Up to €200,000 per project for two-partner consortia deploying Cloud-Edge-IoT technologies to improve energy flexibility and resilience, with an 11-month support programme.
Objective and scope
The O-CEI 2nd Open Call supports the deployment and replication of Cloud-Edge-IoT technologies in real operational environments. It aims to improve energy flexibility, resilience and resource efficiency through interoperable digital infrastructure and cross-sector data sharing.
Selected consortia will adopt the O-CEI methodology and platform, demonstrating how its technologies can address practical challenges in existing sectors or new application domains.
Scope
Projects may address energy, automotive and electromobility, logistics, telecommunications, urban environments, agrifood and agriculture, or additional sectors. Energy flexibility must be central to every proposed use case.
The Guide for Applicants identifies four challenges:
- Energy blackout: Maintain a stable and resilient electricity system during blackouts. Solutions should demonstrate how local generation, storage, flexible demand or vehicles can support critical services and recovery.
- Supply chain disruption: Improve the visibility, coordination and resilience of supply chains to maintain the movement of goods during disruptions. Projects should explain how Cloud-Edge-IoT technologies and flexible assets support operational continuity.
- Blueprint replication: Replicate an existing O-CEI Blueprint in a different application domain, using a new technical Layout adapted to the deployment environment. Replication within the same domain is excluded under this challenge.
- Distributed ledger technologies (DLT): Incorporate DLT utilities into the proposed Layout and demonstrate their market acceptance within the target sector, building on a large-scale pilot approach.
All proposals must include an O-CEI Blueprint and a technical Layout prepared using LayoutStudio, incorporating at least one O-CEI edge-cloud orchestrator. Applicants must demonstrate access to the necessary data and distributed infrastructure.
Projects must also plan cross-domain knowledge or data exchange with at least one existing O-CEI pilot, performance benchmarking, validation and feedback on the platform.
Eligible applicants
Applications must be submitted by a consortium of two entities combining:
- A technology or service provider qualifying as an SME, including start-ups.
- An end user, which may be any type of legal entity.
Both entities must be established in an EU Member State, an eligible Overseas Country or Territory, or a Horizon Europe Associated Country. They must be legally registered before the call launches and must not be linked to each other by capital.
The consortium must demonstrate complementary capabilities and cover the value chain needed to implement the proposed use case. Public bodies, universities and research organisations must have a Gender Equality Plan where required.
Funding and project duration
The call has a total budget of €1.6 million, supporting up to eight projects.
Each selected project may receive up to €200,000, shared between the consortium partners, together with an 11-month support programme:
- Requirements and Design: Month 1; payment of up to €15,000.
- Implementation: Months 2–7; payment of up to €100,000.
- Demonstration: Months 8–11; payment of up to €85,000.
Funding follows a lump-sum approach. Payments depend on satisfactory delivery of the agreed results and completion of milestone reviews.
The programme is expected to start on 1 May 2027. Selected beneficiaries must attend the on-site kick-off meeting in Valencia during the first month and include the associated costs in their budget.
This Horizon Europe cascade funding call is organised by the O-CEI consortium and managed by FundingBox Accelerator.
Application deadline
The call opens on 12 November 2026 at 13:00 Brussels time and closes on 14 January 2027 at 17:00 Brussels time.