The 2026 calls for proposals on Digitalisation, Industry and Space are now open within Cluster 4 of Horizon Europe.

Horizon Europe's Cluster 4 – Digital, Industry and Space focuses on developing digital technologies to support a green and digital transition, as well as ethical and human-centered development. Cluster 4 2026 has a total budget of over €570 million for industrial research and innovation projects.

The 2026 Work Programme includes two calls under the Industry pillar, in two destinations: HORIZON-CL4-2026-01 (EUR 319 million, 15 topics, single-stage) and HORIZON-CL4-2026-02-two-stage (EUR 98 million, 3 topics, two stages). Two further calls, HORIZON-RAISE-2026-01 (EUR 27,8 million, 2 topics) and HORIZON-CID-2026-01 (EUR 125 million, 1 topic), complete the funding opportunities.

The following are the calls for applications.

Call HORIZON-CL4-2026-01, with deadlines expected on April 21, 2026:
- HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-23: Accelerating the discovery and development of chemicals and innovative advanced materials through digitalisation and artificial intelligence (IA) (Innovative Advanced Materials for the EU partnership). Budget per project: EUR 13M No. of projects to be financed: 4
- HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-24: Cooperation on innovative advanced materials with Japan (CSA) Budget per project: EUR 0.80M | Number of projects to be funded: 1
- HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-01: Advanced manufacturing for key products (IA) (Made in Europe partnership) Project budget: EUR 8M | Number of projects to be funded: 6
- HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-04: Optimize the usage of resources in a circular economy (RIA) (Processes4Planet and Clean Steel partnerships) Budget per project: EUR 8M | No. of projects to be financed: 9
- HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-05: Circular innovative advanced materials: facilitating the transition from design to markets (RIA) (Innovative Advanced Materials for the EU and Made in Europe partnerships) Budget per project: EUR 6.50M | No. of projects to be financed: 7
- HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-31: Efficient capture / purification / utilization of CO2 for the production of competitive products (RIA) (Processes4Planet partnership) Budget per project: EUR 7M | No. of projects to be financed: 7
- HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-41: Enhancing industry-academia knowledge exchange in Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) (CSA) Budget per project: EUR 1M | No. of projects to be financed: 2
- HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-44: Attracting management talent for capacity building for Technology Infrastructures staff members (CSA) Budget per project: EUR 3M | No. of projects to be financed: 1
- HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-45: Pilot access schemes to Technology Infrastructures for European startups, scaleups, and innovative SMEs (CSA) Budget per project: EUR 2.5M | Number of projects to be funded: 2
- HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-46: Mapping and service finder for Technology Infrastructures (CSA) Budget per project: EUR 2M | Number of projects to be funded: 1
- HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-48: 'Proof of market' to improve valorisation and commercialization of Horizon generated R&I results (IA) Budget per project: EUR 0.2M | No. of projects to be financed: 25
- HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-11: Innovative technologies and tools for exploration and data modeling of raw materials (RIA) Project budget: EUR 7M | Number of projects to be funded: 3
- HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-12: Technologies for innovative extraction of critical raw materials (RIA) Project budget: EUR 7M | Number of projects to be funded: 3
- HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-13: Monitoring of secondary raw materials (CSA) Project budget: EUR 4M | Number of projects to be funded: 1
- HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-14: Improving availability of secondary raw materials through recycling (IA) Project budget: EUR 7.5M | Number of projects to be funded: 4

Call HORIZON-CL4-2026-02 – Two-stage, with deadlines set for the March 17, 2026 (1st stage) and October 13, 2026 (2nd stage):
- HORIZON-CL4-2026-02-MAT-PROD-21-two-stage: Development of safe and sustainable alternatives to substances of concern (IA) Budget per project: EUR 7.5M | No. of projects to be financed: 6
- HORIZON-CL4-2026-02-DIGITALEMERGING-51-two-stage: AI improved advanced manufacturing and production processes in factories (RIA) (Made in Europe and AI, Data and Robotics partnerships) Budget per project: EUR 6M | No. of projects to be financed: 5
- HORIZON-CL4-2026-02-DIGITALEMERGING-53-two-stage: Innovative AI methods and technologies for the process industries (RIA) (Processes4Planet and AI, Data and Robotics partnerships) Budget per project: EUR 6M | No. of projects to be financed: 6

