Apply AI: Next-generation Agile And Intelligent Robotics Platforms For Industrial And Service Applications (Partnership In AI, Data And Robotics) (RIA)
HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions
Basic Information
- Identifier
- HORIZON-CL4-2026-05-DIGITAL-EMERGING-03
- Programme
- DIGITAL
- Programme Period
- 2021 - 2027
- Status
- Open (31094502)
- Opening Date
- January 15, 2026
- Deadline
- April 15, 2026
- Deadline Model
- single-stage
- Budget
- €22,500,000
- Min Grant Amount
- €7,500,000
- Max Grant Amount
- €7,500,000
- Expected Number of Grants
- 3
- Keywords
- HORIZON-CL4-2026-05-DIGITAL-EMERGING-03HORIZON-CL4-2026-05Artificial intelligence, intelligent systems, multi agent systemsIntelligent robotics, cybernetics
Description
The Apply AI Strategy foresees acceleration pipelines to speed up the adoption of AI-powered robotics and ensure continuity from research and innovation to deployment. By developing next-generation platforms as common building blocks, this topic will support these pipelines across multiple use cases.
Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
- Novel robot design technique, materials and control techniques for flexible and meticulous manipulation of robots in unstructured environment, with high autonomy and in collaboration with humans.
- New generation of flexible and safe robot systems validated in key application sectors defined in the Apply AI strategy[1], developed with a human-centric approach.
Dynamic real-world environments require a new generation of agile, cost-effective, and intelligent, and modular robot platforms able to interact in safe and effective manner with humans across diverse industrial and service applications. These systems should be easily reconfigurable and adaptable, enabling deployment in real-time, high-performance operational contexts with minimal integration effort.
To ensure relevance and uptake, solutions must address industrial demands for high speed, precision, and reliability, enabling deployment in real-time, high-performance operational contexts.
Emphasis should be placed on the development of robotic systems that can be seamlessly integrated into existing industrial and service workflows, enhancing productivity and operational flexibility.
In order to improve their performances, these platforms should exploit latest development in terms of new design methods, including non-rigid structures and advanced materials (e.g. composite materials), both for the main body and for manipulators and end effectors, alongside innovative actuation and sensing approaches that go beyond traditional fixed rotational or linear links.
Proposals should target robotic systems addressing high impact needs in strategic industrial and service sectors. These systems should focus on enhanced mobility, autonomy, and simplified control architectures to support safe, efficient, and flexible operation. Integration of advanced sensors (e.g. touch, proximity, vision) is essential to enable reliable human-robot interaction, especially in rare or unpredictable safety-critical scenarios, addressing current limitations of AI in such contexts.
They should also include the design of secure and efficient communication protocols to ensure interoperability between robotic systems and digital frameworks or multi-agent environments.
Collaboration with end-users and industry partners is encouraged to validate the practical applicability and impact of the proposed robotic solutions.
To ensure practical uptake, projects are expected to demonstrate clear pathways to scalability and commercial deployment, engage with industry partners and end-users for validation, adopt a safety-product approach
Coordination with HORIZON-CL4-2025-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-05, focused on soft robotics, is encouraged to maximise impact and ensure complementarity in advancing physical capabilities of next-generation robotic systems.
This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnership on AI, data, and robotics (ADRA), and all proposals are expected to allocate tasks for cohesion activities with ADRA.
[1] COM(2025) 723 Apply AI Strategy
Destination & Scope
Leadership in frontier technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Quantum, Photonics and Semiconductors is essential to Europe’s economic security and global competitiveness. Building on the ambition of becoming the “AI Continent” and in line with the concrete actions devised in the Apply AI Strategy[1], the EU will consolidate its world-class research ecosystem through initiatives like the RAISE network of AI science labs, the development of safe and efficient frontier AI models, and the deployment of next-generation AI agents and robotics in strategic sectors. In parallel, a long-term quantum strategy will reinforce Europe’s excellence across quantum computing, sensing and communication, supported by new infrastructures and standardisation to secure technological sovereignty. Photonics and semiconductor technologies will remain critical enablers for the digital and green transitions, with investments in advanced integrated photonic devices and resilient semiconductor ecosystems ensuring Europe’s capacity to innovate, scale and compete globally. Foresight and support to emerging materials and technologies will further strengthen Europe’s position at the cutting edge to make sure Europe’s does not miss the emergence of new disruptive technologies, aligning with the Draghi report and the Competitiveness Compass to secure a cohesive, sovereign and future-proof European industrial base.
