Budget
The maximum funding available per selected startup is €55,000, granted on an equity-free basis. The amount is disbursed based on the achievement of specific milestones: a portion during the Inception Stage (1 month) and the remainder during the Piloting Stage (5 months). The program’s total budget across all three open calls is €1.2M, dedicated to a total of 39 selected startups.
Key dates and deadline
Application Deadline: May 19, 2026 Info Day 2: April 16, 2026, at 16:00 CEST Announcement of Results: August 2026 Stage 1 (Inception Stage): 1 month Stage 2 (Piloting Stage): 5 months in collaboration with the corporate partner Selection Process: Eligibility screening → Red-flag check → Independent expert evaluation → Interviews → Final selection
Details
Open Horizons OC#3 is the final round of this Horizon Europe project. Startups apply to solve specific challenges defined by partner corporations in fields such as AI, IoT, sustainability, cloud, commercial real estate, or retail. The program is structured into two phases: Inception Stage (1 month): Startups refine their proposed solution and ensure alignment with the corporate challenge. Piloting Stage (5 months): The selected startups (maximum 7 per call) actively implement their solution within the corporate partner's real-world environment, gaining access to internal resources, data, and expertise. Payments are linked to participation in program activities and a final Demo Day. Furthermore, the presence of InnovX Romania within the consortium ensures dedicated local support for Romanian applicants.
Eligibility
Women-led status: Startup founded or co-founded by a woman who holds at least 25% of the shares and occupies a top management position (CEO, CTO, or equivalent). Location: Registered in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe associated country. Funding limit: Less than €1M in equity raised at the time of application. Company age: Less than 6 years of activity at the time of application. Sector: Active in digital or deep-tech sectors (AI, IoT, biotech, advanced materials, clean-tech, SaaS, FinTech, EdTech, digital health, etc.). Type of applicant: Individual applicants only (no consortia).
Additional information
This is the project’s final round, and no further open calls will be issued. The complete Guide for Applicants is available on the official website. We strongly recommend attending the Info Day on April 16th to seek clarifications before submitting your application.
How to apply?
https://www.openhorizonsproject.eu/open-calls/