Running projects

IMPRESS - Interoperable electron Microscopy Platform for advanced RESearch and Services

IMPRESS (Interoperable electron Microscopy Platform for advanced RESearch and Services) aims to co-develop and deliver advanced transmission electron microscopy (TEM) instrumentation, methods and tools that will revolutionize the way in which TEMs are used by all new and well-established scientific communities, integrate them with other instrumentation at analytical research infrastructures (RIs) and create new business opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises. The core of the project is the development of a standardized cartridge-based interoperable platform for TEM that is based on common interfaces and data formats, is flexible and adaptable and allows users to perform advanced correlative experiments using different instruments and to co-develop methodological options that are not yet satisfied by commercially available electron microscopes. The solutions will be delivered at technology readiness level 8 through a precommercial procurement. The project also involves the co-development of new electron sources, techniques based on adaptive optics and event-driven detectors, application-relevant in situ/operando sample environments and software for simulation of experiments and remote access based on artificial intelligence. By the end of the project, these developments will be integrated with the new cartridgebased platform, in order to make them available to all users of RIs and other TEMs owners. An open knowledge and innovation hub for TEM will be created and a training programme will promote the new solution, to initiate RI staff in their use and to provide both materials and life science communities with optimized tools for tackling societal challenges, especially in the energy and health sectors. The project will exploit synergies and collaboration with five RIs of European dimension for the benefit of users from diverse scientific communities and will pave the way towards a new cooperative model for the development and operation of RIs for TEM.

Project number: 101094299

Start date: 2023.02.01.
End date: 2028.01.31.

Funding programme: HORIZON EUROPE
Total budget: 9,633,919.25 EUR

Project partners:
Coo - CNR (Consoglio Nazionale delle Ricerche)
FZJ (Forscungszentrum Julich GMBH)
CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)
UT3 (Universite Paul Sabatier Toulouse III. - Affiliated entity)
UPS (Universite Paris-Saclay - Affiliated entity)
Uantwerpen (Universiteit Antwerpen)
NTNU (Norges Teknisk-Naturvitenskapelige Universitet)
ICN2 (Fundacio Institut Catalia de Nanociencia i Nanotecnologia)
TUG (Technishe Universitaet Graz)
ZFE (Verein Zur Forderung Der Eletronenmikroskopie und Feinstructurforschung - Affiliated entity)
IFW (Leibniz Institut fur Festkorper und Werkstofforschung Dresden EV)
UM (Universiteit Maastricht)
AREA (Area di Ricerca Scientifica e Tecnologica di Trieste)
CERIC (Central European Research Infrastructure Consortium)
EURO-BIOIMAGING (Euro-Bioimaging ERIC)
EMBL (European Molecular Biology Laboratory - Affiliated entity)
ALBA (Consorcio para la Construccion Equipamiento y Explotacion del Laboratorio de Luz Sincrotron)
SOLEIL (Synchrotron Soleil Societe Civile)
ELI ERIC (Extreme Light Infrastructure European Research Infrastructure Consortium)
CEOS (CEOS Corrected Electron Optical Systems GMBH)
CPS (Corvers Procurement Services BV)
Vtrek (E-Procurement Services BV)
Corvers GR (Corvers Greece Monoprosopi I.K.E.)
Promo (Promoscience SRL)
UOXF (The Chancellor, Masters and Scholars of the University of Oxford - Associated partner)

Project website: https://e-impress.eu/

The IMPRESS project has received funding from the HORIZON EUROPE framework program for research and innovation under grant agreement n. 101094299.

THRILL - Technology for High-Repetition-rate Intense Laser Laboratories

The THRILL project deals with providing new schemes and devices for pushing forward the limits of research infrastructures (RI) of European relevance and ESFRI landmarks. To do so, the project partners have identified several technical bottlenecks in high-energy high-repetition-rate laser technology that prevent it from reaching the technical readiness level required to technically specify and build the needed devices, and guaranteeing sustainable and reliable operation of such laser beamlines at the partnering RIs. Advancing the technical readiness of these topics is strategically aligned with the long-term plans and evolution of the ESFRI landmarks FAIR, ELI (-BL) and Eu-XFEL, and RI APOLLON, bringing them to the next level of development and strengthening their leading position. The project is well focused and it is deliberately restricted to three enabling technologies, which require the most urgent efforts and timely attention by the community: high-energy high-repetition-rate amplification, high-energy beam transport and optical coating resilience for large optics. To reach our goals, the major activity within THRILL will be organized around producing several prototypes demonstrating a high level of technical readiness. Our proposal is addressing not yet explored technical bottlenecks - such as transport over long distances of largeaperture laser beams via relay imaging using all-reflective optics - and aims at proposing concrete steps to increase the performances and effectiveness of the industrial community through the co-development of advanced technologies up to prototyping in operational environments. The project is not only pushing technology, it is also offering an outstanding opportunity to train a qualified work force for RIs and industry. With this in mind, the structure of THRILL promotes synergetic work, fast transfer to industry and integrated research activities at the European level. Access to the RIs will be granted as in-kind contribution.

