GrantTRL 6-8

AI Testing and Experimentation Facilities (AI TEFs)

Testa din AI under verkliga förhållanden inom vård, jordbruk och livsmedel, tillverkning och smarta städer

Ask the EUACC assistant
Success rate20-35%
TRL band6–8
2026 budget€220M

Verified against official EU sources · last checked 14 days ago (8 juli 2026)

On this page · 18 sections
The programme

Overview

AI Testing and Experimentation Facilities (TEF) är stora EU-finansierade anläggningar där företag inom AI och robotik testar sin teknik under verkliga förhållanden före lansering. Programmet drivs genom fyra sektorsnoder: TEF-Health för vård, AgrifoodTEF för jordbruk och livsmedel, AI-MATTERS för tillverkning och CitCom.AI för smarta städer och samhällen. Var och en drivs av ett stort konsortium och erbjuder fysisk och virtuell testning, regulatoriska sandlådor, referensdatamängder och expertstöd. De riktar sig till leverantörer på TRL 6 till 8, och SMF använder kärntjänsterna gratis under finansieringsperioden. Hela satsningen finansieras under programmet för ett digitalt Europa (Digital Europe), samma instrument som ligger bakom stora digitala EU-projekt. Företag som EWC (the EU Digital Identity Wallet Consortium) och DC4EU (Digital Credentials for Europe) tog vägen via Digital Europe för att skala upp gränsöverskridande infrastruktur, och DS4Health använde det för att stärka digital kompetens inom vården. TEF:erna riktar samma pengar mot en snävare uppgift: att ta din produkt från labbvaliderad till marknadsfärdig och förenlig med EU:s AI-förordning (AI Act). Vissa noder driver också öppna utlysningar med kaskadfinansiering med bidrag på ungefär 50 000 till 200 000 euro per SMF. Poängen är enkel. TEF:erna sluter gapet mellan en prototyp som fungerar i ditt labb och en produkt som Europa faktiskt vill certifiera och köpa.

2026 Budget~€220M total TEF investment (2022–2027)
Average Grant50–200 K€ i kaskadfinansiering per SMF
Var tydlig med vad du faktiskt ansöker om, för det finns två olika oddsen här.
Fit

Is this for you?

Det här är byggt för en specifik grundare: du har redan en AI- eller robotikprodukt som fungerar i en relevant miljö (TRL 6 till 8), du är baserad i EU eller ett associerat land, och din nästa verkliga flaskhals är att bevisa att den fungerar i den stökiga verkligheten och klarar EU:s AI-förordning. Om det är du är en TEF nästan gratis hävstång. Du får testmiljöer per sektor, referensdatamängder och regulatoriska sandlådor som du aldrig skulle kunna bygga själv, och som SMF får du kärntjänsterna utan kostnad under finansieringsperioden. Hoppa över det om du är för tidig. Om din AI fortfarande är en notebook, en demo eller en pre-prototyp (TRL 5 eller lägre) kvalificerar du dig inte och kommer att avvisas vid intaget. Hoppa över det om du inte har någon riktig produkt och letar efter pengar för att bygga en; tillgång till TEF-tjänster är inte ett bidrag, och kaskadutlysningarna finansierar fokuserad testning, inte företagsbyggande. Och om du sitter utanför EU utan någon europeisk enhet kan du inte boka anläggningarna alls. För de grundarna är en accelerator eller ett tidigt FoU-bidrag den bättre dörren.
A good fit if
  • Working AI or robotics solution at TRL 6–8 (past the lab, pre-market)
  • SME or startup registered in the EU, EEA or an associated country
  • Single company — no consortium, no Part B proposal
  • Fits one of the four sectors: healthcare, agri-food, manufacturing, smart cities
  • Needs AI Act compliance checks or CE-marking preparation
Probably not if
  • Need cash, not testing services → EIC Accelerator (grant + equity)
  • Still at lab stage, TRL 1–5 → Horizon Europe or EIC Pathfinder
  • AI outside the four sectors → your local European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH)
  • Building the testing infrastructure itself → Digital Europe consortium calls

Large companies can use TEFs too — but they pay the published national price list, not the subsidised SME rate. You can test at any TEF node in any country, regardless of where you are registered.