Call HORIZON-RAISE-2026-01 with deadlines expected for the April 21, 2026:
- HORIZON-RAISE-2026-01-01: Thematic Networks of Excellence for AI in Science (RAISE pilot) (RIA) Budget per project: EUR 15M | Number of projects to be funded: 1
- HORIZON-RAISE-2026-01-02: Thematic Networks of Excellence for AI in Science – Agriculture and Environmental Pollution (RAISE pilot) Budget per project: EUR 12.8M | No. of projects to be financed: 1

Call HORIZON-CID-2026-01 with deadlines expected for the September 15, 2026:
- HORIZON-CID-2026-01-01: R&I in Support of the Clean Industrial Deal: Decarbonisation of energy intensive industries (IA) (Processes4Planet and Clean Steel partnerships) Budget per project: EUR 25M | No. of projects to be financed: 8
- HORIZON-CID-2026-01-02: R&I in Support of the Clean Industrial Deal: Clean Technologies for Climate Action Budget per project: EUR 25M | No. of projects to be financed: 8

For more information: info@iniziativa.cc

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Success Cases

Santa Maria Terni Hospital

Technical assistance for the economic-financial and management evaluation relating to a project financing proposal pursuant to art. 183, paragraph 15, of Legislative Decree 50/2016 for the "Construction and management of the new Terni hospital"

Sector: Healthcare company PPP
Date: 2021

Management control

Design and support for the implementation of the management control system, the KPI dashboard for monitoring company performance and the optimization of organizational processes

Sector: Environmental analyses
Turnover: €4.090.257
Date: 2020

NATURE 4.0

Acquisition of enabling technologies functional to the expansion of existing production capacity, for which it is also necessary to invest in masonry works and technological systems for the adaptation of work spaces.

Contract: Sustainable Investments 4.0
Project cost: €1.285.595,90
Non-refundable contribution: €642.797,95
Date: December 2022

iGUESS-MED

Innovative Greenhouse Support System in the Mediterranean Region: efficient fertigation and pest management through IoT based climate control

Program: BEFORE
Project cost: €1.733.000,00
Contribution: €1.597.700,00
Date: April 2020

“NGR-25”

NEXT GREEN REVOLUTION

Contract: Innovation Agreement
Project cost: €9.140.577,74
Contribution to spending: €4.495.275,01
Date: November 2022

Business Process Reengineering

Technical support in the analysis and optimization of processes with a view to upgrading the company information system and modernizing logistics activities

Sector: Soft drinks, mineral water and other bottled water industry
Turnover: €110.516.083
Date: 2020

Diadem

Distributed Advanced Energy Management Application

Contract: Campania startUp 2020
Project cost: €427.084,00
Contribution: €298.958,80
Date: September 2023

MISENO

Multipurpose Ital-GovSatCom application Services for Emerging user Needs and Objectives

Contract: Innovation Agreements for the Space Economy
Project cost: €8.987.370,13
Non-repayable contribution: €4.192.681,20
Date: June 2020

CLICK

Circular models Leveraging Investments in Cultural heritage adaptive reuse

Program: Horizon
Project cost: €4.957.033,00
Contribution: €4.957.033,00
Date: October 2017

Management control and company organization

Design and support for the implementation of the management control system, the KPI dashboard for monitoring company performance and the optimization of the organizational structure and organizational and compliance processes from an ESG perspective

Sector: Production of Plastic Materials
Turnover: €69.978.904
Date: 2021

BO Industries Srl

New production unit for the production, processing and marketing of butter

Contract: Industrial Development Contract
Project cost: €14.927.461,83
Non-refundable contribution: €6.275.400,00
Date: 2023

Sol SPA

Consultancy and support for economic-financial and procedural aspects in all phases of the procedure relating to a PPP initiative (pursuant to paragraph 15 art. 183 Legislative Decree 50/2016) relating to an intervention of "Implementation and management innovative and integrated fuel charging station for new buses powered by LNG (Liquid Natural Gas) for the ATAP of P

Sector: Industrial Gases
Date: 2021

Sustainability Report

Support in the preparation of the corporate sustainability report and definition of the ESG strategy and indicators for monitoring sustainable variables

Sector: Production of Plastic Materials
Turnover: €69.978.904
Date: 2023

Business Process Reengineering

Reorganization of the activities and processes of the offices in which the organization is organized with the aim of improving the offer of services provided to users with a view to optimizing the available resources and the digital transition

Sector: Local authorities - Organizational and process reengineering
Date: 2022

Megarideas

Contract: Campania startUp 2020
Project cost: €289.377,00
Non-refundable contribution: €202.563,90
Date: July 2022

ROMAN GROUP

Design and support for the implementation of the economic-financial control and management control system, the design of a KPI dashboard for monitoring company performance and the optimization of organizational processes

Sector: Call Center
Date: 2023

CASTLE

CAbin Systems design Toward passenger well-being

Program: HORIZON - Clean Sky2
Project cost: €11.695.656,00
Contribution: €9.533.525,00
Date: July 2016

Sandro Ferrone

Iniziativa, acting as financial advisor, assisted Ferrone in the issuance of a €2,5 million minibond under the Basket Bond Lazio program, to support brand development, retail expansion, and digital investments.

