Registration open until Sept. 5, 2025 (now closed)
The second round of the AiNed Innovation Labs has started. This is a great opportunity for innovative SMEs, start-ups, scale-ups, knowledge institutions, civil society organizations and larger companies to work together on a pre-competitive basis on AI solutions that generate both societal and economic impact. nnovation Labs focuses on pioneering AI innovations and tangible outcomes that directly address the innovation demands of the business sector. Explore the opportunities below or submit your short-form proposal immediately.
Sign up
The deadline for applying has passed. In the Call for Proposals and Game Rules document you can read what you had to take into account. Do you have questions about this process? Then feel free to contact Gijs Beumkes.
About the second round
In this round, you can apply for funding for a new Innovation Lab that focuses on one of the current AI themes. Below is a brief overview of the application areas that the Innovation Labs can focus on, the budget, and the main conditions for participation.
Focus areas
The second round focuses on societal and economic challenges in four application areas:
● Energy and sustainability
● Health and care
● Mobility, transport and logistics
● Technical industry
Budget
A maximum of €3,500,000 funding is available per InnovationLab. At least €2,500,000 of this is earmarked for enterprises and civil society organizations. On average, funding is 40% of eligible costs for enterprises and civil society organizations.
Eligibility Requirements
Applications are submitted by a sponsor on behalf of a consortium of core partners and copartners. A proposal must fit within the themes of this round and contribute to applicable AI solutions with societal and economic added value.
After submitting the short-form proposal, you will be invited to a co-creation workshop, where you will have the opportunity to refine it into an intended proposal. After the pitch of the intended proposal, you will receive feedback towards the full proposal.
View the Call for Proposals AiNed Innovation Labs 2025
View the AiNed rules document
Important dates
- July 29, 2025 12:00 - 13:00 CEST: webinar information submission of abbreviated proposal
- Sept. 5, 2025 18:00 CEST: deadline for submission of abbreviated proposal
- Sept. 15 - 19, 2025: cocreation workshop (by invitation)
- October 15 - 17, 2025: pitch session
- November 26, 2025 18:00 CEST: deadline for full proposal submission
- December 2025 - March 2026: review and feedback final decision
Click here for the application form
Do you have any questions or would you like to know more about submitting an short-form proposal?
Sign up for the webinar on July 29, 2025 from noon to 1 p.m. Here you will get practical information about the process, criteria and how to submit an abbreviated proposal. Of course, there will be room to ask your questions.
Sign up for the webinar
Want to know more about Innovation Labs?
The Innovation Labs are collaborative initiatives where companies and social organizations jointly develop concrete AI innovations and contribute to solving socio-economic challenges. An Innovation Lab focuses on one or more of the four application areas, has a thematic focus, and offers new opportunities for funding and collaboration. See the page below for more background information and examples.