The odds

Success rates — the honest picture

Var tydlig med vad du faktiskt ansöker om, för det finns två olika oddsen här. Att boka testtjänsterna är ingen tävling: om du verkligen är på TRL 6 till 8 och behörig kommer du in, och för SMF är det gratis under finansieringsperioden. Den delen är en nära nog säkerhet, inte ett lotteri. De öppna utlysningarna med kaskadfinansiering är den konkurrensutsatta biten, och de landar i intervallet 20 till 35 procent per utlysning beroende på TEF och hur många SMF som ansöker. Det är betydligt snällare än de cirka 5 procent du ser hos EIC Accelerator, men bidragen är mindre (50 000 till 200 000 euro). Två saker gör skillnad: att pitcha ett snävt avgränsat experiment som matchar utlysningens publicerade omfattning snarare än hela din färdplan, och att uttryckligen koppla det till ett steg mot förenlighet med EU:s AI-förordning som anläggningen kan hjälpa dig att belägga. De ansökningar som förlorar har nästan alltid ignorerat omfattningen och pitchat företaget i stället.
End-to-end success rate20-35%

Roughly 1 in 3 applications gets funded. A sharp, evidence-backed proposal is what separates the funded from the rejected.

The four TEFs at a glance
TEFSectorBudgetCoordinatorHow you get in
TEF-HealthHealthcare & medical robotics€60MCharité Berlin (53 partners, 10 countries)Open call — up to €300K subsidised services per SME, rolling until 31 Dec 2027
agrifoodTEFAgri-food€60MFondazione Bruno Kessler (Italy)Direct contact — no formal call
AI-MATTERSManufacturing€60MCEA-List (France)Direct contact — browse services by country or challenge
CitCom.AISmart cities & communities€40MImec (Belgium)Direct contact via helpdesk

TEFs are not competitive grant calls, so no success-rate or cut-off statistics exist. The binding limit is the €300,000 de minimis state-aid ceiling per company over three fiscal years; TEF-Health evaluates rolling applications in about 45 working days.

Who qualifies

Eligibility

  • 1Du är en teknikleverantör med en AI- eller robotikprodukt på TRL 6 till 8: en fungerande prototyp validerad i en relevant miljö, inte en bildpresentation och ännu inte en fullt marknadsbevisad produkt.
  • 2Din lösning passar en av exakt fyra sektorsnoder – vård (TEF-Health), jordbruk och livsmedel (AgrifoodTEF), tillverkning (AI-MATTERS) eller smarta städer och samhällen (CitCom.AI). Om den spänner över två väljer du ändå den enskilt bäst passande noden att gå in genom.
  • 3Du är juridiskt etablerad i en EU-medlemsstat eller ett land associerat till programmet för ett digitalt Europa. En enhet i USA eller Storbritannien utan EU-närvaro kan inte boka anläggningarna.
  • 4SMF och startups får kärntjänsterna för testning och validering gratis eller kraftigt rabatterade under finansieringsperioden – TEF-Health erbjuder till exempel för närvarande statsstöd i form av rabatter på marknadspriset för sina valideringstjänster; stora företag, forskningsorgan och offentliga myndigheter betalar vanligtvis eller delar kostnaden.
  • 5För att använda anläggningarna konkurrerar du inte: om du är behörig och verkligen på rätt TRL bokar du tillgång. Konkurrensen gäller endast de separata öppna utlysningarna med kaskadfinansiering, där SMF tävlar om bidrag på 50 000 till 200 000 euro.
  • 6Rena forskningsprojekt, idéer på labbstadiet (TRL under 6) och konsultbolag utan en egen AI-produkt är inte målgruppen och avvisas vid intaget.
The fine print
The money is a discount, not a grant — and large firms pay full price

TEF (Testing and Experimentation Facility) support is delivered as state aid in the form of reduced or zero fees on services priced against each node's published list. The Commission's own FAQ is blunt: SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) can use TEFs without paying, while large companies pay the full list price, with that revenue booked as project income. TEF-Health structures the subsidy either as innovation aid for SMEs under Article 28 of the GBER (General Block Exemption Regulation) or as de minimis aid — €200,000 per company over three financial years in its Call #1 documentation, with its Call #2 pages citing a €300,000 de minimis ceiling. There is no cash transfer to your bank account at any point.

Ownership and control rules reach up to your cap table

Being incorporated in the EU is not enough. TEF-Health requires that the SME's shareholding be held by legal persons incorporated or established in an EU Member State or a country associated to the Digital Europe Programme, evidenced by an official declaration from the authorities of the company's headquarters plus disclosure of ultimate beneficial owners. An EU subsidiary with a US or UK parent can fail this test even with a flawless product. Non-eligible third-country entities may only use services where this does not compromise EU security or strategic autonomy, with restricted access to confidential information.

