in energy, health, materials science, chemistry or optimisation.[1]
• A full software stack is required, including quantum control, electronic control components, classical simulation support, verification software and user programming interfaces.[1]
• Cloud-based access is expected, with support for hybrid quantum-classical workflows and integration with high-performance computing environments.[1]
• The project should implement quantum error mitigation, error correction, error detection and error quantification approaches adapted to neutral-atom processors.[1]
• Benchmarking and cross-platform validation tools are expected to support performance assessment and standardisation.[1]
• Proposals should also outline pathways for quantum sensing and quantum metrology applications, and strengthen the European supply chain for key hardware and software components.[1]

Who can apply

The topic page refers applicants to the standard Horizon Europe eligibility, admissibility, exclusion and grant set-up rules in the General Annexes.[1] Under the general Horizon Europe rules provided in the topic documentation, eligible participants are legal entities from EU Member States, associated countries, certain overseas territories and selected low and middle income countries, while other entities may participate only where the rules allow or if their involvement is considered essential.

For this type of action, the normal Horizon Europe consortium rule applies unless the topic says otherwise, meaning proposals are generally expected to involve at least three independent legal entities from three different countries, with at least one established in a Member State and the other two in different Member States or associated countries.

Applicant requirements and conditions most relevant to a proposal

• The proposal should address at least two technical challenges highlighted in the SRIA 2030 for neutral-atom platforms, including stable atom control during multi-qubit operations, QND measurement and high-fidelity universal gate operations.[1]
• The project should deliver robust operating protocols, documentation, training and user engagement to foster adoption and ecosystem growth.[1]
• The action should show how the platform will be used as a development base for future quantum sensors and metrological protocols.[1]
• The work should strengthen Europe’s strategic autonomy and industrial capacity in neutral-atom quantum technologies and associated supply chains.[1][5]

What applicants should know before submitting

The portal indicates the standard Horizon Europe grant preparation and grant management framework, with electronic submission through the Funding and Tenders Portal and the usual evaluation, award and grant agreement procedures referenced in the call documentation.[1] Because the topic is a Research and Innovation Action, the grant is budget-based and reimburses eligible actual costs at the standard Horizon Europe rate for RIA actions, subject to the call conditions and the grant agreement.[5]

The published excerpt does not state a project duration, so applicants should rely on the final grant agreement and topic-specific documents for the exact start date, duration, deliverables and reporting schedule.