Project number: 101095207

Start date: 2023.01.01.
End date: 2026.12.31.

Funding programme: HORIZON EUROPE
Total budget: 10,425,250.00 EUR

Project partners:
Coo – GSI (GSI Helmholtzzentrum Fur Schwerionenforschung GMBH)
HZDR (Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf EV)
CNRS (CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS
FZU (Fyzikalni Ustav AV CR V.V.I) - Project exit date: 2022.12.31.
LLE-AISBL (LASERLAB-EUROPE AISBL)
FVB-MBI (Forschungsverbund Berlin EV)
EUROPEAN XFEL (European X-Ray Free-Electron Laser Facility GMBH)
FAIR (Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research in Europe GMBH)
AMPLITUDE (Amplitude)
UoR (University of Rochester)
ELI ERIC (Extreme Light Infrastructure European Research Infrastructure Consortium)

Project website: https://www.thrill-project.eu/

This project has received funding by the European Union’s HORIZON-INFRA-2022-TECH-01 call under grant agreement number 101095207.

EuPRAXIA - EuPRAXIA Preparatory Phase Project

EuPRAXIA is a distributed, compact and innovative accelerator facility based on plasma technology. It has been selected for the 2021 Update of the ESFRI Roadmap. In its first phase, its consortium of 51 institutes and industry partners will construct an electron-beamdriven plasma accelerator in the metropolitan area of Rome, thus bringing innovation, potential for spin-off companies, state-of-the art scientific applications and a vibrant international user community to the middle of Italy. In its second phase, EuPRAXIA will build one laser-driven plasma accelerator at a site to be chosen between several options in Europe. EuPRAXIA will serve users in ultra-fast science, e.g. on high-resolution medical imaging, deeply penetrating positron annihilation spectroscopy for materials and with Europe’s most southern free-electron laser (FEL). It will offer fascinating capabilities for research on biomolecules, viruses and microscopic processes. EuPRAXIA will thus be a transformative step in the development of ultra-compact accelerators and applications. The Preparatory Phase project EuPRAXIA-PP will prepare its full implementation.

Project number: 101079773

Start date: 2022.11.01.
End date: 2026.10.30.

Funding programme: HORIZON EUROPE
Total budget: 2,490,000.00 EUR

Project partners:
Coo – INFN (Istituto Nazional Di Fisica Nucleare)
CNR (Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche)
ELETTRA (Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste SCPA)
ENEA (Agenzia Nazionale Per Le Nuove Tecnologie, L'Energia e Lo Sviluppo Economico Sostenibile)
UNI SAPIENZA (Universita Degli Studi Di Roma La Sapienza)
UNITOV (Universita Degli Studi Di Roma Tor Vergata)
CEA (Commissariat A L'energie Et Aux Energies Alternatives)
CNRS (Centre National De La Recherche Scientifique CNRS)
THALES (Thales Las France SAS)
DESY (Deutsches Elektronensynchrotron)
FBH (Ferdinand-Braun-Institut GGMBH Leibnizinstitut Fur Hochstfrequenztechnik)
FZJ (Forschungszentrum Julich GMBH)
HZDR (Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf EV)
LMU Munchen (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen)
Wigner RCP (Wigner Fizikai Kutatóközpont)
USZ (Szegedi Tudományegyetem)
UPS (Pécsi Tudományegyetem - University of Pécs)
IST ID (Associacao Do Instituto Superior Tecnico Para A Investigacao E Desenvolvimiento)
IP-ASCR (Fyzikalni Ustav AV CR V.V.I) - Project exit date: 2022.12.31.
CERN (Organisation Europeenne Pour La Recherche Nucleaire)
IASA (Institute of Accelerating Systems and Applications)
CLPU (Consorcio Para El Diseno, Construccion, Equipamiento y Explotacion Del Centro De Laseres Pulsados Ultracortos Ultraintensos)
HUJ (The Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
Fraunhofer (Frauenhofer Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten E.V.)
ALBA-CELLS (Consorcio Para La Construccion Equipamiento y Explotacion Del Laboratorio De Luz Sincrotron)
UCLA (James Benjamin Rosenzweig - Associated partner)
EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Federale De Lausanne - Associated partner)
EMPA (Eidgenossische Materialprufungs und Forschungsanstalt - Associated partner)
Imperial (Imperial College of Science Technolgy and Medicine - Associated partner)
QUB (The Queen's University of Belfast - Associated partner)
UKRI (United Kingdom Research and Innovation - Associated partner)
ULIV (The University of Liverpool - Associated partner)
USTRATH University of Strathclyde - Associated partner)
UOXF (The Chancellor, Masters and Scholars of the University of Oxford - Associated partner)
ELI ERIC (Extreme Light Infrastructure European Research Infrastructure Consortium)
PSI (Paul Scherrer Institute)
GSI (GSI Helmholtzzentrum Fur Schwerionenforschung GMBH)
HHU (Heinrich-Heine Universitaet Duesseldorf)
AMPLITUDE (Amplitude)

