Horizon Europe European Union
Neutral-Atom Platform Technologies
This action aims to establish European leadership in neutral-atom quantum simulation and digital quantum computing by delivering: • Fully programmable industry-ready quan…
Horizon Europe · European Union
Demand-side 3C pilot demonstrators on converged Telco Edge Cloud Infrastructure (IA)
Opens 17 Nov 2026
The EU's Horizon Europe programme expects to make 2 awards of €19 million each, from a total budget of €38 million. Applications close on 18 Mar 2027 (EU calls usually close at 17:00 Brussels time). Organisations in EU member states and Horizon Europe associated countries such as Türkiye can usually take part; the topic conditions control.
- Deadline
- 18 Mar 2027 (in 123 days)
- Opens
- 17 Nov 2026
- Grant amount
- €19 million per project
- Total budget
- €38 million
- Funding rate
- 70% for companies, 100% for non-profits Standard rule for this programme; the call can differ.
- Total budget
- €38 million
- Expected awards
- 2
- Type of action
- HORIZON Innovation Actions · HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based
- Likely applicant types
- Companies, SMEs / start-ups, Non-profits, Universities & research, Public bodies From source categories or programme rules; the call decides.
- Funder
- Horizon Europe (HORIZON)
- Reference
- HORIZON-CL4-2027-04-DATA-08
- Call
- HORIZON-CL4-2027-04
- Last checked
- 14 Nov 2026
Expected outcome
• Demand-side driven validation of open orchestration platforms across the telco-cloud edge continuum unlocking notably the transformative value of AI for European businesses, driving business growth in multiple industries strategic for Europe.
• Enabling the path towards sustainability and competitiveness of key vertical sectors in the EU, exploiting the innovative features of 3C/ telco-edge-cloud, including network features such as API (Application Program Interface) aggregation, slicing, automation, latency, security, ISAC (Integrated Sensing and Communication), reconfigurability, to significantly improve quality of service, resilience, sustainability and other performance parameters of digital communications.
• The demand pilots will have a clear sector relevance, with one pilot addressing the future of smart mobility including the automotive sector.
• A vibrant ecosystem around 3C/telco-edge-cloud infrastructure, targeting SMEs and start-ups to develop innovative services and new business models validation and marketplace exploitation strategies, as well as paths to commercialization or replicability.
Scope
The term “Connected, Collaborative, Computing (3C) Network” refers to a telco-edge-cloud, secure multi-provider and multi-technology, communication system that hosts network functions and workloads for and beyond connectivity (e.g. 6G, AI Storage/Compute, networking, Security ISAC , and any other application or capability) as a service (aaS). Key features of the 3C/ telco-edge-cloud network include programmability, fast service creation, security and privacy, mobility, and service continuity across inter-domain deployments. 3C/ telco-edge-cloud networks enable innovative use cases for an EU Digital Market that integrate communication, collaboration and computing capabilities in competitive and sustainable business models that will reinforce EU competitiveness and contribute to digital sovereignty, in particular through the use of Open Internet Stack components. Resulting solutions should be available for use in the public sector (for instance for justice systems).
Read the full text
The 3C Network large-scale pilot funded under topic 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) (RIA) is setting up end-to-end integrated infrastructures and platforms, bringing together players from different segments of the connectivity and compute value chain and beyond. The main target is to research and validate the integration of device, network, cloud and edge computing, and communication capabilities for telco edge cloud deployments to realize a ubiquitous mesh of computing and communication resources. As a main outcome the supply side pilot establishes an open orchestration platform across the telco-cloud-edge continuum, exploits the transformative value of AI and builds on the integration of solutions developed by the Open Euro Stack.
Demand- side pilot demonstrators called in this topic will build on the above supply side large-scale pilot and integrate future domain-specific applications and services with an emerging European 3Cs/ telco-edge-cloud infrastructure, leveraging different network features. Key features will include security and privacy solutions offering resistance to emerging quantum threats (such as via post-quantum cryptography), mobility, and service continuity across inter-domain and multi-cloud deployments and ecosystems.
Up to two pilot demonstrators on below listed specific verticals are expected .
• One pilot demonstrator focusing on Mobility covering specific areas of transport, logistics and the Automotive industry. The pilot should support the strategy as developed by the Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Alliance identified in the Automotive Action plan , in particular Pillars 3 (AI models) and 5 (Large-scale testing), which will be launched in 2025.
• One pilot demonstrator focusing on another vertical sector such as energy, smart…
Who can apply
Consortium of at least 3 independent legal entities from 3 different EU Member States or associated countries, at least one in a Member State (Horizon Europe standard rule). Country restriction: 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.
Applicant categories are a starting point. The official call decides eligibility.
Topics
Communication engineering and systems telecommunications 3C Network AI integration Open Orchestration Platform Open internet stack Smart Mobility Telco Edge Cloud data governance
Timing
Single-stage call. Next deadline 2027-03-18. The portal states the exact cut-off time (EU calls usually close at 17:00 Brussels time).
How to apply
- Read the full topic on the Funding & Tenders Portal: expected outcome, scope, type of action and the topic conditions, including any country restrictions.
- Register each participating organisation in the Funding & Tenders Portal to get a PIC.
- Consortium of at least 3 independent legal entities from 3 different EU Member States or associated countries (Horizon Europe standard rule; Türkiye is associated). Confirm in the topic conditions.
- Prepare Part A (administrative forms and budget, completed in the portal) and Part B (the technical description on the official template for this type of action).
- Submit in the portal before the cut-off time on the deadline day. Late submissions are not accepted.
From the call text
- Who can apply
- Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page
- Company stage
- Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page
- Single applicant or consortium
- Read the topic conditions on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for eligible countries, consortium requirements, budget and the application route.
- Where applicants must be based
- Read the topic conditions on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for eligible countries, consortium requirements, budget and the application route.
- Where to apply
- Read the topic conditions on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for eligible countries, consortium requirements, budget and the application route.
Where these facts come from
| Fact | Value | How we know | Taken from the source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deadline | 18 March 2027 “Single-stage call. Next deadline 2027-03-18. The portal states the exact cut-off time (EU calls usually close at 17:00 Brussels time).” | official data field | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Amount per applicant | Unknown — not stated in the source we hold | unknown | — |
| Total budget | €38 million | official data field | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Funding rate | 70% for companies, 100% for non-profits | programme standard rule | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Who can apply | Consortium of at least 3 independent legal entities from 3 different EU Member States or associated countries, at least one in a Member State (Horizon Europe standard rule). Country restriction: participation is… | programme standard rule | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Where to apply | Read the topic conditions on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for eligible countries, consortium requirements, budget and the application route. | read from the official text | 15 Nov 2026 |
Official sources
Facts on this page come from the funder’s official data, taken on 14 Nov 2026. The funder's own documents, including later amendments, always take precedence.
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