With the latest Horizon Europe work programmes now published, we set out in this article a guide to help CERN scientists and engineers find the right call to match their research field.
Horizon Europe is the main scientific funding programme in Europe, and supports a range of research topics, including many linked to work being carried out at CERN.
The latest 2025 work programmes have calls related to artificial intelligence, advanced sensor technologies, batteries, quantum computing, and more.
Our guide focuses on calls under pillars II and III of Horizon Europe, which are the most applicable to CERN scientists and engineers. Pillar II is broken into thematic clusters and funds projects aiming to tackle global and European societal and industrial challenges.
Pillar I provides grants for single beneficiaries to pursue basic research, as well as funding large projects involving several research infrastructures. You can find more information on pillar I calls at the following links:
Pillar III aims at funding projects involving technologies that are closer to being market ready. One funding scheme in pillar three that could be of interest to CERN researchers is the European Innovation Council, which aims to help develop and scale up breakthrough technologies. More information on specific EIC calls is set out later in this article.
For general information on Horizon Europe’s various calls, take a look at the European Commission’s website here.
How to use our guide
First scan the column in the tables below titled “if your R&D has to do with…” to identify quickly if some areas connect with your research.
If that is the case, take a good 45 minutes to read the associated call(s) and pay special attention to the sections called “Expected Outcome” and “Scope” because this is what the call is about.
Fill in the template that is at the bottom of this article. This is not for nothing. It serves two purposes:
- Leads you to think about your idea in a structured way
- Facilitates a faster and more focused discussion with the CERN EU Office
Send an email to Roy Pennings and/or Pablo Garcia Tello requesting a discussion meeting including the filled template.
Funding opportunities guide for CERN
Pillar II: Digital, Industry and Space
| If your R&D has to do with... | You may want to check the call... |
|---|---|
| Materials used for fast curing sealants and coatings | HORIZON-CL4-2025-05-MATERIALS-43-two-stage: Innovative Advanced Materials (IAMs) for robust, fast curing sealants and coatings for manufacturing and final assembly (IA) (Innovative Advanced Materials for Europe partnership) |
| Photonics enabling low-power and ultra-broadband performance | HORIZON-CL4-2025-03-MATERIALS-46: Innovative Advanced Materials (IAMs) for photonics, enabling low-power and ultra-broadband performance for telecommunication (RIA) (Innovative Advanced Materials for Europe partnership) |
| Materials allowing conformable, flexible or stretchable electronics | HORIZON-CL4-2025-03-MATERIALS-47: Innovative Advanced Materials (IAMs) for conformable, flexible or stretchable electronics (RIA) (Innovative Advanced Materials for Europe partnership) |
| End-to-end infrastructures integrating device, network computing and communication capabilities | EU HORIZON-CL4-2025-03-DATA-08: Large-scale pilots for supply end-to-end infrastructures integrating device, network computing and communication capabilities for Telco Edge Cloud deployments, as a basis for Connected Collaborative Computing Networks (3C networks) |
| Compliant Data Ecosystems | HORIZON-CL4-2025-03-DATA-13: Fostering Innovative and Compliant Data Ecosystems (IA) (AI, Data and Robotics Partnership) |
| AI/generative AI | HORIZON-CL4-2025-04-DATA-02: Empowering AI/generative AI along the Cognitive Computing continuum (RIA) (AI/Data/Robotics Partnership) |
| Software Engineering for AI and generative AI | HORIZON-CL4-2025-04-DATA-03: Software Engineering for AI and generative AI (RIA) (AI/Data/Robotics Partnership) |
| Integrating quantum computing with classical computing systems including High Performance Computing | HORIZON-CL4-2025-03-DIGITAL-EMERGING-02: Quantum Computing – complementing the quantum computing FPAs with the development of a technology agnostic software stack (RIA) |
| Quantum technology challenges in the fields of quantum communication, computing, simulation, and sensing | HORIZON-CL4-2025-03-DIGITAL-EMERGING-03: Supporting Digital Partnerships in Quantum technologies (RIA) |
| Advanced sensor technologies and multimodal sensors | HORIZON-CL4-2025-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-01: Advanced sensor technologies and multimodal sensor integration for multiple application domains (IA) (Photonics Partnership) |
| Generative AI | HORIZON-CL4-2025-03-DIGITAL-EMERGING-07: Robust and trustworthy Generative AI for Robotics and industrial automation (RIA) (AI/Data/Robotics & Made in Europe Partnerships) |
| Smart materials and/or deformable physical architectures with possible applications to robotics | HORIZON-CL4-2025-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-05: Soft Robotics for Advanced physical capabilities (IA) (AI/Data/Robotics Partnership) |
| Learning Strategies for General Purpose AI | HORIZON-CL4-2025-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-07: Enhanced Learning Strategies for General Purpose AI: Advancing GenAI4EU (RIA) (AI/Data/Robotics Partnership) |
| AI for Science | HORIZON-CL4-INDUSTRY-2025-01-DIGITAL-61: AI Foundation models in science (GenAI4EU) (RIA) |
