European Calls for Cascading Funding. July 2026

The most interesting calls for proposals selected in July.

FutureProofTextiles

Description: FutureProofTextiles is a European cascade funding program designed to accelerate the digital and ecological transition of SMEs operating in the textile value chain. The call for proposals seeks innovative projects that address key challenges identified in the textile sector, including resource efficiency, waste reduction, the implementation of the circular economy, the digitization of production processes, automation, data-driven decision-making, and supply chain resilience.

The proposed project must have a technology readiness level (TRL) of 5 or higher.

Projects may be submitted under two funding streams:

· Environmental initiatives: projects focused on sustainable production practices, circular economy approaches, textile recycling, waste reduction, energy efficiency, responsible resource management, and other innovations that improve the environmental performance of textile operations.

· Digital innovations: projects aimed at adopting advanced digital technologies, such as automation, digital tools, smart manufacturing solutions, data analytics, artificial intelligence, or other technologies that increase productivity, efficiency, and competitiveness in the textile sector.

Eligibility Requirements and Consortia: Individual SMEs operating within the textile value chain or in complementary sectors (e.g., digital technologies, machinery) that make a clear contribution to the textile industry.

Clusters and intermediary organizations are not eligible, even if they meet the requirements to be considered SMEs.

Maximum amount per proposal: a lump-sum grant of €50,000 per SME. Applicants must provide co-funding of at least €10,000, resulting in a total project budget of €60,000.

Deadline: September 18

Website: https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/FutureProofTextiles-1st-OpenCall

GRAPPA

Description: GRAPPA promotes innovation in the agri-food sector by adding value to agri-food biomass, by-products, and secondary streams. The call for proposals seeks innovative projects that help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) develop, adopt, test, validate, and commercialize new products, ingredients, services, processes, or technologies that transform agri-food waste streams into higher-value applications.

The program focuses on accelerating innovations that contribute to the circular economy, resource efficiency, and the ecological and digital transition of the agri-food industry. Projects must have a technology readiness level (TRL) of 6 or higher and demonstrate a clear path toward market adoption and business impact.

Eligibility requirements and consortia: SMEs engaged in agri-food production and processing; SMEs in other sectors (e.g., cosmetics, nutraceuticals) that utilize biomass or agri-food byproducts; and/or SMEs that develop technologies or solutions for the utilization of biomass.

Applications may be submitted by a single SME or by a consortium of up to three SMEs. In the case of collaborative projects, at least one of the SMEs must be engaged in food processing or production.

Maximum amount that can be requested per proposal:

· Project involving a single SME: lump-sum grant of up to 60,000 €.

· Consortium project (2–3 SMEs): lump-sum grant of up to 90,000 €.

· Maximum funding per SME for the entire call for proposals: 60,000 €.

Applicants must provide a minimum contribution of 15% in the form of private co-financing.

Deadline: October 20

Website: https://copilot-project.eu/open-calls/

EUDOROS 2 Open Call

Description: Helps organizations across the EU strengthen their cybersecurity preparedness by adopting, implementing, and testing advanced cybersecurity services. Selected applicants will receive financial support, along with consulting services, training, and technical guidance, to improve their cyber resilience and incident preparedness.

Eligibility Requirements and Consortia: Open to organizations established in eligible EU Member States participating in the EUDOROS project. Applications must be submitted by a single organization (the formation of a consortium is not required).

Maximum amount per proposal: Up to €60,000 in financial assistance per selected organization, supplemented by advisory services, training, and technical assistance.

Deadline: August 7

Website: https://eudoros.eu/open-call-2/

BIO-INSPIRE

Description: To strengthen innovation capacity and promote knowledge transfer among stakeholders in the bioeconomy sector in less developed regions by facilitating exchanges and study visits with organizations in other European regions that share common thematic and technological interests.

Eligibility Requirements and Consortia: Any legal entity.

