Sustainable and healthy diets for cardiovascular diseases prevention with the support of digital applications

The Horizon Europe call HORIZON-CL6 addresses the development of sustainable and healthy diets for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, utilizing digital applications. Scheduled to open on January 14, 2026, with a deadline of April 14, 2026, it has a total budget of €11,800,000, anticipated to provide funding for two grants between €5,900,000 to €6,000,000 each. Eligible applicants include research institutions, universities, innovative small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), start-ups, healthcare organizations, and patient representatives. A consortium-based approach is strongly encouraged, emphasizing the importance of diverse expertise across multiple sectors including health, digital solutions, and agriculture/food technology. The funding type is a lump sum grant, simplifying financial management for beneficiaries by offering a fixed amount instead of reimbursing actual costs. The call is open for submissions in a single-stage evaluation process, making it straightforward for applicants to submit comprehensive proposals. The focus areas of funded projects include identifying the impacts of healthy diets on the gut microbiome and cardiovascular health, exploring personalized dietary tools, and analyzing economic benefits through user engagement. The call aligns with various EU policies including the ‘Healthier Together’ initiative and the European Health Union. Successful proposals should include activities like investigating microbiota interactions, mapping existing digital health solutions, and developing user-friendly applications aimed at improving dietary habits. The application process will adhere to established Horizon Europe rules, covering both EU member and associated countries, with potential for some non-EU participation. The single-stage nature of the application simplifies the process, with no mandatory co-funding requirements specified, though demonstrating additional support may enhance proposals. Overall, this initiative seeks to transition scientific insights into practical digital health solutions, bridging the gap between research and public health implementation to combat cardiovascular disease while fostering innovation among SMEs and start-ups in the digital health sector.

This is a Horizon Europe call, specifically HORIZON-CL6, focusing on sustainable and healthy diets for cardiovascular disease prevention using digital applications. It is a HORIZON Innovation Action (HORIZON-IA) with a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] type of Model Grant Agreement (MGA). The call is a single-stage process, with a planned opening date of 14 January 2026 and a deadline of 14 April 2026 at 17:00:00 Brussels time. The budget for this specific topic is €11,800,000, and the indicative number of grants is 2, with contributions ranging from 5,000,000 to €6,000,000.

The expected outcomes of the projects funded under this topic include:Identification of the effects of sustainable and healthy diets on the gut microbiome and cardiovascular system using AI and digital tools, considering different population groups and gender. Increased knowledge on improving eating habits through AI and digital tools to prevent cardiovascular disease, leading to the development or scaling up of a personalized tool for patients. Robust economic cost-benefit analysis with real end-user involvement and demonstration. Translation of scientific communication on the link between sustainable diets and cardiovascular disease prevention into digital health solutions by SMEs and start-ups. Improved understanding of the relationship between nutritional risk factors and beneficial nutritional intake in cardiovascular disease prevention, supported by digital solutions.

The scope of the call emphasizes the relevance to EU policies such as the ‘Healthier Together’ initiative, the European Health Union, the R&I Food 2030 framework, and the Strategy for European Life Sciences.

The proposals should address the following activities:Investigation of host-microbiota interactions and standardized biomarkers to understand the relationship between diet, gut microbiome, and cardiovascular risk, including the development and testing of nutrition approaches based on microbiome profiles. Mapping of existing digital health solutions related to reducing cardiovascular diseases linked to unhealthy diets. Development of user-friendly digital solutions for authorities, healthcare professionals, and patients, considering costs, benefits, and monitoring of cardiovascular diseases. Facilitation of the deployment and commercialization of digital solutions by SMEs and start-ups, including data integration across healthcare systems and health data analysis.

The call encourages the effective contribution of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) disciplines, particularly experts in behavioral sciences and psychology, to understand the perception and uptake of digital solutions and eating habits. A multi-actor approach is also encouraged, with the inclusion of industry, innovative SMEs, authorities, national institutes, healthcare professionals, patients, and experts on advanced digital tools. Projects should explore complementarities and synergies with other relevant projects, such as HORIZON-HLTH-2026-01-DISEASE-11 and HORIZON-HLTH-2027-01-TOOL-01.

General conditions for participation include:Admissibility conditions as described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes, with proposal page limits and layout described in Part B of the Application Form. Eligible countries as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, with specific provisions for non-EU/non-Associated Countries outlined in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide. Other eligible conditions are subject to restrictions for the protection of European communication networks, as described in Annex B. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria are described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes. Evaluation and award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes. Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual. The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes. Legal and financial setup of the grants, with eligible costs taking the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021.

Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme. Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreements (MGA) are available in the Submission System, including standard application forms (HE RIA, IA) and evaluation forms. Guidance is provided in the HE Programme Guide and Lump Sum MGA. Call-specific instructions, a detailed budget table (HE LS), information on clinical studies (HE), and guidance on lump sums are also available. Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027, the HE Programme Guide, the HE Framework Programme 2021/695, the HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764, the EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, and various guidance documents and legal frameworks.

The budget overview lists several topics under the same call, each with its own budget, type of action, and indicative number of grants.

Partner search announcements are available for those seeking collaborators, and the submission system will open on the date stated in the topic header.

This Horizon Europe FARM2FORK call seeks to fund innovation actions that leverage AI and digital tools to promote sustainable and healthy diets for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. It aims to bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and practical application by developing user-friendly digital solutions, involving SMEs and start-ups in the process, and considering the gut microbiome's role in cardiovascular health. The call encourages a multi-disciplinary approach, bringing together experts from various fields to create effective and accessible tools for authorities, healthcare professionals, and individuals to improve eating habits and prevent cardiovascular diseases. The funding mechanism is based on lump sums, and the call emphasizes alignment with EU health and food policies.

Eligible Applicant Types:The opportunity targets a multi-actor approach and encourages the inclusion of industry and innovative SMEs in the consortia. It also mentions authorities, national institutes, healthcare and nutritional professionals, and patients as potential participants. Therefore, eligible applicant types include industry, innovative SMEs, authorities, national institutes, healthcare professionals, nutritional professionals, and patient organizations.

Funding Type:The funding type is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant, as indicated by the Type of MGA (Model Grant Agreement) being "HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS]". The actions are HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) and HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA).

Consortium Requirement:The opportunity encourages a multi-actor approach, implying that a consortium of multiple applicants is preferred. The text explicitly states, "Proposals should include industry and innovative SMEs in the consortia and ensure an early engagement of authorities, national institutes, healthcare and nutritional professionals, patients as well as experts on advanced digital tools." Therefore, a consortium is strongly encouraged.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):The eligible countries are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. The text also mentions that "A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide." This suggests that while the primary focus is on EU and associated countries, some non-EU countries may also be eligible under specific conditions.

Target Sector:The program targets the following sectors: health, food, ICT (digital solutions, AI), biotech/medtech (gut microbiome, biomarkers), agriculture/food (sustainable diets, nutrition), and innovation. The main focus is on sustainable and healthy diets for cardiovascular disease prevention, supported by digital applications.

Mentioned Countries:No specific countries are explicitly mentioned in the provided text. However, the program falls under the Horizon Europe framework, which generally includes EU member states and associated countries. The text also indicates that some non-EU/non-Associated Countries may be eligible.

Project Stage:The project stage appears to be focused on development, validation, and demonstration, with an emphasis on scaling up existing tools and developing user-friendly digital solutions. The call is for HORIZON Innovation Actions, HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions, suggesting a move from research to practical application and implementation.

Funding Amount:The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic within the call. Based on the "Budget overview," the funding ranges from €2,000,000 to €14,000,000 per project, with several topics having budgets around €6,000,000. The HORIZON-CL6 topic has a budget of €11,800,000.

Application Type:The application type is an open call with a single-stage submission process, as indicated by "Call 02 - single stage (2026)".

Nature of Support:The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant, as the Type of MGA is "HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS]".

Application Stages:There is only one stage in the application process, as indicated by "single-stage" under the "Deadline model."

Success Rates:The success rates are not explicitly mentioned in the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement:The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement. However, given that it is a Horizon Europe Innovation Action, co-funding might be implicitly expected, especially for activities related to deployment and commercialization.

Summary:This Horizon Europe call, specifically HORIZON-CL6, focuses on "Sustainable and healthy diets for cardiovascular diseases prevention with the support of digital applications." It aims to fund projects that investigate the link between diet, gut microbiome, and cardiovascular health, and to develop or scale up digital tools that help people improve their eating habits for cardiovascular disease prevention. The call encourages a multi-actor approach, requiring consortia to include industry, innovative SMEs, authorities, healthcare professionals, and patients. Eligible applicants can come from EU member states, associated countries, and potentially some non-EU countries. The funding is provided as a lump sum grant, with a budget of €11,800,000 for the HORIZON-CL6 topic. The application process involves a single stage, with a deadline of April 14, 2026. The projects should contribute to EU policies related to the ‘Healthier Together’ initiative, the European Health Union, the R&I Food 2030 framework, and the Strategy for European Life Sciences. The call seeks to translate scientific communication on sustainable and healthy diets into digital health solutions, particularly those developed by SMEs and start-ups.