VR Health Champions Open Call 2026

The VR Health Champions Open Call 2026 is a funding initiative designed to enhance the market entry, clinical validation, regulatory alignment, and technical advancements of virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions in healthcare. This effort falls under a broader project aimed at overcoming barriers to XR healthcare solutions in less developed regions of Central Eastern and Southern Europe, with a total funding of €800,000 available for selected participants.

Eligible applicants must be small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as defined by the European Commission, and they must be legally based in specific regions including those covered by the VR Health Champions consortium, less developed EU regions (with GDP per capita below 75% of the EU average), or outermost EU regions recognized under EU regulations. The SMEs can collaborate with flagship companies like Dotlumen, MEEVA, MedApp, Metaskills, and Virtuleap, but the application requires single submissions.

Funding for each successful applicant can be up to €60,000 and will be provided as a grant covering 100% of eligible project costs without requiring co-funding. The application process consists of a single-stage submission and a two-step evaluation procedure. Initial reviews will confirm eligibility before a quality assessment by independent experts, resulting in invitations for the top proposals to further evaluations.

The selected projects should aim to advance the Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) from 6 to 9, meaning significant progress from validation to market-ready solutions. The target sector includes healthcare technologies related to VR, AR, and AI, addressing challenges in clinical investigation, medical imaging, healthcare IT, and regulatory compliance among others.

In summary, the VR Health Champions Open Call 2026 is a valuable opportunity for SMEs to secure financial backing for innovative healthcare technologies while fostering partnerships with established flagship SMEs. Interested parties must submit their applications by November 30, 2025, in order to be considered for funding.

The VR Health Champions Open Call 2026 is a funding opportunity aimed at supporting the market entry, clinical validation, regulatory alignment, or technical advancement of emerging XR and AI healthcare solutions. The call is part of the broader VR Health Champions project, a 3-year initiative focused on breaking down barriers in XR healthcare across less developed regions of Central Eastern and Southern Europe and accelerating the development of VR/AR applications. The project aims to upgrade the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of VR/AR innovations from TRL 6 to TRL 9 for five flagship SMEs: Dotlumen, MEEVA, MedApp, Metaskills, and Virtuleap.

The call seeks SMEs and research organizations with expertise in areas such as clinical investigation, medical imaging, healthcare IT, AI/VR development, regulatory affairs, market research, marketing, UX design, and computer vision. Selected applicants will be matched with the flagship SMEs through cascade funding to promote knowledge exchange, technology transfer, and interregional value chain development.

The opening date for the call is October 1, 2025, and the deadline for submissions is November 30, 2025, at 23:59 (Brussels time). The expected duration of participation is a maximum of 12 months. The total funding available is 800,000 EUR, with each successful applicant SME potentially receiving up to 60,000 EUR. A total of 14 SMEs, one per challenge, will be selected to receive Financial Support for Third Parties (FSTP). The financial support will be calculated as a maximum of 100% of eligible costs, up to 60,000 EUR, provided as a lump sum contribution.

To be eligible, applicants must be SMEs as defined by the European Commission in EU Recommendation 2003/361/EC and must provide the relevant SME status confirmation template. They must also be legally established in one of the following: a region covered by the VR Health Champions consortium, a less developed region within the European Union (GDP per capita is below 75% of the EU average), or an outermost region of the European Union as recognized under Article 349 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

The submission process involves a single-stage submission and a two-step evaluation procedure managed by the VR Health Champions consortium. Proposals must be submitted electronically through the VR Health Champions website, in English, using the provided templates. Proposals must be complete and contain all mandatory annexes and supporting documents.

The evaluation process includes a review for formal requirements (admissibility and eligibility) and a quality evaluation by an evaluation committee of three independent in-house experts. The top three highest-quality proposals will be invited to a hearing and project selection process, where a jury of subject matter experts from the consortium members will evaluate the presentations and select the final teams for funding.

