New or enhanced Innovative Advanced Materials (IAM) enabled sensing functionality (RIA)

The grant opportunity outlined is part of the Horizon Europe program titled "New or enhanced Innovative Advanced Materials (IAM) enabled sensing functionality." This call, referenced as HORIZON-CL4-2026-05-MAT-PROD-25, is categorized under Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and is forthcoming with an opening date of January 15, 2026, and a submission deadline of April 15, 2026. The total budget for this call is €22.5 million, with three expected grants of €7.5 million each.

Eligible applicants typically include universities, research institutes, SMEs, large enterprises, and public-private partnerships from EU member states, EEA countries, and associated countries. The funding is structured as a Lump Sum Grant, allowing for fixed financial contributions without detailed reimbursement requirements. While the call encourages consortia to strengthen collaborative efforts, single entities can also apply.

The primary focus of this grant is to develop innovative sensing technology through advanced materials, targeting applications in sectors such as IoT, environmental monitoring, health monitoring, and industrial safety. Proposals may address areas like the creation of multifunctional IAM-enabled surfaces that can respond to environmental stimuli or the development of miniaturized sensors for integration into various technologies.

Applications must be submitted in one stage, and while no formal co-funding requirements are stated, leveraging additional industry resources is encouraged. The grant aims to boost European competitiveness in sensing technologies while ensuring consideration for sustainability, circularity, and compliance with safe design principles.

In summary, this funding opportunity is designed to foster innovation in advanced materials and sensing technologies, promote collaboration across various sectors, and facilitate the commercialization of new solutions that meet market demands.

This is a Horizon Europe call, specifically HORIZON-CL4-2026-05-MAT-PROD-25, focusing on "New or enhanced Innovative Advanced Materials (IAM) enabled sensing functionality (RIA)". It falls under the DIGITAL (HORIZON-CL4-2026-05) call and is a HORIZON Research and Innovation Action (HORIZON-RIA). The Model Grant Agreement is a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS].

 The call employs a single-stage deadline model, with a planned opening date of January 15, 2026, and a deadline of April 15, 2026, at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

 The expected outcome is to develop new technological solutions that improve performance, reduce energy consumption and environmental impact, and advance competitive value chains in IAM-based sensing components in Europe. It also aims for widespread adoption of low-cost IAM-based sensing solutions in areas like environmental monitoring, industrial safety, next-generation smart sensing, and health monitoring.

 The scope of the proposals should address at least one of the following two areas:

 A. IAM-enabled multifunctional surfaces: These surfaces should be able to detect and respond to environmental changes, such as temperature, pH, moisture, microbiological or chemical pollutants, and concentrations of chemical species in air, gases, and liquids. They should convert these signals into measurable outputs and demonstrate high performance in terms of sensitivity, selectivity, response time, durability, and cost-effectiveness. Target applications include environmental and ecosystems monitoring, as well as health monitoring.

 B. Enhanced IAM-based sensor demonstrators: This area focuses on the development of miniaturized sensors that can be integrated into application systems like portable IoT devices, lightweight wearables, and wearable systems. These sensors must meet key performance requirements, including compatibility with silicon technology, operation in real conditions with low power consumption, high sensitivity (low limit of detection and/or high signal to noise ratio), high selectivity, and fast detection speed. Stability and resistance to extreme conditions like temperature and humidity are important considerations. Bio-mimicry can be used for inspiration.

 Proposals can contribute to one or both of the R&I areas, but the main area must be clearly identified. The proposals should integrate the value chain and incorporate relevant manufacturing technologies needed to bring the developed devices to market. The technology must be demonstrated in an industrially relevant environment. Activities should aim at facilitating future exploitation of results. Consideration of circularity and recyclability, and compliance with the safe and sustainable by design framework are encouraged. Cooperation with activities funded under the Chips Joint Undertaking, the photonics partnership, or other initiatives is also encouraged.