Project website: https://www.eupraxia-pp.org/

This project has received funding from the European Union´s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 101079773.

EuPRAXIA – DN - EuPRAXIA Doctoral Network

EuPRAXIA is the first European project that develops a dedicated particle accelerator research infrastructure based on novel plasma acceleration concepts and laser technology. It focuses on the development of electron accelerators and underlying technologies, their user communities, and the exploitation of existing accelerator infrastructures in Europe. It was accepted onto the ESFRI roadmap for strategically important research infrastructures in June 2021 as a European priority. To fully exploit the potential of this breakthrough facility, advances are urgently required in plasma and laser R&D, studies into facility design and optimization, along a coordinated push for novel applications. EuPRAXIA-DN is a new MSCA Doctoral Network for a cohort of 10 Fellows between universities, research centers and industry that will carry out an interdisciplinary and cross-sector plasma accelerator research and training program for this new research infrastructure. The network focuses on scientific and technical innovations and on boosting the career prospects of its Fellows.

Project number: 101073480

Start date: 2023.01.01.
End date: 2027.07.31.

Funding programme: HORIZON EUROPE
Total budget: 2,530,360.80 EUR

Project partners:
Coo – INFN (Istituto Nazionale Di Fisica Nucleare)
CNR-INO (Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche)
IST (Instruto Superior Tecnico)
I-TECH (Instrumentation Technologies, Elektronska Instrumentacija in Produkti za Procesiranje Signalov Doo)
UP (Pécsi Tudományegyetem - University of Pécs)
IP-ASCR (Fyzikalni Ustav AV CR V.V.I) - Project exit date: 2022.12.31.
ULUND (Lunds Universitet)
CIVIDEC (Cividec Instrumentation GMBH)
DBEAM (D-Beam Ltd. - Associated partner)
Wigner RCP (Wigner Fizikai Kutatóközpont - Associated partner)
UROME (Universita Degli Studi Di Roma La Sapienza - Associated partner)
C-DIGI (Carbon Digital Ltd. - Associated partner)
HOLDS (Holdsworth Associates - Associated partner)
FISTRAL (Fistral Training and Consultancy Ltd. - Associated partner)
HYPATIA (Consorzio Di Riserca Hypatia - Associated partner)
RAL (United Kingdom Research and Innovation - Associated partner)
UPISA (Universita Di Pisa - Associated partner)
FOTON SRO (Foton SRO - Associated partner)
ELI-NP (Institutul National DE Cercetaredezvoltare Pentru Fizica Si Inginerie Nucleara-Horia Hulubei - Associated partner)
RACAH (The Hebrew University of Jerusalem - Associated partner)
ULIV (The University of Liverpool - Associated partner)
CVUT (Ceske Vysoke Uceni Technicke V Praze - Associated partner)
TUWien (Technische Universitaet Wien - Associated partner)
ELI ERIC (Extreme Light Infrastructure European Research Infrastructure Consortium)

Project website: https://www.eupraxia-dn.org/

This project has received funding from the European Union´s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement no. 101073480 and the UKRI guarantee funds.

Probono - PROton BOron Nuclear fusion: from energy production to medical applicatiOns

Recent experiments with high-intensity lasers have shown record production of alpha particles by irradiating boron-hydrogen targets. This opens the way to completely new studies on pB fusion with multiple goals: i) studies related to nuclear fusion. The proton-boron fusion reaction produces 3 a-particles and releases a large energy. It is considered an interesting alternative to deuterium-tritium fusion because it produces no neutrons, therefore no activation and radioactive wastes. However, it is also considered too difficult due to the enormous temperatures needed to trigger it. Laser-driven experiments may offer an interesting nonthermal fusion approach, alternative to classical inertial fusion schemes. In addition, it will be possible to address still unanswered key questions like determining the penetration of a-particles in dense plasmas. ii) generation of novel laser-driven a-particle sources. Currently there are no high-current and compact aparticle sources (they are typically produced from radioactive materials or from accelerating He-ions in large-size cyclotrons). Laser-driven a-particle sources are promising due to the high brightness implied by the small size of the laser-plasma interaction point and the short particle bunch duration. Such sources could be used for multidisciplinary applications, including medical ones (e.g. radioisotope production for cancer therapy or PET). The Action's work will aim at understanding the physics involved in the emerging topic of laser-driven pB fusion, facilitating access to experimental infrastructures, maximizing production of new knowledge and achieving breakthrough discoveries, boosting career of young researchers by fostering opportunities for training, and finally interconnecting researchers across countries building a well-organized community focused on pB research.

