Demonstrating place-based experimentation and innovation spaces as enabling environments for scaling EU Missions

Type of action: HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) Consortium: standard Horizon Europe rule for this type of action, at least three independent legal entities from three different member or associated states, unless the call document says otherwise. Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: The territorial anchoring of the EU Mission(s) is strengthened through multi-layered governance Enabling environments for the scaling of novel solutions contributing to the EU Missions are established Analytical insights are turned into territorial experimentation and best practices for replication in a wide array of EU funding instruments Scope: This topic is a strategic instrument to support the transition to the second phase of the EU Missions’ lifecycle (2026–2030), focused on scaling up and wider deployment of novel mission-relevant solutions. To this end, territories (countries, regions and interregional partnerships) in EU Member States and Associated countries are called upon to design and demonstrate governance, regulatory experimentation, innovative public-public and public-private financing solutions, and procurement strategies that enable scaling. Consortia should be led by local authorities established in countries, regions and interregional partnerships. Proposals submitted to this topic should: Address barriers at territorial level and build on them to demonstrate concrete governance, finance, and policy models that foster scaling and deployment of EU Missions across diverse territories. Provide operational support for the transition to the next MFF by delivering tested, replicable models suitable for multi-level governance and place-based implementation. Co-develop and demonstrate innovative governance, policy, and finance models that enable scaling and wider deployment of tested solutions on the ground. Support the co-creation of place-based and pathways allowing for scaling and wider take up of EU Missions across EU and associated country territories, integrating multi-level governance, regulatory experimentation, innovative public-public and public-private financing solutions and procurement strategies. Test innovative policy, governance and finance models that favour scaling EU Missions by creating enabling conditions allowing to overcome identified systemic constraints such as fragmented regulation, limited risk appetite, lack of blended financing, or insufficient cross-sector coordination. The models should demonstrate innovation impact pathways that facilitate wider deployment of solutions that are already proven but underutilised. Ensure continuous stakeholder engagement throughout the process of developing and testing new models. The focus on co-creation and participatory approaches will ensure credibility and legitimacy of the tested models and will build on the strong EU Missions community developed during the first phase of the EU Missions. Rather than funding individual technologies, the topic should fund place-based models creating enabling conditions for scaling these technologies, combining policy, regulatory, financial and governance innovation. The projects activities should cover one or several EU Missions of choice of the local authorities involved in the actions. ">General conditions 1. Admissibility conditions: Proposal page limit and layout described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System. 2. Eligible countries described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide. 3. Other Eligibility Conditions If projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data and services, beneficiaries must make use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS (other data and services may additionally be used). described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. 4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes. 5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes. 5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual. 5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes. 6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific conditions described in the [specific topic of the Work Programme] Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA): Application form templates Please use the application form that you will find in the Submission System. You can find examples of standard application forms in the Reference Documents page. Evaluation form templates — will be used with the necessary adaptations Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA)  Standard evaluation form (HE CSA)  Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA and CSA Stage 1)  Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA and CSA Stage 1 BLIND) Standard evaluation form (HE PCP PPI)  Standard evaluation form (HE COFUND)  Standard evaluation form (HE FPA)  Standard evaluation form (HE MSCA)  Standard evaluation form (HE EIC PATHFINDER CHALLENGES)  Standard evaluation form (HE EIC PATHFINDER OPEN)  Standard evaluation form (HE EIC TRANSITION)  Standard evaluation form (HE EIC Accelerator stage 1 - short proposal)  Standard evaluation form (HE EIC Accelerator stage 2 - full proposal)  Guidance HE Programme Guide  Model Grant Agreements (MGA) HE MGA  HE Unit MGA  Lump Sum MGA  Operating Grants MGA  Framework Partnership Agreement FPA  Call-specific instructions  Detailed budget table (HE LS)  Information on financial support to third parties (HE)  Information on clinical studies (HE)  Guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?" Additional documents: HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 2. Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 3. Research Infrastructures HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 4. Health HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 5. Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 6. Civil Security for Society HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 7. Digital, Industry and Space HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 8. Climate, Energy and Mobility HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 9. Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 10. European Innovation Ecosystems (EIE) HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 11. Widening participation and strengthening the European Research Area HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 12. Missions HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 13. New European Bauhaus Facility (NEB) HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 14. Horizontal Activities HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes EIC Work Programme 2026 ERC Work Programme 2026 HE Framework Programme and Rules for Participation Regulation 2021/695 HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764 EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509 Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions  Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement