Open Call Analysis: GUARDIANS Open Call 1

Smart Co-Creation Funding for Farms and Tech Providers to Develop Digital Solutions for Sustainable Agriculture. Up to €81,000 per project for 9 selected consortia!

About GUARDIANS Open Call

GUARDIANS is a Horizon Europe project coordinated by la Fundación CTIC (Centro Tecnológico de la Información y la Comunicación), bringing together 21 partners from 8 countries. The project aims to bridge the technological gap for small- and medium-sized farms, enhancing their sustainability, resilience, and competitiveness. It promotes the implementation of cost-effective, human-centric digital solutions across agroecological models such as regenerative agriculture, natural grazing, and pollinator promotion.

Through its Co-Creation Open Call, GUARDIANS will fund up to 9 consortia composed of a tech provider and a farm. Each consortium will co-design, develop, and validate innovative digital technologies tailored to the unique needs of Small and Medium Farms over a 15-month programme. The programme is divided into 4 phases:

Phase 1 – Co-Design (3 months): Delivery of a detailed roadmap describing the implementation of the solution based on specific user requirements. A presential workshop or roadshow will also be organised with farms associated with the project cooperatives to bring innovations closer to small-and-medium farms.
Phase 2 – Development (6 months): Development and initial deployment of the digital solution, ready for pilot implementation. Documentation and justification of the developments are required.
Phase 3 – Validation (6 months): Implementation and adjustment of the solution during the pilot. Testing with end users, collecting feedback, usability testing, and preparation of sustainability and commercialisation plans.
Phase 4 – Replication (3 months): Replication of the solutions with farms selected through the Test Before Invest Open Call, running parallel to the last 3 months of Phase 3.

Why Apply to GUARDIANS First Open Call?

Receive up to €81,000 per project with a 100% funding rate, divided as follows:
- Up to €60,000 for the technology provider
- Up to €21,000 for the farm
Structured 15-month programme
Mentorship, technical support, and collaborative opportunities with GUARDIANS partner cooperatives
Exposure through mandatory roadshows and online presentations
Potential eligibility for further funding through the GUARDIANS Test Before Invest Open Call
Focus on real-world validation and commercialisation opportunities

Who Can Apply?

Eligible applicants include a consortium of 2 entities: one technology provider and one small or medium-sized farm.

Technology providers for the co-design, development and implementation of digital technological solutions: SMEs (including Startups), RTOs and Universities.
Small or medium-sized farms. As a general guideline, farms should not exceed 200 hectares in size or have a standard annual output greater than €500,000. However, eligibility will also depend on the specific context and parameters of each country, with exceptions being considered where relevant. The GUARDIANS project applies a multifactorial, case-by-case analysis approach to determine farm eligibility.

In addition, additional eligibility criteria apply:

Applicants must be legally registered in EU Member States, Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT), or Horizon Europe Associated Countries.
Applicants must not be under liquidation or classified as ‘in difficulty’ under EU law.
Entities must provide a valid VAT number during Sub-Grant Agreement preparation.
GUARDIANS consortium partners and their affiliated entities are not eligible to apply

How to Apply to GUARDIANS Open Call

Proposals will be submitted online at the following link. In addition to completing the online form and completing a budget estimation, applicants are requested to submit the following annexes:

Annex 1: Financial viability document detailing the financial capacity of the partners.
Annex 2: Declaration of conducting business, specifically for SMEs.
Annex 3: Farm declaration confirming eligibility and compliance with project guidelines.
Annex 4: Consortium declaration outlining the composition and cooperation agreement of the consortium.
Annex 5: Declaration of Honour affirming the accuracy of the provided information and adherence to rules.

Evaluation and Selection Process Open Call 1

Step 1: Eligibility Check

Verification that proposals are complete, submitted on time, in English, and include all mandatory documents.
Validation that applicants meet eligibility criteria and consortium composition requirements.

Step 2: External Evaluation

Each eligible proposal is independently assessed by two external experts according to four main criteria:
- Innovation Potential: Novelty, technological relevance, scalability, and replicability.
- Impact: Contribution to GUARDIANS ecosystem, sustainability, business potential, and end-user engagement.
- Consortium Excellence: Expertise, experience, complementarities, and management capacity of the consortium.
- Financial Viability: Budget clarity, resource allocation, work plan robustness, and ethics compliance.
Each criterion is scored on a 0-5 scale. Minimum threshold: 3/5 per criterion and 14/20 overall.
Extra points (up to 2 additional points) may be awarded for addressing specific priorities such as regenerative agriculture, circular economy, renewable energy, inclusivity, climate resilience, and advanced technologies (e.g. AI, blockchain).
In case of major scoring discrepancies, a third evaluator may be engaged.

Step 3: Consensus Meeting

The Selection Committee, composed of GUARDIANS partners and experts, will review ranked proposals.
They will validate alignment with GUARDIANS objectives, feasibility, technical capacity, and ethical considerations.
Proposals will require a two-thirds positive vote for final selection.

Final Selection and Contracting

Up to 9 projects will be selected for funding, with additional proposals placed on a reserve list.
Formal check and Sub-Grant Agreement preparation follow for selected consortia.

Payment Schedule for GUARDIANS Co-Creation Open Call

The total funding of up to €81,000 per consortium is disbursed based on successful achievement of milestones across the programme phases. The funding is divided as follows:

Payments are linked to milestone deliverables, performance reviews, and compliance with KPIs, deliverable quality, and deadlines. No pre-financing is provided; payments are released after positive milestone reviews.

Additional Support Beyond Funding

Selected consortia will also benefit from:

Access to the GUARDIANS network of cooperatives across Europe
Technical expertise from consortium partners
Participation in workshops, roadshows, and dissemination activities
Visibility within the European agricultural innovation ecosystem

Important Dates

Submission Deadline: 15/07/2025 – 17:00 (CET)
Eligibility check: 16/07/2025 to 23/07/2025
Evaluation of proposals: 24/07/2025 to 29/08/2025
Consensus meeting: Between 01/09/2025 to 07/09/2025
Communication of results: Between 08/09/2025 to 15/09/2025
Contracting: From 16/09/2025 to 16/10/2025

Full guidelines are available at the following link.

Final Thoughts on the GUARDIANS Co-creation Call

The GUARDIANS Co-Creation Open Call is a practical opportunity to co-develop innovative technologies directly with farms, fully funded and supported. It offers real-world validation, expert guidance from the project partners, and strong visibility within Europe’s sustainable agriculture ecosystem. Apply now to turn your ideas into tested solutions with real impact.