Open Call Analysis: COSMIC Open Call #2 AI & Data Solutions

COSMIC 2nd Open Call – AI and Data Solutions for Energy Optimisation to Boost the Green Transition

Funding and support for the development, testing and validation of AI- and data-driven solutions aimed at large-scale energy resource optimisation within COSMIC’s European pilot ecosystem.

About COSMIC

COSMIC is a European-funded initiative aligned with the Green Deal objectives, designed to harness the power of artificial intelligence and big data for large-scale energy resource optimisation. The project brings together large industries, core technical and social science partners, research institutions, public authorities, and innovative SMEs and start-ups to create high-impact, scalable solutions across Europe.

The COSMIC ecosystem is structured around four main actors: large industries that provide datasets and pilot sites; core technical partners developing cross-sector solutions; core social science partners ensuring user-centred design; and SMEs bringing specific data and AI-based assets through the programme’s open calls. This multi-stakeholder model spans 10 European countries and generates what the project calls Integrated AI Systems (IAIS), designed to address Europe’s Green Deal challenges at scale.

At the heart of COSMIC’s technical infrastructure are the Core Technical Facilitators (CTFs), a suite of AI- and data-based platforms and modules that function as a transversal digital backbone. These CTFs (big data analytics frameworks, home energy management systems, renewable energy community platforms or digital twin solutions) provide the environment where third-party innovations can be embedded, tested and validated. Alongside these, the Core Social Facilitator (CSF) ensures that solutions are user-centric by design, integrating social science expertise throughout the development process.

About COSMIC 2nd OPEN CALL

The second open call, titled “AI and Data Solutions to Boost the Green Transition,” invites individual SMEs and start-ups to develop, test and validate innovative AI- and data-driven services within the COSMIC energy optimisation ecosystem. Selected beneficiaries will integrate their solutions into COSMIC’s AI-driven platforms and participate in large-scale pilots across six European countries: Spain, Belgium, Portugal, France, Ireland, and Finland.

The call is structured around 16 specific challenges, each linked to one or more of the 14 pilots deployed across Europe, described in the Technical Guidelines. These challenges span five EU Green Deal priority categories:

Achieving Climate Neutrality

Challenge 25 – Geo-AI-Driven Optimization of DHC Networks
Challenge 26 – Uncertainty Quantification for DHC Networks Modelling
Challenge 30 – REC Discovery & Onboarding Platform
Challenge 33 – AI Accelerator for Urban CFD Simulations
Challenge 34 – Long-Term Prediction Model for Energy Demand

Transitioning to Clean and Renewable Energy

Challenge 21 – Energy Literacy Online Game
Challenge 27 – Digital Twin of WWTP Biological Reactor
Challenge 28 – Multi Vector Energy Optimiser in WWTP
Challenge 32 – Maintenance Scheduling Optimizer
Challenge 35 – Energy Community Marketplace

Advancing the Circular Economy

Challenge 27 – Digital Twin of WWTP Biological Reactor
Challenge 28 – Multi Vector Energy Optimiser in WWTP

Promoting Sustainable Transport

Challenge 22 – Port Power Digital Twin
Challenge 23 – Port Energy Investment Simulator
Challenge 24 – Port Energy Management System

Ensuring a Fair and Socially Inclusive Energy Transition

Challenge 20 – Data-Driven Behaviour Modeling
Challenge 21 – Energy Literacy Online Game
Challenge 29 – Energy Bill LLM Microservice
Challenge 31 – AI-driven Social Support Tool

Why Apply to COSMIC 2nd OPEN CALL

This call offers funding for up to 13 projects, with a maximum lump sum of 150,000 EUR per project. The funding rate varies depending on the legal nature of the applicant: non-profit legal entities can receive up to 100% of eligible costs, while other SMEs and start-ups receive up to 70%.

The grant is complemented by a structured 10-month support programme divided into four stages.

Who Can Apply?

Applications are open exclusively to individual SMEs, including start-ups, registered in EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries. Consortia are not eligible under this call.

