Up to €70 Million for Semiconductor Innovation – Horizon Europe Chips JU 2026

The Horizon Europe Chips Joint Undertaking 2026 offers major funding opportunities for organisations developing next-generation semiconductors, AI chips, photonics, quantum technologies, electronics and advanced manufacturing. UK organisations can participate following the UK's association with the programme.

Here’s what you can expect:

• Up to €70 million for the largest individual projects

• Other project opportunities start from around €500,000

• Funding can cover up to 100% of eligible costs for most projects

• Opportunities covering semiconductor research, development and manufacturing

• Funding for AI chips and computing infrastructure

• Power electronics and photonics

• 6G technologies and electronic components

• Semiconductor supply-chain resilience

• Autonomous-driving hardware and software

• Semiconductor skills, training and reskilling

• Future opportunities for quantum chip design and enabling technologies

• UK participation is supported by up to £35 million in UK Government co-funding between 2024 and 2027.

Who can apply?

• UK registered businesses of any size

• Universities and academic institutions

• Research and technology organisations

• Public-sector organisations

• Applicants generally need to participate as part of an international consortium

• Normally, the consortium must contain at least three independent organisations from three different eligible countries

• At least one consortium member must be established in an EU Member State

• To receive Innovate UK support, a consortium must contain at least one UK-registered business

• Individuals cannot receive funding directly.

There are multiple live calls. For example, current funding includes around €10m per project for power electronics and photonics, around €4m per project for Skills Hubs, €10m for a Pilot Federation project, and a €70m AI compute evaluation and deployment platform opportunity.

Deadline: Various deadlines from 16–30 September 2026, depending on the call. Further quantum calls close 31 March 2027.