NGI Mobifree open call (2025-12M)

The NGI Mobifree open call is a funding opportunity within the Horizon Europe program, specifically aimed at fostering human-centered and ethical mobile software initiatives. The total funding available for this call is 430,000 euros, and individual project proposals can request between 5,000 and 50,000 euros. The opportunity is open to anyone, including private individuals and organizations of any type, and emphasizes a clear European dimension in the proposals.

This grant program supports various project stages, including research, development, validation, and improvement of mobile applications, and encourages the development of free and open source software, libre hardware, and open standards. The application process follows a single-stage model, with submissions due by December 1, 2025, at 12:00 Brussels time, and a flexible duration for projects lasting between 1 to 12 months.

Evaluations will be based on three criteria: technical merit, strategic relevance to the Next Generation Internet initiative, and overall value for money, each assigned specific weightings. Proposals must achieve a minimum score of 5.0 out of 7 to be considered for funding.

The program seeks to address issues in the current mobile technology landscape by supporting projects that enhance digital freedom, security, privacy, and user choice, specifically targeting improvements in usability, interoperability, and scalability. It aims to support grassroots innovation and facilitate a more democratic and user-oriented mobile technology ecosystem, encouraging applicants to share their outcomes under open licenses.

Applicants can submit their proposals through the NLnet proposal portal, and additional information is available on related websites for guidance and further details.

The NGI Mobifree open call (2025-12M) is a funding opportunity within the Horizon Europe program, specifically under the topic HORIZON-CL4-2023-HUMAN-01-12 - Pilots for the Next Generation Internet (IA). The call aims to support projects that contribute to the development of human-centered and ethical mobile software, giving European citizens and organizations more choice and access in this area. The full name of the EU funded project is Mobile Freedom (MOBIFREE). The grant agreement number is 101135795.

The opening date for submissions is October 1, 2025, and the deadline for submission is December 1, 2025, at 12:00 Brussels time. The call follows a single-stage submission model. The expected duration of participation in a project can range from 1 to 12 months, offering flexibility to applicants. A total funding of 430,000 EUR is available for this call.

The call is open to anyone, including private individuals and organizations of any type. Project proposals should align with the NGI vision and have research and development as their primary objective. Proposals should be complete, concise, and no longer than the equivalent of two pages for the main application. A clear European dimension is also required.

Projects will be evaluated based on three criteria, each with a specific weight: technical merit (30%), strategic relevance to the Next Generation Internet and expected contribution to the goals of NGI Mobifree (40%), and overall value for money (30%). To be selected, projects must achieve a total weighted score above 5.0 out of 7.

The call supports various activities, provided they are cost-effective and directly linked to the topics relevant to NGI Mobifree and the call's objectives. These activities include:

Scientific research
Design and development of open source software and open hardware
Validation or constructive inquiry into existing or novel technical solutions
Software engineering aimed at adapting to new usage areas or improving software quality
Formal security proofs, security audits, setup and design of software testing and continuous integration
Documentation for researchers, developers, and end users, including educational materials
Standardization activities, including membership fees of standards bodies
Understanding user requirements and improving usability/inclusive design
Necessary measures in support of broader deployability, such as packaging
Participation in technical, developer, and community events like hackathons, IETF, W3C, RIPE meetings, FOSDEM, etc., covering admission fees, travel, and subsistence costs
Other activities relevant to adhering to robust software development and deployment practices
Project management
Out-of-pocket costs for infrastructure essential to achieving the above

All scientific outcomes must be published as open access, and any novel software and hardware created must be published under a recognized free and open source license in its entirety.

The NGI Mobifree program aims to push beyond the current state of mobile software by fostering a cycle of innovation through free and open source software, libre hardware, and open standards. It seeks to empower individuals by making technology more transparent, reusable, and accessible. This approach facilitates collaboration and enables consumers and organizations to make informed choices about the technologies they use.

