All posts tagged: Horizon Europe

EU and India begin talks on potential Horizon Europe association

EU and India begin talks on potential Horizon Europe association

Published by skeptic

The European Commission and the Government of India have officially launched exploratory discussions on a possible association with Horizon Europe, marking a significant step forward in EU–India research and innovation cooperation. The announcement follows the 16th EU–India Summit held in New Delhi, where leaders reaffirmed their shared ambition to strengthen collaboration across trade, security, science, innovation and mobility. If these talks lead to a successful Horizon Europe association, India would gain unprecedented access to the EU’s flagship research and innovation programme. Indian universities, research centres and companies would be able to apply for Horizon Europe funding on the same footing as EU-based entities, including leading multinational research projects, in return for a financial contribution from India. Commenting on the negotiations, Ekaterina Zaharieva, European Commissioner for Startups, Research, and Innovation, said: “Science works best when borders do not get in the way of ideas. “Exploring India’s association with Horizon Europe is about connecting talent, ambition and trust, and building solutions together at a global scale.” Research and innovation at the heart of EU–India relations EU–India scientific …

Autonomous flying ships for a sustainable future

Autonomous flying ships for a sustainable future

Published by skeptic

AIRSHIP is an ambitious project developing autonomous, electric ground-effect craft for efficient and sustainable water-based cargo transport. The idea of using the aerodynamic ground effect for transportation has been explored since the early years of aviation. When flying close to a surface, typically less than half a wingspan above it, the interaction between the wing and the ground improves its lift-to-drag ratio and increases efficiency. This effect allows a vehicle to carry more payload or reduce energy consumption compared with conventional aircraft flying at higher altitudes. Early prototypes appeared in Finland in the 1930s with the work of engineer Toivo Kaario, often credited as the pioneer of the ground-effect vehicles, known also as wing-in-ground (WIG) vehicles or ekranoplans. In the post-war years, German engineer Alexander Lippisch developed the reverse-delta wing, a configuration that improved stability for WIG vehicles. The Soviet Union pushed the concept furthest, building a series of ekranoplans, including the 92m-long Caspian Sea Monster, with maximum take-off weight of 544t with maximum speed of 500km/h. Other attempts have appeared since then, including concepts …

BIOSAFIRE advances nature-inspired flame retardants using lignin and tannins

BIOSAFIRE advances nature-inspired flame retardants using lignin and tannins

Published by skeptic

BIOSAFIRE uses lignin and tannins to improve fire resistance following the Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) approach. BIOSAFIRE draws inspiration from nature to enhance lignins and tannins – natural flame-retardant compounds – making them suitable for industrial applications. Building on existing pilot plants, the project scales up production and broadens to a range of biobased feedstocks, delivering flame retardants for five specific use cases across four sectors: naval, railway, home appliances, and wood coatings. With 22 partners collaborating across Europe, BIOSAFIRE represents a major collective effort to transform natural additives into innovative, high-performance materials. The project combines high performance with sustainability, achieving fire-retardancy levels comparable to conventional, toxic benchmarks while maintaining approximately 80% biobased content. Beyond demonstrating its effectiveness in multiple use cases, BIOSAFIRE is developing a comprehensive material portfolio and practical processing guidelines to help industry adopt safer, biobased flame retardants. This approach is set to unlock substantial market opportunity, estimated at €8bn by 2028, with Europe holding around a 25% share and the target sectors representing roughly 65% of the market. The …

European Commission launches €605m Africa Initiative IV

European Commission launches €605m Africa Initiative IV

Published by skeptic

The European Commission has officially launched Africa Initiative IV, marking a major new phase in EU–Africa cooperation on research and innovation under the Horizon Europe work programme for 2026–2027. With a total budget of approximately €605.45m, the initiative signals a strong political and financial commitment to advancing shared scientific priorities and fostering long-term partnerships between European and African research communities. A new chapter in EU–Africa collaboration Africa Initiative IV builds on the momentum created by the first three Africa Initiatives, which have already reshaped how African organisations engage with Horizon Europe. The latest phase will fund around 30 competitive calls for proposals, all focused on joint EU–Africa research and innovation activities. These calls are designed to encourage collaboration from project conception to delivery, ensuring mutual benefits and shared ownership of results. Crucially, Africa Initiative IV supports the implementation of the AU–EU Innovation Agenda. This alignment ensures that funded projects align with jointly agreed short-, medium-, and long-term actions, reinforcing policy coherence across both continents while addressing real-world challenges. Four strategic priority areas Under Africa Initiative …

Empowering youth participation to tackle physical inactivity

Empowering youth participation to tackle physical inactivity

Published by skeptic

The YoPA Project Team discuss the youth-led participatory research designed to tackle physical inactivity, non-communicable diseases, and health inequalities. The growing crisis of physical inactivity among youth has become a global public health concern, disproportionately affecting those in the most vulnerable situations. As societies grapple with an epidemic of sedentary behaviour and related health inequalities, it is clear that traditional intervention models are not sufficiently addressing the complexity and diversity of young people’s lived realities. To make meaningful progress, we must adopt innovative, inclusive, and empowering approaches that recognise youth not only as the intended beneficiaries, but as active co-creators of change. Rethinking physical activity interventions: Beyond WEIRD contexts Much of the existing research and intervention development targeting physical activity has emerged from WEIRD – Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic – contexts. While valuable, this narrow focus risks overlooking the vast social, cultural, and environmental diversity that shapes young people’s experiences across the globe. It also limits the potential for scalable, equitable, and sustainable solutions. The YoPA (Youth-centred Participatory Action) project, funded by the …

