HORIZON-JU-EUROHPC-2026-TIPT-09-01

Trapped-Ion Platform Technologies

Status
open for submission
Programme
Horizon Europe (HORIZON)
Action type
HORIZON JU Research and Innovation Actions
Opens
13 Aug 2026
Deadline
17 Nov 2026
Fetched
5 Sep 2026, 00:32 UTC
Plain-language summary

Advance Europe's trapped-ion quantum computing with a full-stack 1000+ qubit system integrated into HPC and cloud access.

This call supports developing a large-scale trapped-ion quantum computer with over 1000 qubits. It aims to demonstrate quantum advantage in real-world applications and integrate quantum computing with classical HPC systems. The project should address key technical challenges and foster open access and ecosystem participation.

Likely relevant for

  • Quantum computing researchers
  • Quantum hardware developers
  • High-performance computing integrators
  • Quantum software developers
  • Industrial users of quantum computing
  • Academic institutions in quantum technologies

Project signals

Development of modular ion-trap architecturesImplementation of fault-tolerant quantum computingDemonstration of quantum advantageIntegration with classical HPCOpen access quantum computing resourcesSupply chain development for quantum components

What it funds

  • Scale-up of European trapped-ion quantum computing platforms
  • Development of full-stack quantum computers with >1000 qubits
  • Modular and interoperable quantum computing architectures
  • Advanced error correction and fault-tolerant quantum computing
  • Integration with HPC and cloud-based access
  • Development of standards, benchmarking, and certification
  • Support for open access and ecosystem participation
  • Sustainable European supply chain for key quantum components

Expected outcomes

  • Full-stack ion-trap quantum computer with >1000 qubits integrated into HPC and cloud
  • Demonstration of quantum advantage for selected real-world applications
  • Strengthened European capabilities in modular and scalable quantum computing
  • Advanced error correction and fault-tolerant quantum computing techniques demonstrated
  • Standardised and certified hardware-software interfaces
  • Open access to quantum computing resources for industry and academia
  • Sustainable supply chain for lasers, ion traps, control electronics, and packaging

Who can apply / participate

  • Legal entities established in EuroHPC JU Member States
  • Legal entities established in EuroHPC JU Participating States
  • Legal entities from associated countries that become EuroHPC JU participants before grant signature
  • Single-stage submission model
  • Proposals expected to comply with EuroHPC JU Council Regulation (EU) 2021/1173 and amendments
  • Participation limited to entities established in EuroHPC JU Member or Participating States
  • Entities controlled by non-eligible countries require guarantees to protect EU strategic interests
  • Projects must start at TRL 4 and aim to reach TRL 7 by project end
  • Proposals must address at least two major technical roadblocks from SRIA 2030 for trapped-ion quantum computing
  • Specific consortium size or composition requirements
  • Exact funding rates and budget limits

Must check before shortlisting

  • Eligibility limited to entities in EuroHPC JU Member or Participating States
  • Compliance with EuroHPC JU Council Regulation (EU) 2021/1173 and amendments
  • Technical readiness level requirements (start TRL 4, end TRL 7)
  • Addressing at least two major technical roadblocks from SRIA 2030

Money

The expected grant amount is approximately €19-20 million for a single project starting in 2026.

  • Total budget for 2026 — 20000000EUR
    Indicative maximum contribution for one project

Application notes

  • Single-stage submission model with proposal page limit around 75 pages.
  • Proposal must comply with Horizon Europe General Annexes and EuroHPC JU Council Regulation.
  • Eligible countries as per Horizon Europe Annex B and EuroHPC JU participation rules.
  • Proposals evaluated according to Horizon Europe Annex D criteria.
  • Use application form available in the Submission System.
  • Prepare proposal addressing scope and expected outcomes.
  • Ensure eligibility and compliance with EuroHPC JU regulations.
  • Submit proposal via Funding & Tenders Portal before deadline.
  • Follow guidelines in Horizon Europe Programme Guide and Online Manual.
  • Participation restricted to entities in EuroHPC JU Member or Participating States.
  • Entities controlled by non-eligible countries require guarantees.
  • Projects must address key technical challenges and reach TRL 7.
  • Proposal length indicative at 75 pages.

