Next steps for Swedish associated partners in IPCEI AI and IPCEI AST

This the call for proposals will enable Swedish participation in the European cooperation Important project of common European interest (Important Project of Common European Interest, IPCEI) with a focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced semiconductors. In this call for proposals the project partners have the opportunity to have their project approved for participation in IPCEI AI or IPCEI AST. This is a prerequisite for later receiving funding when the respective IPCEI has undergone assessment and been approved, so-called notification, by the European Commission. No decision on funding is taken at this stage.

The call for proposals is only open to those project who have previously been approved to participate as an associate partner in matchmaking for AI (IPCEI AI) or advanced semiconductors (IPCEI AST) in expression of interest (reference number 2026-00347). Applicants are expected to contribute to groundbreaking innovation in strategically important technology areas for the EU and Sweden. The projects should collaborate with other organisations participating in IPCEI AI or IPCEI AST.

The projects will contribute to Swedish competitiveness and autonomy by developing new technology and new systems within their field. They will also share their results both within Sweden and the EU.

The projects described in proposal shall be three to five years long. They shall have a maximum funding from Vinnova of SEK 60 million for a three-year project, a maximum of SEK 80 million for a four-year project and a maximum of SEK 100 million for a five-year project. Funding from Vinnova may not constitute a maximum of 50% of the project's total budget.

The government has tasked Vinnova with strengthening Swedish and European technology leadership by appointing and co-financing Swedish project for participation in important project of common European interest (IPCEI) concerning artificial intelligence (IPCEI AI)) and advanced semiconductors (IPCEI AST)).

Read the government assignment (reference number KN2026/01069)

In this call for proposals project partners have the opportunity to have their project approved for participation in IPCEI AI or IPCEI AST. This is a prerequisite for later receiving funding when the respective IPCEI has undergone assessment and been approved, so-called notification, by the European Commission.

IPCEI is an EU instrument to enable large-scale, cross-border and strategically important innovation and industrial projects. It will strengthen European value chains when the market cannot support the investments itself. Project within IPCEI will have a high level of innovation beyond the global State of the Art.

Read about IPCEI as an instrument (link to IPCEI - Competition Policy - European Commission)

Sveriges participation in these two IPCEIs will strengthen long-term competitiveness, support the green and digital transition, and ensure a strong Swedish position in strategically important European value chains. The Government assesses that IPCEI AI and IPCEI AST encompass Swedish areas of strength, and that participation strengthens and further develops Sweden's position within these important value chains.

What should the projects result in?

The call for proposals shall, through Swedish participation in IPCEI-project, provide participation participants with the opportunity to:

• Be at the forefront of groundbreaking innovation in strategically important technology areas.
• Contribute to Europe's, and thus Sweden's, strategic autonomy and thereby make us less dependent on imported technology and critical components from third countries.
• Positionera Sverige in strategic European value chains and ensure that Sweden has an active and influential role in the development of these value chains where access, technical know-how and production capacity are crucial.
• Through wide dissemination, ensure that knowledge, technology and innovations from IPCEI‑project benefit more national and international actors.

The call for proposals has two orientations:

• IPCEI Advanced Semiconductor Technologies (IPCEI AST)
• IPCEI Artificial Intelligence (IPCEI AI)

In proposal you should state the focus of the project. For further information see section 6. What is required for us to assess your proposal?

Vinnova will recommend participants in IPCEI AI or IPCEI AST at associate partner level. This means that funding will be granted at a later stage when the respective IPCEI has been notified to the European Commission.

IPCEI AI

The focus objective is to develop a European ecosystem for next-generation AI. The ecosystem will offer the latest technologies for AI training and AI development. This requires secure access to high-quality data sets and access to cutting-edge AI solutions. The goal is to significantly increase the use of AI in European businesses and public services by offering easy-to-use, effective AI solutions with low thresholds for adoption. More information can be found in the document IPCEI AI Value chain description, which describes the detailed objective for IPCEI AI.

Link to the document IPCEI AI Value chain description

Project who apply to IPCEI AI must contribute to the announcement's aim, and at the same time fulfill the eligibility requirements set within IPCEI AI. The eligibility requirements set are:

• Describe how the project's established collaboration contributes to achieving IPCEI AI's objective.
• Collaborate with at least three actors within IPCEI AI's ecosystem in other member states. At least one must be Direct Participant in IPCEI AI.
• Describe how results and knowledge from the project will be disseminated in at least three other Member States.
• The project has clear feasibility, including budget and schedule.

IPCEI AST

The focus objective is to meet the ongoing societal and industrial transformation by strengthening Europe's ability to develop and exploit strategically important semiconductor technologies. The transformation is driven by megatrends such as artificial intelligence, automation, increased security awareness and eligibility requirements on sustainability. This is sharply increasing demand for advanced semiconductors. At the same time, the European semiconductor sector has been subject to long-term pressure, despite strong positions in certain technology areas. Against this background, ambitious and coordinated European action is crucial to strengthen technological sovereignty, international competitiveness and Europe's position in the global semiconductor market. Further information and detailed objective can be found in the document IPCEI on Advanced Semiconductor Technologies – Central Narrative.

