Sovereignty in Action Awards

Grand Challenge on Quantum Sensors for Inertial Navigation is sponsored by European Commission — Horizon Europe. Expected Outcome: This topic is the first phase of a two-phase competitive structure supported by Horizon Europe, implemented via a Coordination and Support Action (CSA) in close collaboration with the European Investment Bank (EIB). Phase 1 (this topic): A CSA focused on readiness-analysis in terms of exploitation and investments, benchmarking the commercial viability of quantum enabled navigation systems. The aim is to deliver concrete outputs that improve the conditions for use of the supported projects through credible technical, industrialisation and financial roadmaps, validated against investor requirements (e.g. EIB, InvestEU). Activities also include analyses of investor-readiness and supply-chain sovereignty. Phase 2: For further information, see the indirectly managed action “HORIZON-CL4 Quantum Top-Up to InvestEU: Grand Challenge Phase 2” in the Cluster 4 part of the Horizon Europe 2026/2027 Work Programme. This CSA is designed to allow the best possible application in Phase 2 and the current CSA results may therefore inform applications by beneficiaries to investment support managed by the EIB under InvestEU (separate procedures). Under Phase 1 projects are expected to establish a comprehensive technical and financial roadmap that demonstrates the potential of the proposed Q-INS solutions, and at least deliver evidence-based design and benchmarking packages for reduced-scale systems ( such as documentation, test/benchmark reports and evidence of pre-existing or externally financed prototypes) in one of the following two categories: Category 1 (cold-atoms Q-INS) : Q-INS based on cold-atom interferometry (or other technology of at least equivalent performance) featuring long-term navigation accuracy (<10 m/hour) due to reduced drift with respect to commercial Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs). End-user requirements together with documented benchmark evidence from existing or externally financed prototypes will be collected for demonstrations in maritime or aviation applications. Category 2 ( Chip-scale Q-INS ): Low C-SWAP Q-INS measuring acceleration, rotation rate, and/or magnetic field, aimed at the implementation of chip-scale sensors based on defect centres and vacancies in crystals or on warm atomic vapours (including nuclear magnetic resonance), for applications e.g. in small satellites, UAVs, and autonomous transport. Proposals should target systems that are already sufficiently mature to enable credible benchmarking and industrial road-mapping. Specific expected outcomes include: A detailed technical roadmap, including system architecture, integration strategy, performance milestones, risk assessments and industrialisation plan for scalable production The industrialisation plan should be validated in conjunction with the EIB requirements, including commercialization timelines, and should include at least the following: Detailed Q-INS architecture based on quantum sensing techniques hybridised with classical IMUs, Compliance assessment for SWaP-C requirements, environmental resilience, and real-world integration, An assessment of dependencies on non-EU suppliers of critical components and proposal of effective mitigation measures in view of a sovereign supply chain, Potential list of end-users to capture system requirements and use-case constraints A comprehensive financial roadmap and viability assessment covering business models, market analyses, commercialization pathways, revenue projections and investment criteria Documented lab-validation/benchmarking of an existing or externally financed prototype (no EU funding of R&I or prototype development in this CSA), with preliminary benchmark results. An application strategy identifying target sectors (maritime, aviation, space, autonomous systems) and quantifiable advantages over classical IMUs. Scope: The Grand Challenge on Quantum Sensors for Inertial Navigation aims to advance the development of quantum-enabled navigation systems for use in GNSS-deni Programme areas: Horizon Europe (HORIZON), Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness, Digital, Industry and Space Keywords: Quantum Technologies (e.g. computing and communication), EuroHPC, Quantum Inertial Navigation, Quantum Technologies

This Digital Europe Programme topic funds the design and delivery of advanced digital and AI skills training for healthcare organisations, with a topic budget of EUR 7.8 million and a deadline of 1 October 2026. It sits under the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform, which signals that the Commission treats healthcare AI capability as a strategic sovereignty matter rather than a routine training exercise. The distinguishing requirement is the pairing: universities, research bodies and industry partners must jointly design AI training aimed at healthcare organisations, so a proposal from an academic consortium with no clinical deployment partner, or from a vendor with no educational partner, is structurally weak. Substantively, the work covers building competence among clinical and administrative staff in the use, procurement, governance and evaluation of AI systems in care settings - the workforce layer that European health systems consistently identify as the real bottleneck to deploying medical AI, rather than model quality. For AI researchers, the relevant framing is that this is a skills and capacity instrument, not a research instrument: deliverables are curricula, training programmes, certification pathways and trained cohorts, and the evaluation criteria reward reach and sustainability of the training offer over scientific novelty. Groups with strong medical AI research but no training track record should partner with an established education provider rather than lead.

First Peoples Climate Fund is sponsored by Seattle Foundation, in partnership with the City of Seattle's Office of Sustainability & Environment. A landmark investment that places Indigenous sovereignty, leadership, and ancestral knowledge at the heart of climate action. It supports existing projects, provides technical assistance, and invests in a range of climate strategies that prioritize Tribal and Native leadership in addressing the region's climate challenges.