Chips JU Calls 2026: European collaborative project in electronic components and systems (ECS)

Chips Joint Undertaking (Chips JU), also known as the EU Chips Programme, is the largest European partnership programme under Horizon europe. It is funded by the European Commission, authorities in participating countries and participating organisations.

Within Chips JU, Vinnova funds collaborative projects with actors along the entire value chain, from semiconductor circuits and electronic components to systems of systems, both with a software and hardware focus. The initiative will strengthen Sweden's and Europe's competitiveness and contribute to sustainable digital transformation. The scope of the projects shall be mobility, energy, industrial digitalisation, digital infrastructure and communication, or digitalisation in agriculture and forestry, health and society.

Chips JU Calls 2026 includes several new calls for proposals with the possibility of cooperation with the EU, and cooperation between the EU and certain countries in Asia.

Chips JU has two sub-programmes:

• Electronic Components and System (ECS)
• Chips for Europe Initiative (C4EI)

The ECS sub-programme is hosted by funding and focuses on collaborative projects for Horizon europe and innovation.

The Chips for Europe Initiative sub-programme is hosted by research and the Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL). These include initiatives to strengthen European competence, infrastructure and implementation in semiconductor technologies.

Chips JU Calls 2026 include Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and Innovation Actions (IA) in line with this year's Strategic Research Agenda (SRIA) for Electronic Components and Systems (ECS), Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) and Simple Grant (SG). The ECS sub-programme also includes IA and RIA-calls for proposals in specific focus topics.

The complete list of the calls for proposals in Calls 2026 and related call texts can be found in the Chips JU Work Programme 2023-2027 (Multiannual Work Programme 2023-2027).

Read the Work Programme: Multiannual Work Programme 2023-2027 · Chips JU.

Read in particular:

• Appendix 7 2026 – Electronic Components and Systems containing information on all calls for proposals under the ECS sub-programme.
• Appendix 8 2026 – Chips for Europe initiative containing information on all calls for proposals under the C4EI sub-programme.

Key dates

3 February 2026

Opens for proposal Project Outline Phase (PO)

• HORIZON-JUChips-2026-1-IA: IA Global call according to SRIA 2026
• HORIZON-JU-Chips-2026-1-RIA: RIA Global call according to to SRIA 2026

7 May 2026

Last application date Project Outline Phase (PO)

• HORIZON-JU-Chips-2026-1-IA: IA Global call according to SRIA 2026
• HORIZON-JU-Chips-2026-1-RIA: RIA Global call according to to SRIA 2026

7 July 2026

Opens for proposal other Calls 2026-calls for proposals full project application (FPP).

16 September 2026

Last application date full project application (FPP) for calls for proposals FT1-FT3, RIA 6G and RIA TTC

• HORIZON-JU-Chips-2026-FT1-IA: IA Resilience call reinforcing Europe's strength in power electronics
• HORIZON-JU-Chips-2026-FT2-IA: IA Resilience call reinforcing Europe's strength in photonics
• HORIZON-JU-Chips-2026-FT3-IA: IA Resilience call reinforcing Europe's strength in health
• HORIZON-JU-Chips-2026-2-RIA: RIA Resilience call reinforcing Europe's strength in 6G radio communication systems
• HORIZON-JU-Chips-2026-3-RIA: Call with Digital Partnership and TTC countries

17 September 2026

Last application date full project application (FPP) for Global IA and Global RIA 2026-calls for proposals

• HORIZON-JU-Chips-2026-1-IA: IA Global call according to SRIA 2026
• HORIZON-JU-Chips-2026-1-RIA: RIA Global call according to to SRIA 2026

22 September 2026

Last application date full project application (FPP) for ECS-CSAs

• HORIZON-JU-Chips-2026-CSA: ECS Supply chain resilience (CSA)
• HORIZON-JU-Chips-2026-SDV-CSA: Preparing a European autonomous driving stack ecosystem building on next-generation SDV software and hardware computing architectures

24 September 2026

Last application date full project application (FPP) for calls for proposals and Chips for Europe Initiative actions

• DIGITAL-JU-Chips-2026-CSA-DET: Call for Design Enablement Teams
• DIGITAL-Chips-2026-SG-SKILLS-HoE: Skills Hubs of Excellence
• DIGITAL-Chips-2026-SG-SKILLS-PF-SG: Skills Pilot Federation
• DIGITAL-Chips-2026-CSA-SKILLS-SCD-CSA: Skills Stimulation of Chip Design
• DIGITAL-JU-Chips-2026-SG-JAPAN: International collaboration - Joint call EU and Japan on semiconductors
• DIGITAL-Chips-2026-GfP-AI-DP: AI chips and systems for EU compute infrastructure