| Digital solutions that can be applied for autonomy for space transportation systems, design and simulation tools | HORIZON-CL4-2025-02-SPACE-12: Digital solutions for autonomy for space transportation systems, design and simulation tools - Digital enablers and building blocks HORIZON-CL4-2025-02-SPACE-13: Digital solutions for autonomy for space transportation systems, design and simulation tools – targeting demonstration |
| Digital technology that can be applied to Earth Observation and Satellite telecommunication for Space solutions | HORIZON-CL4-2025-02-SPACE-31: Digital enablers and building blocks for Earth Observation and Satellite telecommunication for Space solutions |
| Technology that can be applied to Virtual Reality such as photonic sensors, displays, waveguide optics, holographic elements, diffractive optics, reflective light guides, freeform optics (including micro-optics), or meta-surfaces with optimal optical properties and behaviour | HORIZON-CL4-2025-03-HUMAN-14: Core technologies for virtual worlds (RIA) (Virtual Worlds and Photonics Partnerships) |
| Generative AI for Virtual Reality | HORIZON-CL4-2025-03-HUMAN-15: GenAI4EU: Generative AI for Virtual Worlds: Advanced technologies for better performance and hyper personalised and immersive experience (IA) (AI/Data/Robotics & Virtual Worlds Partnerships) |
Pillar II: Climate, Energy and Mobility
| If your R&D has to do with... | You may want to check the call... |
|---|---|
| Software solutions and that can be applied to understand Earth dynamics such as climate, oceans, etc | HORIZON-CL5-2025-06-D1-02: Advancing Earth System Models to increase understanding of Earth system change |
| Software solutions (e.g. numerical modelling, AI and Machine Learning, etc) that can be applied to understand climate change and the human factors causing it | HORIZON-CL5-2025-06-D1-04: The attribution to climate change, and improved forecasting of extreme and slow-onset climate- and weather-related events and their impacts |
| Technologies that can be applied to develop sustainable batteries and/or recycling them more efficiently | HORIZON-CL5-2025-01-Two-Stage-D2-02: Cost-effective next-generation batteries for long-duration stationary storage (Batt4EU Partnership) |
| Software solutions that can be applied to optimise the operation and maintenance of wind energy systems and their components, for example through improved scheduling and predictive maintenance, autonomous tools, robots and vehicles, semi-automated inspection methods or advanced repair methods | HORIZON-CL5-2026-02-D3-07: Improved reliability and optimised operations and maintenance for wind energy systems |
| AI solutions that can be applied to optimize the operation of electricity systems such as grid optimisation, uptake of renewable energy sources, electric vehicles, and electrification of household and industrial demand at the distribution level | HORIZON-CL5-2026-02-D3-19: Innovative solutions for a generative AI-powered digital spine of the EU energy system |
| Technology solutions that that enhance the smartness of buildings by using and facilitating the upgrade of existing buildings | HORIZON-CL5-2026-02-D4-02: Smarter buildings as part of the energy system for increased efficiency and flexibility – Societal Readiness Pilot |
| Technology solutions that can be applied to the cybersecurity of transport (roads and/or vehicles) | HORIZON-CL5-2025-04-D5-02: Cybersecure and resilient road e-mobility ecosystem (2ZERO Partnership) |
| Technology solutions that can extend the autonomy and lifetime of batteries for electric vehicles | HORIZON-CL5-2025-04-D5-04: Extended lifetime of road Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) (2ZERO Partnership) |
| Technology solutions that can be applied to unmanned transport of people and goods to remote areas | HORIZON-CL5-2025-04-D6-01: Advancing remote operations to enable the sustainable and smart mobility of people and goods based on operational and societal needs (CCAM Partnership) – Societal Readiness Pilot |
| Software solutions that can be applied to better synergies between a human driver and driving assistance systems | HORIZON-CL5-2025-04-D6-12: Safe Human-Technology Interaction (HTI) in the vehicle systems of the coming decade – Societal Readiness Pilot |
Pillar II: Health
| If your R&D has to do with... | You may want to check the call... |
|---|---|
| Software solutions that can be applied to develop new or re-purpose existing Generative AI models for biomedical research across various medical fields and/or therapeutic indications |
HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-TOOL-03: Leveraging multimodal data to advance Generative Artificial Intelligence applicability in biomedical research (GenAI4EU) |
| AI solutions that can be applied to determine optimal pandemic preparedness and response | HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-DISEASE-04: Leveraging artificial intelligence for pandemic preparedness and response |
Pillar III: EIC Pathfinder Challenges
| If your R&D has to do with... | You may want to check the call... |
|---|---|
| Anything that can be applied to cancer diagnostics | Generative-AI based Agents to Revolutionize Medical Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer |
Pillar III: European Innovation Council Pathfinder Open
The Pathfinder Open is a bottom-up funding programme. If you have a project idea, please fill out the EU Project Idea Template (below) and then contact Roy Pennings and/or Pablo Garcia Tello.
EU Project Idea Template
You can download the template attached below if you are interested in applying to any of the calls.