Acquisition transaction: Minibond issue
Sector: Women's Fashion / Fashion & Retail
Deal: Undisclosed
Date: 2025

CA.MPANIA

MEASUREMENT CHARACTERIZATION OF POLYMERS: NON-INVASIVE ANALYSIS

Contract: Campania startUp 2020
Project cost: €78.862,00
Contribution: €67.032,70
Date: June 2023

Training

Design and delivery of training on corporate finance management: "Knowing the present to plan the future" to the top figures of 30 SMEs, in collaboration with the Naples Industrial Union

Sector: Banking
Date: 2022

Corporate training

Support for the organization and delivery of the training program aimed at strengthening the capacity building of local public administrations in the field of Public Private Partnership (PPP)

Sector: Public Participate - capacity building of local authorities
Date: 2021

Technical assistance

Technical assistance in mapping, analysis and description of the processes underlying the implementation of public works, with a view to the project of simplification of investment processes and creation of the Knowledge Hub for Italian Municipalities and assistance in putting the website online

Sector: Association of Local Authorities - simplification of processes and best practices
Date: 2022 - 2023

European Digital Innovation Hub

Heritage Smart Lab

Program: Digital Europe Program and MIMIT
Project cost: €5.137.101,14
Contribution: €2.568.550,58
Date: November 2022

EACP-EUROSME

aErospace inter-clUster smaRt specialization actiOns for SMEs competitiveness in the circular economy approach

Program: COSME
Project cost: €465.320,53
Contribution: €348.990,40
Date: October 2018

Technical assistance

Technical support activities to the CPT Regional Unit of Bolzano for the analysis of economic-financial and equity data and processing of economic, financial, management and ESG performance indicators of the complex of Local Public Enterprises (around 115 entities) with a focus on investee companies with direct participation from the Province (22 entities)

Sector: Investee Companies - performance analysis
Date: 2023
Value of turnover of the companies analyzed: From €3 million to €169 million

Calearo Antennas

Iniziativa assisted the Venetian company, a leader in the production of components for the automotive sector, in defining the strategy and in the process of accessing the financing allocated by the GID Fund established by Invitalia.

Acquisition operation: Debt arrangement
Sector: Automobiles & Auto Parts
Deal: 7.500.000,00
Date: 2022

SEA SpA Hilton – Sorrento Palace

Renovation of 19 accommodation facilities in order to improve the competitiveness of the luxury segment (4 and 5 stars) of the tourist offer system of the Sorrento peninsula, the main tourist destination in Campania.

Contract: Development Contract
Project cost: €47.899.483,80
Non-refundable contribution: €15.011.599,00
Concessionary Financing: €19.423.370,00
Date: April 2020

Management control

Design and support for the implementation of the management control system, the design of a KPI dashboard for monitoring company performance and the optimization of organizational processes

Sector: Production of pastry products
Turnover: €3.947.216
Date: 2019

Comesvil SpA

The private equity fund Auctus Capital Partners has acquired 65% of Comesvil, an Italian excellence in the railway sector, Iniziativa supported the sellers in the deal.

Acquisition operation: Entry into the capital by Auctus Capital Partners
Sector: Railway Construction
Deal: Undisclosed
Date: 2023

Tecno

Iniziativa assisted Tecno in the M&A process which saw them involved in the process of acquiring 65% of Aere. The acquisition is aimed at expanding the services offered by Tecno

Acquisition transaction: Purchase of majority stake
Sector: Energy services
Deal: Undisclosed
Date: 2021

€1.9 billion Production investments supported | €435 billion Investments in Research & Innovation subsidized | 200 active customers with hundreds of completed transactions | 100 Project Financing/PPP Operations Supported | €1.9 billion Production investments supported | €435 billion Investments in Research & Innovation subsidized | 200 active customers with hundreds of completed transactions | 100 Project Financing/PPP Operations Supported |