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Open Call
Applications accepted through 14 May 2025

SOPRANO will invest a total of €1.88 Million to assist SMEs/Startups to exploit the SOPRANO technologies to develop new demonstrators or enhance an existing demonstrator supporting Multi-Human Multi-Robot (MH-MR) scenarios in industrial settings and industry sectors beyond those directly addressed by the consortium partners. Download the Guidelines for Applicants for more details. 

Timing

Applications accepted from 13 March 2025 through

14 May 2025, 17:00 CEST

Funding

A total of €1.88 Million  funding available to successful applicants

Grant Amount

Up to €200,000 per successful application. Up to 10 projects funded.

Project Duration

16-month programme  from mid-July 2025 through mid-November 2026

Who Should Apply?

  • Robotics Equipment Vendors

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  • Robotics Systems Developers

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  • Robotics Systems Integrators

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  • Industrial Robotics Application Providers

What Are The Benefits?

  • Financial support

    • Up to €200,000 funding per project

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  • Technical and business guidance – Access to the SOPRANO technologies and to SOPRANO’s industrial/technical experts and frameworks

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  • Validation and visibility

    • Industry-grade validation of your robotics solution/demonstrator in real-world multi-human multi-robot scenarios

    • Exposure to SOPRANO’s industrial and research networks

Who Is Eligible?

  • Single SME/Startup*

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  • Consortium of up to 3 SMEs/Startups

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  • Established at least one year before submission of the application

 

  • From every EU country or other countries originally associated to the Horizon Europe Programme

 

* Specific eligibility criteria apply for applicants to qualify as an SME or Startup

Project Overview

  1. Design

    • Specify your MH-MR application scenario and use cases

    • Refine requirements and success metrics

  2. Implement

    • Integrate SOPRANO technologies with your existing robotics systems

    • Develop an industry-relevant prototype showcasing the use of SOPRANO components in an MH-MR application scenario

  3. Validate & Exploit

    • Assess the impact of SOPRANO technologies on your solution

    • Participate in at least one physical meeting

    • Finalize an exploitation plan for your prototype

    • Validate your robotics solution, accelerate commercial potential, and join a dynamic EU robotics network

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Timeline

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to apply?

  1. Get information

  2. Register

    • Create an F6S account (or log in if you already have one)

  3. Submit

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Need more assistance?

  • Answers to Frequently Asked Questions are provided below

  • Q&A Sessions

    • Two public webinars with Q&A sessions will be announced where applicants will be able to ask questions about the SOPRANO project, the Open Call and the application process

  • Help Desk 

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Open Call Documents

The following documents and templates are available to download and provide further details about the Open Call, grant funding and eligibility, project proposal guidelines and also the forms for preparing and submitting your application.