 Beneficiaries intending to transfer ownership or grant an exclusive license must notify the granting authority (DG-CNECT and HaDEA) before the transfer or licensing takes place. The granting authority may object to a transfer of ownership or the exclusive licensing of results up to four years after the end of the action.

 This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnership Innovative Advanced Materials for the EU (IAM4EU).

 General conditions include:

 1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout are described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.

 2. Eligible Countries are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. Non-EU/non-Associated Countries may have specific provisions for funding their participants in Horizon Europe projects, as detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

 3. Other Eligible Conditions are subject to restrictions for the protection of European communication networks and are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.

 4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion are described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.

 5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds are designed to ensure a balanced portfolio covering the two areas mentioned above. Grants will be awarded to applications based on ranking, with at least one proposal from each area being funded if it meets all thresholds. The main area declared by the proposal will be used for ranking purposes. These criteria are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.

 5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.

 5c. Evaluation and award: The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.

 6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants: The granting authority may object to a transfer of ownership or exclusive licensing of results up to 4 years after the end of the action, as set out in Annex 5. Eligible costs will be in the form of a lump sum, as defined in the Decision of July 7, 2021, authorizing the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme. This is described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.

 Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

 Documents required include:

 Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA):
 Application form templates, which are available in the Submission System.
 Standard application form (HE RIA, IA).
 Evaluation form templates, which will be used with necessary adaptations.
 Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA).
 Guidance:
 HE Programme Guide.
 Model Grant Agreements (MGA):
 Lump Sum MGA.
 Call-specific instructions.
 Detailed budget table (HE LS).
 Guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?"
 Additional documents:
 HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction.
 HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 7. Digital, Industry and Space.
 HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes.
 HE Programme Guide.
 HE Framework Programme 2021/695.
 HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764.
 EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509.
 Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme.
 Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment.
 EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement.
 Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual.
 Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions.
 Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

 The budget overview for 2026 includes:

 HORIZON-CL4-2026-05-DIGITAL-EMERGING-02 - HORIZON-RIA: EUR 38,000,000, single-stage, opening January 15, 2026, deadline April 15, 2026, around EUR 19,000,000 contribution, 2 indicative number of grants.
 HORIZON-CL4-2026-05-DIGITAL-EMERGING-03 - HORIZON-RIA: EUR 25,000,000, single-stage, opening January 15, 2026, deadline April 15, 2026, EUR 12,000,000 to EUR 13,000,000 contribution, 2 indicative number of grants.
 HORIZON-CL4-2026-05-MAT-PROD-25 - HORIZON-RIA: EUR 22,500,000, single-stage, opening January 15, 2026, deadline April 15, 2026, around EUR 7,500,000 contribution, 3 indicative number of grants.

 There are 4 partner search announcements available. LEARs, Account Administrators, and self-registrants can publish partner requests.

 The submission system is planned to open on the date stated in the topic header.

 Applicants are advised to read all provisions carefully before preparing their application. The Online Manual provides guidance on procedures from proposal submission to grant management. The Horizon Europe Programme Guide contains detailed guidance on the structure, budget, and political priorities of Horizon Europe. The Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ provides answers to frequently asked questions. The Research Enquiry Service can answer questions about European research. National Contact Points (NCPs) offer guidance and assistance. The Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) provides advice to businesses, especially SMEs. The IT Helpdesk can assist with technical aspects of proposal submission. The European IPR Helpdesk assists with intellectual property issues. CEN-CENELEC and ETSI Research Helpdesks advise on standardisation. The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment outline the roles and responsibilities of researchers. Partner Search can help find partner organizations.