The program is particularly interested in contributions that open up the mobile ecosystem, remove gatekeepers or surveillance capabilities, and improve existing applications (such as F-Droid, Conversations, or Micro-G) in terms of usability, security, privacy, interoperability, high availability, and scalability.

Project proposals should request funding between 5,000 and 50,000 EUR. Successful projects may have the opportunity to scale up through other NLnet-funded programs like NGI0 Core or NGI0 Commons Fund.

The call encourages researchers and developers to contribute to building a sustainable and open economy by creating powerful new technologies that can serve as building blocks for a fair and democratic society.

To submit a proposal, applicants should visit https://NLnet.nl/propose and review the guide for applicants and frequently asked questions. Additional information can be found on the main Mobifree website at https://NLnet.nl/mobifree and the official project website at https://mobifree.org.

In summary, the NGI Mobifree open call is a funding opportunity for projects that advance free and open source mobile software and hardware. It aims to create a more transparent, secure, and user-centric mobile ecosystem, empowering European citizens and organizations with greater choice and control over their technology. The call welcomes innovative ideas that contribute to opening up the mobile ecosystem, improving existing applications, and promoting privacy, security, and interoperability. Successful projects will receive funding between 5,000 and 50,000 EUR and have the potential to scale up through other funding programs. The call is open to individuals and organizations of all types, and proposals should align with the NGI vision and have a clear European dimension. The deadline for submission is December 1, 2025.

Eligible Applicant Types: Anyone can apply, including private individuals and organizations of any type.

Funding Type: Grant, specifically cascade funding.

Consortium Requirement: Single applicant.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The call has a clear European dimension, implying eligibility for entities within Europe.

Target Sector: ICT, specifically focusing on mobile software, open source software, libre hardware, open standards, security, privacy, interoperability, usability, high availability, and scalability in the mobile ecosystem. The program also targets human-centered and ethical mobile software.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the call has a clear European dimension.

Project Stage: The project stage is variable, ranging from research and development to improving existing applications. The call supports activities from scientific research and design to validation, software engineering, security audits, documentation, standardization, usability improvements, and deployment.

Funding Amount: The funding range is between 5,000 and 50,000 euros.

Application Type: Open call.

Nature of Support: Money.

Application Stages: 1.

Success Rates: Not specified in the text.

Co-funding Requirement: Not specified in the text.

Summary:

The NGI Mobifree open call (2025-12M) is a funding opportunity under the Horizon Europe program, specifically HORIZON-CL4-2023-HUMAN-01-12 - Pilots for the Next Generation Internet (IA). It aims to foster the development of free and open source mobile software, libre hardware, and open standards to empower European citizens and organizations with more choice, security, and control over their mobile technologies. The call is open to anyone, including private individuals and organizations of any type, with project proposals aligned with the NGI vision and focused on research and development.

The total funding available is 430,000 euros, and individual projects can receive between 5,000 and 50,000 euros. The expected duration of participation is flexible, ranging from 1 to 12 months. The submission deadline is December 1, 2025, at 12:00 Brussels time.

Projects are evaluated based on technical merit (30%), strategic relevance to the Next Generation Internet and contribution to NGI Mobifree goals (40%), and value for money (30%). A minimum score of 5.0 out of 7 is required for selection.

Eligible activities include scientific research, design and development of open source software and open hardware, validation of technical solutions, software engineering, security audits, documentation, standardization activities, usability improvements, deployment measures, participation in relevant events, and project management. All scientific outcomes and novel software/hardware must be published under open access and free/open source licenses.

The NGI Mobifree initiative seeks to reshape the mobile software landscape by promoting open, transparent, and reusable technologies. It encourages proposals that contribute to opening up the mobile ecosystem, removing gatekeepers, enhancing existing applications (such as F-Droid, Conversations, or Micro-G), and improving usability, security, privacy, interoperability, high availability, and scalability. The program aims to create a sustainable and open economy where privacy-friendly, human-centered, and ethical mobile software is the norm.