Trapped-Ion Platform Technologies
European Commission · Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON)
Posted 13 Aug 2026 · 47 days left
In plain terms
The European Commission funds the development of trapped-ion quantum computing platforms with the goal of building systems with over 1,000 qubits integrated into high-performance computing and demonstrating real-world applications. This action awards 19 to 20 million euros to consortia of research institutions, companies and universities from EU and associated countries, with applications in English due by 17 November 2026.
A generated summary of the donor's text; the original wording is below.
Summary
Expected Outcome:
This action will advance Europe’s leadership in trapped-ion quantum computing by achieving the following key outcomes:
Establishment of a full-stack ion-trap quantum computer aiming at more than 1.000 qubits, fully integrated into high-performance computing (HPC) systems, and accessible via the cloud.
Demonstration of quantum advantage for selected real-world applications, validated against benchmarks.
Strengthened European capabilities to develop modular, interoperable, and scalable quantum computing architectures.
Implementation and demonstration of advanced error correction and fault-tolerant quantum computing techniques.
Integration of full-stack hardware-software systems with standardised and certified interfaces.
Engagement with industry and academia through open access to quantum computing resources and co-design of applications.
Scope:
The action should support the scale-up of European trapped-ion quantum computing platforms, aiming at technological maturity and usability for industrial and scientific applications. In particular, the action must address at least two major technical roadblocks defined in the Strategic Research and Industry Agenda (SRIA…
Excerpt from the donor's page. The full text, annexes and forms are on the original call.
Eligible regions
- eu_only
Who can apply
- academia_research
- private_company
- ngo_cso
- government
Eligibility and conditions
Show the eligibility text from the source
">General conditions
1. Admissibility conditions: Proposal page limit and layout
Described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.
Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.
Proposals should have an indicative length of 75 pages.
2. Eligible countries
Described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
The eligible countries are:
Albania; Austria; Belgium; Bulgaria; Croatia; Cyprus; Czechia; Denmark; Estonia; Finland; France; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Iceland; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Latvia; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Malta; Moldova; Montenegro; Netherlands; North Macedonia; Norway; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; Türkiye; United Kingdom
3. Other Eligibility Conditions
described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
The following exceptions apply:
The eligibility conditions are those established in the EuroHPC JU Council Regulation (EU) 2021/1173 as last amended by Council Regulation 2026/150. In accordance with Article 22.5 of the HE Regulation, the Governing Board has decided that in order to achieve the expected outcomes, and safeguard the Union’s strategic assets, interests, autonomy, or security participation is limited to legal entities established in Member States or Participating States of the EuroHPC JU. In addition, legal entities which are established in associated countries to Horizon Europe that become a participant state to EuroHPC JU before the signature of the grant agreement will also become eligible.
For the duly justified and exceptional reasons listed in the paragraph above, in order to guarantee the protection of the strategic interests of the Union and its Member States, entities established in an eligible country listed above, but which are directly or indirectly controlled by a non-eligible country or by a non-eligible country entity, may not participate in the action unless it can be demonstrated, by means of guarantees approved by the eligible country of establishment, that their participation to the action would not negatively impact the Union’s strategic, assets, interests, autonomy, or security.
4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion
described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds
described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes
The general criteria are described in the General Annex D of the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2026-2027.
described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement
described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants
described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Specific conditions
described in the [specific topic of the Work Programme]
The documents are described in General Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2026-2027.
Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA):
Application form templates
Please use the application form that you will find in the Submission System. You can find examples of standard application forms in the Reference Documents page.
Evaluation form templates — will be used with the necessary adaptations
Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA)
Standard evaluation form (HE CSA)
Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA and CSA Stage 1)
Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA and CSA Stage 1 BLIND)
Standard evaluation form (HE PCP PPI)
Standard evaluation form (HE COFUND)
Standard…