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  • Who can apply?
    Any robotics SME or Startup (individually or in a consortia of up to three organisations) established at least one year prior to submission, and from an eligible EU or associated country. In the case of a consortium, all participating companies must meet the eligibility criteria. The Open Call is targeted only at commercial SMEs. Public organisations, NGOs or research organisations are not eligible. They also cannot participate in consortia, even if the other partners in the consortium are SMEs or Startups. The applicants are encouraged to find other ways of cooperating with those organisations in pursuit of the objectives set out in their proposals.
  • What funding is available?
    Each project can request a budget of up to €200,000. Single applicant SMEs or consortia in which at least one applicant is an SME will receive a grant amounting to up to 70% of the project budget (maximum €140,000). Startups or a consortium of Startups will receive a grant amounting to 100% of their project budget (up to €200,000). A consortium in which not all partners are Startups will receive a grant amounting to up to 70% of the project budget even if the lead partner is a Startup.
  • What qualifies an applicant as a Startup?
    The SOPRANO Open Call will regard a company as a Startup provided the company fulfils all of the following requirements: Established for at least 1 year but not more than 5 years before the date of submission of the application Headcount of less than 50 as measured in Annual Work Units (i.e. Full-Time Equivalents) Meets the definition of an SME according to the following EU guidelines: European Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC
  • Are SMEs/Startups required to have been registered for at least a year before submitting their application?
    In order to be eligible, applicants must have been registered at least 1 year before the submission of their application. Applicants that have been registered during May 2024 and apply during May 2025 will be considered if they will have completed their first full year by the time when the evaluation procedures begin.
  • Is my small company owned by a larger company considered an SME and eligible to apply?
    In case of partner enterprises and linked enterprises, a more complex calculation needs to be made to determine the company’s economic situation and to determine if it is an SME. A compulsory SME definition is provided in the SOPRANO Guidelines for Applicants and we advise these be carefully read, as well as the Commission Regulation No 651/2014, art. 2.18 and the related Guide. Specifically, the latter related Guide will provide ample information on how to ascertain your SME status. Only SMEs complying with the Commission Regulation are eligible for this Open Call. At the contracting stage, an SME Declaration will be signed and submitted by the applicants that are selected for funding.
  • Can subcontractors be engaged in the proposal and to what extent?
    Costs for contributions of a subcontractor that assists in carrying out the proposed tasks may be included in the application budget. Their share in the total budget can vary depending on the nature of the tasks and other considerations. However, as specified in the proposal templates, subcontracting should cover only a limited part of the work. Applicants are reminded that the Open Call funding is focused towards industrial SMEs/Startups for adoption of SOPRANO technologies and industrial demonstrations so the majority of proposed funding should be directed towards tasks carried out by industrial organisations. It is strongly advised that applicants describe and justify in the proposal any planned subcontracting. The proposal's implementation plan and the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of the budget (including any subcontracting costs) will be subject to evaluation.
  • Which industrial sectors are eligible?
    Preferred industrial sectors are: Logistics Healthcare Packaging Metal/Machining Plastic/Moulding Electronics Proposals from other sectors are welcome if they demonstrate strong human–robot collaboration scenarios.
  • What is the duration of the funded projects?
    Duration of funded projects will be 16 months — from mid-July 2025 to mid-November 2026.
  • Is it possible to use existing solutions?
    Yes - you can create a new demonstrator or enhance an existing robotics solution using SOPRANO technologies, as long as it addresses an MH-MR (Multi-Human–Multi-Robot) scenario and represents a significant innovation.
  • How do I apply?
    Review the official Guidelines for Applicants Register or login to your F6S account Submit your proposal via the F6S platform before the deadline 14 May 2025, 17:00 CEST
  • When will I know if my proposal is selected?
    The proposal evaluation phase runs until mid-June 2025, and sub-grant agreements will be signed by mid-July 2025.
  • Where can I get support while implementing my project?
    The SOPRANO team and assigned experts will provide technical and business guidance throughout the project. You will also participate in at least one physical meeting for hands-on feedback and networking.
  • Can I submit several proposals?
    The SOPRANO Open Call is competitive and multiple applications are generally not recommended. Up to two applications per entity (and its affiliated or linked enterprises) can be evaluated. In case an entity and its affiliated or linked enterprises have submitted or participate in more than two proposals, only the last two proposals (as per the timestamp of submission on the F6S platform) will be evaluated. Any entity (and its affiliated or linked enterprises), applying solely or as part of a consortium, may only be funded for one project. In case an entity and its affiliated or linked enterprises have submitted or participate in two evaluated proposals in the Open Call and both proposals have been short-listed for funding, only the proposal with the higher score will be accepted for funding.
  • Can I submit a proposal by e-mail?
    No - proposals should be submitted through the online application form. Proposals submitted by other means will not be evaluated. Please be mindful of the deadline for applications: 14 May 2025, 17:00 CEST. The platform will not accept submissions after that date and hour.
  • Can I submit a proposal in my national language?
    No - proposals must be submitted in English. Proposals submitted in other languages will not be evaluated. Please be mindful of the requirement that your key personnel involved in the project should be comfortable communicating in English, as this is the only language for communication with the SOPRANO consortium and during the SOPRANO Open Call programme.
  • Will I have any contractual obligations if I receive funding?
    Yes - applicants are advised to consult the model Sub-Grant Agreement that they will need to sign before receiving funding.
  • Are you sharing any information about my proposal or about my company as an applicant?
    Yes - a summary of the proposals and the applicants will be shared with the European Commission. The SOPRANO project will also publish a list with the successful applicants from the Open Call including basic information about the company and the amount of funding received.
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