Project number: CA21128

Start date: 2022.10.24.
End date: 2026.10.30.

Funding programme: COST - The European Cooperation in Science and Technology
Total budget: 124,993.50 EUR

Grant Holder: ELI ERIC (Extreme Light Infrastructure European Research Infrastructure Consortium)

Project website: https://www.ca-probono.eu/

COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) is a funding agency for research and innovation networks. Our Actions help connect research initiatives across Europe and enable scientists to grow their ideas by sharing them with their peers. This boosts their research, career and innovation.

ERIC Forum 2 - Second implementation project for the ERIC Forum

The ERICs (European Research Infrastructure Consortia) represent one of the leading science policy voices in Europe and play a key role in structuring the research infrastructure landscape. Following the successful set-up and implementation of the ERIC Forum, further efforts are needed to consolidate its achievements and expand the coordination and monitoring of the ERICs. The ERIC Forum 2 project aims to structure the cooperation between ERICs, support the implementation of the ERIC Regulation and ERICs services, and to consolidate the integration of the ERICs in the European Research Area by deepening the ERIC Forum’s contribution to research policies. To reach its objectives, the project relies on a multi-disciplinary consortium involving all identified ERICs, both multi- and single-sited, and representing the five science clusters of the ERICs. The project is structured in four thematic pillars: 1) Monitoring and Reporting, 2) Reinforcing European research infrastructure policy and international cooperation; 3) Implementing the ERIC Regulation, strengthening capacities and identifying possible shared services; 4) Coordinating the project, Executive Board secretariat and communication. The activities carried out within the project will ensure the implementation of specific results on three key target groups: the ERICs and ERICs-to-be, in order to increase their knowledge and propose solutions for key aspects of the implementation of the ERIC Regulation; the policy-makers and stakeholders by setting-up and managing the new ERIC Forum monitoring and reporting platform, thus ensuring an easy access to updated and consolidated data and information about the ERICs; the users, as the project will investigate the sustainability and open access of its services, as well as address the challenges related to the commercial aspects of service provision.

Project number: 101124559

Start date: 2023.09.01.
End date: 2027.08.31.

Funding programme: HORIZON EUROPE
Total budget: 2,999,463.88 EUR

Project partners:
Coo - BBMRI (Biobanks and Biomolecular Resources Research Infrastructure
Consortium)
ANAEE (Analysis and Experimentation on Ecosystems ERIC)
CERIC (Central European Research Infrastructure Consortium ERIC)
CESSDA (Consortium of European Social Science Data Archives ERIC)
CLARIN (Common Language Resources and Technology Infrastructure ERIC)
DARIAH (Digital Research Infrastructure for the Arts and Humanities)
EATRIS (European Infrastructure for Translational Medicine ERIC)
ECCSEL (European Research Infrastructure for CCUS technologies ERIC)
ECRIN (European Clinical Research Infrastructure Network ERIC)
ELI ERIC (Extreme Light Infrastructure European Research Infrastructure Consortium)
EMBRC (European Marine Biological Resource Centre ERIC)
EMSO (European Multidisciplinary Seafloor and Water Column Observatory - ERIC)
EPOS (European Plate Observing System - ERIC)
ESS (Social European Social Survey ERIC)
CITY (City University of (Affiliated entity)
EU-OPENSCREEN (European Infrastructure of Open Screening Platforms for Chemical Biology ERIC)
EURO-ARGO (EURO-ARGO ERIC)

The ERIC Forum 2 project has received funding from the HORIZON EUROPE framework program for research and innovation under grant agreement n. 101124559.