The remote evaluation criteria are as follows, totaling 100 points:

1. Relevance and Experience (25%)
1.1 Relevance of experience to the specific challenge (10 pts)
1.2 Relevance, ambition, and effectiveness of the proposed approach in addressing the specific challenge (10 pts)
1.3 Qualifications and experience of the proposed team (5 pts)

2. Methodology and Work Plan (25%)
2.1 Quality and clarity of the proposed methodology (15 pts)
2.2 Objectives and extent to which the proposal matches the challenges and specific objectives of the call (10 pts)

3. Feasibility and Risk Management (25%)
3.1 Feasibility within time and budget constraints; justification of budget and cost alignment with market standards (10 pts)
3.2 Appropriateness of risk management approach (10 pts)
3.3 Efficiency of resource allocation (5 pts)

4. Impact and Value Creation (25%)
4.1 Added value compared to alternative approaches (10 pts)
4.2 Potential for long-term collaboration (5 pts)
4.3 Potential for cross-industry knowledge transfer (10 pts)

The hearings criteria are as follows, totaling 25 points:

1. Relevance and Experience (5 pts)
2. Methodology and Work Plan (5 pts)
3. Feasibility and Risk Management (5 pts)
4. Impact and Value Creation (10 pts)

Applicants are expected to address one of the specific challenges defined by the flagship SMEs, contributing their expertise in areas such as market research, business strategy, clinical investigation, usability testing, regulatory compliance, data protection, technical development, or AI/VR research. Projects are expected to last up to 12 months and deliver strategic outcomes, including market readiness, regulatory compliance, commercial partnerships, validated datasets, or prototype demonstrations.

Awarded SMEs are expected to actively collaborate with the specified flagship SME(s), provide specialized services/expertise, and contribute to building interregional value chains in the XR healthcare sector.

Eligible activities include:

Innovation & Market Services:
Market research, buyer and stakeholder analysis, and competitive benchmarking
Business model validation and development of go-to-market strategies
Marketing, communication, and partnership-building for commercial adoption

Clinical Validation & Usability:
Pilot clinical studies and formative usability testing
Human factors engineering and workflow integration
Radiologist-approved annotation and dataset preparation for AI solutions

Regulatory & Risk Management Support:
GDPR audits, cybersecurity assessment, and compliance strategies
Preparation of VR/AR-specific technical documentation for CE marking and MDR alignment
Risk assessment frameworks and verification/validation procedures

Technical Development & Integration:
Platform development, prototyping, and integration of XR/AI components
Digital twin modelling, algorithm development, and on-premise AI deployment
Computer vision, navigation (SLAM/VIO), monocular depth research, and wearable system optimisation

Partnership & Ecosystem Building:
Internationalisation and adaptation of products for new markets
Establishing partnerships with clinical sites, resellers, or training organisations
Use of test beds and demonstration facilities to validate technical or regulatory hypotheses

The VR Health Champions Open Call 2026 is an opportunity for SMEs to contribute to the advancement of XR and AI technologies in healthcare. By addressing specific challenges defined by flagship SMEs and providing specialized expertise, selected applicants can receive funding and support to develop innovative solutions, navigate regulatory hurdles, and expand their market reach. The call aims to foster collaboration, knowledge transfer, and value chain development within the European XR healthcare sector, ultimately improving patient care and driving technological innovation.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant type is SME (Small and Medium-sized Enterprise) as defined by the European Commission in EU Recommendation 2003/361/EC. Applicants must provide the relevant SME status confirmation template as part of their application. Research organisations with expertise in relevant areas are also mentioned as potential partners to SMEs.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically Financial Support for Third Parties (FSTP) provided through cascade funding. The approved grant amount to selected SMEs will be provided as a lump sum contribution, subject to proper implementation of the action.

