Call overview

The European Commission has launched a new round of the Innovation Fund, making a total of €4.6 billion available for innovations that contribute to reducing emissions. This amount is intended to support net-zero technologies, such as the production of battery cells for electric vehicles and sustainable hydrogen.

Are you looking for funding for innovative projects in AI, data, cloud, cybersecurity or developing digital skills? Then the Digital Europe Programme is for you! As part of the second series of calls under the 2025-2027 work programme, the European Commission has made a total of €204 million available. The first calls – on the EU Digital Identity Wallet and mobile driving licences – are already open and will close on 9 December 2025. The remaining calls will open on 4 November 2025 and close on 3 March 2026.

NWO and the National Growth Fund programme GroenvermogenNL have opened a new call for research into hydrogen infrastructure. The call invites researchers and companies to jointly form a consortium to carry out research on the import, conversion, transport and storage of hydrogen and hydrogen carriers. The deadline to participate in the consortium formation (via ISAAC) is 10 March 2026. On 5 February 2026, Stichting GroenvermogenNL will organise an information meeting. In addition, two multi-day workshops will be held during which the consortium will be formed; participation in both workshops is mandatory for the main applicant. A total of €13 million in funding is available for one proposal under this call. NWO will fund up to 80% of the project costs, with 20% co-funding required from the consortium.

NWO has opened a new KIC call: Adaptivity in Transitions. This call invites researchers, civil society organizations, and businesses to form a consortium for research on increasing the adaptability of actors and systems in transitions of the food system, towards sustainable mobility, and of the energy system in the built environment. The closing date for the call is 9 June 2026, at 14:00 PM. An online information session will be held on 20 January 2026. Collaborative workshops will also be held on 2 February and 2 March 2026. A total of €7 million in funding is available.

A new KIC call will soon open at NWO: Digital Twinning – multidisciplinary simulation for deep and up-to-date insights. Digital Twins are of crucial importance because they enable both public and private organisations to better understand the inner workings of their processes and how these processes can be optimised. This call encourages interdisciplinary research within public-private consortia into the development and application of Digital Twins. The expected closing date for full proposals is 14 April 2026 at 14:00 (CEST). A total of €7 million in funding is available.

NWO has opened a new KIC call: Reducing critical raw materials use in the energy transition. This call focuses on reducing dependence on scarce and geopolitically risky raw materials in the energy transition. The closing date for the call is 14 April 2026, at 14:00 PM. A matchmaking meeting will be held on 29 January 2026, from 12:00 PM to 15:45 PM at NWO in Utrecht. A total of €7 million in funding is available. Applications can request a minimum of €750,000 and a maximum of €1,300,000 in NWO funding.

A new KIC call for applications opened at NWO: System design in mechatronics and optomechatronics. Developed in collaboration with the KIA Key Technologies (KIA ST) within the KIA ST 2024–2027 program, the call encourages interdisciplinary public-private partnerships focused on innovative system design in (opto)mechatronics. The goal is to develop new design concepts that address future demands for performance, reliability, precision, and scalability of high-tech systems. The call deadline is 21 April 2026, at 14:00 PM. A total of €7 million in funding is available.

With the Quantum Forward Challenges, Quantum Delta NL encourages collaboration between researchers, companies, and end users to accelerate the translation of quantum technology into real-world impact. The first call focuses on disruptive feasibility projects within Life Sciences & Health. The deadline for this call is 24 November 2025. The Quantum Forward Challenges mark the start of a broader ambition to structurally apply the challenge-based model and thus work towards a national platform for quantum innovation, where public and private parties collaborate on scientifically ambitious and socially relevant solutions. A total of €2 million in funding is available.

Cybersecurity, climate, circular economy, housing shortage, aging population, or health: our society faces enormous challenges that demand knowledge and groundbreaking innovations. This requires collaboration between researchers, businesses, and public sector organizations to develop and successfully implement innovative solutions. This program stimulates this collaboration and funds new and existing public-private consortia. The grant ceiling for this Call for Proposals is €14 million, with a maximum duration of six years.

NWO has opened a new KIC call: Robust and resilient space infrastructure for a safe Netherlands. This call will launch scientific research into critical technologies for space infrastructure, where these technologies can't be considered entirely independently of space treaties, nor political and diplomatic relations. The closing date for the call is 2 April 2026, at 14:00 PM. A total of €7 million in funding is available.

The MaJoR project under the European Defence Fund supports SMEs and start-ups in developing innovative technologies for the maintenance, joining and repair of multi-material and composite structures across air, sea and land defence domains. This first cascade funding (FSTP) call specifically targets smaller players, including newcomers to the defence sector. Successful applicants will receive up to €60,000 in funding, complemented by a six-month business development support programme and access to European networks. The call is open to organisations established in EU Member States, Norway or Ukraine and closes on 25 March 2026 at 12:00 CET.

Digital ecosystems in which citizens, governments, and businesses continuously exchange information, processes, and services are becoming increasingly complex. This connectivity offers significant benefits, but also makes our society vulnerable. It is therefore crucial that digital ecosystems, particularly in critical sectors, are resilient to current and emerging cyber risks. To strengthen and secure these ecosystems, the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) and several ministries are launching the "Resilient Digital Ecosystems" call. This call falls under the National Research Agenda (NWA) programme. An online information meeting will take place on March 19, 2026, and a matchmaking session will be held on April 23, 2026. The closing date for this call is September 15, 2026, at 2:00 PM. NWO and several ministries are making a total of €8.7 million available.

The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), in close collaboration with Airbus Tech Hub Netherlands and Quantum Delta NL, has launched the Techbridge call "Quantum Technologies in Aerospace." This call encourages Dutch companies, knowledge institutions, and research organizations to collaborate with innovative partners in Germany (and optionally France) on R&D projects for the development of quantum technologies applicable in the aerospace sector. The call closes on 23 June 2026. A total of €2 million is available, with a maximum of €1 million in funding per project available for each consortium.

The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) will open the call for proposals for the Temporary Grant Scheme for Aviation in Transition – Supporting Research Module on 1 April 2026. This grant will encourage knowledge institutions to conduct research into technologies that contribute to the development of clean and efficient aircraft. The scheme focuses on research projects involving, among other things, smart and lightweight aircraft structures and technologies that enable hydrogen-powered flight. €5.25 million is available for this round. A maximum of €1.25 million in grants can be awarded per project, depending on the type of research (up to 100% for fundamental research). Applications can be submitted from 1 April to 1 June 2026.