FlexRICAN - Flexibility in RIs for global CArbon Neutrality

The FlexRICAN project brings together three landmark ESFRI infrastructures that have, or will have, when in operation different usages of energy: the European Spallation Source ERIC (ESS) in Sweden, the Extreme Light Infrastructure ERIC (ELI), with two running facilities (Czech Republic and Hungary) and the European Magnetic Field Laboratory AISBL (EMFL), with facilities in Grenoble and Nijmegen for DC fields and Dresden and Toulouse for pulsed fields (CNRS, RU, HZDR). The RI’s and partners involved in FLexRICAN will unite their strength to optimize their ongoing (and/or future) energy projects. They will demonstrate that the RIs, as electrointensive actors, are at the good scale to develop a global energetic approach delivering services to the European electrical Grid through optimized energy flexibility and to local heating networks by developing Waste Heat Recovery projects. develop renewable energy capacity production and manage these developments in an integrated way thanks to energy oriented modelization integrating RIs user communities and the new stakeholders. Through the development of a multi-energy approach integrating academic knowledge and two key actors of the energy sector (Alfa Laval and Energy Pool), FlexRICAN will propose new technologies and solutions to increase resource use efficiency and reduce environmental impacts of European Research Infrastructures (RIs). The project will focus on assessing and validating the implementation of new solutions and technologies at the three ESFRI infrastructures involved. Prototypes and solutions will be developed and tested to identify solutions at the real scale of the infrastructures. It will contribute to quantify energy services and carbon print gain the RIs can performed throughout their full life cycle in order to increase the long-term sustainability of European Research Infrastructures and to contribute to the resilience of the energetical European system.

Project number: 1011315116

Start date: 2024.03.01.
End date: 2027.02.26.

Funding programme: HORIZON EUROPE
Total budget: 4,991,962.50 EUR

Project partners:
Coo – ESS (European Spallation Source ERIC)
ELI ERIC (Extreme Light Infrastructure European Research Infrastructure Consortium)
CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)
HZDR (Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf Ev)
EMFL (European Magnetic Field Laboratory)
RU (Radboud University)
AL (Alfa Laval)
EP (EnergyPool)

Project website: https://flexrican.eu/

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. The European Union cannot be held responsible for them.

Lasers4EU - EUROPEAN LASER RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES SERVING SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY

Lasers4EU is incorporating the major laser research infrastructures, in a large number of European member states, into a comprehensive virtual distributed laser research infrastructure that is offering to a broad user community, from academia and industry, access to an exceptional portfolio of technical and scientific capabilities. This unique set of instruments together with the specific scientific expertise at the host facilities allows Lasers4EU users to carry out high-level research in an extremely wide range of high-impact topics in life sciences, materials nano-processing, etc. Laser technology has experienced remarkable advances and breakthroughs and is now a key innovation driver for highly diversified societal applications and products, thereby substantially contributing to economic growth and to solving challenges in the areas of health, environment and energy. Through its strategic approach, Lasers4EU aims to strengthen Europe’s leading position and competitiveness. It facilitates long-term coordination of the laser research activities within the European Research Area and provides concerted and efficient services to scientific, industrial and medical researchers. The main objectives of Lasers4EU are to: • provide coordinated access to high-quality services based on a coherent and comprehensive consortium of 27 leading European laser installations offering to users from academia as well as from industry cutting-edge performances at the forefront of the laser technologies, • structure the European landscape of laser Research Infrastructure through enhanced access, extended geographical coverage, novel science diplomacy activities, improved synergies with other European networks and projects, • increase European human resources in the field of laser science by implementing training activities towards researchers from new domains of science and technology and from geographical regions where laser communities are still less developed.

Project number: 101131771

Start date: 2024.10.01.
End date: 2028.09.30.

Funding programme: HORIZON EUROPE
Total budget: 5,000,000.00 EUR

Project partners:
Coo - FVB-MBI (Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V.)
CEA (Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives)
CLPU (Consorcio para el diseno, construccion, equipamiento y explotacion del Centro de Laseres Pulsados ultracortos Ultraintensos)
CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)
UbX (Université de Bordeaux)
EP (Ecole Polytechnique)
AMU (Université d’Aix Marseille)
ENSTA (Ecole Nationale Superieure de Techniques Avancées)
DESY (Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron)
ELETTRA (Elettra Sincrotone Trieste S.C.p.A.)
EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)
FORTH (Idryma Technologias Kai Erevnas)
LLE-AISBL (Laserlab-Europe AISBL)
IPHT (LEIBNIZ-INSTITUT FUER PHOTONISCHE TECHNOLOGIEN E.V. (Affiliated Entity)): Project entry date: 2025.05.01.
FZU (Fyzikalni Uustav AV CR v.v.i.)
GSI (GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH)
HZDR (Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V.)
ICFO (Fundacio Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques)
INFLPR (Institutul National de cercetare dezvoltare pentru Fizica Laserilor Plasmei si Radiatiei)
IPP (Ústav fyziky plazmatu AV ČR, v. v. i.)
LENS (Laboratorio Europeo di Spettroscopie non Lineari)
LU (Lunds Universitet)
POLIMI (Politecnico di Milano)
RU (Stichting Radboud Universiteit)
UC (Universidade de Coimbra)
UKRI (United Kingdom Research and Innovation)
VUA (Stichting VU)
VULRC (Vilniaus Universitetas)
WAT (Wojskowa Akademia Techniczna im. Jaroslawa Dabrowskiego)
ELI ERIC (Extreme Light Infrastructure European Research Infrastructure Consortium)