Digital Europe association is not Horizon Europe association — the UK is out

TEFs are funded under the Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL), whose membership differs from Horizon Europe's. The UK is associated to Horizon Europe but is a non-associated third country for DIGITAL, so UK-registered companies are outside the standard eligibility perimeter. Switzerland only gained DIGITAL participation under transitional arrangements from 1 January 2025. Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein are fully associated, alongside Ukraine, Moldova, Türkiye and the Western Balkans. Individual TEF calls can be narrower still: TEF-Health Call #2 admits only SMEs legally registered in the EU or EEA (European Economic Area).

State-aid headroom is the silent killer

Eligibility for the discount depends on aid you have already received. TEF-Health requires evidence — a self-declaration or declaration of honour, and for some national registries an official certificate — that the company has not exhausted its state-aid ceiling over the previous three fiscal years. National innovation vouchers, regional grants and other de minimis support all count against the same ceiling, so a startup that has been efficient at harvesting small national schemes can find its TEF discount eliminated. Aid is tracked through national registries (in Portugal's case, the AD&C central de minimis register).

Financial capacity is scored, because you pay whatever the discount does not cover

TEF-Health's evaluation grid allocates 15 of 100 points to funding: applicants must show budget availability aligned with the service catalogue's prices and a solid financial track record covering the estimated cost of the services. A newly created company with no accounts and no cash to cover the unsubsidised share scores poorly here even if its technology is strong. The applicant must also qualify as an SME under Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC (fewer than 250 staff, turnover ≤ €50M or balance sheet ≤ €43M), proven by official declaration.

TRL window and no double-dipping with other testbeds

The Commission targets technology providers at TRL (technology readiness level) 6–8 — solutions ready for real-world testing, not lab concepts. Individual calls set their own floor: TEF-Health Call #1 accepted self-declared TRL 4 and above, while its Call #2 requires TRL 6 or higher. TEF-Health also requires a self-declaration that the same solution is not already supported by another national testbed, and selection expects the solution to demonstrably climb TRL within six months of the services — that criterion is scored pass/fail (1 or 7) with no middle ground.

The money

The money — services, not cash

Total investment€220M+Four sectorial TEFs co-funded 50/50 by the European Commission (Digital Europe Programme) and Member States, running 2023–2028
Per-TEF budget€40–60MTEF-Health, agrifoodTEF and AI-MATTERS get €60M each; CitCom.AI (smart cities) gets €40M
Max value per SME€300KTEF-Health Call #2 subsidises testing services up to the de minimis state-aid ceiling over three fiscal years
Cost for SMEs€0Free or heavily subsidised during the project lifetime; larger companies pay national price-list rates
Good to know
You never see the money.

TEFs are not a grant — you receive testing, validation and compliance services instead of cash. Each consortium publishes a country-level price list; the value of what you consume is passed on to you as state aid, which is why a paper trail exists even when you pay nothing.

The de minimis ceiling is the real cap.

Under EU de minimis rules a company may receive at most €300,000 in such aid over three fiscal years — across ALL sources, not just TEFs. If you have already taken de minimis aid (national innovation vouchers, subsidised loans), it eats into your TEF headroom. You sign a declaration; misdeclaring is a clawback risk.

No proposal, no consortium, no evaluation panel.

For three of the four TEFs you simply contact the facility, describe your technology, and get matched to the right node. Only TEF-Health runs a formal open call: rolling applications evaluated in roughly 45 working days, open until 31 December 2027 or until capacity is filled.

You keep the IP.

Every TEF must operate an intellectual-property policy guaranteeing that innovators — SMEs in particular — retain ownership of all IP created during testing at the facility. Your test data and results are yours to take to investors and notified bodies.

The process

How to apply — step by step

  1. 1
    Discover available services1 hour

    Browse the CoordinaTEF service catalogue to find testing, validation, and compliance services across all four TEFs. Filter by sector, service type, country, and TRL level.

    Browse TEF catalogues →
  2. 2
    Contact the relevant TEF1 day

    Reach out to the TEF matching your domain — TEF-Health for healthcare AI, agrifoodTEF for agriculture/food, AI-MATTERS for manufacturing, or CitCom.AI for smart cities. Each has an online portal or helpdesk.

