Digital twins and/or their major components for environment, climate and security

Overview

Funding for the development of new digital twins or major components of existing ones to enhance foresight and resilience at the intersection of environment, climate, and security. Targets researchers, public authorities, and private entities working on high-accuracy, AI-driven models for disaster preparedness, resource scarcity, and other security-related challenges.

Who Can Apply

Consortia of legal entities established in eligible countries, including EU Member States, Associated Countries, and select non-EU/non-Associated Countries with specific funding provisions. Applicants must involve real users in at least three application areas linking climate, environment, and security.

Funding Details

• Maximum grant amount: €40,000,000
• Funding form: Lump sum
• Total budget: Not specified

What Is Funded

• Development of new digital twins or major components of existing ones for environment, climate, and security applications.
• Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) in at least three application areas (e.g., disaster resilience, health emergencies, energy management, migration, resource scarcity).
• Advancements in AI, machine learning, high-performance computing, data fusion, and visualization capabilities.
• Integration with the Destination Earth system and alignment with the EU’s AI Continent Action Plan.
• Modular architectures enabling progressive data integration from multiple sources (e.g., satellite, in situ, UAV, statistical data).
• Ethical AI use, robustness, and accuracy for security applications.

Technology / Maturity Requirements

• Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) at project completion: 7 or higher.

Key Dates

• Open date: 2026-03-09
• Deadline: 2026-06-15

Application Process (High-Level)

• Single-stage submission via the Funding & Tenders Portal.
• Proposals must adhere to page limits and layout requirements outlined in the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.

Post-Award Obligations

• Integration with the Destination Earth system and collaboration with its implementing entities (ESA, ECMWF, EUMETSAT).
• Adherence to standards and best practices set by the Destination Earth initiative.
• Synergies with other EU digital twin developments and relevant Horizon Europe projects.
• Reporting on measurable contributions to EU priorities (e.g., climate adaptation, disaster resilience).

Geographic Scope & Language

• Eligible countries: EU Member States, Associated Countries, and select non-EU/non-Associated Countries with specific funding provisions.
• Application language: English.

Notes

• Mandatory use of the Destination Earth system and, where applicable, Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS data.
• Proposals must include a plan for handling sensitive datasets and demonstrate trustworthiness in AI ethics.
• Synergies with Common European Data Spaces, including the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC), are encouraged.