Project website: https://lasers4.eu/

LaserFusion - Innovative Education & Training in Laser Inertial Fusion Energy

LaserFusion aims to trigger the last year Bachelor, Master and PhD students, to enhance their studies and skills for employability in the scientific area of Laser Inertial Fusion Energy (IFE). The educational & training methods developed from all the international parters will focus on three scientific domains: i) Physics and technology of IFE including diagnostics, ii) Laser and laser-plasma sources technology developments iii) Computational simulations of IFE including materials.

Each year one/two five-day educational visits and one ten-day intensive programme will be implemented in the partner organisations for each scientific domain The great expertise of the scientific personnel and the state-of-the-art research infrastructures of the partners will provide the attendants intensive theoretical education and hands-on training in experiments and simulations. At the end a multiplier event will inform the public for the results.

More than 60 students and teachers will participate.The educational material will be developed to a complete functional module (e-books), that will be included in the relevant curricula of the participating organisations. The advanced digital educational material will be uploaded to e-platforms of the partners and the project's official site, providing access to universities and companies related to laser IFE. The learning outcomes will stimulate innovative learning and teaching practices.

Project number: 2024-1-EL01-KA220-HED-000249775

Start date: 2024.09.08.
End date: 2027.09.07.

Funding programme: ERASMUS +
Total budget: 400,000.00 EUR

Project partners:

Coo - ELLINIKO MESOGEIAKO PANEPISTIMIO

UNIVERSITE DE BORDEAUX

UNIVERSIDAD POLITECNICA DE MADRID

UNIVERSITY OF YORK

FRIEDRICHSCHILLERUNIVERSITAT JENA

CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE

THE EXTREME LIGHT INFRASTRUCTURE ERIC

INSTITUT POLYTECHNIQUE DE PARIS

Project website: https://laserfusion.hmu.gr/

Funded by the European Union. However, the views and opinions expressed express only the views of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the European Union or the State Scholarships Foundation (IKY). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

EPACE - EuroPean compact ACcelerators, their applications, and Entrepreneurship

New technologies of compact accelerators and x-ray sources (plasma accelerators, laser-based x-ray generation) are on the verge of reaching maturity in this decade, making it a perfect time to steer them towards a broader scope of applications in academia, medicine and the industry. With the Marie Skłodowska Curie Action Doctoral Network EPACE (EuroPean compact ACcelerators, their applications, and Entrepreneurship), we develop a culture of excellence and entrepreneurship to support early-career researches to uncover opportunities and push them towards important societal impact, in line with the EU missions. Emphasis is put on applications in industry (muon tomography), medicine (VHEE radiotherapy), and impactful innovation. Coordinated by DESY, EPACE gathers 10 industrial and academic partners in Europe, to provide 15 PhD students with great scientific expertise, a thorough awareness of EU values and a drive towards entrepreneurship.

Project number: 101169117

Start date: 2025.01.01.
End date: 2028.12.31.

Funding programme: HORIZON EUROPE
Total budget: 3,970,022.40 EUR

Project partners:

Coo - DESY (DEUTSCHES ELEKTRONEN-SYNCHROTRON DESY)

CEA (COMMISSARIAT A L ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES)

FORTH (IDRYMA TECHNOLOGIAS KAI EREVNAS)

FTMC (VALSTYBINIS MOKSLINIU TYRIMU INSTITUTAS FIZINIU IR TECHNOLOGIJOS MOKSLU CENTRAS)

LMU (LUDWIG-MAXIMILIANS-UNIVERSITAET MUENCHEN)

CNRS (CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS)

TU/e (TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT EINDHOVEN)

UHAM (UNIVERSITAET HAMBURG)

ULUND (LUNDS UNIVERSITET)

Gscan (GSCAN OU)

ARM (ARM LIMITED), Associated partner

AS (Gitte Wichmann-Hansen), Associated partner

ASML (ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.), Associated partner