27 October 2026

Last application date for calls for proposals within AI chips and systems for EU compute infrastructure initiative:

• DIGITAL-JU-CHIPS-2026-AI1-SG: AI chip demonstrators for EU compute infrastructure
• DIGITAL-JU-CHIPS-2026-AI-GfP: AI compute evaluation and deployment platform for EU infrastructure

1 December 2026

Opens for proposal de calls for proposals in quantum technologies in Chips for Europe Initiative:

• HORIZON-JU-CHIPS-2026-QUANTUM-1-RIA: Quantum Chips Design: Driving Europe’s Quantum Design Ecosystem and Enabling Quantum Design Tools Innovation
• HORIZON-JU-CHIPS-2026-QUANTUM-2-RIA: Quantum Chips Enabling Technologies

31 March 2027

Last application date full project application (FPP) for calls for proposals in Quantum Technologies in Chips for Europe Initiative:

• HORIZON-JU-CHIPS-2026-QUANTUM-1-RIA: Quantum Chips Design: Driving Europe’s Quantum Design Ecosystem and Enabling Quantum Design Tools Innovation
• HORIZON-JU-CHIPS-2026-QUANTUM-2-RIA: Quantum Chips Enabling Technologies

aim within Chips JU Calls 2026 has to contribute to the overall objectives of the programme to:

• Strengthening the EU’s strategic autonomy in electronic components and systems (ECS)
• Strengthening the EU’s scientific excellence and innovation leadership in ECS
• Strengthening Europe’s semiconductor industry by fostering cooperation between the EU, Member States and the private sector.
• Positioning Europe as a leader in semiconductor technologies, strengthening digital capacities and addressing global challenges such as sustainability.

The projects seeking funding in Chips JU calls for proposals will have a major industrial impact along the value chain. They shall include a European collaboration with the participation of large companies, SMEs and academic institutions.

Some expected results are new technologies and applications, pilot projects, large-scale demonstration projects and platforms for innovative product development.

Vinnovas aim co-funding Swedish actors' participation in Chips JU collaborative projects is to strengthen the Swedish ecosystem within ECS, strengthen Sweden's and Europe's competitiveness, and contribute to sustainable digital transformation.

Access scientific publications and results

The call for proposals shall also contribute to making results available to all. Therefore, all scientific publication should be done with open access. When results from research and innovation are made freely available, more people can contribute to solving societal challenges.

The call for proposals is aimed at Swedish companies that meet Vinnova's eligibility requirements and at universities, university colleges and research institutes. 

At least 60% of the total eligible project costs in a Swedish project consortium applying in Innovation Actions (IA)-calls for proposals shall refer to the eligible project costs of participating Swedish companies.

At least 50% of the total eligible project costs in a Swedish project consortium applying in Research and Innovation Actions (RIA)- calls for proposals shall refer to the eligible project costs of participating Swedish companies. This eligibility requirements does not apply to RIA-the call for proposals project consortium on international cooperation with Digital Partnership and TTC states.

Vinnova funds European research and innovation projects. The projects will include actors along the entire value chain for electronic components and systems, from semiconductor circuits and electronic components to systems of systems, both with a software and hardware focus The project's application areas will be mobility, energy, industrial digitalisation, digital infrastructure and communication, and digitalisation in agriculture and forestry, health and society.

What costs can we finance?

Our funding is covered by rules about state aid. The rules govern the types of costs that we can finance. These are referred to as eligible costs.

In this the call for proposals, these types of costs are eligible:

• Remuneration costs: Gross wages paid, employer's contributions and other non-wage labour costs.
• Equipment, land and buildings: Costs of instruments, equipment and rent for premises other than ordinary business premises.
• Consultancy and licensing costs: Costs of consultancy services, knowledge and patents purchased or used under licence from an external operator.
• Other direct costs: Costs such as supplies, supplies and travel necessary to carry out the project.
• Indirect overhead costs: Costs linked to the project do not occur directly, such as premises and cleaning.

For more detailed information on what costs we can finance, see Instructions to eligible costs

For Chips JU, costs in the project budget, and in reporting to Vinnova, follow the funding rules for Horizon europe (HE) in Chips JU-calls for proposals with funding from HE. For project in Chips JU-calls for proposals with funding from DIGITAL, costs in the project budget, and in reporting to Vinnova, should follow the funding rules for this programme.

