NGI TALER open call (2025-08T)

The NGI TALER open call is a funding opportunity within the Next Generation Internet initiative, specifically aimed at the development of privacy-preserving and libre digital payment systems. This initiative is funded by the European Commission and the Swiss State, building on the existing GNU Taler system, which seeks to enhance user privacy while ensuring merchant transparency in online transactions.

Eligible applicants include startups, SMEs, individual developers, researchers, and businesses engaged in free and open-source solutions. The funding type is categorized as a grant through a cascade funding model, with financial support ranging between €5,000 and €50,000 per project. The total budget available for this initiative is €396,000.

Applicants can submit their proposals through an open call with submissions allowed until August 1, 2025, at 12:00 Brussels time. The projects funded are expected to focus on development, integration, and validation of technologies related to the GNU Taler payment system, aiming at enhancing user experiences, improving infrastructure, and enabling functionalities like peer-to-peer micropayments. While collaboration is encouraged, applications can be submitted by individual entities without a consortium requirement.

The geographic eligibility includes EU member states and associated countries, specifically mentioning Switzerland due to co-funding.

The evaluation of project proposals will consider technical merit, strategic relevance, and overall value for money, with a scoring system that requires a total score above 5.0 out of 7 for selection. Key activities eligible for funding encompass scientific research, software development, security audits, documentation, usability improvements, and participation in relevant events, all of which must be tied to NGI TALER's strategic goals.

All project outputs are required to be published under a free and open-source license, ensuring that the results contribute to the broader technology commons. The overarching aim of this funding opportunity is to promote user empowerment, enhance accessibility, and encourage innovative financial technology solutions that align with democratic and user-centric values.

The NGI TALER open call is an excellent funding opportunity for those interested in reshaping the digital payment landscape through innovative research and development aligned with the principles of the Next Generation Internet.

The NGI TALER open call (2025-08T) is a funding opportunity within the Next Generation Internet (NGI) initiative, specifically aimed at fostering the development and deployment of privacy-preserving and libre digital payment methods. The call is part of the NGI TALER project, which is funded by the European Commission and the Swiss State, and builds upon the GNU Taler system.

The opening date for submissions is June 1, 2025, and the deadline for submission is August 1, 2025, at 12:00 Brussels time. The expected duration of participation in projects funded under this call is flexible, ranging from 1 to 12 months. The total funding available for this call is 396,000.00 EUR. The project acronym is TALER, and the full name of the EU-funded project is Taxable Anonymous Libre Electronic Reserves. The grant agreement number is 101135475. The relevant topic is HORIZON-CL4-2023-HUMAN-01-12 - Pilots for the Next Generation Internet (IA).

Projects can be submitted through the website https://NLnet.nl/propose. Applicants should consult this page and the guide for applicants before preparing their proposal. 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 (no longer than two pages for the main application), and have a clear European dimension.

Proposals will be evaluated based on a 7-point scale, considering three criteria: technical merit (30% weight), strategic relevance to the Next Generation Internet and expected contribution to the goals of NGI TALER (40% weight), and overall value for money (30% weight). To be selected, projects must achieve a total weighted score above 5.0 out of 7. The key objective is to deliver potential break-through contributions to the objectives of NGI TALER and the introduction of privacy-preserving and libre digital payment methods at internet scale.

The following types of activities are eligible for financial support, provided they are cost-effective and directly relevant to NGI TALER's topics and objectives:

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, e.g., packaging
Participation in technical, developer, and community events like hackathons, IETF, W3C, RIPE meetings, FOSDEM, etc. (admission fee, 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.

Further information, including the complete call text, proposal guidelines, and an FAQ, can be found at https://NLnet.nl/taler. Additional information is available on the official project website: https://ngi.taler.net.

The NGI TALER project aims to roll out a new electronic payment system that benefits various stakeholders, including individuals, merchants, banks, financial authorities, auditors, and anti-corruption researchers. It builds on the GNU Taler system, offering privacy for payers and transparency for sellers. GNU Taler facilitates micro payments at low overhead, enabling alternative internet business models beyond advertising or subscriptions. It also aims to reduce transaction fees and extend online payment access to underbanked populations.

