RIA Global call according to SRIA 2026

The HORIZON-JU-CHIPS-2026-1-RIA grant opportunity is part of Horizon Europe's initiative aimed at strengthening Europe's semiconductor industry through research and innovation actions. This call is specifically focused on fostering collaboration among various entities, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), large enterprises, universities, research institutes, and public organizations. Unique to this opportunity is the requirement for applicants to form consortia rather than submitting proposals as individual entities.

The financial support provided through this grant follows the Horizon Action Grant Budget-Based model and covers up to 100% of eligible project costs. The total budget for this call is 50 million euros, with an expectation of funding approximately 8 grants. Individual projects can receive funding ranging from 1 million to 12 million euros each.

The geographical scope for eligibility encompasses legal entities from EU member states and associated countries, with no explicit restrictions noted for other nations. The projects supported under this call should focus on the semiconductor industry, particularly in areas including advanced semiconductor technologies, electronic components and systems, artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, and cybersecurity.

The expected maturity for projects is concentrated on research and early-stage development, specifically targeting Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 3 to 4. Proposals should aim to establish new knowledge and demonstrate the feasibility of innovative technologies, products, or processes, emphasizing applied research validated through small-scale prototypes in controlled laboratory environments.

Eligible applicants are invited to submit proposals through a two-stage submission process. The first proposal deadline is set for May 7, 2026, and the second for September 17, 2026. The application process requires adherence to specified guidelines, with submission occurring via the Funding & Tenders Portal.

Success rates for this funding opportunity have not been explicitly stated, but historical data from similar calls suggests it may fall within a range of 10 to 39%. Co-funding from applicants is not mandated, although verifications in the call documents are recommended.

Overall, this grant is designed to empower collaborative projects that contribute to Europe’s technological and industrial leadership in semiconductors, addressing critical societal challenges while ensuring a robust and competitive semiconductor ecosystem within the region.

The HORIZON-JU-CHIPS-2026-1-RIA call, under the Horizon Europe program, focuses on HORIZON JU Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) within the Chips Joint Undertaking (JU). The call aims to foster the development of new knowledge and the exploration of the feasibility of innovative technologies, products, processes, services, methods, tools, or solutions in the semiconductor industry. These actions may include applied research, technology development, method and tool integration, and the testing and validation of small-scale prototypes in laboratory or simulated environments.

The expected outcome of this call is to support projects that can advance technologies from Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3 to 4. A successful RIA proposal should be characterized by execution through a consortium comprising SMEs, large enterprises, universities, research institutes, and public organizations. The projects should develop innovative technologies or apply existing technologies in innovative ways, targeting the demonstration of these approaches in relevant products, services, or capabilities that address societal challenges. Proposals should demonstrate value and potential in realistic lab environments that replicate the targeted application and include a deployment plan that outlines the valorization strategy for the Chips JU ecosystem and contributes to its overall goals and objectives.

To maximize the impact of the Chips JU, the selected RIA proposals will form a balanced portfolio of projects. This portfolio will include projects that develop innovative technologies across functional technology layers and cross-sectional technologies, as defined in the SRIA (Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda), and apply these technologies in various domains, as outlined in the SRIA's key application areas section. This approach ensures that the call addresses both the supply side (technology development) and the demand side (application domains) of the semiconductor industry.

The call is structured in two stages, with the submission session opening on February 3, 2026. The first deadline is May 7, 2026, at 17:00 Brussels time, and the second deadline is September 17, 2026, at 17:00 Brussels time. The total budget for this call is 50,000,000 EUR, and the indicative number of grants to be awarded is 8, with contributions ranging from 1,000,000 to 12,000,000 EUR per grant.

The general conditions for admissibility include compliance with proposal page limits and layout guidelines, which are detailed in Part B of the Application Form, accessible on the Chips JU website's Call page. Additional information can be found in Appendix 7 of the Chips JU Work Programme. Applicants must also meet eligibility criteria related to eligible countries, other eligible conditions, and financial and operational capacity. The evaluation and award process will consider award criteria, scoring, thresholds, submission and evaluation processes, and an indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement. The legal and financial setup of the grants will also be governed by specific rules.