  3. 3
    Share your technology and use case1–2 weeks

    Describe your AI solution, its current TRL level, and what you need tested or validated. The TEF team will assess whether your technology fits their capabilities.

  4. 4
    Receive facility matching1–2 weeks

    The TEF matches you to the best testing node across their European network. You may access nodes in multiple countries depending on your needs.

  5. 5
    Get a customised test plan2–4 weeks

    Domain experts design a tailored testing and validation plan for your AI solution. This covers technical testing, safety checks, and if needed, regulatory compliance assessment.

  6. 6
    Conduct testing with full supportVaries (weeks–months)

    Execute your test plan using TEF infrastructure — physical facilities, virtual environments, or both. TEF teams provide technical support throughout. SMEs receive services free or at heavily subsidised rates.

  7. 7
    Receive independent validation report2–4 weeks after testing

    Get a comprehensive validation report from the TEF — covering performance, safety, compliance, and recommendations. Use this for investor pitches, market entry, and regulatory submissions.

Where to applyBrowse TEF catalogues →
Evaluation

What evaluators look for

Relevance

Threshold Min 3/5 to pass; scored 0-5

Evaluators judge how squarely the proposed facility fits the call's scope and the EU's wider digital, competitiveness and sustainability goals — i.e. whether it genuinely serves the targeted sector and Europe's trustworthy-AI agenda.

  • Alignment with the call's objectives and the targeted AI sector
  • Contribution to EU policy priorities (competitiveness, digital transformation, sustainability)
  • Demonstrated need and added value at European scale

Implementation

Threshold Min 3/5 to pass; scored 0-5

Evaluators assess whether the consortium can actually deliver: a coherent work plan, sound milestones and resourcing, and a partnership with the track record and capacity to run a large, multi-country reference facility.

  • Quality and clarity of the work plan, tasks and milestones
  • Appropriate allocation of resources and budget
  • Consortium expertise, complementarity and operational track record

Impact

Threshold Min 3/5 to pass; scored 0-5

Evaluators weigh the expected effect on society, economy and technology, plus a credible plan for exploitation, dissemination and sustaining the facility's services beyond the grant period.

  • Concrete societal, economic and technological benefits
  • Strategy for exploitation, dissemination and uptake by AI suppliers
  • Long-term sustainability of the facility's services
Paperwork

Documents you'll need

Essential
Digital Europe Work Programme 2025-2027PDF · EC publication

The master document for all Digital Europe funding — covers AI TEFs, EDIHs, GenAI, AI Factories.

Contains:
Defines all Digital Europe Programme calls for 2025-2027 including AI factories, data spaces, digital identity, cybersecurity, and digital skills. TEFs were funded under the 2023-2024 work programme with 5-year grants — this document references continued support for sector-specific testbeds.
Length:
~120 pages (TEFs referenced throughout)
Why:
Understand the broader EU digital funding landscape TEFs sit within, and upcoming opportunities like GenAI testbeds and AI Factories.
When:
If exploring other Digital Europe opportunities beyond TEFs
View document
AI TEFs overview — European CommissionWeb

Official overview of all four sectorial TEFs with scope, objectives, and access information.

Contains:
The EC's official TEF policy page covering all four sectorial TEFs: what they are, their investment (€220M), the 50/50 co-funding model, sector breakdown (healthcare, agri-food, manufacturing, smart cities), and links to each TEF.
Length:
Single web page with links
Why:
The authoritative starting point for understanding TEFs. Gives you the big picture before diving into individual TEF portals.
When:
Read first — before contacting any TEF
View document
TEF Service Catalogues (CoordinaTEF)Web

Browse all 580+ services across the four TEFs — filter by sector, service type, country, and TRL.

Contains:
The unified catalogue linking to each TEF's individual service portfolio: 200+ services from agrifoodTEF, 250+ from AI-MATTERS, 93 from CitCom.AI, and 40+ from TEF-Health. Filter by sector, country, technology type, and TRL level.
Length:
Navigation hub linking to 4 TEF catalogues
Why:
The fastest way to find out exactly what testing services are available for your AI solution. Start here if you're not sure which TEF to contact.
When:
When choosing your TEF and scoping services
View document
TEFs FAQ — Questions and Answers (82 questions)Web

Official EC FAQ covering eligibility, access, funding, IP protection, and service scope.