15% of the NGI TALER budget is allocated to open calls for funding free and open source efforts aligned with the project's goals. Contributions are sought to enhance GNU Taler, develop auxiliary tools, improve user experience, integrate with FOSS applications and open standards (e.g., enabling P2P micropayments in instant messengers or social media platforms), and improve infrastructure components like merchant backends.

The program seeks project proposals with budgets ranging from 5,000 to 50,000 EUR. Successful projects may have the opportunity to scale up through other NLnet-funded programs like NGI0 Core. The goal is to establish reliable, low-cost, secure, and resource-efficient payments as the norm on the internet, empowering users with control.

The open calls aim to assist independent researchers and developers in creating new technologies that contribute to a fair and democratic society. The call encourages innovative and out-of-the-box ideas that align with the topic and eligibility criteria.

For those interested in learning more about Taler or having questions, resources include the GNU Taler technology, the main NGI Taler site, and the GNU Taler Integration Community Hub.

In summary, this NGI TALER open call is a funding opportunity for projects that contribute to the development and deployment of privacy-preserving and open-source digital payment systems, building upon the GNU Taler technology. It seeks to foster a more trustworthy, reliable, and user-centric internet by supporting research, development, and integration efforts in the realm of digital payments. The call welcomes a wide range of applicants and encourages innovative proposals that can help reshape the future of digital payment systems. The total budget is 396,000 EUR and projects can apply for funding between 5,000 and 50,000 EUR.

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

Funding Type: Grant. Specifically, small to medium-size R&D grants. This is also described as cascade funding.

Consortium Requirement: Single. While collaboration is encouraged through open source contributions, the application appears to be for single entities.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The call has a clear European dimension, suggesting eligibility within Europe. The NGI initiative generally targets European entities, but since the funding is also from the Swiss State, it may include Switzerland.

Target Sector: ICT, Finance, Software Services, Security/Cybersecurity, Innovation, DeepTech, Open Source, Digital Payment Systems. The focus is on privacy-preserving and libre digital payment methods.

Mentioned Countries: Switzerland. The call has a clear European dimension, suggesting eligibility within Europe.

Project Stage: Research, Development, Validation, Software Engineering, Standardization, Improving Usability, Necessary measures in support of (broad)er deployability.

Funding Amount: Between 5,000 and 50,000 euros. The total funding available for the open call is 396,000 euros.

Application Type: Open call.

Nature of Support: Money. Beneficiaries will receive financial support in the form of grants.

Application Stages: 1. The deadline model is single-stage.

Success Rates: Not specified, but the text mentions that budgets are limited, suggesting that the success rate may be competitive.

Co-funding Requirement: Not explicitly mentioned, but cost-effectiveness is a criterion, which might imply a preference for projects that demonstrate efficient use of funds, potentially including co-funding.

Summary:

The NGI TALER open call is a funding opportunity for individuals and organizations to contribute to the development of privacy-preserving and libre digital payment systems. Funded by the European Commission and the Swiss State, this initiative aims to reshape the digital payment landscape by supporting projects aligned with the NGI vision and the goals of NGI TALER. The call seeks to foster an open, trustworthy, and reliable internet for all.

The focus is on enhancing GNU Taler, a privacy-preserving digital payment system, and integrating it with various FOSS applications and open standards. This includes enabling P2P micropayments in instant messengers, open social media platforms, and video conferencing tools, as well as improving infrastructure components like merchant backends.

The call provides R&D grants ranging from 5,000 to 50,000 euros for projects that contribute to technology commons, empower users, and establish a new generation of privacy-friendly digital payments systems. The program runs until November 2026.

Eligible activities include scientific research, open source software and hardware development, validation of technical solutions, software engineering, security audits, documentation, standardization activities, usability improvements, deployability measures, and participation in relevant events. All project results must be made available under a free and open source license.

The evaluation criteria include technical merit, strategic relevance to the Next Generation Internet and contribution to NGI TALER goals, and overall value for money. The application process involves submitting a concise proposal (no longer than two pages) through the NLnet portal.

This is an opportunity for researchers and developers to contribute to a sustainable and open economy by building powerful new technologies for future generations. The call encourages innovative and out-of-the-box ideas that align with the topic and eligibility criteria.