SYSTEMEU has launched its Open Call for Financial Support to Third Parties, with €7.55 million in funding dedicated to interregional innovation projects focused on the digital transformation of the health, energy, and mobility sectors. The call will open on September 15, 2026 and will remain open until November 16, 2026. Between five and eight projects will be selected to develop, test, and validate innovative solutions in real-world environments across the five SYSTEMEU regions.
The call is aimed at independent legal entities established in one of the five SYSTEMEU regions, including companies, startups, research organizations, universities, public administrations and other organizations in Bavaria (Germany), Northwest Romania, Castile and León (Spain), Tuzla Canton (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and the North Region of Portugal. Its objective is to accelerate cross-border collaboration, share knowledge and technological capabilities, and bring promising innovations closer to deployment and commercialization.
Digital solutions for health, energy and mobility
The funded projects will address digital transformation across three strategic sectors: health, energy, and mobility. Rather than focusing on predefined technological challenges, the call is designed to support a broad range of innovative digital solutions that respond to real needs within these sectors.
Consortia will have the flexibility to define their own project approach, with particular emphasis on development, testing and validation of technologies in operational environments and on demonstrating their potential to generate social and economic impact.
Projects must begin with a minimum Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 and reach TRL 8 during project execution, advancing from validated prototypes to fully demonstrated solutions in operating conditions. Selected projects are expected to last between 15 and 18 months, with start dates anticipated for February or March 2027.
Up to €2.2 million for interregional projects
SYSTEMEU offers three funding modalities, tailored to the size, geographic scope, and composition of each consortium. Small and medium projects can receive up to €750,000, assembled from two to three independent legal entities from at least two SYSTEMEU regions and including at least one for-profit company.
Medium-scale projects may access funding up to €1.1 million, with consortia formed by three to five independent legal entities from at least three participating regions and including at least one research organization and one company.
At the highest funding level, flagship projects can receive up to €2.2 million. These projects must bring together five to eight independent entities representing all five SYSTEMEU regions, creating a fully interregional collaboration across the European innovation ecosystems involved.
Flagship consortia must also embody the triple-helix model of innovation, bringing together at least one research organization, one company, and a public sector authority or public-sector organization.
A single entity may participate in more than one project, but the total FSTP funding received by any single organization across all selected projects may not exceed €600,000.
The FSTP budget of €7.55 million will be distributed among the five participating regions: 25% to Castile and León; 20% to Northwest Romania; 20% to the Tuzla Canton; 20% to the North Region of Portugal; and 15% to Bavaria. Funding will be provided through a mix of upfront pre-financing, intermediate payments and a final payment tied to project execution and reporting. The funding percentages will vary by beneficiary type and location. Startups can receive up to 100% funding except those based in Castile and León, where the applicable rate is 70%. The funding rate is 70% for SMEs, 50% for large enterprises, and 100% for public-sector bodies, NGOs and research organizations.
Applications and European partnerships
The SYSTEMEU Open Call for FSTP funding will accept applications until November 16 of this year. Applicants must form interregional consortia consisting of between 2 and 8 partners from 2 to 5 SYSTEMEU regions, depending on the chosen project modality.
These proposals will first undergo a formal eligibility check, followed by an independent evaluation by experts based on criteria of excellence, impact and implementation. Each proposal will be assessed by three independent experts and reviewed to ensure compliance with relevant ethical, medical and data protection requirements.
The final ranking and selection will be validated by the Final Evaluation Committee, while unsuccessful applicants will have a 14-day period to appeal.
To help form consortia, applicants are strongly encouraged to use OpenHubs, SYSTEMEU’s matchmaking platform, as well as networks like EEN (Enterprise Europe Network), to identify potential partners in the participating regions. The initiative aims not only to support technology development but also to strengthen long-term collaboration between European innovation ecosystems.
