European AI startups and scaleups face unique challenges when it comes to securing public funding, from navigating complex application processes to meeting strict eligibility criteria. However, these hurdles are accompanied by significant opportunities.
Public funding programmes, especially those offered by the European Union through Horizon Europe, provide AI startups with essential financial resources to scale, innovate, and develop cutting-edge technologies. In addition to funding, these programmes often come with business support and mentoring, pilot opportunities and access to vast networks of experts and collaborators.
F6S Innovation drives technology growth through public funding programmes. We boost the growth and scaling of founders, startups, SMEs and other key players in the innovation ecosystem with EU-funded projects offering different opportunities: cascade funding (FSTP) and value-driven services, incubation and acceleration, mentoring, piloting, corporate matchmaking, soft-landing missions and networking with investors.
Down the line are significant growth opportunities through F6S Innovation EU funded projects, specifically designed to support startups and scaleups within the AI ecosystem. Some of these offer cascade funding (FSTP), others sponsor value-driven services. Check the timing of the Open Calls carefully to make sure to apply on time.
Projects offering financial support (equity-free funding), incubation and acceleration:
Join the NebulOuS Open Call #2 to explore the architecture of the NebulOuS project! Startups and SMEs, whether solo or in teams of two, operating in IoT, Edge, Cloud, or related sectors are encouraged to apply. Present additional use cases that highlight the replicability and sustainability of the NebulOuS framework. We are offering a total investment of up to €750k to support 5 projects aimed at enhancing NebulOuS.
AUTOASSESS invites startups and SMEs to present innovative technology solutions addressing specific use-case challenges, related to the development of the AUTOASSES solution: a system that leverages AI and Robotics for safe vessel inspection. The 6-month programme will offer up to €100k to each selected project.
The upcoming Open Call #1 for DeployAI will give SMEs and startups an opportunity to provide solutions to specific AI-driven Challenges, using AI on Demand Platform and its available tools. We will be offering a total investment of up to €600k to support 4 projects aimed at enhancing the AIOD Platform.
The SOPRANO project focuses on human-robot collaboration and intelligent multi-agent systems – a synergistic network of multiple interconnected robotic systems collaborating on various tasks alongside human workers. The project technologies develop advanced human-centric robotic capabilities and ensure trustworthy and dependable AI-based multi-human multi-robot (MH-MR) collaboration. The SOPRANO Open Call will invest a total of €1,880,000 to fund 10 projects that demonstrate and validate the feasibility, replicability and scalability of the SOPRANO solutions in MH-MR scenarios in diverse industrial sectors.
The HEDGE-IoT project will allocate €1.700.000 to up to 30 successful applications to offer data-driven energy services to further elaborate the HEDGE-IoT framework and/or further advance the demo-related scenarios and performance towards the energy consumers.
The AI BOOST will call upon early stage innovators and researchers to solve AI challenges established in various domains.
AI-BOOST: 3-phase competition (€180k+ prizes).
- Spark: Concept notes, 8 winners (€5k each).
- Develop: Algorithm development, 3 winners (€20k each).
- Demo: Breakthrough solutions, 1 winner takes €80k
Open Call #1 Challenges aims to achieve a wide spread deployment of solutions that will address specific AI-Driven challenges on Automation and Decision Support. SMEs and Start-ups will come onboard to increase the industry competitiveness, environmental and resources sustainability. We will be offering a total investment of up to €200k to support +10 projects.
Projects offering value-driven services, mentoring, piloting, and matchmaking:
Are you a DeepTech enthusiast? Join DeepTech ACT, a matchmaking platform offering tailored resources to kickstart networking opportunities in DeepTech! Inside DeepTech ACT you can connect with the right people, find funding opportunities or accelerate your DeepTech idea!
Do you have a Green-Tech AI-driven solution? Consider applying o INNO4CFIs Acceleration Program and scale your solution toward commercial success. With a focus on carbon farming, decarbonization, and sustainability, the four-month accelerator offers equity-free support, tailored mentoring, workshops, and access to the Interregional Market Uptake Hub (IMUH) – a pan-European network of solution seekers and providers in green innovation and carbon farming.
Projects offering ecosystem engagement and networking:
Join the community of stakeholders dedicated to influencing the future of European policy in the areas of cloud, edge, AI and IoT technologies.
