[European Commission](https://commission.europa.eu/index_en)

August 26, 2025 (17:00 Brussels time)

€4,000,000 total | Up to €200,000 per experiment; max €150,000 per organisation; project duration up to 15 months

Supports innovative business experiments by European SMEs new to High-Performance Computing (HPC), demonstrating the business impact of HPC adoption.

100% of eligible direct costs covered; no overheads.

--- ## Description This opportunity, part of the Fortissimo Plus (FFplus) initiative funded by the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking, supports European SMEs that have not previously used High-Performance Computing (HPC). The aim is to fund business experiments that demonstrate how adopting HPC-based computational methods (such as modeling, simulation, data analytics, and AI) can solve real-world business challenges, drive innovation, and enhance competitiveness. Funded projects are expected to generate success stories that promote the value of HPC adoption across the European SME ecosystem, with a focus on new applications, services, and business cases not previously covered in earlier Fortissimo projects. --- ## Due Dates - **Application deadline:** August 26, 2025 (17:00 Brussels time) --- ## Funding Amount - **Total funding available:** €4,000,000 - **Maximum per experiment:** €200,000 - **Maximum per organisation:** €150,000 (across all FFplus calls) - **Project duration:** Up to 15 months - **Funding rate:** 100% of eligible direct costs (no indirect costs or overheads) --- ## Eligibility - **Who can apply:** - SMEs or startups established in an EU Member State or eligible EEA/associated countries to the Digital Europe Programme (agreement in force before May 1, 2024). - Main participants must be SMEs or startups with no prior use of HPC. - Proposals may include up to five consortium partners (main and supporting participants). - Supporting participants must contribute engineering/technical activities only. - Natural persons (individuals) are not eligible. - FFplus project beneficiaries are ineligible to participate. - SME participation is mutually exclusive between this call (business experiments) and the FFplus innovation studies for generative AI. - **Other key points:** - At least 50% of funding should go to the main participants (SMEs/startups). - Projects must not duplicate activities from previous Fortissimo projects. - Only direct costs are eligible (personnel, specialized equipment depreciation, justified travel, HPC compute costs, specialized software licenses, and data acquisition). --- ## Application Process - **Submission:** - Proposals must be submitted electronically via the [FFplus business experiments open call page](https://www.ffplus-project.eu/en/open-call/business-experiments/). - Submission package includes: - Part A: Administrative information (spreadsheet template). - Part B: Technical description (PDF, max 10 pages, min 11-point Arial font). - Proposals must be in English. - Strict page and format limits; exceeding these will result in rejection. - **Evaluation:** - Assessed by independent external experts. - Criteria: Impact (weighted double), Excellence, Consortium Quality, Resources. - Thresholds and tie-breakers apply. - No appeals process; decisions are final. - **Funding Agreement:** - Successful consortia sign a non-negotiable agreement with the University of Stuttgart (FFplus Coordinator). - Payment in tranches, linked to deliverables. --- ## Additional Information - FFplus does not provide HPC resources directly; applicants are expected to use EuroHPC JU or national HPC access schemes (free of charge), or justify use of commercial/third-party resources. - Projects must support the dissemination of their results as success stories for the broader SME community. - Proposals from SMEs in countries with low HPC adoption are encouraged and may receive support from national HPC Competence Centres. --- ## External Links - [FFplus Business Experiments Open Call](https://www.ffplus-project.eu/en/open-call/business-experiments/) - [Official Call Details & Application Portal](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/competitive-calls-cs/11080?isExactMatch=true&status=31094501,31094502&order=DESC&pageNumber=4&pageSize=50&sortBy=startDate) - [EuroHPC JU Supercomputers Access Policy & FAQ](https://eurohpc-ju.europa.eu/supercomputers/supercomputers-access-policy-and-faq_en) - [AI Factories Access Calls](https://eurohpc-ju.europa.eu/ai-factories/ai-factories-access-calls_en) - [HPC National Competence Centres](https://www.eurocc-access.eu) --- ## Contact Information | Role | Contact Details | |---------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | European Commission | [Contact form](https://commission.europa.eu/about-european-commission/contact_en) | +32 2 299 11 11 | | FFplus Project | [FFplus Open Call Info](https://www.ffplus-project.eu/en/open-call/business-experiments/) |

Second call for business experiments addressing the uptake of HPC by SMEs

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