Towards a European network of ocean technology testing sites

The HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-04 grant opportunity is part of the Horizon Europe Coordination and Support Action (CSA) aimed at establishing a unified European network of ocean technology testing sites. The primary applicants are European operators of ocean technology testing sites, which include research institutions, universities, marine technology companies, maritime clusters, and regional authorities. Collaboration with academic institutions, research infrastructures, industry players, and investors is encouraged, particularly for SMEs and startups, who may participate in consortiums.

The funding for this grant ranges from €2.5 million to €2.9 million, addressing coordination, networking, and knowledge-sharing activities rather than solely focusing on research and innovation. While a consortium is not mandatory, a collaborative approach among multiple partners is essential to integrate various testing sites across Europe. This initiative targets operators across EU and EEA countries and encourages proposals that include less-developed coastal regions and the EU Outermost regions.

The focus is on ocean and marine technologies applicable to various sectors, including ocean observation, marine environmental sensing, offshore renewable energy, and pollution mitigation. The project aims to transition technologies from laboratory development to real-world market-ready solutions, enhancing innovation cycles and reducing barriers to accessing offshore facilities.

The application process is a single-stage submission, with the opening date set for February 4, 2026, and the deadline on September 23, 2026. Beneficiaries will receive direct financial grants to help with the coordination and operational costs of testing sites. Although there is no explicit co-funding requirement, projects that demonstrate substantial co-funding may be viewed favorably.

The initiative is aligned with the EU’s mission to restore ocean and water ecosystems by 2030 and supports broader objectives like the European Green Deal. By establishing a coordinated network of testing sites, the project seeks to strengthen European leadership in the global ocean economy and promote sustainable use of marine resources while facilitating knowledge exchange and collaboration among various stakeholders in the marine sector.

This is a call for proposals under the Horizon Europe program, specifically targeting the implementation of the Restore our Ocean and Waters Mission. The call, designated as HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-04, aims to establish a European network of ocean technology testing sites. It falls under the category of HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA) and utilizes a HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG] Model Grant Agreement.

The call follows a single-stage deadline model. The planned opening date is February 4, 2026, and the deadline for submission is September 23, 2026, at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The expected outcomes of the projects funded under this call are: Harmonized approaches and processes across testing sites to ensure consistent and simplified access, considering the sensitivity of marine ecosystems. Accelerated innovation cycles for ocean technologies, leading to shorter time-to-market and reduced costs and risks associated with offshore trials. Availability of cost-efficient physical testing sites and expertise, reducing the need for specialized in-house equipment and competencies. An enhanced ocean technologies ecosystem supporting European leadership in the global market. Provision of cost-efficient access to testing sites and expertise.

The scope of the call focuses on the development and deployment of innovative ocean technologies for sustainable use of marine resources, effective ocean monitoring and observation, and enhanced security and safety of offshore operations and infrastructures. The call addresses the challenge of cumbersome access to dedicated offshore sites for testing and validating these technologies. It aims to accelerate innovation cycles and support companies in transitioning from laboratory to market-ready solutions. This initiative is linked to the Technology Infrastructure initiatives under Horizon Europe Cluster 4 – Digital, Industry and Space, contributing to the objective of de-risking R&D&I investments, validating concepts in real conditions, and enhancing knowledge and skills.

Proposals should originate from European operators of testing sites for ocean technologies. The goal is to establish or expand well-connected networks of physical sites in various geographical locations, complemented by digital twin-based sites. These sites should offer diverse marine environmental conditions for testing ocean technology prototypes and demonstrators, supported by unique competences and know-how, aligned with certification requirements, and preserving sensitive technological developments and Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs). The physical testing sites can be complemented by digital twin representations using the EU digital twin of the ocean (DTO) public infrastructure, providing virtual replicas of real-world marine environments for accurate simulations and assessments.

Projects are expected to improve the integration and structure of the European landscape of ocean testing sites, including digital twin-based sites, by involving relevant actors to cover a broad range of sites for various ocean technologies and application areas, including ocean observation and monitoring.

The call specifies several issues that proposals should address: Identification and mapping of testing sites, considering the sensitivity of marine ecosystems, with involvement of relevant actors and related services, including digital twin-based testing sites. Analysis of user needs and identification of existing gaps in ocean testing sites (physical and digital) and in the provision of services, including certification, simulation, prototyping support, environmental monitoring, and environmental impact assessment. It also includes identifying obstacles hampering access and use by the industry. Setting up an integrated and coordinated European network of testing sites, addressing issues such as alignment of access policy and conditions, regulatory framework and governance models, service delivery models, data security, protection of trade secrets and IPRs, outreach measures towards new users, SMEs and start-ups, and support to training and skills development. Measures to support collaboration between academic and research institutions, including European Research Infrastructure, industry players, regulators, and investors to accelerate innovation cycles, as well as coordination between geographically dispersed sites. Identification of joint investment opportunities to enhance the capacity and the portfolio of services of testing sites and ensure long-term sustainability.

Proposals are encouraged to link to and build on existing or emerging testing sites with a track record in delivering at-sea demonstration/testing services in the fields of ocean technologies, as well as to relevant European Research Infrastructures. Support for the inclusion of testing sites in less-developed coastal regions and EU Outermost regions is also encouraged. This action supports the follow-up to the July 2023 Communication on EU Missions assessment.

