Can I apply to ECCC: Cybersecurity Funding?

By country

• Can a company from an EU country apply?Yes
• Can a company from Poland (a Widening country) apply?Yes
• Can a company from the UK apply?NoOrganisations in the United Kingdom can't apply: it is open to the EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
• Can a company from Switzerland apply?NoOrganisations in Switzerland can't apply: it is open to the EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
• Can a company from Norway apply?Yes
• Can a company from Israel apply?NoOrganisations in Israel can't apply: it is open to the EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
• Can a company from Ukraine apply?NoOrganisations in Ukraine can't apply: it is open to the EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
• Can a company from Türkiye apply?NoOrganisations in Türkiye can't apply: it is open to the EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
• Can a company from Canada apply?NoOrganisations in Canada can't apply: it is open to the EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
• Can a company from Japan apply?NoOrganisations in Japan can't apply: it is open to the EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
• Can a company from South Korea apply?NoOrganisations in South Korea can't apply: it is open to the EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
• Can a company from the United States apply?NoOrganisations in the United States can't apply: it is open to the EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
• Can a company from India apply?NoOrganisations in India can't apply: it is open to the EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

By organisation

• Can a founder without a company yet apply?Yes, ifRegister a company first: the applicant must be an incorporated SME.
• Can a startup apply?Yes
• Can an established SME apply?Yes
• Can a mid-cap company apply?Yes
• Can a large company apply?Yes
• Can a university apply?Yes
• Can a research organisation apply?Yes
• Can a company apply on its own, without partners?Yes

By stage

• Can I apply with an idea or early research?NoToo early: this starts at TRL 5 (a prototype tested outside the lab).
• Can I apply with a proof of concept?NoToo early: this starts at TRL 5 (a prototype tested outside the lab).
• Can I apply with a prototype?Yes
• Can I apply with a pilot with real users?Yes
• Can I apply with a product on the market?Yes

The rules in full

Where you must be based

the EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein

Digital Europe cybersecurity calls are limited to the EU and Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Other Digital Europe associated countries are not eligible.

Who can apply

a startup, an SME, a mid-cap, a large company, a university, a research organisation, a public body or a non-profit

Companies, research bodies and public bodies. Some topics target only national authorities, CSIRTs or National Coordination Centres.

Who can join as a partner

a startup, an SME, a mid-cap, a large company, a university, a research organisation, a public body or a non-profit

Partners, subcontractors and cascade-funding recipients must also be established in and controlled from the EU or EEA. Work must take place there.

Alone or with partners

Alone, or as a consortium

Six of the seven topics in the current call have no minimum consortium, so one company can apply alone. The Regional Cable Hubs topic needs 2 independent applicants from 2 countries, including public authorities from 2 Member States. Horizon Europe cybersecurity research topics use the usual 3 entities from 3 countries.

Stage

TRL 5 to 9

Digital Europe deployment topics fund solutions ready to deploy and validate. Earlier-stage research goes through Horizon Europe cybersecurity topics.

Also required

EU-controlled

What you get

grants, up to €5M

Expected EU contribution per project in call DIGITAL-ECCC-2027-DEPLOY-CYBER-11: EUR 3M to 5M for the AI security, SME, legislation and dual-use topics; EUR 1.5M to 3M for authority and coordination-centre topics.

Funding rate

Most topics pay 50% of eligible costs. The SME topic (AI4SME) pays 75% to SMEs and 50% to others. Regional Cable Hubs pays 70%.