CERN (ORGANISATION EUROPEENNE POUR LA RECHERCHE NUCLEAIRE), Associated partner

ELI ALPS (ELI-HU KUTATASI ES FEJLESZTESI NONPROFIT KOZHASZNU KORLATOLT FELELOSSEGU TARSASAG), Associated partner

EV (EVIDEN FRANCE), Associated partner

FZJ (FORSCHUNGSZENTRUM JULICH GMBH), Associated partner

HEC (ETABLISSEMENT D'ENSEIGNEMENT SUPERIEUR CONSULAIRE HAUTES ETUDES COMMERCIALES DE PARIS), Associated partner

JCU (JAMES COOK UNIVERSITY), Associated partner

KU (V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University), Associated partner

LBNL (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory - BELLA Center), Associated partner

LO (Living Optics Limited), Associated partner

QUB (THE QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY OF BELFAST), Associated partner

TG (THALES LAS FRANCE SAS), Associated partner

TLS (TRUMPF SCIENTIFIC LASERS GMBH + COKG), Associated partner

ULO (PANEPISTIMIO IOANNINON), Associated partner

Uli (THE UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL), Associated partner

Uox( THE CHANCELLOR, MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD), Associated partner

IPP (INSTITUT POLYTECHNIQUE DE PARIS), Associated partner

UCr (PANEPISTIMIO KRITIS), Associated partner

UTa (TARTU ULIKOOL), Associated partner

Ubonn (RHEINISCHE FRIEDRICH-WILHELMS-UNIVERSITAT BONN), Associated partner

Project website: https://www.epace.eu/

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions under the EPACE programme (Grant Agreement No. 101169117).

QU-ATTO - Quantum information science and Ultrafast nonlinear coherent control at the ATTOsecond timescale

Understanding the interaction between electromagnetic radiation and matter is crucial for unraveling the internal structure and processes of materials. Electromagnetic waves exhibit both wave-like and particle-like behavior, with the quantized nature of light becoming apparent in the realm of quantum technologies. The QU-ATTO network aims to merge the fields of quantum optics and quantum information science with attosecond physics. This involves focusing on experimental campaigns to highlight quantum aspects in the interaction of intense laser fields with matter and advancing theoretical descriptions for a comprehensive understanding of the quantum state of light associated with intense laser fields.

Traditionally, attosecond pulses have been generated using table-top femtosecond lasers. However, recent experiments performed at free-electron lasers (FELs) have demonstrated the production of isolated attosecond pulses and precise control of attosecond waveforms for pulse trains, leading to remarkable advancements in attosecond science. The network also aims to leverage recent advances in seeded FELs and high-intensity high-harmonic generation (HHG)-based attosecond sources to demonstrate the coherent control of electronic dynamics in systems of increasing complexity.

The QU-ATTO network represents a comprehensive effort to advance the understanding and control of the interaction between electromagnetic radiation and matter, with a specific focus on merging quantum optics, quantum information science, attosecond physics, and free-electron laser science. The doctoral candidates (DCs) in the network will receive multifaceted scientific training encompassing experimental and theoretical aspects of quantum information science, strong-field physics, and soft X-ray and X-ray science, as well as extensive training in transferable skills and self-management techniques.

Project number: 101168628

Start date: 2024.09.01.
End date: 2028.08.31.

Funding programme: HORIZON EUROPE
Total budget: 3,970,022.40 EUR

Project partners:

Coo - ALU-FR (ALBERT-LUDWIGS-UNIVERSITAET FREIBURG DE)

LUND (LUNDS UNIVERSITET Sweden)

ICFO (FUNDACIO INSTITUT DE CIENCIES FOTONIQUES ES)

CEA (COMMISSARIAT A L ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIESFR)

UAM (UNIVERSIDAD AUTONOMA DE MADRID ES)

AMPL (AMPLITUDE FR)

FORTH (IDRYMA TECHNOLOGIAS KAI EREVNAS EL)

SPH (SPHERE ULTRAFAST PHOTONICS SA PT)

FVB-MBI (FORSCHUNGSVERBUND BERLIN EV DE)

FERMI (ELETTRA - SINCROTRONE TRIESTE SCPA IT)

MNST (FONDAZIONE MUSEO NAZIONALE DELLA SCIENZA E DELLIT), Associated partner

EYEST (EXCITE YOUTH FOR ENGINEERING, SCIENCE AND TECHNO BE), Associated partner

EKSPLA (EKSPLA UAB LT), Associated partner

CLASS5 (CLASS 5 PHOTONICS GMBH DE), Associated partner

FLASH (DEUTSCHES ELEKTRONEN-SYNCHROTRON DESY DE), Associated partner

ELI ALPS (ELI-HU KUTATASI ES FEJLESZTESI NONPROFIT KOZHASZN HU), Associated partner

USAL (UNIVERSIDAD DE SALAMANCA ES), Associated partner

FUB (FREIE UNIVERSITAET BERLIN DE), Associated partner

UPSACLAY (UNIVERSITE PARIS-SACLAY FR), Associated partner

UBER (HUMBOLDT-UNIVERSITAET ZU BERLIN DE), Associated partner

UPC (UNIVERSITAT POLITECNICA DE CATALUNYA)

UNITS (UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI TRIESTE)

UC (PANEPISTIMIO KRITIS EL), Associated partner

Project website: https://quatto.eu/

QU-ATTO has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 101168628.

