Large-Scale Photonic Quantum Computing Platform Technologies (RIA)

This grant aims to establish a strategic European initiative to develop scalable, modular, and interoperable photonic quantum computing platforms. Proposals are expected to address at least two major technical roadblocks limiting the advancement of photonic quantum computing, such as the lack of deterministic, high-efficiency photonic entanglement and loss-tolerant architectures for fault-tolerant scaling, and the absence of a standardized, integrated control stack combining photonic hardware, firmware, and software with reliable benchmarking. Expected outcomes include demonstration of photonic NISQ processors, delivery of a high-connectivity photonic quantum computer with up to 1,000 photonic qubits, system-level interoperability and standardization, validation of entanglement distribution, acceleration of industrialization and commercialisation, and demonstration of project results under real operational constraints. The scope requires proposals to be led by a startup with expertise in photonic quantum computing, collaborating with academic, industrial, and end-user partners to deliver coordinated R&I involving hardware, software, architecture, and application-level use cases.

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Agency	HORIZON (EU)
Region	EU
Country	N/A
Legal form	Company, NGO, Government organization, Other
Start date	15 Jan 2026
End date	15 Apr 2026
Max funding	10,000,000 EUR per grant (indicative for this topic)
Budget	This topic is expected to fund 1 project with an indicative budget of 10,000,000 EUR.
Coverage	Funding rate up to 100% of eligible costs (typical for Research and Innovation Actions - RIA)

Grant application conditions

Eligible Countries	EU Member States, Iceland, Norway, and associated countries: Canada, Israel, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Switzerland, United Kingdom. Entities established in third countries may be eligible if identified as eligible in the List of Participating Countries in Horizon Europe at the time of submission. The association agreement to the Programme must apply by the time of the grant agreement signature.
Consortium Composition	Proposals must be led by a startup with demonstrated expertise in photonic quantum computing. Must include relevant academic, industrial and RTO partners. Must include at least one major end-user whose operational needs shape the platform design and whose infrastructure hosts the field demonstration.
Ownership and Control	Entities directly or indirectly controlled by a non-eligible country/entity may not participate unless guarantees are provided and positively assessed by the eligible country. Entities assessed as high-risk suppliers of mobile network communication equipment (or owned/controlled by such) cannot submit guarantees.
Admissibility and Application Format	Proposals must follow the layout and page limits in Annex A and E of Horizon Europe General Annexes. Application forms must be completed as per guidance and templates provided in the Submission System.
Financial and Operational Capacity	Applicants must demonstrate financial and operational capacity in accordance with Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Evaluation Criteria	Described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes. Proposals are evaluated on excellence, impact, quality and efficiency of implementation.
Strategic Interests Protection	Participation must not undermine the European Union’s strategic assets, interests, autonomy, or security. Ownership of intellectual property must remain within the recipient and not be subject to control or restrictions by non-eligible countries/entities, nor exported outside eligible countries without approval. Non-eligible countries/entities must not have access to sensitive information relating to the action.
Documentation	https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-18

Eligible expenses

Evaluation criteria

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Reporting

Application process

Application requirements