Legal entities established in China are not eligible to participate in both Research and Innovation Actions (RIAs) and Innovation Actions (IAs) falling under this destination. For additional information please see “Restrictions on the participation of legal entities established in China” found in General Annex B of the General Annexes.
[1] COM(2025)723 Apply AI Strategy
Eligibility & Conditions
General conditions
1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout
2. Eligible Countries
described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
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.
3. Other Eligible Conditions
In order to achieve the expected outcomes, and safeguard the Union’s strategic assets, interests, autonomy, and security, it is important to avoid a situation of technological dependency on a non-EU source, in a global context that requires the EU to take action to build on its strengths, and to carefully assess and address any strategic weaknesses, vulnerabilities and high-risk dependencies which put at risk the attainment of its ambitions. For this reason, participation is limited to legal entities established in Member States, Iceland and Norway and the following additional associated countries: Canada, Israel, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. In addition, entities established in third countries which may become associated to Horizon Europe during 2026 and 2027 may be eligible to participate in this topic if the third country is identified for this topic as an eligible country in the List of Participating Countries in Horizon Europe at the time of submission of the application[[See the List of Participating Countries in Horizon Europe available at https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/common/guidance/list-3rd-country-participation_horizon-euratom_en.pdf.]]. In any case, the association agreement to the Programme must apply by the time of the signature of the grant agreement.
For the duly justified and exceptional reasons listed in the paragraph above, in order to guarantee the protection of the strategic interests of the Union and its Member States, entities established in an eligible country listed above, but which are directly or indirectly controlled by a non-eligible country or by a non-eligible country entity, may not participate in the action unless it can be demonstrated, by means of guarantees positively assessed by their eligible country of establishment, that their participation to the action would not negatively impact the Union’s strategic assets, interests, autonomy, or security. Entities assessed as high-risk suppliers of mobile network communication equipment within the meaning of ‘restrictions for the protection of European communication networks’ (or entities fully or partially owned or controlled by a high-risk supplier) cannot submit guarantees.[[ The guarantees shall in particular substantiate that, for the purpose of the action, measures are in place to ensure that: a) control over the applicant legal entity is not exercised in a manner that retrains or restricts its ability to carry out the action and to deliver results, that imposes restrictions concerning its infrastructure, facilities, assets, resources, intellectual property or know-how needed for the purpose of the action, or that undermines its capabilities and standards necessary to carry out the action; b) access by a non-eligible country or by a non-eligible country entity to sensitive information relating to the action is prevented; and the employees or other persons involved in the action have a national security clearance issued by an eligible country, where appropriate; c) ownership of the intellectual property arising from, and the results of, the action remain within the recipient during and after completion of the action, are not subject to control or restrictions by non-eligible countries or non-eligible country entity, and are not exported outside the eligible countries, nor is access to them from outside the eligible countries granted, without the approval of the eligible country in which the legal entity is established.]]
Described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion
described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds
are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes
are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement
described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants
described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Specific conditions
described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.
Documents
Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA):
Application form templates — the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System
Standard application form (HE RIA, IA)
Evaluation form templates — will be used with the necessary adaptations
Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA)
Guidance
Model Grant Agreements (MGA)
Call-specific instructions
Additional documents:
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 7. Digital, Industry and Space
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes
HE Framework Programme 2021/695
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764
EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509
Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment
EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual
Frequently Asked Questions About Apply AI: Next-generation Agile And Intelligent Robotics Platforms For Industrial And Service Applications (Partnership In AI, Data And Robotics) (RIA)
Support & Resources
Online Manual is your guide on the procedures from proposal submission to managing your grant.
Horizon Europe Programme Guide contains the detailed guidance to the structure, budget and political priorities of Horizon Europe.
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