€17m GAMMA project to accelerate green shipping

€17m GAMMA project to accelerate green shipping

Published by skeptic

Funded with €17m through Horizon Europe, the project aims to demonstrate how hydrogen-based fuel cells and climate-neutral fuels can transform deep-sea shipping, enabling zero-emission operations for large ocean-going vessels. The five-year initiative is led by Icelandic engineering company Verkís and includes a consortium of European innovators, such as ANT Topic, Fraunhofer, Aurelia, Sea Green Engineering, Energy Cluster Denmark, SINTEF, and Politecnico di Milano, among others. Richard Berkling, CEO of PowerCell Group, commented: “This project represents exactly the type of industrial learning that the maritime sector needs right now. “GAMMA allows us to move beyond theoretical studies and demonstrate how fuel cells, hydrogen carriers, and onboard reforming can work together in a commercial vessel. That operational experience is what will ultimately de-risk adoption and unlock large-scale deployment.” A landmark project for maritime decarbonisation The GAMMA project – short for Green Ammonia and Biomethanol fuel MAritime Vessels – brings together 16 European partners to retrofit a 60,000 DWT bulk carrier from TOPIC Fleet. This retrofit will convert the vessel into a full-scale testbed for green shipping technologies, …

EU invests €307m in AI and digital technologies

EU invests €307m in AI and digital technologies

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As global competition over digital technologies intensifies, the European Commission is stepping up its investment to ensure Europe remains at the forefront of innovation. The EU has announced a major €307.3m investment to strengthen its leadership in digital technologies, launching two new funding calls under the Digital, Industry and Space cluster of the Horizon Europe programme. The move signals a decisive push to accelerate innovation in AI, data services, and emerging technologies, while reinforcing the EU’s strategic autonomy in an increasingly competitive global digital landscape. Major funding push for AI and data innovation The larger share of funding, €221.8m, targets the development of trustworthy AI and advanced data-driven services. This call focuses on reinforcing Europe’s capacity to design and deploy human-centric, secure, and ethical AI solutions while reducing reliance on non-European technologies. Funded projects will support the Commission’s Apply AI Strategy and span a wide range of digital technologies, including robotics, quantum computing, photonics, and immersive virtual worlds. These areas are seen as critical enablers of industrial transformation and future economic growth across Europe. A …

Baltic and Nordic chip competence centres unite

Baltic and Nordic chip competence centres unite

Published by skeptic

Chip competence centres across the Nordic and Baltic regions have signed a new memorandum of understanding (MoU) that brings together Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and the three Baltic states in a coordinated push to strengthen research, skills, and industrial capacity. The agreement was formalised during a meeting of Nordic chip centres and sets out a shared vision to advance education, research, and industrial support across borders. The MoU marks a significant step toward building a coordinated Northern European semiconductor ecosystem. By aligning efforts and sharing expertise, the participating countries aim to increase their collective impact, improve international visibility, and respond more effectively to supply chain and technology challenges facing Europe’s chip industry. Building on existing Baltic cooperation The Nordic agreement complements earlier collaboration among the Baltic states themselves. Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia previously signed their own MoU to consolidate regional efforts in microelectronics and semiconductor innovation. That agreement focused on synchronising national strategies, pooling research capabilities, and accelerating innovation in line with the objectives of the European Chips Act. Together, these frameworks create a layered …

SAFELOOP pioneers safer, high-performance Li-ion EV battery

SAFELOOP pioneers safer, high-performance Li-ion EV battery

Published by skeptic

The SAFELOOP project is committed to developing a safe, sustainable, and high-performance lithium-ion (Li-Ion) battery for the European EV industry. SAFELOOP (Securely Advancing Future EVs with Li-Ion batteries through Optimized Pathways) is a 36-month project launched in June 2024, bringing together 15 partners from 11 countries. SAFELOOP is funded by Horizon Europe – the European Union’s flagship research and innovation funding programme. SAFELOOP secured €5m of funding from the European Commission. Fig. 1: Project partners and location map Growing urgency for more efficient and reliable energy storage In a mobile and fast-paced society, the demand for energy storage solutions has never been more critical. As we strive to build a sustainable future relying on renewable energy sources, the need for efficient and reliable energy storage becomes paramount. The SAFELOOP project is reshaping how batteries for electric vehicles (EVs) are made. The project is developing innovative key battery components – anodes, cathodes, separators, and electrolytes – using recycled materials provided by its consortium members. These will be combined into battery packs designed for e-buses. SAFELOOP aims …

Horizon Europe programme amplifies UK research excellence

Horizon Europe programme amplifies UK research excellence

Published by skeptic

A major new government-commissioned analysis has revealed that UK researchers achieve stronger results, greater global influence and more enduring impact when they are supported by international collaboration through the Horizon Europe programme. Commissioned by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), the report examines how UK participation in the EU’s flagship research schemes has shaped outcomes across science, health, technology and agriculture. It concludes that backing from Horizon-style programmes significantly increased the likelihood that ambitious research ideas were fully realised rather than scaled back or abandoned altogether. UK Science Minister Lord Vallance explained: “Better Type 1 diabetes care and more productive farming techniques are just some of the breakthroughs made possible by the UK’s past involvement in Horizon. “Today, the programme is supporting innovators whose ideas are set to boost economic growth and improve our public services. “This new evidence shows why it is so crucial that we support our brilliant scientists, researchers and businesses to seize the opportunities Horizon offers. In 2026, we’ll continue doing just that.” Evidence from Horizon 2020 shows lasting benefits The analysis focuses on the Horizon 2020 programme (H2020), which ran from 2014 to 2020 and laid the foundations for …