The second round of the AiNed Learning Communities is about to begin. This offers a valuable opportunity for innovative SMEs, employees, researchers, knowledge institutions, and public organizations to collaborate on strengthening AI knowledge and expertise. Within this public-private partnership, learning by doing is central: participants work on real-world challenges and develop practical AI solutions that have an impact on both society and the economy.
Sign up
The Call for Proposals and the guidelines document outline what you need to take into account. Do you have any questions about this process? Please feel free to contact Emile Jaspar. The application period is open until July 17, 2026.
About the second round
In this round, you can apply for funding for a new AiNed Learning Community focused on one of the current AI themes. Below is a brief overview of the areas of application that the Learning Communities can focus on, the budget, and the key requirements for participation.
Focus Areas
The second round focuses on social and economic challenges in four areas of application:
● Energy and sustainability
● Health and care
● Mobility, transport and logistics
● Technical industry
Budget
A maximum of €2,500,000 in funding is available per AiNed Learning Community. At least €1,200,000 of this amount is earmarked for businesses and civil society organizations. On average, the funding covers 40% of the eligible costs for businesses and civil society organizations.
Eligibility requirements
Applications must be submitted by a lead partner on behalf of a consortium of core partners and co-partners. A proposal must align with the themes of this call and contribute to expanding AI knowledge and expertise, with societal and economic benefits for the sector.
After submitting the short proposal, you will be invited to a co-creation workshop, where you will have the opportunity to refine it into a draft proposal. Following the pitch of the draft proposal, you will receive feedback to help you finalize the full proposal.
View the Call for Proposals for AiNed Learning Communities 2026
View the AiNed guidelines document
Important dates
- June 2, 2026, 10:00–11:00 a.m. CEST: Webinar on submitting an abbreviated proposal
- July 17, 2026, 6:00 p.m. CEST: deadline for submitting the short proposal
- September 7–18, 2026: co-creation workshop (by invitation only)
- October 6–9, 2026: Pitch session
- November 20, 2026, 6:00 p.m. CEST: deadline for submitting the full proposal
- December 2026 – March 2027: Review and feedback on the final decision
Do you have any questions or would you like to know more about submitting an short-form proposal?
Register for the webinar on June 2, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. You’ll receive practical information about the process, the criteria, and how to submit a short proposal. Of course, there will be time for you to ask questions.
Want to learn more about AiNed Learning Communities?
The AiNed Learning Community is a multi-year collaboration in which organizations learn about AI together. Participants work collaboratively on real-world cases, thereby actively learning to work with and about AI techniques and models through case-based learning. In this way, they help to expand AI knowledge and expertise among employees and students. A Learning Community focuses on one or more of the four application areas, has a thematic focus, and offers new opportunities for funding and collaboration. For more background information and examples, see the page below.
