A new Horizon Europe call, “Demonstrating place-based experimentation and innovation spaces as enabling environments for scaling EU Missions” (HORIZON-MISS-2026-07-CROSS-04), opened on 6 October 2026. It aims to scale up the EU Missions at local level and will fund projects led by local authorities. The deadline for applications is 13 January 2027.
Purpose of the Call
In their second phase (2026–2030), the EU Missions focus on scaling up the solutions they have developed. This call is a strategic instrument to support that transition. Rather than funding individual technologies, it will support place-based models that create the conditions for innovative solutions to be scaled up locally.
Countries, regions and interregional partnerships are expected to design and demonstrate strategies in the following areas:
governance models,
regulatory experimentation (regulatory sandboxes),
public-public and public-private financing,
innovative public procurement.
Projects should address territorial barriers such as fragmented regulation, limited risk appetite, a lack of blended financing and weak cross-sector coordination. Activities may cover one or more EU Missions, chosen by the participating local authorities:
Adaptation to Climate Change,
Cancer,
Restore our Ocean and Waters,
Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities,
A Soil Deal for Europe.
Expected Outcomes
The territorial anchoring of the EU Missions is strengthened through multi-level governance.
Enabling environments are established for scaling up novel solutions that contribute to the Missions.
Analytical insights are turned into territorial experimentation and into best practices that can be replicated across EU funding instruments.
Stakeholder engagement and co-creation are expected throughout the process, from developing the models to testing them.