Derived from official EU Funding portal source · updated 1 Sep 2026, 11:47 UTC. Use this as a shortlisting aid; the official call text remains authoritative.

Related calls

These funding calls are closely related and may be worth considering as part of the same funding landscape.

Official source text

Fine print from the EU source record. Expand when you need the original wording.

Topic description

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 2030) for trapped-ion quantum computing. These include the limited scalability of ion trap architectures, particularly the need for modular designs and inter-chain coupling, and the integration of photonic components for laser delivery, enabling compact and fault-tolerant systems. The proposal is expected to demonstrate system-level innovation and practical application addressing these and other equally critical challenges. The proposal should also: Develop a full-stack trapped-ion quantum computer with more than 1000 physical qubits, including: Initialisation, manipulation, and readout fully integrated into the cryogenic setup. Reduced system footprint via standardised interfaces and integrated waveguides. Advance scalable error correction and fault-tolerant computing: Develop and benchmark error correction codes suitable for trapped-ion architectures. Demonstrate error mitigation in noisy environments and real-life quantum information tasks. Enable real-life application testing: Select and implement at least two practical use cases (aligned with industrial or scientific challenges). Demonstrate computational advantage over classical simulations where possible or show progress towards it. Develop standards and modular interoperability: Establish interface specifications for both hardware and software layers, enabling integration across vendors and platforms. Align with European efforts on standardisation, benchmarking, and certification. Integrate with classical computing infrastructures: Ensure seamless operation alongside HPC resources, with remote access and hybrid quantum-classical workflows. Provide access and foster ecosystem participation: Support researchers and industry (including SMEs) with open, cloud-based access, comprehensive user documentation, and training resources. Contribute to a sustainable European supply chain: Address key technological components such as lasers, ion traps, control electronics, and packaging solutions, aiming for independent and robust sourcing Technology Readiness Level - Technology readiness level expected from completed projects The rules are described in General Annex B of the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2026-2027. Activities are expected to start at TRL 4 and to achieve TRL 7 by the end of the project

Conditions and documents

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):

Additional documents:

EuroHPC Work Programme 2026 (Decision 22/2026 Amendment No 3)

HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction

HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 2. Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)

HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 3. Research Infrastructures

HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 4. Health

HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 5. Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society

HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 6. Civil Security for Society

HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 7. Digital, Industry and Space

HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 8. Climate, Energy and Mobility

HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 9. Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 10. European Innovation Ecosystems (EIE)

HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 11. Widening participation and strengthening the European Research Area

HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 12. Missions

HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 13. New European Bauhaus Facility (NEB)

HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 14. Horizontal Activities

HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes

EIC Work Programme 2026

ERC Work Programme 2026

HE Framework Programme and Rules for Participation Regulation 2021/695

HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764

EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509

Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme

Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment

EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement

Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual

Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions

Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement

Support information

Online Manual is your guide on the procedures from proposal submission to managing your grant. Horizon Europe Programme Guide contains the detailed guidance to the structure, budget and political priorities of Horizon Europe. Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ – find the answers to most frequently asked questions on submission of proposals, evaluation and grant management. Research Enquiry Service – ask questions about any aspect of European research in general and the EU Research Framework Programmes in particular. National Contact Points (NCPs) – get guidance, practical information and assistance on participation in Horizon Europe. There are also NCPs in many non-EU and non-associated countries (‘third-countries’). Enterprise Europe Network – contact your EEN national contact for advice to businesses with special focus on SMEs. The support includes guidance on the EU research funding. IT Helpdesk – contact the Funding & Tenders Portal IT helpdesk for questions such as forgotten passwords, access rights and roles, technical aspects of submission of proposals, etc. European IPR Helpdesk assists you on intellectual property issues. CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk – the European Standards Organisations advise you how to tackle standardisation in your project proposal. The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment – consult the general principles and requirements specifying the roles, responsibilities and entitlements of researchers, employers and funders of researchers. Partner Search help you find a partner organisation for your proposal.

Raw budget overview
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