Lead Summary
The European Union has launched multiple funding calls totaling nearly 3295 million to support projects in materials science, digital infrastructure, and cybersecurity under the Horizon Europe and Connecting Europe Facility programmes. Meanwhile, Germany is pursuing a substantial expansion of AI-focused data centers by 2030 to meet growing technological demands.
Key Developments
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Horizon Europe and international partners have initiated a 339 million call for transnational projects in materials science, emphasizing clean-tech manufacturing aligned with the European Green Deal and UN Sustainable Development Goals. This call covers six thematic areas to advance sustainable technologies across multiple countries Funding radar: Horizon Europe co-funds 339m materials call projects [s1].
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The European Commission has opened two Connecting Europe Facility calls worth 3200 million aimed at enhancing high-capacity digital networks, including submarine cables. These projects target improved cross-border connectivity and network resilience within the EU Commission makes available 3200 million for submarine cable and digital infrastructure projects [s2].
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The European Cybersecurity Competence Centre (ECCC) announced a new call for proposals under Horizon Europe with an indicative budget of 356.2 million. This initiative supports cybersecurity research, innovation, and deployment to strengthen the EUs digital security landscape New ECCC call for proposals under Horizon Europe programme open for applications [s3].
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Germanys federal government aims to double AI data center capacity by 2030, reflecting a strategic push to support AI development. This expansion will increase demand for electricity, cooling, and digital infrastructure, potentially influencing regulatory and investment frameworks Data centers: Federal government wants quadrupling by 2030 [s4].
What to Watch Next
Stakeholders should monitor the outcomes of these funding calls and Germanys infrastructure plans, as they will shape innovation trajectories in clean technology, digital connectivity, and AI capabilities across Europe. Additionally, ongoing discussions around Horizon Europes work programme emphasize a bottom-up approach to research priorities, which may influence future funding allocations and project selection Exclusive: First peek at Horizon Europe work programme 2026-27 update [s5] Q&A: Ehler calls for bottom-up Horizon Europe [s7].