Contains:
82 questions across 4 sections: Concept of TEFs (Q1-15), Sustainability & Operations (Q16-33 — IP management, HPC access, data collection), Links with Other EU Initiatives (Q34-39 — EDIHs, AI Act, data spaces), and Funding & Process (Q40-82 — co-funding model, state aid, eligible costs).
Length:
82 questions, ~30 pages equivalent
Why:
The most comprehensive reference for any question about TEFs. Covers IP ownership, cross-country billing, de minimis rules, and relationship with other EU programmes.
When:
When you have specific questions about eligibility, IP, or funding rules
View document
TEF Portals
TEF-Health — Application Portal (Call #2)Web · Application portal

Apply for up to €300K in subsidised AI healthcare testing. Rolling applications until Dec 2027.

Contains:
The online application portal for TEF-Health Call #2. Submit your SME details, describe your AI/robotics healthcare solution, specify TRL level, and request testing services. Applications evaluated within ~45 working days on a rolling basis.
Length:
Online application form
Why:
This is where you actually apply if you're building healthcare AI. Up to €300K in subsidised services — the largest open TEF call.
When:
When ready to apply for healthcare AI testing
View document
agrifoodTEF — Apply for ServicesWeb

Access real-world testing for AI in agriculture and food processing across 9 European countries.

Contains:
Direct access portal for agrifoodTEF services. Browse available testing infrastructure for arable farming, viticulture, horticulture, livestock, and food processing AI. 34 partners across 9 countries, 200+ services catalogued.
Length:
Web portal with service directory
Why:
No formal call needed — contact directly to begin your testing engagement. Services free or reduced price for SMEs.
When:
When building AI for agriculture or food processing
View document
AI-MATTERS — Manufacturing TEFWeb

Access 250+ AI and robotics services for manufacturing — factory optimisation, predictive maintenance.

Contains:
Service portal for AI-MATTERS with 250+ developed services, 90+ currently being provided. Browse by country (8 EU countries), technology area, or manufacturing challenge. Recently redesigned for easier SME access.
Length:
Web portal with service directory
Why:
Direct engagement model — no formal call. Contact the TEF, get matched with relevant nodes, and receive AI/robotics services.
When:
When building AI for manufacturing, robotics, or industrial automation
View document
CitCom.AI — Smart Cities TEFWeb

Testing AI for smart cities — energy, transport, and citizen services across 11 countries.

Contains:
Access portal for CitCom.AI with 93 services (66 professional, 17 virtual, 10 physical) plus 125 datasets. 130+ experiments in the pipeline, 15 testbed sites across 8 cities. Contact via helpdesk for service matching.
Length:
Web portal with helpdesk
Why:
Subsidised access to smart city test environments. 18 SMEs recently onboarded — continuous intake.
When:
When building AI for energy, transport, or urban services
View document
Helpful
EU Funding & Tenders Portal — Digital EuropeWeb

The official portal for all Digital Europe Programme calls and submissions.

Contains:
The master portal for all Digital Europe funding opportunities. Search for open and upcoming calls, check deadlines, and submit applications. Also lists cascade funding opportunities that TEFs may publish.
Length:
Search portal
Why:
Useful if you're looking for complementary Digital Europe funding beyond TEF services.
When:
When exploring additional EU funding
View document
Cascade Funding HubWeb

Find open calls for SME funding through Digital Europe cascade mechanisms.

Contains:
Aggregator for all cascade funding calls under Digital Europe. Monthly roundups (13+ opportunities in Feb 2026). TEF-Health Call #2 is cross-listed here. Browse by sector, deadline, and funding amount.
Length:
Searchable directory
Why:
Discover additional SME funding opportunities beyond TEF services — including cascade grants from EDIHs and other Digital Europe projects.
When:
When looking for complementary cascade funding
View document
Budget split

Typical Budget Breakdown

Tillgång till testanläggning
Kaskadfinansiering till SMF
Expertstöd och mentorskap
Samordning och förvaltning
Calendar

2026 Deadlines

Rolling open calls — check individual TEF websites
Cut-off 2TEF-Health Call #2: broad validation services, up to €300K subsidised access per SME, rolling intake to Dec 2027
Cut-off 3TEF-Health Call #3: in-kind access to French Health Data Hub (SNDS) for AI/robotics validation in healthcare, rolling
From submission to money
  1. Open now (rolling)Sectoral TEF call open

    Each of the four TEFs (TEF-Health, agrifoodTEF, AI-MATTERS, CitCom.ai) runs its own open calls. The live benchmark, TEF-Health Call #2 for subsidised testing and validation services, has been open since April 2025 via apply.eithealth.eu / tef.charite.de.

