Enhancing the Security, Privacy and Robustness of AI Models and Systems (SecureAI)

Overview

Funding for research and development projects focused on enhancing the security, privacy, and robustness of AI models and systems. Targets organizations working on adversarial defense mechanisms, privacy-preserving AI, and resilient AI deployments for critical infrastructure and enterprise use cases.

Who Can Apply

Legal entities established in EU Member States and Associated Countries. Participation is restricted to entities not directly or indirectly controlled by non-eligible countries or entities. Consortia are expected, though single applicants may be eligible if justified.

Funding Details

Maximum grant amount: 4,000,000 EUR per project. Funding is provided as a lump sum, with eligible costs determined by the Horizon Europe lump sum model.

What Is Funded

• Development of AI models and systems resistant to adversarial attacks, backdoor injections, and data poisoning.
• Real-time anomaly detection and mitigation techniques for AI threats.
• Privacy-enhancing technologies (e.g., federated learning, secure aggregation, homomorphic encryption) for confidential AI deployments in government and enterprise settings.
• Compliance with the EU AI Act and alignment with AI transparency efforts.

Technology / Maturity Requirements

Projects must target Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 7 to 9, focusing on demonstration, piloting, and deployment in operational environments.

Key Dates

• Open date: 2026-03-02
• Deadline: 2026-09-14T22:00:00Z

Application Process (High-Level)

Single-stage submission via the Horizon Europe Funding & Tenders Portal. Proposals must adhere to page limits and layout requirements specified in the call documentation.

Geographic Scope & Language

Open to applicants from EU Member States and Associated Countries. Applications must be submitted in English.

Notes

• Proposals must address at least one of the expected outcomes outlined in the call.
• Projects should demonstrate synergies with existing EU efforts on AI transparency and regulatory compliance.
• Participation of entities controlled by non-eligible countries is explicitly excluded.