The FORTIS Open Call #2 is inviting universities, research organisations, SMEs, start-ups and mid-caps to develop, integrate and validate technologies that advance Human-Robot Interaction (HRI), collaborative robotics, AI and digital environments.
The call provides access to the 10-month FORTIS Programme #2, combining financial support, technical mentorship and structured sprints to help applicants integrate technologies into FORTIS pilot environments or demonstrate FORTIS solutions in new sectors.
Funding Available
The call has an indicative total budget of €3.14 million, distributed across two topics:
- Topic OC#2.1 – Pushing Towards the Deployment of FORTIS: up to €250,000 per project, with funding planned for at least 8 projects.
- Topic OC#2.2 – Exploiting FORTIS in Other Key Sectors: up to €170,000 per project, with funding planned for at least 6 projects.
Approximately 14 projects are expected to be supported, subject to budget availability.
The funding rates are:
- 100% for non-profit organisations.
- 70% for SMEs and other for-profit organisations.
Funding is provided through lump-sum payments linked to the successful completion of deliverables at the end of each programme sprint.
Programme Duration
The FORTIS Programme #2 runs for 10 months and is structured into three sprints:
Sprint 1: 11 January – 10 April 2027
Sprint 2: 11 April – 10 July 2027
Sprint 3: 11 July – 10 November 2027
Teams will develop and test specific deliverables during each sprint, with payments released following successful delivery.
Topic OC#2.1: Pushing Towards the Deployment of FORTIS
This topic focuses on integrating and deploying technologies within the existing FORTIS ecosystem and pilot environments.
Applicants can select one of eight technical subtopics:
- Optimisation of HRC / Task Allocation
- Flexible Interface Digital Twin
- HRI Watchdog
- HRI Activities Digital Twin
- Omnideployment of the FORTIS Solution
- Ergonomics-Aware Human State and Interaction Context for Adaptive HRC
- Interfaces with XR
- Trust-Aware Multi-Sensor Localisation and Mapping
The objective is to adapt and extend FORTIS technologies, advance their deployment, demonstrate performance in operational environments and generate measurable technical and operational results.
Topic OC#2.2: Exploiting FORTIS in Other Key Sectors
This is an open topic focused on technology transfer and cross-sector adoption.
Applicants can demonstrate FORTIS technologies in new civilian application environments, including sectors such as:
- Agriculture and farming
- Forestry
- Mining
- Fishing
- Healthcare
- Airports
- Events
- Shopping malls
- Other relevant operational environments
The projects should demonstrate the adaptability and usability of FORTIS solutions under realistic operating conditions, supported by clearly defined use cases and KPIs.
Who Can Apply
Eligible applicants include:
- Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs)
- Universities
- SMEs
- Start-ups
- Mid-caps
Research organisations and universities should have a documented track record or active research division relevant to the programme's sectors.
SMEs, start-ups and mid-caps should have core business or primary R&D activities involving Human-Robot Interaction technologies, supported by evidence such as prototypes, commercial solutions or technical roadmaps.
Consortium Requirements
Applications must be submitted by a multidisciplinary consortium. Single-entity proposals are not eligible.
For Topic OC#2.1:
- Minimum 3 eligible entities.
- At least 2 different eligible countries.
- At least 1 SME must participate.
For Topic OC#2.2:
- Minimum 2 eligible entities.
- Single-country consortia are permitted.
- At least 1 SME must participate.
Non-industry partners may not account for more than 30% of the total project budget. All consortium members must have a verifiable VAT registration.
Relevant Technology & Sector Areas
The call covers areas including:
- Computational and artificial intelligence
- Autonomous and intelligent robots
- Robot learning and programming
- Robotics and automation
- Robot sensing systems
- Human-Robot Interaction
- Internet of Things (IoT)
- Human and cybernetic systems
- Activity recognition
- Human factors
- Behavioural systems
- Biosignal processing
Topic OC#2.2 additionally allows participation from organisations operating directly in the target sectors where FORTIS technologies can be piloted and validated.
Geographic Scope
Financial support is available to legal entities established in:
- EU Member States, including their outermost regions.
- Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to EU Member States.
- Horizon Europe associated countries that had a legally effective association agreement at the time of the FORTIS Grant Agreement signature in November 2023.
The call specifies that the United Kingdom and Switzerland are not eligible under these rules.
Eligible Project Activities
Projects should focus on integrating, deploying, validating, scaling or transferring FORTIS technologies.
Examples include:
- Human-robot task and resource allocation.
- Digital Twin integration and interoperability.
- HRI monitoring, safety and compliance.
- Modelling and analysis of human-robot interaction activities.
- AI deployment across edge and server environments.
- Ergonomics-aware adaptive human-robot collaboration.
- Extended Reality interfaces.
- Trust-aware localisation and mapping.
- Cross-sector deployment of FORTIS solutions.
For Topic OC#2.1, proposals should integrate and validate FORTIS technologies within industrial environments. For Topic OC#2.2, proposals should demonstrate FORTIS solutions in new civilian sectors and operational contexts.
Funding Conditions
Each proposal may request up to:
- €250,000 for Topic OC#2.1
- €170,000 for Topic OC#2.2
A single legal entity cannot receive more than €200,000 cumulatively across all FORTIS open calls. This applies to previous FORTIS beneficiaries as well.
Evaluation Criteria
Proposals are assessed across three main criteria:
- Excellence & Innovation
- Impact
- Implementation
Each criterion is scored from 0 to 5. Proposals must achieve at least 3/5 on each criterion and an overall score of at least 9/15 to remain eligible for selection.
The assessment considers factors such as technical innovation, integration with FORTIS technologies, market and exploitation potential, environmental/social/economic impact, workplan quality, team expertise, KPIs, risk management and budget allocation.
Application Requirements
Applicants must submit:
- A completed proposal through the F6S platform.
- The required proposal template.
- All mandatory supporting documentation.
- Evidence demonstrating the applicant's relevant capacity and experience.
- A clear workplan, milestones, KPIs, risks and mitigation measures.
- A budget aligned with the proposed activities.
Applications must be submitted in English and incomplete proposals will be disqualified.
Key Dates
Call opens: 1 September 2026
Application deadline: 4 November 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time
Eligibility & technical check: 5–17 November 2026
External proposal evaluation: 17–27 November 2026
Online interviews: 30 November – 4 December 2026
Results announced: 14 December 2026
Programme: January – November 2027
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted online through F6S:
https://www.f6s.com/fortis-open-call-2/apply
Applicants should also consult the FORTIS Open Call #2 Guide for Applicants and Technical Specifications before preparing their proposal.
Click HERE to visit the official website.