Up to €60,000 per project, 80% lump sum funding, and up to 9 months to turn a security technology prototype into a working demonstrator – CITADEL, one of 16 Euroclusters initiatives co-funded by the European Commission under the Single Market Programme, has launched its first Open Call for innovative security projects. The call is open until 5 May 2026 and targets SMEs that have already developed a digital security solution at TRL 5 or above.
The total budget for this call stands at €1 million, distributed among up to 17 selected projects. Beyond direct funding, each selected SME receives technical and business mentoring from CITADEL consortium partners to maximise the effectiveness and scalability of their solution.
| Maximum funding €60,000 |
Deadline 5 May 2026 |
Duration up to 9 months |
Funder European Commission / Single Market Programme |
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What Is CITADEL and Why It Matters for Security SMEs
CITADEL stands for “Resilient and secure Europe: advancing security through green and digital transitions.” It is a Euroclusters project co-funded by the European Commission under the Single Market Programme (SMP) and led by a consortium of six specialised European clusters: Systematic Paris-Region, AKTANTIS, SAFE Cluster (France), L3CE (Lithuania), Cluj IT Cluster (Romania), and Tampere Region Safety and Security Cluster (Finland).
The project operates a cascade funding mechanism that channels EU resources directly to innovative SMEs. Its core mission is to support innovation and the adoption of advanced digital technologies along the security value chain, with a strong emphasis on cross-sectoral and transnational collaboration. CITADEL plans two open calls in total – the first runs in 2026, and a second call follows in 2027.
Open Call 1 specifically focuses on demonstration and pilot projects that use digital technologies to address real security challenges. Projects move from a minimum TRL 5 and must reach TRL 6–7 or higher by the end of the funding period.
Who Can Apply: Consortium Structure and Eligibility
The call exclusively funds consortia of exactly two organisations. Each consortium must include both of the following partners.
Partner 1 – Digital SME (offer side)
A for-profit SME from the digital sector that has already developed a security technology prototype at minimum TRL 5. This partner leads the consortium and is the sole recipient of CITADEL funding. The SME must be a legal entity based in an EU Member State, an EEA country, or a country associated to the COSME part of the Single Market Programme.
Partner 2 – End-user / Testbed (demand side)
A private or public entity – including SMEs, larger companies, public authorities, or universities – that acts as the end-user or testbed for the security solution. This partner does not receive CITADEL funding directly. Their role is to provide the operational environment in which the technology is demonstrated and validated.
Note: a transnational consortium – where the two partners come from different countries – receives a bonus point during evaluation, which gives it a meaningful advantage in the selection process.
Supported Technologies and Security Domains
Projects must cover at least one of the following digital technology areas and address at least one of the three security application domains.
Supported Technology Areas
IoT and Edge technologies (smart sensors, edge AI, multi-sensor data fusion); Photonics and optics (LiDAR, infrared, hyperspectral imaging, robotics perception); Artificial intelligence and data analytics; Cybersecurity and advanced communications; Interoperability and emergency response systems.
Security Application Domains
Protection of critical infrastructures (energy, transport, banking, healthcare, water management, digital infrastructure, space, food production); Resilience to natural and technological disasters; Security in urban environments (cities, public spaces).
In addition, each project must position its activities within at least one stage of the security value chain: risk assessment and threat identification; prevention and mitigation; detection and monitoring; response; or recovery and business continuity.
Key Parameters of the Open Call
CITADEL Open Call 1 – Euroclusters
Project lead: Systematic Paris-Region + consortium of 6 European clusters | Funded by: European Commission / Single Market Programme
| Maximum funding per project: | €60,000 (lump sum, 80% of total project cost up to €75,000) |
| Co-financing: | minimum 20% from private financial resources |
| Total call budget: | €1,000,000 / up to 17 projects selected |
| Project duration: | up to 9 months |
| TRL requirement: | minimum TRL 5 at start; target TRL 6–7+ by end of project |
| Subcontracting: | allowed up to 30% of each SME’s budget |
| Application period: | 24 February – 5 May 2026 |
| Deadline: | 5 May 2026 |
Selection Process
The evaluation process runs through several consecutive stages after the submission deadline. First, the CITADEL team conducts an eligibility check (5–10 May 2026). Then, at least two independent external experts carry out a formal evaluation (11–26 May 2026). Experts score each application across three criteria of equal weight – Excellence, Impact, and Implementation – on a scale of 0 to 5. The minimum threshold is 3 points per criterion and 10 points overall out of a maximum of 15.
Following the expert review, a Consensus Meeting takes place where the CITADEL Selection Committee (one representative per consortium partner) selects up to 24 applications to advance to the Jury Day. At the final stage, before projects can begin, all selected applicants must provide the required administrative and financial documents confirming eligibility (1 July – 11 September 2026).
One additional important requirement: all funded projects must participate in a mandatory public online showcase event in September 2027.
How to Apply
Applications go through the dedicated CITADEL platform at citadel.grantplatform.com. Before submitting, every applicant team must verify that the SME partner meets all eligibility criteria and confirm the consortium structure: one digital SME on the offer side and one end-user entity on the demand side.
For teams still searching for a consortium partner, CITADEL has organised info days and matchmaking sessions since March 2026. These events allow SMEs and potential end-users to connect and build project partnerships before the deadline.
Key link:
Application platform: citadel.grantplatform.com
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