Link to the document IPCEI on Advanced Semiconductor Technologies – Central Narrative.

Project who apply to IPCEI AST must contribute to the call's aim, and at the same time fulfill the eligibility requirements that are set within IPCEI AST. The eligibility requirements that are currently being set are:

• Describe how your project's established collaboration contributes to achieving IPCEI AST's objective.
• Collaborate with at least one Direct Participant in IPCEI AST. For large companies, collaboration must occur with at least two participants in IPCEI AST, one of whom must be Direct Participant.
• Describe how results and knowledge from the project will be disseminated in at least three other Member States.
• The project has clear feasibility, including budget and schedule.

Contribute to a sustainable system transition

Eftersom Vinnova is tasked with promoting sustainable growth and system transition, your project should also contribute to increased gender equality and climate transition. We are based on the UN's global sustainability goals, defined in the 2030 Agenda. There we focus on two perspectives: gender equality and climate transition.

This means that gender equality and climate change should be integrated into both how your project group is composed and in the intended outcome of your project.

Equalized funding by innovations

An innovative force in a sustainable world

Equalized funding by innovations

Your project should integrate gender equality both into how your project team is composed and how you carry out the project. This means that you need to:

• take into account the gender balance within the project team
• assess whether aspects of sex and gender are relevant to the design of the project, and if so, in what way.

By integrating different perspectives, more inclusive and relevant solutions are developed. This strengthens both the innovative capacity and the project's results.

Gender equality as a tool for innovative social development

Make scientific publications and resultsavailable

This the call for proposals will also contribute to making results available to everyone. Therefore, all scientific publishing should be open access. When results from research and innovation are made freely available, more people can contribute to solving societal challenges.

Your project's scientific results should also be made available to the public, both in Sweden and within the EU member states through dissemination activities. Making your results available in three EU countries is a eligibility requirements from IPCEI AI and IPCEI AST. The activities can be of different nature such as sharing intellectual property rights, collaborations with small and medium-sized companies or research institutes, or participation in scientific conferences and inclusion of degree theses and doctoral projects. There is also the possibility of working with accessibility through other activities that make your results available to the public in both Sweden and in other EU countries.

This call for proposals is only aimed at companies that have previously participated in matchmaking at IPCEI AI or IPCEI AST. In this application round it is possible to apply together with other Swedish organisations. You then apply as a consortium. The other the organisations in the consortium then participate as indirect partners in IPCEI AI or IPCEI AST.

In this call for proposals you are applying for the opportunity to proceed in the process to be part of IPCEI AI or IPCEI AST. Your proposal will therefore not result in any decision about funding in this call for proposals.

Based on the applications received, Vinnova decides which project can participate in IPCEI AI or IPCEI AST. Those project that we decide can participate will be able to apply funding for their project after the respective IPCEI has been approved by the European Commission.

Once the respective IPCEI has been approved by the European Commission, the participating project partners will be able to apply for funding for their project.

The general framework for funding is described in the appendix “Support for budget preparation for IPCEI AI and IPCEI AST.” It states which activities and costs we finance.

The call for proposals is only a proposal about being part of IPCEI AI or IPCEI AST with your project. No decision about funding is made at this stage.

I Vinnovas government assignment there is a budget for Swedish participation in IPCEI AI and IPCEI AST. This budget will be available for approved project to apply for funding from in connection with IPCEI AI or IPCEI AST being approved by the European Commission.

The general framework for funding is described in the appendix “Support for budget preparation for IPCEI AI and IPCEI AST”. It describes which support bases and support levels are applied.

In order for us to assess your proposal it must meet certain formal eligibility requirementsrequirements. If the requirements are not met, we will reject your proposal immediately.

Eligibility requirements on participants

• All participants organisations must be legal entities. Individuals or sole proprietorships cannot participate. Foreign legal entities can participate if they have a branch or establishment in Sweden and the costs arise at the branch or establishment.
• The coordinating party must be a Swedish legal entity and operate activities in Sweden.
• All participants shall conduct activities in Sweden.

Eligibility requirements on the project

• The project will last three to five years.
• A three-year project may have a maximum of 60 million SEK funding in its budget.
  A four-year project may have a maximum of 80 million SEK funding in its budget.
  A five-year project may have a maximum of 100 million SEK funding in its budget.
• Funding from Vinnova may constitute a maximum of 50% of the project's total budget.
• Costs for consulting services and licenses may not exceed 20 percent of an organization's budget.
• The project must meet the minimum number of collaborations that apply to the IPCEI to which proposal refers. For IPCEI AI, a minimum of three collaborations are required, one of which with a DP. For IPCEI AST, a minimum of two collaborations for large companies are required, one of which with a DP.