Please note! Depending on which Chips JU-call for proposals your proposal refers to, it is Horizon Europe's or DIGITAL's rules that apply to the calculation of indirect costs (overheads) in national project budgets and when reporting to Vinnova. This means that the project budget and reported costs for each Swedish participant should have the same level in reporting to Vinnova and Chips JU.

See Vinnova's national term and special conditions for participation in Chips JU. Otherwise, Vinnova's general terms and conditions applies to several participants. The documents can be found under the heading "Term, proposal templates and appendices" on this website.

What eligibility requirements applies to the costs we finance?

For your costs to be eligible, this applies:

• They must be actual, reasonable and necessary for the activities of the project.
• They must be entered in the accounts correctly and under a separate project code. You may not cover project costs with other public funding or your own funds intended for other project.
• You may not include someone else's costs as your own.

For more detailed information on which eligibility requirements, restrictions and exceptions apply, see our general terms and conditions.

The rules about state aid determine how much of the costs we can finance. This is determined individually for each organisation. We therefore distinguish between how big the funding project can get, and how much a participating organisation can get.

How big funding can the project get?

Vinnova's preliminary budget for the calls for proposals within Chips JU Calls 2026 is €8,740,000. The European Commission supports the Swedish actors participating in the projects with the corresponding budget.

Preliminary distribution of Vinnova's budget per call for proposals

• HORIZON-JU-Chips-2026-1-IA, IA Global call according to SRIA 2026: 1 871 000 €.
• HORIZON-JU-Chips-2026-1-RIA, RIA Global call according to SRIA 2026: 1 684 000 €.
• HORIZON-JU-Chips-2026-FT1-IA, IA Resilience call reinforcing Europe's strength in power electronics: €655,000.
• HORIZON-JU-Chips-2026-FT2-IA, IA Resilience call reinforcing Europe's strength in photonics: 467 700 €.
• HORIZON-JU-Chips-2026-2-RIA, RIA Resilience call reinforcing Europe's strength in 6G radio communication systems: 1,400,000 €.
• HORIZON-JU-Chips-2026-CSA, Supply chain resilience (CSA). Funded exclusively by the European Commission.
• HORIZON-JU-Chips-2026-SDV-CSA, Coordination of the European software-defined vehicle platform. Funded exclusively by the European Commission.
• HORIZON-JU-CHIPS-2026-QUANTUM-1-RIA, Quantum Chips Design: Driving Europe’s Quantum Design Ecosystem and Enabling Quantum Design Tools Innovation: 280 600 €.
• HORIZON-JU-CHIPS-2026-QUANTUM-2-RIA, Quantum Chips: Enabling Technologies: 280 600 €.
• HORIZON-JU-Chips-2026-3-RIA, Call with Digital Partnership and TTC countries. This call for proposals is funded exclusively by the European Commission through Chips JU.
• DIGITAL-JU-Chips-2026-SG-JAPAN, International collaboration - Joint call EU and Japan on semiconductors: 280 600 €.
• DIGITAL-JU-CHIPS-2026-AI-GfP: AI compute evaluation and deployment platform for EU infrastructure: 654 800 €.

How big funding can a participating organisation get?

How big funding a participating organisation can get depends mainly on:

• the organisation's size and activities
• which activities the organisation will carry out in the project.

Descriptions in future sections about which support we can give are simplified. For full details, see Grants and aid intensities for funding.

Support to companies for research and development

We grant funding in accordance with Article 25 of the European Commission's General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER).

In this the call for proposals we give support to industrial research.

Industrial research can be simply described as seeking new knowledge through planned research or critical analysis. This is to develop or significantly improve products, processes or services.  

How much of the costs can we finance?

The organisation's size and type of activity determine how much of the costs we can fund. This is called the maximum aid intensity.

• Maximum funding from Vinnova to a project is the equivalent of €2,200,000. The European Commission co-finances at the corresponding level.
• Maximum funding from Vinnova to individual large enterprises, universities, university college and research institutes is the equivalent of €750,000.
• Maximum funding from Vinnova to SMEsis the equivalent of €450,000.

