Horizon Europe 2026-2027 calls: what applicants should know before applying

A new wave of Horizon Europe 2026-2027 calls is opening, bringing funding opportunities for companies, research organisations and technology developers working across areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics, advanced materials, manufacturing, clean technologies, energy, climate solutions and space.

The current Horizon Europe Work Programme has a total budget of around €14 billion for 2026-2027. Its priorities reflect some of the EU’s biggest strategic areas, including climate neutrality, artificial intelligence, industrial competitiveness and resilience.

There are also important changes in how the programme itself is structured.

Applicants looking at upcoming Horizon Europe funding opportunities should understand these changes before deciding whether a particular call is worth pursuing.

35% fewer Horizon Europe topics

One of the biggest changes in the Horizon Europe 2026-2027 Work Programme is the number of topics available.

There are 35% fewer topics compared with the 2023-2024 Work Programme. At the same time, individual topics have generally become broader and less prescriptive.

For applicants, this creates more flexibility in how a project can respond to the expected outcomes of a call. A broader topic may accommodate several technological approaches or different routes towards the same objective. That can create opportunities for companies whose technology fits the overall challenge even when it is not explicitly mentioned in the topic description.

Before building a consortium or preparing a proposal, applicants should look closely at:

• the expected outcomes and scope of the topic;
• the type of action and funding rate;
• technology readiness expectations;
• consortium and eligibility requirements;
• the expected contribution to EU policy objectives;
• available budget and expected number of projects funded.

A topic can appear relevant from its title while the expected outcomes point towards a very specific type of project.

More Horizon Europe funding will use lump sums

Lump sum funding is becoming a much larger part of Horizon Europe.

For the 2026-2027 Work Programme, 50% of the call budget will be implemented through lump sums. The European Commission notes that this particularly concerns topics expected to result in grants below €10 million.

Under a lump sum grant, the project budget and associated work are agreed during the proposal and grant preparation process. This reduces much of the traditional financial reporting connected with actual project costs.

For applicants, however, the proposal stage becomes particularly important.

Work packages, tasks, resources and budgets need to form a credible project structure from the beginning. The consortium should be able to explain clearly what will be delivered, who will deliver it and how the proposed resources relate to the work.

A weakly structured project can become difficult to manage once the grant is underway, even when the overall project idea is strong.

For companies preparing a Horizon Europe lump sum proposal, budgeting should therefore develop alongside the technical project plan rather than being added at the end.

41 topics use two stage applications

The 2026-2027 programme also includes 41 Horizon Europe topics with a two stage evaluation process.

For these calls, applicants first submit a shorter proposal. Only applicants that pass the first evaluation stage are invited to prepare the full proposal.

This can make certain Horizon Europe opportunities more accessible because companies and consortia can test the strength of a project concept before committing to a complete application.

The first stage still requires a clear proposition.

Evaluators need to understand the problem being addressed, the proposed approach, the expected impact and why the project fits the specific Horizon Europe topic. A shorter proposal leaves less room for unclear positioning.

Applicants considering a two-stage call should also check both deadlines at the start. If the proposal passes Stage 1, the consortium needs to be ready to move quickly into development of the full application.

Where is Horizon Europe funding focused in 2026-2027?

The programme covers a wide range of research and innovation areas, but several themes appear particularly strongly across the 2026-2027 calls.

For technology and industrial companies, relevant opportunities can be found in areas including:

Artificial intelligence and digital technologies
Horizon Europe continues to support AI, robotics, advanced computing and other digital technologies. A dedicated €90 million AI in Science call is also part of the 2026-2027 programme.

Advanced materials and manufacturing
Cluster 4 covers areas including advanced materials, manufacturing technologies, AI and robotics, circular industry, low-carbon industry and space.

Clean industry and climate technologies
At least 35% of the €14 billion Work Programme budget is dedicated to climate objectives. The programme also includes a €540 million horizontal call supporting the Clean Industrial Deal and the decarbonisation of energy intensive industries.

Energy and mobility
Companies working on clean energy, energy systems, mobility and transport technologies can find opportunities particularly within Horizon Europe Cluster 5.

Security and resilience
Funding opportunities also cover areas such as cybersecurity, resilient infrastructure, border security and disaster resilience through Cluster 3.

These areas also reflect the wider Horizon Europe strategic priorities around the green transition, digital transition and a more resilient and competitive Europe.

What should companies check before applying?

Finding a relevant call is only the first step.

Before committing resources to a Horizon Europe application, companies should carry out an initial eligibility and fit assessment.

Five points are particularly useful to check.

1. Funding model

Check whether the call uses lump sum funding or another funding model. This affects how the proposal budget should be developed and how the project will later be managed.

2. Application stages

Confirm whether the call uses a single-stage or two-stage application process and identify all relevant deadlines.

3. Funding rate

The funding rate depends on the type of action and organisation. Applicants should understand how much of the eligible project costs may be covered and whether co-financing will be required.

4. Consortium requirements

Many Horizon Europe calls require international consortia. Beyond the minimum eligibility rules, the consortium also needs the capabilities required to deliver the project's expected outcomes.

This means thinking early about research partners, technology providers, industrial users, demonstration sites and other organisations that could strengthen the project.

5. Expected outcomes

The expected outcomes are one of the most important parts of any Horizon Europe topic.

They indicate what the European Commission expects funded projects to achieve. Companies should be able to draw a clear connection between their proposed project, the expected results and the wider impact described in the call.

These five checks are also the framework we highlighted in our Horizon Europe overview.

Finding the right Horizon Europe call

With fewer and broader topics in the 2026-2027 programme, identifying opportunities increasingly requires looking beyond individual keywords.

A company developing an AI solution, for example, may find relevant opportunities under digital technologies, manufacturing, healthcare, energy, mobility, security or climate-related calls depending on how the technology will be used.

The same applies to companies working with robotics, photonics, advanced materials, sensors, clean technologies and other cross-sector technologies.

This is why it can be useful to monitor several Horizon Europe clusters and programmes rather than waiting for a call title that exactly describes the product or technology.

If you are currently looking at Horizon Europe funding, you can use Proposal Peak platform to search upcoming and open calls, review AI generated summaries and compare opportunities across different programmes.

If you already have a project idea and want to understand which Horizon Europe 2026-2027 calls could fit it, you can explore current opportunities through Proposal Peak.

You can also book a free demo with Edgars Poga to discuss your project, relevant funding routes and how Proposal Peak can support your search.

Author: Proposal Peak project manager, Edgars Poga