Completion of the initial Network of European Digital Innovation Hubs

This grant supports the completion of the European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs) network by including entities from countries associated with the Digital Europe Programme that have not yet participated in previous EDIH calls. These entities will provide a full set of EDIH services, including support for digital transformation and AI adoption among SMEs, mid-caps, and public sector organizations within their region and expertise area. The aim is to bridge technology gaps, enhance digital maturity, and support the uptake of European AI and other digital technologies in line with EU values, contributing to climate and environmental goals, and strengthening strategic autonomy and economic convergence across the EU.

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Agency	DIGITAL (EU)
Region	EU
Country	N/A
Legal form	Company, NGO, Government organization, Other
Start date	4 Nov 2025
End date	3 Mar 2026
Max funding	8,000,000 EUR per grant
Budget	24,000,000 EUR (expected total for 3 grants in 2026)
Coverage	100% of eligible costs (50% from the Digital Europe Programme, up to 50% from Member States; subject to compliance with relevant State aid rules).

Grant application conditions

Admissibility	Proposal page limits and layout must follow the Application Form in the Submission System.
Eligible countries	Countries associated with the Digital Europe Programme (that have not yet participated in previous EDIH calls).
Legal entity status	Applicants must be legal entities able to provide all core EDIH services and must operate in accordance with national and EU law.
Operational Capacity	Applicants must have the operational capacity and expertise to fulfill the objectives and mandatory activities of an EDIH.
Financial Capacity	Applicants must demonstrate financial capacity according to EU requirements.
Consortium	Cross-border trans-national hubs are possible, with funding apportioned per the share from each country involved.
State Aid	State aid provided must comply with applicable rules (such as de minimis, GBER, or other relevant frameworks).
Reporting	EDIHs must report necessary information and KPIs to the Digital Transformation Accelerator (DTA), including digital maturity assessments at the beginning and after service delivery for each client.
Documentation	https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/DIGITAL-2026-EDIH-AC-09-COMPLETION-STEP

Eligible expenses

Costs related to the delivery of core EDIH services: test before invest (including experimentation and access to relevant infrastructure), training and skill development, support for financing access, and ecosystem/networking activities.

Personnel, infrastructure use, training sessions, networking, collaboration with regional/national/EU partners, administrative costs, and activities mandated by the Digital Transformation Accelerator.

Evaluation criteria

Relevance and impact of the proposed EDIH in closing digitalisation gaps, supporting AI uptake and other critical digital technologies.

Capacity to provide all four EDIH service types: test before invest, training and skills, support for access to finance, and innovation networking.

Effectiveness in covering unmet digital needs for SMEs, mid-caps, and public sector organizations within the target region.

Ability to collaborate with local and EU-level infrastructures, such as AI Factories, HPC Competence Centres, and the AI-on-Demand platform.

Quality of KPIs and targets, procedures for reporting to the Digital Transformation Accelerator (DTA), and sustainability of operations beyond funding.

Business exclusions

Reporting

EDIHs must carry out digital maturity assessments at the start and after delivering services to each client, reporting without delay to the Digital Transformation Accelerator (DTA) repository.

EDIHs must communicate key performance indicators (KPIs) and participate in all DTA support activities, such as matchmaking, training, and knowledge sharing events.

EDIHs are required to maintain interoperability with network tools and report use of digital tools for cohesion and performance monitoring.

Application process

Applications must follow the template and guidelines provided in the call document and Submission System.

Proposals must detail the planned delivery of EDIH services, referral mechanisms, governance, and consortium arrangements (if relevant).

Applicants must explain how they will ensure open, transparent, and non-discriminatory access to services, as well as their strategy for long-term sustainability.

Application requirements

Completed proposal in accordance with the dedicated application template.

Details of service provision, governance, local partnerships (including Memoranda of Understanding) and, if applicable, cross-border collaborations.

KPIs and measures for digital maturity and reporting procedures.

Compliance statements relating to legal, financial, and operational capacity.

Documentation of expected budget, co-funding, and compliance with relevant state aid rules.