International cooperation in AI (IA)

The funding program “International cooperation in AI (IA)” supports consortia of at least three independent partners from EU Member States or associated countries in development cooperation with innovation centers in low- and middle-income countries. With a total volume of up to €1,500,000 per project, innovation measures, prototype development, testing, and validation in real environments are funded. The project duration is a maximum of 36 months, and the EU funding rate is 70% of eligible costs (personnel, material costs, travel expenses, subcontractor services). The goal is to adapt European AI solutions to local requirements, establish living labs, and create sustainable AI ecosystems that promote inclusive economic and social development. Eligible applicants include companies, universities, non-profit and public institutions; applications are submitted in a single-stage procedure by 18 March 2027, 5 p.m. Brussels time.

Projects should specifically promote the expansion of local innovation capacities – for example, through data collection, AI optimization with local data, and the establishment of co-creation spaces with researchers, start-ups, and civil society actors. A special focus lies on cross-sectoral application fields such as education, health, agriculture, and environmental protection, as well as on synergies with initiatives like Global Gateway and GenAI for Africa. Selection is based on the criteria of degree of innovation, impact potential, and quality and efficiency of implementation. The funding measure requires compliance with EU participation and exclusion criteria, a clean cost statement, and a gender equality plan for public institutions and research organizations. The European Commission plans to launch the call on 17 November 2026; interested consortia can submit an application via the Funding & Tenders Portal.