NGI Zero Commons Fund (2025-10Z)

The NGI Zero Commons Fund is a grant opportunity under the Horizon Europe program aimed at fostering the development, maturation, and scaling of digital commons to create a resilient and trustworthy internet. It supports a variety of projects and initiatives in open-source technologies and other internet infrastructure. The fund has a total budget of €15 million and is open for applications from August 1, 2025, until October 1, 2025, at noon Brussels time. Projects can vary in duration from 1 to 12 months, offering flexibility in participation.

Eligible applicants include a wide range of entities such as individuals, startups, SMEs, large companies, universities, research institutions, nonprofits, governments, and NGOs. The call is characterized as an open submission process, and projects are not required to form consortia, allowing for single applicants.

Projects must have a clear European dimension and can be located in EU member states or associated countries, with additional funding from Switzerland through the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation. The main target sectors encompass ICT, open-source software and hardware, AI, cybersecurity, along with decentralized technologies and digital commons, addressing modern internet challenges.

The application process involves a single stage where projects are evaluated based on technical merit, strategic relevance, and overall value for money. Successful proposals must score above 5 out of 7 to qualify for funding. Proposed activities eligible for support are diverse, including scientific research, software and hardware design, validation of technologies, standardization efforts, and participation in community events. Projects are also encouraged to adopt open access and free licensing practices for all outputs and findings.

The fund emphasizes collaborative efforts across various stakeholders—public sector, private companies, academia, and civil society—to address existing gaps in internet integrity and accessibility, aligning with the Next Generation Internet initiative. Through this initiative, the aim is to promote an open and sustainable internet that facilitates innovation and community engagement, setting the stage for advancements in areas such as Web 4.0 and augmented reality technologies.

The NGI Zero Commons Fund is a funding opportunity co-funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101135429. Additional funding is provided by the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). The fund aims to support the development, maturation, and scaling of new internet commons across the technology spectrum, from libre silicon to middleware, from P2P infrastructure to end-user applications. The fund supports the Next Generation Internet (NGI) initiative and contributes to a resilient, trustworthy, and sustainably open internet.

The opening date for submissions is August 1, 2025, and the deadline for submissions is October 1, 2025, at 12:00 Brussels time. The expected duration of participation is flexible, ranging from 1 to 12 months. The total funding available is 15,000,000.00 EUR. The project acronym is NGI0 Commons Fund, and the full name of the EU-funded project is "Create, mature and grow internet commons". The topic is HORIZON-CL4-2023-HUMAN-01-11 - Next Generation Internet Fund (RIA).

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

Projects are evaluated on a 7-point scale based on three criteria: technical merit, strategic relevance to the Next Generation Internet, and overall value for money. The key objective is to deliver potential breakthrough contributions to the open internet. Projects must achieve a total weighted score above 5.0 (out of 7) to be selected.

The following types of activities are eligible for financial support, provided they are cost-effective and directly relevant to digital commons and the objectives of the NGI0 Commons Fund call:

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., including 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 software and hardware must be published under a recognized free and open-source license in its entirety.

The NGI Zero Commons Fund aims to address gaps in the current internet landscape by supporting collective action and public investment in internet commons. It seeks to deliver, mature, and scale new internet commons across the entire technology spectrum, from libre silicon to middleware, from P2P infrastructure to convenient end-user applications. The fund adopts a holistic, full-stack approach to ensure comprehensive coverage and reclaim the public nature of the internet.

The fund encourages new ideas and disruptive technologies while also supporting the evolution and growth of existing future-proof technologies. It emphasizes the importance of the quadruple helix collaboration of the public sector, aligned companies, academia, and civil society to restore the internet and economies to health. The fund aims to create a strong and open internet for all and bring about new paradigms like the European Commission's vision for Web 4.0, which harnesses technologies like virtual and augmented reality, generative AI, and intelligent mediators in a responsible way to sustainably serve society.

Project results must be available under a free or open-source license, allowing anyone to read and validate the source code and use the code or open data to create solutions that fit their own purposes. The right to reuse and the right to repair promote unrestricted scrutiny and permission-free innovation while also helping to reduce e-waste. The use of standards enables interoperability and redundancy in implementation to reduce the risk of compromise and failure.

In summary, the NGI Zero Commons Fund is a significant funding opportunity for projects that contribute to the development and sustainability of open and accessible internet technologies. It supports a wide range of activities, from research and development to standardization and community engagement, with a focus on open-source principles and the creation of digital commons. The fund seeks to foster collaboration among various stakeholders to address the challenges facing the internet and build a more resilient, trustworthy, and equitable digital future.

Eligible Applicant Types: The opportunity is open to anyone, including private individuals and organizations of any type. This suggests a broad range of eligible applicants, encompassing startups, SMEs, large enterprises, universities, research institutes, nonprofits, governments, and NGOs.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically cascade funding, where the NGI0 Commons Fund, supported by the European Commission, provides financial support to third parties.

Consortium Requirement: A single applicant is acceptable, as the text states "Anyone can apply". While collaboration is encouraged through the "quadruple helix" model, it's not a mandatory requirement.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The opportunity has a clear European dimension, being co-funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe program. Additional funding is provided by Switzerland. Therefore, the geographic eligibility likely includes EU member states, countries associated with Horizon Europe, and Switzerland.

Target Sector: The program targets the ICT sector, specifically focusing on the Next Generation Internet (NGI) and digital commons. This includes areas like open source software and hardware, open standards, open data & AI, open science, creative commons, and open educational resources. It also aims to address gaps in these areas and promote a resilient, trustworthy, and sustainably open internet. The program also mentions Web 4.0, virtual and augmented reality, generative AI and intelligent mediators.

Mentioned Countries: Switzerland is explicitly mentioned as providing additional funding through the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). The European Union is also mentioned as the primary funding source.

Project Stage: The program supports projects at various stages, including research, development, validation, and scaling. The goal is to deliver, mature, and scale new internet commons, suggesting that projects from early-stage research to more mature development and deployment phases are eligible.

Funding Amount: The total funding available is 15,000,000.00 €. The expected duration of participation is 1-12 months (flexible). The funding amount for individual projects is variable, depending on the project's scope and needs.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, as stated: "it really is an open call." Projects can be submitted through the provided link.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of grants to support their projects.

Application Stages: The application process appears to be single-stage, as indicated by the "Deadline model: single-stage".

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but projects will need a total weighted score above 5.0 (out of 7) in order to be selected.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly state a co-funding requirement.

Summary:

The NGI Zero Commons Fund is an EU-funded initiative under the Horizon Europe program, with additional support from Switzerland, aimed at fostering the development and scaling of digital commons for the Next Generation Internet. It provides grants to individuals and organizations of all types to support projects that contribute to a resilient, trustworthy, and sustainably open internet. The fund targets a wide range of activities, including scientific research, open source software and hardware development, standardization, and community engagement. The program has a holistic, full-stack approach, covering the whole technology spectrum, from libre silicon to middleware, from P2P infrastructure to convenient end user applications. The application process is a single-stage open call, with projects evaluated based on technical merit, strategic relevance to the NGI, and value for money. The goal is to support projects that deliver potential break-through contributions to the open internet and address the challenges of market failure and dystopian technology through collective action and public investment. The fund supports the quadruple helix model, encouraging collaboration between the public sector, companies, academia, and civil society. The total funding available is 15,000,000.00 €, and the expected duration of participation is 1-12 months (flexible). The call aims to support new ideas and disruptive technologies, while at the same time evolving and growing existing technologies that are still future-proof.