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AI compute evaluation and deployment platform for EU infrastructure

Digital Europe · Grant topic

DIGITAL-JU-CHIPS-2026-AI-GFP

Summary

A Polish company can use this call for R&D.

Funds AI compute evaluation platforms and pilot deployments through multinational consortia including an eligible contracting authority or entity.

Who can apply
Companies can lead: SME, large company, startup, public body, other.
Amount
€70M per projectTotal budget €70,000,000
Deadline
01 Dec 2026 01:00 CETin 38 days
Status
Openopened 7 Jul 2026
Open on the portalRegister to keep this call

Machine-classified from the call text; check eligibility at the source.

Description

Expected Outcome:

The expected outcomes of this topic are :

• A common EU evaluation platform for AI chips and racks, with transparent KPIs, workloads and benchmark reports used for Chips JU selection and procurement decisions.

• First pilot deployments of European AI compute systems validated for EU sovereign partitions of AI infrastructure.

• Structured collaboration between buyers and suppliers, supporting deployment, integration and optimisation of European AI compute solutions.

• Stronger EU demand for European AI chips and racks, helping to create a market for deployment-ready solutions.

• Increased EU technological sovereignty across the AI compute stack for European datacentres.

Who can apply, in detail
Applicant types
SME, Large company, Startup, Public body, Other
Purpose
Deployment and investment
R&D relevance
2 of 3
Poland eligible
Yes
Country limit
EU-established consortium spanning at least three EU Member States or EEA countries.
Region
Any
Consortium
Required
Readiness level (TRL)
—
Topics
  • AI compute infrastructure
  • AI chip benchmarking
  • European datacentres
  • Pilot system deployment
  • Compute sovereignty

Machine-classified from the call text; check eligibility at the source. 23 Oct 2026

Conditions8

Typed facts extracted from the source documents by Scindu's grant-data review. Each value keeps its own conditions. Unknown means unstated, not zero or unlimited.

Applications closed
No
Consortium required
Yes
Other condition
The official Part B template asks applicants to list staff included in the project budget (budget category A) by function/profile and briefly describe their tasks. This is an application-planning prompt, not a call-specific headcount or hiring entitlement.
Other condition
The majority of public contribution is reserved for Phase 3 procurement, installation and optimisation. Up to EUR 10 million of the action budget may be reserved for procurement preparation/management and Phase 1–2 evaluation services.
Other condition
The call-specific Applicant Guide Annex 1 states a generic “Funding rate: 50%” for Grants for Procurement. The topic-specific Appendix 8 §5.2.6.10 instead lists category-specific maximum EU shares: 25% for for-profit non-SME undertakings, 35% for for-profit SMEs, and 50% for public bodies and not-for-profit entities carrying out non-economic public-interest activities. This packet preserves both source statements; applicants should confirm how the topic-specific categories apply to their case.
Other condition
The topic gives 15 as an indicative maximum participant count and says the consortium should remain focused; it is not a mandatory hard limit.
Partner requirement
The proposal should be submitted by an EU-established consortium of beneficiaries from at least three different Member States or EEA countries, including at least one eligible contracting authority/entity operating an EU AI Factory or comparable EU public AI/HPC facility and at least two EU-established Cloud Service Providers.
Expected project duration
42 months

Expected action duration; Phase 3 may be extended with justification. It is not a staff-employment duration.

Amounts and costs5
Indicative budget
€70,000,000

Topic budget as stated in the portal's budget table. Lump-sum and per-project limits are in the call conditions.

Call allocation
€70,000,000

Indicative EU call budget; not an individual project award or entitlement.

Funding intensity, maximum
25

Maximum EU reimbursement share of eligible costs for for-profit non-SME undertakings; beneficiaries may request a lower contribution.

Funding intensity, maximum
50

Maximum EU reimbursement share of eligible costs for public bodies and not-for-profit entities carrying out non-economic public-interest activities; beneficiaries may request a lower contribution.

Funding intensity, maximum
35

Maximum EU reimbursement share of eligible costs for for-profit SMEs; beneficiaries may request a lower contribution.

Expected contribution per project
€70,000,000

Indicative Chips JU estimate only, not a project ceiling, entitlement or guaranteed award. Participating State co-funding is expected to complement the EU contribution.

Personnel and services1

  • Project management

    Example only

    The call-specific Guide for Applicants says personnel costs should be limited and are generally used for grant management, coordination between beneficiaries and procurement preparation. These are illustrative costed functions only; no required hire, person, headcount, FTE, qualifications, contract form, employment duration or salary is specified.

Source documents6
Call facts
Opens
7 Jul 2026
Deadline model
Single-stage
Programme
Digital Europe · 2021 - 2027
Call
DIGITAL-JU-CHIPS-2026-AI-GFP · DIGITAL-JU-CHIPS-2026-AI-GFP
Types of action
DIGITAL JU Grants for Procurement
Source
ec.europa.eu
Checked
23 Oct 2026
Portal updated
15 Oct 2026
Review status
Partial review
Reviewed
23 Oct 2026

This is a summary of the source page, not the official text. Eligibility, conditions and the submission system are at the source.