Open topic: Innovative solutions for the European Water Resilience Strategy

The EU funding call “Innovative Solutions for the European Water Resilience Strategy” targets consortia composed of educational institutions, non-profit organizations, companies (especially SMEs), public bodies, as well as civil society actors in EU member states and associated countries. The objective is the development, testing, and validation of technical and organizational innovations for the restoration of the water cycle, increasing water efficiency in industry and agriculture, adapting to climate risks (drought, floods), and ensuring clean and affordable water supply for all. Within the framework of a two-stage call (submission deadlines: 08.04.2027 and 14.09.2027), demonstration, testing, and validation phases in real environments are mandatory. Funding covers up to 70% of eligible costs and includes expenses for R&D services, prototype construction, test series, personnel, travel costs, and material resources. Projects will be evaluated based on their level of innovation, exploitation concepts, and implementation quality. Successful applications require the involvement of at least three independent partners from different countries, the application of the multi-actor approach, and compliance with Horizon Europe’s financial and operational eligibility. Funding volume: approx. €5.5 million per project.

The call supports consortia implementing novel or disruptive approaches on topics such as source-to-sea methods, digital monitoring systems, circular water use, and participatory water management strategies. In addition to universities and innovation service providers, the projects engage actors from municipal administrations, water authorities, farmers, water- and energy-intensive industries, as well as NGOs to pool local and cross-sector expertise. A mandatory dissemination and exploitation plan, as well as concepts for scaling and spreading at regional, national, and EU levels, are intended to ensure practical impact and market relevance. By integrating Copernicus data and fostering close collaboration with other Horizon Europe projects, synergies will be strengthened to effectively advance the ambitions of the European Green Deal strategy in the area of water resilience.