Open calls · Research grant · Computer Science
Trapped-Ion Platform Technologies
European Commission · Horizon Europe · HORIZON-JU-EUROHPC-2026-TIPT-09-01
Deadlines
- 17 Nov 2026 Deadline in 6 days
Time of day: 17:00 Brussels time.
Who can apply
- Countries
- Applicants from any country can take part. Funding is usually limited to the EU, associated countries and listed low- and middle-income countries; sanctions apply to some.
- Who applies
- A consortium of organisations
Money
- Per project
- €19M–€20M per project
- Total budget
- €20M
- Expected awards
- 1
About the call
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
Text from the funder (European Commission, CC BY 4.0).
Conditions in full
"> 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.
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 [ At the moment of the adoption of the Amendment No 5, the Participating States of EuroHPC JU 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 and United Kingdom ( Discover EuroHPC JU - The European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (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.
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…
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