FORTIS €2 MILLION OPEN CALL

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FORTIS PROJECT ANNOUNCES €2 MILLION OPEN CALL TO ADVANCE HUMAN-ROBOT INTERACTION TECHNOLOGIES (RELAUNCH)

The FORTIS project has re-launched its first open call, FORTIS OC#1: Boosting development of the FORTIS Solution, to stimulate innovation in human-robot interaction and activity recognition.

With a total budget of €2,000,000.00, the Open Call will support up to 8 projects, each receiving a maximum of €250,000.00, to integrate and validate advanced solutions within the FORTIS framework.

This initiative seeks to engage universities, research and technology organizations (RTOs), mid-caps, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and startups to contribute to the development of the FORTIS solution.

KEY DETAILS OF FORTIS OC#1
  • Open Call period: From November 17, 2025, to January 21, 2026 (17:00 Brussels time).
  • Funding period (Programme)*: from April 1, 2026, to January 31, 2027.
  • Total budget: €2,000,000.
  • Funding per project: Up to €250,000.
  • Maximum requested per participant (entity): €200,000.
  • Project duration: 10 months, structured in three sprints (3, 4, and 3 months).
  • Number of projects funded: up to 8.
  • Consortium Size: Minimum 2 and maximum 3 eligible entities, including at least one SME.
  • Geographic eligibility: EU Member States, Horizon Europe (HE) Associated Countries (that had signed a HE association agreement producing legal effects by November 2023), and Overseas Countries and Territories linked to Member States.
  • Evaluation: milestone-based evaluation with mentor oversight at the conclusion of each sprint, and phased payments contingent upon successful sprint completion and approval of progress report.

*indicative timeline

FOCUS AREAS (TOPICS)

The call invites proposals addressing the following topics within the FORTIS project:

  • Topic 1: Activity Recognition
    • 1 Human Activity Recognition Using Non-wearable Sensors
    • 2 Human Activity Recognition Using Wearable Sensors
  • Topic 2: Long-term memory
    • 1 Memory Consolidation and Forgetting Mechanisms
    • 2 Lifelong and Continual Learning for Personalized Adaptation
  • Topic 3: Enhancing Robotic Intelligibility Through Directional Audio and Visual Effects
    • 1 Spatialized and Adaptive Audio for Robot Communication
    • 2 Visual Cues for Enhanced Intelligibility
  • Topic 4: Multimodal semantic segmentation/perception
ELIGIBLE SECTORS

Applicants should be active in sectors including computational and artificial intelligence, autonomous and intelligent robotics, human-robot interaction, Internet of Things (IoT), activity recognition, behavioral systems, and related areas.

CONSORTIUM REQUIREMENTS
  • Consortia must be composed of a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 3 eligible entities.
  • Consortia must consist of entities from at least two different eligible countries.
  • Each consortium must include at least one SME and one non-industry partner.
  • Non-industry partners (RTOs and universities) are limited to a maximum of 30% of the total project budget.

 

EVALUATION AND FUNDING

Projects will be evaluated based on their innovation, feasibility, and potential contribution to the FORTIS ecosystem.

  • Criteria: Excellence & Innovation (40% weighting), Implementation (40% weighting), and Impact (20% weighting).
  • Funding Disbursement: Funding will be disbursed in three lump-sum installments (30%, 40%, and 30%) upon successful completion of each sprint (Month 3, Month 7, and Month 10).
APPLICATION INFORMATION

Detailed application guidelines and eligibility criteria are available on the FORTIS project website.

CONTACT
  • Open Call Manager: Daniela Silva, opencall@fortis-project.eu.
  • Communication Manager: Fernando Castaño, info@fortis-project.eu.

Disclaimer: This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement 101135707.