Pioneering Destination Earth for a Sustainable Future: Large-Scale Pilots and Demonstrators

Overview

Large-scale pilots and demonstrators leveraging the Destination Earth system to address climate change impacts through AI-enabled solutions, targeting researchers, policymakers, and public authorities across multiple sectors. The grant supports cross-border collaboration to develop actionable, data-driven tools for climate adaptation and risk mitigation.

Who Can Apply

Consortia of research institutions, AI developers, public sector entities, SMEs, startups, and other stakeholders from eligible countries. Proposals must involve collaboration across at least three Member States or Associated Countries, with strong engagement from end users (e.g., policymakers, decision-makers).

Funding Details

• Maximum grant amount: €40,000,000
• Funding type: Lump sum
• Funding rate: Not specified (standard Horizon Europe rules apply)

What Is Funded

• Development of large-scale pilots and demonstrators using Destination Earth capabilities to tackle climate change challenges in sectors such as health, energy, agri-food, and mobility.
• Integration of AI and digital twins to enhance cross-sectoral research, policy, and decision-making.
• Federating data from AI Factories and linking to Common European Data Spaces (e.g., European Open Science Cloud).
• Co-design of solutions with public authorities, researchers, and AI developers to ensure real-world applicability.
• Scalability plans for long-term adoption, including governance and funding commitments beyond the project duration.
• Synergies with Horizon Europe missions (e.g., Climate Adaptation Mission) and initiatives like Copernicus services.

Technology / Maturity Requirements

• Technology Readiness Level (TRL): 7–9 (system prototype demonstration in operational environment to actual system proven in operational environment).

Key Dates

• Open date: 2027-03-08
• Deadline: 2027-06-14T22:00:00Z

Application Process (High-Level)

• Single-stage submission via the [Funding & Tenders Portal](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal).
• Proposals must adhere to Horizon Europe’s standard application forms and evaluation criteria.

Post-Award Obligations

• Compliance with Destination Earth standards and interoperability requirements.
• Use of the Destination Earth platform and, where applicable, Copernicus/Galileo/EGNOS data services.
• Reporting on progress, scalability, and long-term impact, including dissemination of results to relevant stakeholders.

Geographic Scope & Language

• Eligible countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, United Kingdom, Switzerland.
• Application language: English.

Notes

• Proposals must demonstrate collaboration with Destination Earth implementing entities (ESA, ECMWF, EUMETSAT) and other key initiatives (e.g., Mercator Ocean International).
• Strong emphasis on place-based governance, socio-economic context, and sustainable set-ups for long-term impact.
• Involvement of SMEs/startups in AI or deep tech is strongly encouraged.