  2. T+0Submit application

    Select up to three services from the node's catalogue ranked by preference; self-declare SME status, TRL and state-aid headroom over the previous three fiscal years.

  3. T+45 working days (~2 months)Evaluation results communicated

    Rolling evaluation, not batch deadlines: TEF-Health commits to communicating results within roughly 45 working days of submission. Experts score 1–7 against weighted criteria (solution 40%, fit to TEF 45%, funding 15%); a weighted average of 5.0 is the pass threshold.

  4. T+2–3 monthsMatchmaking and service quotation

    Approved applicants are matched with node service providers and receive quotations at published market prices — the state-aid discount is then applied against those prices.

  5. T+3–4 monthsAdhesion (service) agreement signed

    A private-law contract with the service provider, not an EU grant agreement. Where a provider's capacity is oversubscribed, signature is first come, first served — another reason rolling calls reward early movers.

  6. T+4 months onwardSubsidised services delivered — this is the money

    No pre-financing payment exists: the support materialises as discounted or fully subsidised invoices up to the state-aid ceiling, ending with a product/pilot evaluation report and a higher-TRL validated solution.

  7. 31 Dec 2027TEF-Health Call #2 closes

    Or earlier, once service capacity is filled — capacity-capped rolling calls can close without notice.

  8. Jan 2028TEF funding period ends

    All four TEFs are five-year Digital Europe projects launched in January 2023; subsidised services must be delivered within the funded window.

After the grant

After you're funded

Independent test reports

You leave with third-party validation evidence from real hospitals, farms, factories or city infrastructure — the kind of independent performance data that moves conversations with investors, procurement teams and notified bodies. Published users report concrete outcomes: TRYGONS cut assembly time 20–25% via AI-MATTERS; EdenCore hit over 90% vineyard-yield prediction accuracy via agrifoodTEF.

AI Act and CE-marking support

TEFs run conformity-assessment preparation: performance testing against safety benchmarks, bias and fairness checks, transparency and explainability review, cybersecurity validation. Relevant deadline — every Member State must operate at least one AI regulatory sandbox by 2 August 2027 (extended from 2026 by the EU Digital Omnibus, signed July 2026), and SMEs join those free of charge.

State-aid paperwork instead of grant reporting

There are no periodic technical reports, no Commission audits, no work packages. What you do owe: a de minimis declaration, and the obligation to count the value of services received against your €300,000 three-year ceiling when applying for any future aid.

Your IP stays yours

TEF IP policies guarantee innovators retain ownership of everything created during testing — models, training data improvements, results. There is no equity, no licence-back, no Commission claim on foreground IP.

A closing window

The subsidised regime lasts only for the project lifetime — TEF-Health runs to December 2027, the others to roughly 2028 — after which the facilities must become financially self-sustaining and rates will reflect that. If you are at TRL 6–8 now, sooner is cheaper.

On the ground

Practical notes

You are a customer, not a grant applicant — there is no consortium to assemble

Unlike most Digital Europe calls, you don't write a proposal or build a partner consortium for the AI TEFs. The four sectoral facilities — agrifoodTEF, TEF-Health, AI-MATTERS (manufacturing) and CitCom.AI (smart cities) — are already-funded infrastructure that you approach as a single SME or startup to test and validate your AI/robotics solution (TRL 6-8). Pick the facility for your sector and request services directly via its own intake; there is no unified EU portal across the four.

Apply during an open 'call', because that's when access is subsidised or free

Each TEF runs rolling 'calls' that are really intake windows for discounted service access under EU state-aid rules (GBER / de-minimis), so selected SMEs pay a reduced market price or nothing during the funded period. TEF-Health, for example, has run distinct calls such as Call 2 (services across multiple member-state partners) and Call 3 (access to French Health Data Hub secured data centres) — the same service can be cheap inside a call and full price outside one, so time your request to an active call rather than emailing cold.

Each TEF has its own multi-country node network — choose by capability, not geography

A TEF spans many national nodes: TEF-Health alone covers nine member states (Germany lead, plus Belgium, Czechia, Finland, France, Italy, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden) and 52 entities, and AI-MATTERS lists roughly 290 manufacturing services. You can be routed to whichever node holds the test environment, dataset or regulatory-sandbox capability you need — you are not restricted to the node in your own country, so scope by the specific facility/data you need.