Consortium Requirement: A single applicant is required, but the applicant SME is expected to collaborate with one of the five flagship SMEs (Dotlumen, MEEVA, MedApp, Metaskills, and Virtuleap). The call aims to foster cross-sector knowledge exchange, technology transfer, and interregional value chain development by matching applicant SMEs with flagship SMEs.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): Applicants must be legally established in one of the following: a region covered by the VR Health Champions consortium, a less developed region within the European Union (where GDP per capita is below 75% of the EU average), or an outermost region of the European Union, as recognized under Article 349 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

Target Sector: The target sector is XR (Extended Reality) and AI (Artificial Intelligence) in healthcare. The program focuses on breaking down market, clinical, and regulatory barriers in XR healthcare and fast-tracking the advancement of VR/AR applications. Specific areas of expertise sought include clinical investigation, medical imaging, healthcare IT, AI/VR development, regulatory affairs, market research, marketing, UX design, and computer vision.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are explicitly mentioned, but the focus is on less developed regions of Central Eastern and Southern Europe and outermost regions of the European Union. The eligibility criteria also mention regions covered by the VR Health Champions consortium, but these regions are not specified in the provided text.

Project Stage: The project stage is between development and commercialization. The aim is to upgrade the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) for VR/AR innovations from TRL 6 to TRL 9. The call supports market entry, clinical validation, regulatory alignment, and technical advancement of emerging XR and AI healthcare solutions. Projects are expected to deliver strategic outcomes, including market readiness, regulatory compliance, commercial partnerships, validated datasets, or prototype demonstrations.

Funding Amount: Each successful applicant SME may receive financial support up to €60,000. The total funding available for the call is €800,000.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, specifically the VR Health Champions Open Call 2026. Applications must be submitted electronically through the electronic submission form on the VR Health Champions website.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum contribution, up to €60,000, to cover eligible costs.

Application Stages: The application process involves a single-stage submission and a two-step evaluation procedure. First, proposals are reviewed for formal requirements, including admissibility and eligibility. Then, an evaluation committee composed of three independent in-house experts conducts a quality evaluation. The top three highest-quality proposals are invited to participate in a hearing and project selection process, where a jury of subject matter experts from the consortium members evaluates the presentations and selects the final teams for funding.

Success Rates: A total of 14 SMEs will be selected to receive funding. Given the available budget and the focus on specific challenges defined by the flagship SMEs, the success rate is likely to be below 10%, but this is not explicitly stated.

Co-funding Requirement: Co-funding is not explicitly required, as the financial support to SMEs will be calculated as a maximum 100% of eligible costs, up to €60,000. However, the applicants may request a lower grant rate / grant amount.

Summary:

The VR Health Champions Open Call 2026 is a funding opportunity for SMEs and research organizations operating in the XR and AI healthcare sectors. This initiative, part of the broader VR Health Champions project, aims to accelerate the development and market entry of innovative VR/AR healthcare solutions in less developed regions of Central Eastern and Southern Europe and outermost regions of the EU. The project seeks to bridge the gap between technological readiness and market application by providing financial support and fostering collaboration between applicant SMEs and five flagship SMEs (Dotlumen, MEEVA, MedApp, Metaskills, and Virtuleap).

The call invites SMEs with expertise in areas such as clinical investigation, medical imaging, healthcare IT, AI/VR development, regulatory affairs, market research, marketing, UX design, and computer vision to address specific challenges defined by the flagship SMEs. Successful applicants will receive up to €60,000 in funding to support activities such as market research, clinical validation, regulatory compliance, technical development, and partnership building.

The application process involves a single-stage submission followed by a two-step evaluation. Proposals are first assessed for eligibility and admissibility, and then evaluated based on relevance and experience, methodology and work plan, feasibility and risk management, and impact and value creation. The top three proposals are invited to a hearing, where a jury selects the final recipients.

This open call represents a significant opportunity for SMEs to advance their XR/AI healthcare innovations, collaborate with leading companies in the field, and contribute to the development of a robust interregional value chain. By addressing specific challenges and delivering strategic outcomes, awarded SMEs are expected to play a key role in transforming the European healthcare system through virtual and augmented reality applications. The deadline for applications is November 30, 2025.