 In summary, this Horizon Europe call seeks to fund research and innovation actions focused on developing advanced sensing technologies using innovative advanced materials. The goal is to create high-performance, cost-effective sensors for environmental monitoring, health monitoring, and other smart sensing applications. The call encourages proposals that integrate the entire value chain, demonstrate technologies in industrial settings, and consider circularity and recyclability. Funding is provided as a lump sum, and successful projects will contribute to the European Partnership Innovative Advanced Materials for the EU (IAM4EU). The call is structured to ensure a balanced portfolio of projects across two main research areas: multifunctional surfaces and enhanced sensor demonstrators.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, given that it is a Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Action (RIA), eligible applicants typically include universities, research institutes, SMEs, large enterprises, and other organizations capable of conducting research and innovation activities. The call encourages integration of the value chain, suggesting that participation from various types of entities is welcome.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS]. Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025).

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. However, the call encourages integrating the value chain and cooperation with other initiatives, which suggests that consortia are preferred to ensure a comprehensive approach. Partner search announcements are available, further indicating the possibility and encouragement of consortium-based applications.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The primary geographic eligibility is for EU member states and associated countries, as indicated by the reference to Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Horizon Europe Programme Guide. However, the text also mentions that a number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries have made specific provisions for funding their participants in Horizon Europe projects, subject to restrictions for the protection of European communication networks.

Target Sector: The program targets the following sectors: digital technologies, innovative advanced materials (IAM), sensors, environmental monitoring, health monitoring, industrial safety, IoT devices, and wearable systems. It focuses on the development and application of IAM-enabled sensing functionality.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity explicitly mentions EU member states and associated countries. It also refers to non-EU/non-Associated Countries that have made provisions for funding their participants, indicating a broader international scope with specific conditions.

Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project is research and innovation actions (RIA). The projects should aim to develop new technological solutions and demonstrate technology in an industrially relevant environment, suggesting a stage between development and demonstration.

Funding Amount: The funding range varies depending on the specific topic within the call:
HORIZON-CL4-2026-05-DIGITAL-EMERGING-02: EUR 38,000,000 total budget, with an indicative contribution of around EUR 19,000,000 per grant (2 grants).
HORIZON-CL4-2026-05-DIGITAL-EMERGING-03: EUR 25,000,000 total budget, with an indicative contribution of EUR 12,000,000 to EUR 13,000,000 per grant (2 grants).
HORIZON-CL4-2026-05-MAT-PROD-25: EUR 22,500,000 total budget, with an indicative contribution of around EUR 7,500,000 per grant (3 grants).

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 a lump sum grant.

Application Stages: The application process involves a single stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants for each topic provides some context. For example, the HORIZON-CL4-2026-05-MAT-PROD-25 topic aims to award 3 grants out of a total budget of EUR 22,500,000.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement. However, Horizon Europe RIAs typically fund up to 100% of eligible costs, so co-funding is not mandatory but can be a factor in the evaluation.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call, under the DIGITAL (HORIZON-CL4-2026-05) call, seeks to fund Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) focused on "New or enhanced Innovative Advanced Materials (IAM) enabled sensing functionality." The call aims to foster the development and adoption of IAM-based sensing solutions with improved performance, reduced energy consumption, and enhanced environmental impact. It targets applications in environmental monitoring, industrial safety, health monitoring, and next-generation smart sensing.

The call is structured around two main areas: the development of IAM-enabled multifunctional surfaces and the development of enhanced IAM-based sensor demonstrators. Proposals should integrate the value chain, incorporate relevant manufacturing technologies, and demonstrate the technology in an industrially relevant environment. The funding is provided as a lump sum grant, and the application process is a single-stage submission.

The call encourages cooperation with other initiatives such as the Chips Joint Undertaking and the photonics partnership. It also emphasizes the importance of circularity, recyclability, and compliance with the safe and sustainable by design framework. Eligible applicants include a range of entities such as universities, research institutes, SMEs, and large enterprises from EU member states and associated countries, with some provisions for non-EU/non-associated countries.

The overall goal is to advance the European competitiveness in IAM-based sensing components and promote the widespread adoption of low-cost, high-performance sensing solutions across various sectors.