Use the xTEF info/matchmaking days and your national NCP — both are free

The four TEFs coordinate jointly under the 'xTEF' label and run shared info and matchmaking days (the Commission has hosted final online information-and-matchmaking days for the sectorial TEF calls) — the practical place to meet node coordinators and scope a service before committing. Separately, the free Digital Europe National Contact Point (NCP) in your country gives one-on-one help understanding eligibility and which facility fits, at no cost.

Verified by our agents · updated 14 days ago
Track record

Who's been funded

67 projects funded · €160.3M in EU contribution · sourced from CORDIS.

EWC

€10.3M

EU Digital Identity Wallet Consortium

🇸🇪BOLAGSVERKET · DIGITAL Simple Grants

DS4Health

€10.0M

Digital skills for Healthcare Transformation

🇩🇪UNIVERSITAETSKLINIKUM AACHEN · DIGITAL Simple Grants

3D-CIRCULAR

€10.0M

Digital Deep tech Driven Circular Economy

🇪🇱PANEPISTIMIO AIGAIOU · DIGITAL Lump Sum Grants

DC4EU

€9.6M

Digital Credentials for Europe

🇪🇸MINISTERIO PARA LA TRANSFORMACION DIGITAL Y DE LA FUNCION PUBLICA · DIGITAL Simple Grants

Europeum

€6.0M

EUROPEUM European Digital Infrastructure Consortium

🇧🇪Europeum · DIGITAL Simple Grants

EDITH

€5.0M

An ecosystem for digital twins in healthcare

🇧🇪VIRTUAL PHYSIOLOGICAL HUMAN INSTITUTE FOR INTEGRATIVE BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH VZW · DIGITAL Coordination and Support Actions

DIH4CAT AI CONNECT

€3.0M

Catalonia Digital Innovation Hub

🇪🇸AGENCIA PER A LA COMPETITIVITAT DE LA EMPRESA · DIGITAL Simple Grants

EDIH Rheinland 2.0

€3.0M

European Digital Innovation Hub Rheinland

🇩🇪FIR E.V. AN DER RWTH AACHEN · DIGITAL Simple Grants

EDIH Rheinland

€3.0M

European Digital Innovation Hub Rheinland

🇩🇪RHEINISCH-WESTFAELISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE AACHEN · DIGITAL Simple Grants

DIVA 2.0

€3.0M

Digital Innovation Value Accelerator 2.0

🇫🇷ATLANPOLE · DIGITAL Simple Grants

DIVA

€3.0M

Digital Innovation Value Accelerator

🇫🇷ATLANPOLE · DIGITAL Simple Grants

EDIH MADRID REGION 2.0

€2.9M

European Digital Innovation Hub Madrid Region 2.0. Supporting Digital Transformation

🇪🇸FUNDACION PARA EL CONOCIMIENTO MADRIMASD · DIGITAL Simple Grants
Track record

Who's been funded

agrifoodTEF60 million total (approx. 30M from Digital Europe, matched by national funding)
Test and Experimentation Facilities for the Agri-Food Domain

A network of physical and virtual sites, coordinated by Italy's Fondazione Bruno Kessler, where agritech firms can field-validate AI and robotics on real farms and food chains before bringing them to market.

TEF-Healthapprox. 60 million total (approx. 30M from Digital Europe, matched by national agencies)
Testing and Experimentation Facility for Health and Care

Coordinated by the Berlin Institute of Health at Charite, it lets developers test and validate clinical AI and medical robotics across 51 partners in nine countries to speed safe products to patients.

GermanyProject
AI-MATTERS60 million total (30M from Digital Europe, 30M from Member States and in-kind)
AI in Manufacturing Testing and Experimentation Reference Sites

A 25-partner network coordinated by France's CEA, running eight world-class sites where manufacturers can trial AI and robotics on pilot production lines before factory deployment. Runs January 2023 to December 2027 under grant agreement 101100707.

FranceProject
CitCom.aiapprox. 40 million total (half from Digital Europe, half from national/regional and own resources)
Cities and Communities Testing and Experimentation Facility for AI and Robotics

Coordinated by Belgium's imec across three super-nodes spanning 11 countries, it tests AI and robotics for power, mobility and connectivity before they are let loose in places where people live.