Eligibility requirements on proposal

• Proposal should follow the instructions under the heading "How to apply".
• Proposal should contain all requested attachments.

Applications that meet our eligibility requirements criteria will be forwarded to assessment. In the assessment, we look at how big potential your idea is, how realistic it is and who will implement the project.

What do we assess?

When assessing applications, we look at three main criteria:

• Potential: We analyze what effects and what value we can expect from the project.

• Actors: We assess the participants' competence and ability to implement the project and achieve the desired results and effects.
• Feasibility: We assess how realistic and credible the project plan is, both for implementing the project and for achieving the desired results.

Potential

• How the project proposal contributes to groundbreaking innovation in AI or advanced semiconductors.
• How well the project proposal can position Sweden in European value chains within AI or advanced semiconductors
• How well the project can contribute to Sweden having an active and influential role in the development of European value chains in AI or advanced semiconductors.
• How important is the potential project in creating lasting and innovative collaborations within the EU member states.
• How well the project proposal contributes to increased gender equality by integrating perspectives on sex and gender.

Actors

• To what extent proposed human resources have clear roles within your project and relevant skills to implement the project.
• To what extent the project proposal's collaborations, both in terms of scope, composition and competence, contribute to the implementation of the project.
• Applicant's previous experience of participating in major European R&D-project.
• How well participation, power and influence are distributed equally in the project team.

Feasibility

• How well the project plan and budget are assessed to be able to realize a solution in accordance with the project proposal.
• How well presented human resources have sufficient time allocated to be able to carry out the project.
• How well the project plan shows how the results will be anchored and disseminated to important actors within the field, both nationally and internationally.
• How credible the project plan's risk analysis and action plan for these risks are.
• How well the gender distribution in the project team and perspectives on sex and gender have been integrated into the project plan.

How do we assess?

Once we receive the applications, we review them. We screen out any applications that are incomplete or do not meet our eligibility requirements.

The applications that are correct and complete are distributed among different evaluator. The evaluators are appointed by us based on their expertise in the field. Each proposal is assessed by at least three evaluator.

Once the evaluators has reviewed the applications, we have an assessment meeting where the evaluators recommends which applications should be granted.

After the assessment meeting, Vinnova may call for an interview. The interviews will be considered in Vinnova's decision. The interviews are expected to take place in mid- or late November 2026 and the project manager and relevant key people are expected to participate.

Once we have assessed all applications, we will send you a decision either approving or rejecting your proposal.

You cannot appeal our decision, but you are welcome to apply to us again at another time.

To apply for participation in IPCEI AI or IPCEI AST, you fill out a proposal in our e-service. In proposal you answer questions about the project, participation organisations and budget.

Please also attach these attachments to proposal:

• Project application with a description of your planned project. Maximum length 20 pages with specified formatting.
• CVs for everyone in the project team. The files should be uploaded as pdf, all in the same file.
• Budget for your planned project.
• All completed Letters of Intent to strengthen your established collaborations.

The files should be uploaded as pdf, all in the same file. You will find the templates under the heading "Templates, attachments and documentation for proposal"

How does the application process work?

This the call for proposals has been preceded by an open expression of interest where project in competition has been approved or denied participation in the matchmaking step within IPCEI AI or IPCEI AST.

Those participants who are approved to participate in IPCEI AI or IPCEI AST will participate in the notification process as an associated partner in the European Commission of IPCEI AI or IPCEI AST. In connection with IPCEI AI and IPCEI AST being approved by the European Commission, project who have been approved to participate in any of these in this call for proposals will be able to apply funding for their project.

How long does proposaltake?

Keep in mind that it takes time to make a proposal. Filling out templates can take several days, as it is based on analyses you will do.

In our e-service you can start filling in information and then continue at a later time. You can also distribute permissions to others who you want to contribute in proposal. When proposal is finished, mark it complete.

You can unlock proposal at any time and make changes, right up to the last application date. If you unlock proposal, you must then mark it ready again for it to be registered when the call for proposals closes.

June 25, 2026

A eligibility requirements has been added under the heading IPCEI AST in section 2. What do we want to achieve with the call for proposals?

• Interact with at least one Direct Participant in IPCEI AST.

has been replaced with

• Collaborate with at least one Direct Participant in IPCEI AST. For large companies, collaboration must take place with at least two participants in IPCEI AST, one of whom must be Direct Participant.

July 2, 2026

A eligibility requirements has been added under section 6 What is required for us to assess you proposal? Under the heading Eligibility requirements on the project, the following has been added:

• The project must meet the minimum number of collaborations that apply to the IPCEI to which proposal refers. For IPCEI AI, a minimum of three collaborations are required, one of which with a DP. For IPCEI AST, a minimum of two collaborations for large companies are required, one of which with a DP.