Open Call Analysis: CITADEL Open Call #1

CITADEL Open Call 1: Funding for Security Innovation at the Intersection of Digital and Green Transitions

Up to €60,000 per project for SME-led consortia developing and piloting advanced digital technologies –AI, IoT, photonics and cybersecurity– applied to the security sector across Europe. The submission deadline is 5 May 2026.

About CITADEL

Europe’s security landscape is being reshaped by two converging forces: the digital transition and the green transition. On one hand, the growing digitalisation of critical infrastructures and essential services introduces new attack surfaces. On the other hand, advanced digital technologies such as AI and IoT are offering powerful new tools to strengthen security.

The green transition adds a further layer of complexity. Energy security concerns, resource dependencies and the increasing frequency of climate-related disasters are putting pressure on critical infrastructures, public safety systems and urban resilience in ways that traditional security frameworks were not designed to address.

CITADEL (Resilient and secure Europe: advancing security through green and digital transitions) is a Horizon Europe-funded project –from the Eurocluster initiative under the Single Market Programme– created precisely to bridge these challenges. It brings together a consortium of six European clusters from the digital and security sectors.

The project’s core ambition is to support SMEs as key innovators in the European security ecosystem, helping them develop, demonstrate and deploy advanced digital solutions that tackle real security challenges. A particular emphasis is placed on strengthening cross-sectoral and transnational collaboration across the European security value chain, and on fostering integrated approaches that simultaneously improve security and sustainability.

The Open Call 1 is the first of two funding rounds planned under CITADEL and focuses on demonstration and pilot projects that leverage digital technologies (AI, IoT, photonics, cybersecurity and advanced communications) to address security challenges in three main domains: the protection of critical infrastructures, resilience to natural and technological disasters, and security in urban environments. A second call is expected to be launched in 2027.

Why Apply to CITADEL Open Call 1?

CITADEL Open Call 1 will fund up to 17 innovative projects with a total budget of €1,020,000, providing €60,000 per project in the form of a lump sum. The funding covers a maximum of 80% of the funded project’s total budget –minimum private co-financing of 20% (at least €15,000). Submitted budgets must therefore show a total project cost of at least €75,000.

In consortia formed by 2 SMEs, the minimum funding per partner is of €10,000.

The financial contribution is structured as follows:

1. Pre-financing of up to 20% (€12,000) may be provided at the start of the project, subject to prior approval and risk assessment.

2. Final payment of the remaining balance upon approval of the final report.

Also, selected SMEs will receive technical and business mentoring from the CITADEL project partners during the 9-months implementation period. Projects will also be invited to present their results at a showcase event, offering visibility within the European security and digital innovation ecosystem.

Who Can Apply?

Applications must be submitted by consortia of 2 legal entities. The consortium must be structured as follows:

Partner 1: A for-profit SME from the digital technologies sector (offer side).
Partner 2: A private (SME or non-SME) or public entity acting as an end-user from the security sector (demand side).

The two entities must be fully independent from one another. Only the for-profit SME(s) in the consortium are eligible to receive funding.

Eligibility criteria:

Be a legal entity from a country participating in the Single Market Programme (SMP).
The SME must meet the EU definition of SME and demonstrate this through the EU SME self-assessment tool.
The SME must complete the SME Financial Viability Self-Check.
The SME must not be under liquidation, in financial difficulty, or excluded from EU funding.

Applicants from the EU-13 countries are specifically encouraged to apply. Additionally, at least 10% of the supported SMEs will be required to be based in EU regions outside of those of the CITADEL partners (Finland, France, Lithuania and Romania).

How to Apply to CITADEL Open Call 1

All applications must be submitted exclusively through the dedicated online platform. Furthermore, applications must be written entirely in English as only content in this language will be evaluated. In addition to the online application form, the following documents must be uploaded in PDF format:

Results of the SME Financial Viability Self-Check.
Results of the SME self-assessment (status declaration).
Signed Declaration of Honour.
Letter of support (if applicable).

Important dates

Opening of the call: 24 February 2026
Submission deadline: 5 May 2026 at 17:00 CEST
Notification to selected applicants: 18 June 2026
Sub-grant Agreement signature: 1 July – 11 September 2026
Project execution: 1 October 2026 – 30 June 2027
Results showcase workshop: September 2027

Proposal Requirements for CITADEL Open Call 1

CITADEL Open Call 1 funds demonstration and pilot projects of already developed prototypes that need to be validated in real-world environments. Projects should start at TRL 5-6 and aim to reach TRL 6-7 or higher.

Projects must cover at least one, but not limited to, of the following digital technologies:

IoT and Edge technologies.
Photonics and optics.
Artificial Intelligence and data analytics.
Cybersecurity.
Communication, interoperability and response.

Furthermore, some examples of the domains to be addressed are the protection of critical infrastructures, resilience to natural and/or technological disasters, and urban environments (cities, public spaces).

Proposed projects must position their activities within at least one of the following five stages of the security value chain:

Risk assessment and threat identification
Prevention and mitigation.
Detection and monitoring.
Response.
Recovery and business continuity.

The Guidelines for Applicants in “Section 3. Scope and Expectations” describe in detail the digital technologies, the domains and the stages of the security value chain that the proposal should address. Also, in Annex 1 it is provided a non-exhaustive list of specific security challenges across all three application domains and all five stages of the security value chain.

Evaluation and Selection Process for CITADEL Open Call 1

The selection process is structured across six steps:

Step 1 – Eligibility Check (5–10 May 2026).
Step 2 – External Evaluation (11–26 May 2026): by at least two independent external experts. The evaluation covers three criteria of equal weight (Excellence, Impact and Implementation).

Each criterion is scored from 0 to 5 (including half points). The minimum threshold is 3 points per criterion and 10 points overall out of a maximum of 15. For transnational consortia a bonus point is awarded.

The tiebreaker order is Impact score, Implementation score, Excellence score; if the tie persists, priority is given to projects with partners from EU-13 countries.

Step 3 – Consensus Meeting: The CITADEL Selection Committee (one representative per consortium partner) selects a maximum of 24 applications to invite to the Jury Day.
Step 4 – Jury Day (15–17 June 2026, online): Shortlisted consortia pitch their project to the CITADEL Jury. Three aspects are evaluated: quality of the team (0–4), matching with CITADEL objectives (0–4), and transversal criteria (0–1).
Step 5 – Final Ranking and Provisional List: The CITADEL Selection Committee combines the external evaluation score (max. 16 points) with the Jury Day score (max. 9 points) for a maximum total of 25 points.
Projects are funded in descending order until the budget is exhausted, with the reserved right to adjust the order to ensure geographical balance.
Step 6 – Sub-grant Agreement (1 July – 11 September 2026): Selected applicants provide the required administrative and financial documents confirming eligibility.

Additional Support Beyond Funding

Each funded project is assigned a dedicated CITADEL consortium partner who monitors and supports progress throughout the implementation period. Additionally, at the final stage, all beneficiaries must participate in the mandatory public online showcase event in September 2027.

Final Thoughts on CITADEL Open Call 1

CITADEL Open Call 1 is a well-targeted opportunity for digital technology SMEs –particularly those working with AI, IoT, photonics or cybersecurity– that have reached prototype stage and are looking to validate their solution in a real security context. The mandatory pairing with a security end-user is a distinctive structural requirement that strengthens the applied nature of the projects and meaningfully increases the chances of actual post-project adoption and market uptake.

The call’s breadth across three application domains and five stages of the security value chain means that a wide variety of technology providers can find a relevant fit –from companies working on critical infrastructure monitoring to urban resilience or disaster response.