1. Host Organization (Coordinator): The coordinating organization must be based in a BIO-INSPIRE region (Greece, Hungary, Slovakia, Lithuania, Romania, Bulgaria, or Poland) and will carry out the main hosting activities.

2. Host organization: organizations based in different regions that will host the exchange activities.

Maximum amount per proposal: €10,000

Deadline: August 26

Website: https://www.bio-inspire.eu/open-calls/

AI-BOOST AI Challenge Competition 

Description: The AI-BOOST AI Challenge Competition supports researchers, developers, startups, SMEs, universities, and innovators in developing cutting-edge generative AI solutions to address real-world industrial and social challenges. The four AI challenges focus on autonomous robotics, engineering design and simulation, AI applied to healthcare, and safety in the automotive sector. Selected teams will receive financial support, access to high-performance computing (HPC) resources provided by CINECA (when necessary), guidance from the challenge organizers, technical training, and the opportunity to compete for a final prize of €100,000.

Eligibility Requirements and Consortia: Participants (or applicants) may apply either as individuals or as part of a legal entity. Therefore, eligible applicants are:

• Individuals (students, researchers, etc.);
• A single legal entity;
• Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including startups;
• the academic community, universities, NGOs, nonprofit organizations, or a consortium of these;
• be established in one of the Member States (MS) of the European Union (EU), including the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) and certain associated countries (see the applicant’s guide for a complete list of eligible countries)

Funding:

• SPARK Phase: The five winners of each challenge receive €28,500 each to develop their solution.
• ADVANCE Phase: One overall winner per challenge receives €100,000.
• In addition, special prizes (€25,000 per challenge) are awarded to recognize excellence in innovation and responsible AI.

Deadlines:

• Challenges 1 and 2: August 25, 2026 (5:00 p.m. CEST)
• Challenges 3 and 4: September 8, 2026 (5:00 p.m. CEST)

Challenges:

• Challenge 1: Generative AI-Based Natural Language Mission Generator for Autonomous Agricultural Robots (Consorzio Intellimech / JOiiNT LAB) – Develop a generative AI system that translates natural language instructions into executable robotic missions for autonomous agricultural robots.
• Challenge 2: Agent-based AI for Automated CAD Generation and Autonomous Simulation (SIAD Group) – Create an agent-based AI solution capable of generating parametric CAD models and supporting autonomous engineering simulation workflows.
• Challenge 3: Generative AI for Improving Clinical Datasets (EUCAIM – Cancer Image Europe) – Develop generative AI models to create high-quality synthetic datasets of clinical and medical images that improve the comprehensiveness, balance, and representativeness of AI applied to healthcare.
• Challenge 4: Generative AI for the Automatic Generation of Test Cases from Accident Databases and Safety Standards (Siemens Industry Software) – Develop AI methods that transform accident databases and safety standards into structured, simulation-ready scenarios for the purpose of validating autonomous driving.

Website: AI Challenge Competition – AI-BOOST

Expressions of Interest (EOI) for Participation in the Program to Promote the Innovation Ecosystem for the Defense Industry (IN+DEF Program)

If you have a defense startup: The Ministry of Industry and Tourism has published a Call for Expressions of Interest (MDI) as part of the Program to Promote the Innovation Ecosystem for the Defense Industry (IN+DEF Program).

This initiative is part of the program’s third pillar, which focuses on open innovation as a tool to foster collaboration among startups, SMEs, and large companies within the defense ecosystem. The goal of the MDI is to identify leading and challenger companies interested in participating in the program, assess their technological, industrial, and R&D&I capabilities, and identify the technological challenges they might propose within the program’s innovation initiatives.

Deadline for submitting the MDI: July 9, 2026, through July 18, 2026

Expressions of interest should be sent to the following email address: indef@mintur.es. Please include the following in the subject line: "Expression of Interest: IN+DEF Program. Name of company/organization"

The following should be added to the body of the email:

· Information: company, business name, representative, and contact information.

· I have attached the duly completed Expression of Interest Form to this email.