The third round of the AiNed ELSA Labs has begun. This round focuses on the theme “AI Lifecycle Compliance: RegGuides, RegTech, and Supervisory Guidance.”
An AiNed ELSA Lab is a public-private partnership between companies, research institutions, and civil society organizations, focused on the ethical, legal, and societal aspects of artificial intelligence. An ELSA Lab develops practical guidelines, methodologies, and tools that support organizations in the responsible use, adoption, and development of AI, with FairTech AI playing a central role.
AI Lifecycle Compliance
The goal of this call is to develop and validate practical guidelines (RegGuides) and technical assessment tools (RegTech) that reduce the burden of AI compliance for businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This will enable organizations to develop, implement, and apply FairTech AI in accordance with the requirements of the EU AI Act.
What does an ELSA Lab look like?
An ELSA Lab consists of various private and public partners who collaborate on AI compliance issues.
Key Partners
- form the solid foundation of the ELSA Lab;
- have committed to the ELSA Lab for four years;
- Together, they determine the substantive direction and build the RegGuides and RegTech prototypes.
Co-partners
- participate in a specific use case (AI adoption process), either as an AI developer or as an AI user;
- raise practical questions and gain targeted AI knowledge by working on a case study;
- work together with a supervisor who provides guidance, reflection, and feedback.
Partners work together on use cases lasting 6 to 9 months. Each use case provides the real-world context in which the RegGuides and RegTech prototypes are researched, developed, tested, and validated.
What is the focus?
Each ELSA Lab proposal is based on two key elements: the AI lifecycle phase and the human role in decision-making and accountability.
The three phases of the AI lifecycle are:
- Design, also known as compliance-by-design, in which accountability and risk management are built in during the design phase;
- Pre-deployment, also known as "test-before-launch," in which testing takes place before a system is put into use;
- Post-deployment, also known as "monitor-and-adapt," in which a system is in use and is monitored for compliance.
The three levels of human agency and responsibility are:
- the user as an evaluator, also known as "human-in-the-loop";
- the user as a safety operator, also known as "human-on-the-loop";
- the user as the remote operator, also known as the "human-in-command."
A proposal may focus on at least one AI lifecycle phase and one human role in decision-making and responsibility. Multiple phases and roles are permitted.
Sectors of Application
ELSA Lab proposals focus on the application sectors prioritized by AiNed:
- engineering industry;
- energy and sustainability;
- mobility, transportation, and logistics;
- Health and healthcare.
A combination of sectors within a single ELSA Lab is permitted. See which ELSA Labs already exist.
Budget
An AiNed ELSA Lab can apply for up to €2,300,000 in AiNed funding for a four-year term. Within this budget, at least €1,600,000 in funding is available for businesses and nonprofit organizations.
Businesses and civil society organizations can receive up to 40% AiNed funding toward eligible costs, such as personnel or equipment. In total, there is funding available to support three ELSA Labs.
How to participate?
To participate, start by submitting a short proposal to AIC4NL. After you register, we’ll invite you to a co-creation session with other initiatives. The deadline for the short proposal is October 30, 2026.
Haven't found a partner yet, or do you need help with your application? No problem. AIC4NL is happy to help you find partners. AIC4NL's regional AI hubs and area leaders can assist you in forming a partnership. If you have any questions or would like more information, please email elsalabs@aic4nl.nl.
- View the AiNed ELSA Labs 2026 Call for Proposals (Dutch version)
- View the AiNed ELSA Labs 2026 Call for Proposals (English version)
- View the AiNed Rules Document (Dutch version)
- View the AiNed Rules Document (English version)
Important dates
- September 2026: Publication of the call for proposals on the AIC4NL website
- September 2026: Availability of the template for the abbreviated proposal
- October 13, 10:00–11:00 a.m., online informational webinar (registration link to follow)
- October 30, 2026: Deadline for the short proposal
- December 11, 2026: Deadline for the complete proposal
