AIC4L’s International Team is involved in European funding programs for AI and works closely with European partners on these initiatives. New programs are currently being developed to strengthen innovation, scaling, and strategic technology in Europe. In the coming period, three European schemes will open that may be of interest to organizations in the AI ecosystem. Are you working on frontier AI, AI and cloud technology, or do you support startups and scale-ups in the development of generative AI? Then now is the time to see which scheme aligns with your plans.
Below, we briefly explain for each program: who it is intended for, what issues you need to address, and what steps you can take now.
1. Frontier AI Grand Challenge: for organizations working on next-generation AI
The European Commission and the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking have launched the Frontier AI Grand Challenge.
- Who is it for?Researchers, companies, and consortia working on advanced AI models and applications who wish to scale up by accessing European supercomputing capacity.
- What kind of research are you working on?Areyou workingon cutting-edge AI, such as large-scale models or applications that require powerful computing infrastructure? And do you want to contribute to European AI capabilities and competitiveness?
- What does it offer? Access to European high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure and support to enable cutting-edge AI development. This initiative is designed to strengthen European AI capabilities and promote technological leadership within Europe.
For more information:
Read the official press release from the EuroHPC JU regarding the launch of the Frontier AI Grand Challenge. Also, review the European Commission’s (Digital Strategy) explanatory note, which provides background and context on the initiative.
2. IPCEI AI: for companies with strategic AI or cloud technology
The Ministry of Economic Affairs and RVO have launched a call for expressions of interest in participating in an Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) on Artificial Intelligence.
- Who is this for?Companiesoperating in the AI and cloud value chain with ambitious plans to further develop and scale up technology, which is of strategic importance to the Netherlands and Europe.
- What is the issue?Doyou havea technologically advanced project but are facing a funding gap as you approach market launch? If so, participating in an IPCEI program might be of interest to you.
- What does it offer?IPCEIsfacilitate large-scale, cross-border collaboration and provide opportunities for public support for strategic technology development.
- What can you do now?You have untilMarch 25, 2026, to express your interest viathe IPCEI AI Expression of Interest. To register, visit:ipcei-ai@rvo.nl
For more information:
There will also be an online information session (in Dutch) on March 4 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. In addition, the 8ra Open Conference (part of the 8ra Annual Summit) will take place in Rotterdam on March 20, 2026, where the relationship between IPCEI AI and IPCEI Cloud Infrastructure & Services will also be discussed.
3. LLM-BRIDGE Venture Incubation Program: for incubators and AI ecosystem partners
As part of the European LLM-BRIDGE project, the call for the Venture Incubation Programme is now open.
- Who is it for?Incubatorsand organizations that support startups in the development and application of Large Language Models (LLMs) and generative AI.
- What is the issue?Doyou workwith startups that develop AI solutions and are you looking for European collaboration, knowledge exchange, and support to help them move forward?
- What does it offer?AEuropean incubation program providing support, networking opportunities, and access to expertise within the LLM-BRIDGE consortium.
- What can you do now?Check outthe open call.
For more information:
There will be an online information session on February 25 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CET