Specific conditions require applicants to visit the Call page of the Chips JU Website for detailed information. The Call Documents Section contains all necessary documents, including reference documents like the Guide for Applicants and Evaluation Form, as well as call submission documents and annexes such as the Application Form template Part B, National Funding Table template, and Ownership Declaration template. Guidance documents include the HE Programme Guide, Model Grant Agreements (MGA), HE MGA, Call-specific instructions, Information on financial support to third parties (HE), and Information on clinical studies (HE). Additional documents include the EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, 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, and Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

The Funding & Tenders Portal provides access to the Electronic Submission Service, where applicants can submit their proposals. The portal also offers resources such as an Online Manual, FAQs, an IT Helpdesk, and a Partner Search function to assist applicants in finding collaboration partners.

In summary, this Chips JU call for Research and Innovation Actions aims to stimulate the development and application of innovative technologies in the semiconductor industry. It seeks to fund projects that can bridge the gap between fundamental research and practical application, contributing to the competitiveness and strategic autonomy of the European Union in the field of microelectronics. The call encourages collaboration between various types of organizations and emphasizes the importance of a balanced portfolio of projects that address both technological advancements and their application in addressing societal challenges.

Eligible Applicant Types: The call is open to consortia that may consist of SMEs, large enterprises, universities, institutes, and public organizations.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG] under the HORIZON JU Research and Innovation Actions [HORIZON-JU-RIA].

Consortium Requirement: A consortium is required, as the call specifies execution by a consortium consisting of various types of organizations.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The provided text does not explicitly specify geographic eligibility. However, since it is a Horizon Europe call under the Chips Joint Undertaking (JU), it is likely that standard Horizon Europe eligibility rules apply, which generally include EU member states, associated countries, and potentially other countries depending on the specific call conditions. Further details would be found under "Eligible Countries" in the call documents.

Target Sector: The target sector is the semiconductor industry, specifically research and innovation in chip technology, as indicated by the Chips Joint Undertaking (JU). This includes functional technology layers and cross-sectional technologies, as well as key application areas defined in the SRIA (Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda).

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned in the provided text. The call is part of the Horizon Europe program, so it is likely targeted at EU member states and associated countries.

Project Stage: The expected maturity of projects is at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3-4. This indicates activities centered around establishing new knowledge and exploring the feasibility of new or improved technologies, including testing and validation on small-scale prototypes in a laboratory or simulated environment.

Funding Amount: The indicative funding range is between EUR 1,000,000 and EUR 12,000,000 per grant. The total budget for the topic is EUR 50,000,000, with an indicative number of 8 grants to be awarded.

Application Type: The application type is an open call with a two-stage submission process.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a grant.

Application Stages: The application process consists of two stages.

Success Rates: The provided text does not contain information about success rates.

Co-funding Requirement: The provided text does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required. This information would likely be detailed in the call documents.

Summary:

This is a call for proposals under the Horizon Europe program, specifically the Chips Joint Undertaking (JU), aimed at funding Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) in the semiconductor industry. The call, titled HORIZON-JU-CHIPS-2026-1-RIA, seeks to support projects focused on developing new knowledge and exploring the feasibility of innovative technologies, products, processes, services, methods, tools, or solutions related to chip technology. The projects should be centered around Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 3-4, involving applied research, technology development, and validation on small-scale prototypes.

Eligible applicants must form a consortium consisting of SMEs, large enterprises, universities, research institutes, and public organizations. The call emphasizes the development of innovative technologies and their application in addressing societal challenges, demonstrating value in realistic lab environments, and having a deployment plan for the Chips JU ecosystem. The goal is to create a balanced portfolio of projects that develop innovative technologies and apply them in various domains, aligning with the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) of the Chips JU.

The total budget for this call is EUR 50,000,000, with individual grants ranging from EUR 1,000,000 to EUR 12,000,000. The call follows a two-stage submission process, with deadlines on May 7, 2026, and September 17, 2026. Applicants are required to submit their proposals electronically through the Funding & Tenders Portal, following the guidelines and templates provided in the call documents. The call aims to support the Chips JU's objectives by fostering innovation and competitiveness in the European semiconductor industry.