The following aid rates apply to the grant from Vinnova:

• Project coordinator University, university colleges and research institutes: 65 percent
• Project coordinator large companies:
• RIA - Research and Innovation Action: 40%
• IA - Innovation Action and Focus Topics: 35%
• Universities, university colleges and research institutes: 50%
• SMEs:
  • RIA - Research and Innovation Action: 35%
  • SG - Simple Grant: 35%
  • IA - Innovation Action and Focus Topics: 30%
• Large enterprises:
  • RIA - Research and Innovation Action: 25%
  • SG - Simple Grant: 25%
  • IA - Innovation Action and Focus Topics: 20%

Information on support rates for funding from the European Commission can be found in Chips JU Work Programme 2023-2027, Appendix 7 and Appendix 8 and on Chips JU’s website for Calls 2026. See links below.

Support to universities, university colleges and other public organisations with non-economic activities

We give support to organisations who does not conduct economic activities. This means that the organisation does not offer a service or product on a market. This usually includes universities, research institutes and other public organisations.

We can finance up to 65 percent of the costs of participating universities, university college and research institutes in this call for proposals.

How to determine whether a organisation conducts economic activities?

A organisation that offers any kind of service or product in a market is considered to conduct economic activities and cannot be granted this form of support. It does not matter how the organisation is financed: whether it is public or private, or whether it is profit-making. Nor does it matter what legal form the activity takes. For example, if it is a limited company, a partnership, an economic association, a non-profit association or a foundation.

Are you unsure if a organisation in your project conducts economic activities, please contact call manager. However, The organisation is responsible for assessing whether it conducts economic activities.

Eligibility requirements on participants

Participating organisation shall comply with the following eligibility requirements upon submission of proposal to Chips JU:

• All participating organisations shall be legal entities. Natural persons or sole proprietorships cannot participate. Foreign legal persons can participate if they have a branch or a place of business in Sweden and the costs are incurred by the branch or place of business.
• At least one participant should be a company.
• Organisations seeking funding for wage costs must be registered as an employer with the Swedish Tax Agency.
• Companies must have at least two registered annual reports with the Swedish Companies Registration Office.
• The latest registered annual report must have net sales or equity equivalent to half of the amount claimed from Chips JU and Vinnova.
• Companies must have at least SEK 1 million in net turnover according to the latest annual report. Net sales do not include public funding from, for example, Vinnova or the EU.
• Companies must have at least three full-time employees.

Eligibility requirements on the composition of the national consortium

At least 60 per cent of the total eligible project costs in a Swedish project consortium applying in Innovation Actions (IA)-calls for proposals shall refer to the eligible project costs of participating Swedish companies.

At least 50 per cent of the total eligible project costs in a Swedish project consortium applying in Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) calls for proposals shall refer to the eligible project costs of participating Swedish companies. This eligibility requirements does not apply to the project consortium in RIA-the call for proposals on international cooperation with Digital Partnership and TTC states.

How does an organization's financial status affect?

Before deciding on funding, we also make an overall assessment of the organizational and financial status of those who receive funding.

We use information we get from credit reports, currently from Dun & Bradstreet. We can also ask small and medium-sized enterprises to show that they have financial coverage to carry out the project.

In our assessment, we check this:

• That organisations granted to funding for wage costs is registered as an employer with the Swedish Tax Agency. If such a registration does not exist when we make a decision, you must be able to show that a notification has been made. We do not accept retroactive registration.
• That organisations is not insolvent, or undergoing liquidation or corporate reorganisation. You must also not have unpaid debts of significance to the Swedish Enforcement Authority.
• If we request, small and medium-sized enterprises must be able to show that they have financial cover to carry out the project according to their budget in proposal. They cannot use public funding or own funds intended for other project to cover project costs in this call for proposals.
• That the project manager is employed by the coordinating party in the project.
• That limited companies have not consumed half or more of their share capital.

If we grant you proposal, you must follow our general terms and conditions for funding. The terms and conditions include this:

• That you should sign a special document in which you agree to your participation and undertake to carry out the project.
• That you should report how it goes, your costs and achieved results to us during the project period.
• Are you several parties, you must have a written project agreement that regulates your mutual rights and obligations in the project.

See our general terms and conditions

You also need to follow Vinnova's national rules and special conditions for participation in Chips JU that applies to this the call for proposals. Otherwise, Vinnova's general terms and conditions applies to several participants. See links to the documents below.

We may also decide to add complementary special conditions for individual project. If so, they are set out in the decision.

Can you have to repay funding?

If you have received more money than you are entitled to or if you do not follow our term, you may be liable to repay.

When the call for proposals closes, Chips JU starts the process of reviewing the applications regarding the formal requirements for the call for proposals and then the assessment process. Vinnova has access to all international applications that include Swedish participants.