BelgiumProject
At a glance

Key Features

Testmiljöer i verkliga förhållanden inom 4 sektorer
Tillgång till referensdatamängder och datorinfrastruktur
Stöd för förenlighet med EU:s AI-förordning och certifiering
Kaskadfinansiering tillgänglig för utvalda företag
Paneuropeiskt nätverk av testanläggningar

Frequently Asked Questions

AI TEF:erna är öppna för teknikleverantörer som utvecklar AI- eller robotiklösningar på teknisk mognadsgrad (TRL) 6 till 8, vilket innebär att din produkt är mogen men ännu inte fullt marknadsvaliderad. SMF, startups, större företag, forskningsorganisationer och offentliga myndigheter kan alla ansöka som användare. Du måste vara etablerad i en EU-medlemsstat eller ett land associerat till programmet för ett digitalt Europa, och tillgång beviljas på en öppen, transparent och icke-diskriminerande grund.

AI TEF:erna ger inte investeringar mot ägarandelar. De fyra anläggningarna delar på över 220 miljoner euro i kombinerad medfinansiering från EU och medlemsstaterna för 2023 till 2028, varav EU bidrar med omkring 110 miljoner euro under programmet för ett digitalt Europa. För SMF är kärnnyttan att testning, validering och experttjänster kommer gratis eller kraftigt rabatterade under finansieringsperioden – TEF-Health erbjuder till exempel för närvarande statsstöd i form av rabatter på marknadspriset för sina valideringstjänster. Separat driver vissa TEF:er öppna utlysningar med kaskadfinansiering (ekonomiskt stöd till tredje part) som erbjuder bidrag i storleksordningen 50 000 till 200 000 euro per SMF.

Nej. Som enskild SMF eller startup bygger du inget konsortium för att använda en TEF; du ansöker helt enkelt via anläggningens enda digitala ingång för de tjänster du behöver. Var och en av de fyra TEF:erna drivs visserligen själv av ett stort konsortium (TEF-Health har till exempel 51 partner och AgrifoodTEF har 29), men det är anläggningarnas operatörer, inte användarna. Du deltar som kund eller, i kaskadutlysningar, som en enskild sökande.

Det finns ingen enda EU-omfattande deadline. Var och en av de fyra TEF:erna driver sitt eget löpande intag och sina egna öppna utlysningar med kaskadfinansiering med separata slutdatum som ändras genom 2026 och 2027. För att använda testtjänsterna kan du ansöka när som helst via den relevanta TEF:ens digitala ingång. För kaskadbidrag, kontrollera den specifika TEF:ens sida för öppna utlysningar (till exempel TEF-Health, AgrifoodTEF, AI-MATTERS eller CitCom.AI) för aktuell deadline, eftersom dessa publiceras per utlysning.

Tillgången till själva testtjänsterna är inte ett konkurrensutsatt bidrag; om du är behörig och på TRL 6 till 8 kan du boka anläggningarna, med SMF-tjänster gratis eller rabatterade under finansieringsperioden. Det konkurrensutsatta inslaget är de öppna utlysningarna med kaskadfinansiering, där SMF tävlar om bidragen på 50 000 till 200 000 euro. Dessa utlysningar utvärderas och begränsas av tillgänglig budget, så framgång beror på den specifika utlysningens volym och kvaliteten på de sökande snarare än på en fast publicerad framgångsgrad.

Eftersom testtjänsterna bokas direkt snarare än tilldelas genom en lång utvärdering kan du vanligtvis börja onboarding och schemalägga tester inom veckor efter att du kontaktat anläggningen. Kaskadbidragen följer tidslinjen som anges i varje öppen utlysning, vanligtvis några månader från ansökan till undertecknat avtal och första utbetalning. Tidslinjerna varierar mellan TEF:er, så bekräfta schemat med anläggningen som driver din utlysning.

För tillgång till tjänster, visa att din AI- eller robotiklösning verkligen är på TRL 6 till 8 och ange tydligt vilken sektorsnod som passar (vård, jordbruk och livsmedel, tillverkning eller smarta städer) och vilken validering i verkliga förhållanden du behöver. För kaskadfinansiering, presentera en fokuserad testplan, en trovärdig väg till marknaden eller till förenlighet med EU:s AI-förordning, och konkreta mått som TEF:en hjälper dig att validera. Att anpassa din förfrågan till anläggningens referensdatamängder, regulatoriska sandlådor och den relevanta utlysningens omfattning stärker ansökan påtagligt.

EUACC Intelligence
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EUACC Intelligence

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