Regarding general conditions, admissibility conditions include proposal page limits and layout as described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System. Eligible countries are 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 specify that projects using satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation, and/or related timing data and services must use Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion are detailed in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes. Evaluation and award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are described in Annex D, while submission and evaluation processes are in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual. The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is in Annex F, and the legal and financial set-up of the grants is in Annex G. Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

Application and evaluation forms and the model grant agreement (MGA) are available in the Submission System. The standard application form is HE CSA, and the standard evaluation form is HE CSA, with necessary adaptations. Guidance is provided in the HE Programme Guide and the HE MGA. Call-specific instructions and additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 (General Introduction, Missions, and General Annexes), the HE Programme Guide, the HE Framework Programme 2021/695, the HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764, the EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, the EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement, the Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions, and the Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

The budget overview indicates that the topic HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-04, a HORIZON Coordination and Support Action, has a budget of EUR 2,900,000 for the year 2026. It is a single-stage application process with an opening date of February 4, 2026, and a deadline of September 23, 2026. The expected contribution per project is between EUR 2,500,000 and EUR 2,900,000, with an indicative number of one grant to be awarded.

There are 19 partner search announcements related to this topic. LEARs, Account Administrators, and self-registrants can publish partner requests on the Funding & Tenders Portal. The submission system is planned to open on the date stated in the topic header.

Support resources include the Online Manual, the Horizon Europe Programme Guide, the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, the Research Enquiry Service, National Contact Points (NCPs), the Enterprise Europe Network, the IT Helpdesk, the European IPR Helpdesk, the CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk, the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment, and the Partner Search tool.

In summary, this Horizon Europe call seeks to establish and enhance a European network of ocean technology testing sites, including physical and digital twin-based sites. The goal is to accelerate the development and deployment of innovative ocean technologies, promote sustainable use of marine resources, and enhance the competitiveness of European companies in the ocean technology sector. The call encourages collaboration between various stakeholders, including research institutions, industry players, and regulators, to create a harmonized and efficient ecosystem for testing and validating ocean technologies. The funding will support coordination and support actions to map existing sites, analyze user needs, set up an integrated network, and identify joint investment opportunities.

Eligible Applicant Types: The call specifies that proposals should originate from European operators of testing sites for ocean technologies. This suggests that eligible applicants include entities that operate such testing sites, which could encompass research institutes, universities, private companies, public bodies, or public-private partnerships that manage or own ocean technology testing facilities. The call also encourages the inclusion of testing sites in less-developed coastal regions and EU Outermost regions.

Funding Type: The funding type is a HORIZON Coordination and Support Action (HORIZON-CSA), which is a type of grant. The Type of MGA (Model Grant Agreement) is HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG].

Consortium Requirement: While not explicitly stated, the call aims to establish or expand existing well-connected networks of physical sites. This implies that a consortium of multiple applicants is preferred, as it would facilitate the creation of a European network of testing sites.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The call targets European operators of testing sites for ocean technologies. It also mentions the inclusion of testing sites in less-developed coastal regions and EU Outermost regions. 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.

Target Sector: The program targets the ocean technologies sector, specifically focusing on the development, testing, and validation of innovative technologies for sustainable use of marine resources, ocean monitoring and observation, and the security and safety of offshore operations and infrastructures. It also involves digital technologies through the use of digital twins of the ocean.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the focus is on European operators and the inclusion of sites in less-developed coastal regions and EU Outermost regions, implying a focus on EU member states and associated countries.

Project Stage: The project stage is focused on validation and demonstration. The call aims to accelerate innovation cycles and support the transition from laboratory to market-ready solutions, implying that the technologies are at the prototype or demonstrator stage.

Funding Amount: The budget for the topic HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-04 is EUR 2,900,000. The indicative number of grants is 1, with a contribution ranging from EUR 2,500,000 to EUR 2,900,000.

Application Type: The application type is a single-stage call, meaning applicants submit a full proposal at once.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a grant to support the coordination and networking of ocean technology testing sites.

Application Stages: The application process is single-stage.

Success Rates: The indicative number of grants for HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-04 is 1. The success rate cannot be determined precisely without knowing the expected number of applications.

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required.

Summary:

This Horizon Europe call, HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-04, aims to establish and expand a well-connected European network of ocean technology testing sites, including physical and digital twin-based sites. The goal is to accelerate the innovation cycles of ocean technologies, reduce time-to-market, and enhance the European ocean technology ecosystem. The call is open to European operators of ocean technology testing sites, encouraging the inclusion of sites in less-developed coastal and EU Outermost regions. The selected project will receive a grant of approximately EUR 2.5 million to EUR 2.9 million to coordinate and support the integration of these testing sites, harmonize access policies, address regulatory frameworks, and promote collaboration between academia, industry, and investors. The project should also identify joint investment opportunities to enhance the capacity and sustainability of the testing sites. The application process is a single-stage submission, with a deadline of September 23, 2026. The call falls under the Horizon Europe program, specifically supporting the implementation of the Restore our Ocean and Waters Mission.