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
Trapped-Ion Platform Technologies
Open
The EU's Horizon Europe programme expects to make 1 award of €19 million – €20 million, from a total budget of €20 million. Applications close on 17 Nov 2026 (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
- 17 Nov 2026 (in 2 days)
- Grant amount
- €19 million – €20 million per project
- Funding rate
- 100% of eligible costs Standard rule for this programme; the call can differ.
- Total budget
- €20 million
- Expected awards
- 1
- Type of action
- HORIZON JU Research and 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-JU-EUROHPC-2026-TIPT-09-01
- Call
- HORIZON-JU-EUROHPC-2026-TIPT-09
- Last checked
- 14 Nov 2026
Expected outcome
This action will advance Europe’s leadership in trapped-ion quantum computing by achieving the following key outcomes:
• Establishment of a full-stack ion-trap quantum computer aiming at more than 1.000 qubits, fully integrated into high-performance computing (HPC) systems, and accessible via the cloud.
• Demonstration of quantum advantage for selected real-world applications, validated against benchmarks.
• Strengthened European capabilities to develop modular, interoperable, and scalable quantum computing architectures.
• Implementation and demonstration of advanced error correction and fault-tolerant quantum computing techniques.
• Integration of full-stack hardware-software systems with standardised and certified interfaces.
• Engagement with industry and academia through open access to quantum computing resources and co-design of applications.
Scope
The action should support the scale-up of European trapped-ion quantum computing platforms, aiming at technological maturity and usability for industrial and scientific applications. In particular, the action must address at least two major technical roadblocks defined in the Strategic Research and Industry Agenda (SRIA 2030) for trapped-ion quantum computing. These include the limited scalability of ion trap architectures, particularly the need for modular designs and inter-chain coupling, and the integration of photonic components for laser delivery, enabling compact and fault-tolerant systems. The proposal is expected to demonstrate system-level innovation and practical application addressing these and other equally critical challenges.
The proposal should also:
• Develop a full-stack trapped-ion quantum computer with more than 1000 physical qubits, including:
• Initialisation, manipulation, and readout fully integrated into the cryogenic setup.
Read the full text
• Reduced system footprint via standardised interfaces and integrated waveguides.
• Advance scalable error correction and fault-tolerant computing:
• Develop and benchmark error correction codes suitable for trapped-ion architectures.
• Demonstrate error mitigation in noisy environments and real-life quantum information tasks.
• Enable real-life application testing:
• Select and implement at least two practical use cases (aligned with industrial or scientific challenges).
• Demonstrate computational advantage over classical simulations where possible or show progress towards it.
• Develop standards and modular interoperability:
• Establish interface specifications for both hardware and software layers, enabling integration across vendors and platforms.
• Align with European efforts on standardisation, benchmarking, and certification.
• Integrate with classical computing infrastructures:
• Ensure seamless operation alongside HPC resources, with remote access and hybrid quantum-classical workflows.
• Provide access and foster ecosystem participation:
• Support researchers and industry (including SMEs) with open, cloud-based access, comprehensive user documentation, and training resources.
• Contribute to a sustainable European supply chain:
• Address key technological components such as lasers, ion traps, control electronics, and packaging solutions, aiming for independent and robust sourcing
Technology Readiness Level - Technology readiness level expected from completed projects
The rules are described in General Annex B of the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2026-2027.
Activities are expected to start at TRL 4 and to achieve TRL 7 by the end of the project
Who can apply
Country restriction: participation is limited to legal entities established in Member States or Participating States of the EuroHPC JU.
Applicant categories are a starting point. The official call decides eligibility.
Timing
Single-stage call. Next deadline 2026-11-17. 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.
- Check the topic conditions for the minimum number of partners.
- 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.
Official sources
Facts on this page come from the official source and were last checked 14 Nov 2026. The funder's own documents, including later amendments, always take precedence.
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