To be eligible, applicants must not be subject to EU restrictive measures, must not be currently under liquidation or financial difficulty, and must not be affiliated with COSMIC consortium partners or their linked entities. Additionally, beneficiaries of the 1st COSMIC support programme cannot apply to this second call.

Each applicant may submit up to three proposals, one per challenge, but only one can ultimately be selected for funding. Multiple proposals targeting the same challenge are not permitted; if more than one is submitted to the same challenge, only the most recent will be evaluated.

How to Apply to COSMIC 2nd OPEN CALL

Applications must be submitted exclusively through the online application platform before the deadline of 20 July 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time. The application must be written entirely in English, and all mandatory sections must be completed. The platform will send a confirmation upon successful submission.

COSMIC is organising two “How to Apply” webinars, on 28 May and 11 June 2026, to support applicants in preparing their proposals. For questions and support, applicants can reach the COSMIC Helpdesk via the project’s Discord Community or by emailing helpdesk.cosmic@fundingbox.com.

Important Dates

Application period opens: 20 May 2026 at 08:00 CEST
“How to Apply” webinars: 28 May and 11 June 2026
Application deadline: 20 July 2026 at 17:00 CEST

Proposal Requirements

The proposal must be submitted through the online application form on the OnePass platform. All mandatory fields must be completed. Additionally, applicants must upload a completed GANTT chart for their project using the provided template. No additional material beyond what is explicitly requested will be considered for evaluation.

The proposal must include a clear description of the proposed solution, its alignment with one specific COSMIC challenge, the TRL starting point and target (minimum TRL 6–7 by the end of the project), the integration approach with the relevant CTF or pilot, the work plan and timeline, and the budget justification following the lump sum model.

Evaluation and Selection Process

Proposals go through five evaluation phases. First, an eligibility check verifies that all formal and administrative requirements are met. Second, an in/out scope screening, carried out by COSMIC’s Selection Committee, assesses whether the proposal aligns with the project’s scope, targets a single specific challenge and demonstrates a clear European dimension.

Eligible proposals then move to external evaluation by a minimum of two and a maximum of three independent experts. Three criteria, from 0 to 5, are assessed: Excellence (Ambition, Innovation & Soundness); Impact (Market opportunity, Competition, Commercial Strategy and scalability & Environmental and social impact), and Implementation (Team & Resources). The individual threshold per criterion will be 3 points. The overall threshold, applied to the sum of the three individual scores, is 10 points.

Following individual expert scoring, a consensus meeting aligns scores where necessary and decide which proposals will participate in the Jury Day. After the Jury Day, the COSMIC selection committee will decide the beneficiaries of the grant by at least 2/3 of majority votes.

Additional support beyond funding

The 4 stages of the 10-month structures support programme are the following:

Technical mentoring.
Solution development.
Pilot testing.
Market readiness and exploitation.

Beyond funding and mentoring, selected beneficiaries gain access to diverse datasets from COSMIC’s pilots, opportunities to validate their technologies in real-world industrial and urban environments, collaboration with leading European industrial and research partners, and visibility through COSMIC’s communication channels. Results may also be made available through shared repositories following open access and FAIR data principles.

Final Thoughts on COSMIC 2nd OPEN CALL

COSMIC’s second open call represents a well-structured opportunity for AI and data-focused SMEs and start-ups looking to validate their solutions in real-world energy environments across Europe. The breadth of its 16 challenges is particularly notable: from digital twins for port grids and wastewater treatment plants, to LLM-based energy bill microservices, behavioural modelling tools, predictive maintenance optimisers and energy community marketplaces, the call spans a genuinely diverse spectrum of technical domains within the energy sector.

For companies working on AI, data analytics, IoT, digital twins or user-centric energy services, COSMIC offers not just funding but a structured pathway to validate and mature their solutions within a credible industrial ecosystem. The 10-month support programme and access to real-world pilot data across six European countries significantly reduce the typical barriers to market validation that early-stage SMEs face. This combination of financial support, technical infrastructure and European network access makes it a compelling call for companies at TRL 3–5 looking to reach TRL 6–7 by the end of the project.