LASER-PRO - Excellent Laser Technologies for the Sustainable Prosperity of Europe

Central Bohemian Region (Czech Republic) and Lithuania represent European regions, where researchers in the photonics, resp. Laser technologies sectors are internationally recognised, and the business has a high added value. The interaction between science and business is intense and promotes development, so there is great potential to create new companies. There are opportunities to create a new generation of industry based on laser technologies, and there is an increasing potential to create more integrated solutions. The inclusion of laser technologies in the priorities of smart specialization of both regions shows that this sector has a huge potential for further development and improvement. On the other hand, the main challenge in this area is the creation of the photonics and laser technology sector, where operating companies would produce products with higher added value and exceptional functionality. Thus, the Excellence Hubs initiative represents a unique opportunity for a teaming up of two laser-based innovation ecosystems creating a real-place-based innovation culture in the Czech Republic and Lithuania. Through activities such as the creation of a joint R&I strategy, the realization of joint research projects, setting up action and investment plans as well as mutual learning and skills development, the linkages between academia, business, government, and society will be strengthened, and sustainable R&I ecosystem in the cutting-edge domain of lasers and their applications will be created. Excellence Hub LASER-PRO is centered around key academic institutions HiLASE Laser Centre in the Central Bohemian Region and the Centre for Physical Sciences and Technology in Lithuania. Complementary stakeholders include innovation centers, research clusters, and industry associations. Ukrainian partners are also involved through a mentoring scheme to enhance collaboration and innovation opportunities.

Project number: 101186838

Start date: 2025.01.01.
End date: 2028.12.31.

Funding programme: HORIZON EUROPE
Total budget: 5,999,987.50 EUR

Project partners:

Coo – HiLASE (FYZIKALNI USTAV AV CR V.V.I)

FTMC (VALSTYBINIS MOKSLINIU TYRIMU INSTITUTAS FIZINIU IR TECHNOLOGIJOS MOKSLU CENTRAS )

SIC (STREDOCESKE INOVACNI CENTRUM SPOLEK)

COC (CESKY OPTICKY KLASTR, ZS)

CARDAM (CARDAM SRO)

STAR (STAR RESEARCH AND INNOVATION CLUSTER ZU)

AMI (AMIRES SRO)

LIC (VIESOJI ISTAIGA LIETUVOS INOVACIJU CENTRAS)

IA (VIESOJI ISTAIGA INOVACIJU AGENTURA)

LLA (LIETUVOS LAZERIU ASOCIACIJA)

AKO (AKONEER, UAB)

LJA (LIETUVOS JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT)

NOVINANO (NOVINANO LAB)

LPNU (LVIV POLYTECHNIC NATIONAL UNIVERSITY)

SP-LPNU (LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY SCIENTIFIC PARK OF LVIV POLYTECHNIC NATIONAL UNIVERSITY)

UJA (NGO JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT UKRAINE)

ELI ERIC (EXTREME LIGHT INFRASTRUCTURE ERIC), Associated partner

CZJA (JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT, OPS), Associated partner

Project website: https://www.laserpro-eh.eu/

PACRI - Plasma Accelerator systems for Compact Research Infrastructures

Plasma accelerators driven by advanced laser sources and/or compact electron linacs are key components for the next generation of green and sustainable research infrastructures. We propose a project on the development of "Plasma Accelerator systems for Compact Research Infrastructures" (PACRI), which will develop highly important and ground-breaking plasma accelerator technologies for Europe's future research infrastructures (RI).

The specific objectives of PACRI are:
- The development of high repetition rate plasma modules, as required for the EuPRAXIA ESFRI project, capable of extending its scientific scope from high average brightness radiation sources to high energy physics.
- Improving the performance of normal conducting accelerator technology for X-band linacs, paving the way for high repetition rate operation (up to kHz) with a focus on efficiency and power consumption.
- The development of key laser components required to scale up high power, high repetition rate laser technology as required by the EuPRAXIA and ELI ESFRI research infrastructures.

The achievement of the PACRI objectives will enable the production of unique particle and photon beams with a wide range of applications in ultrafast science, high precision medical imaging, materials diagnostics, medical treatment and, in the longer term, the development of future compact colliders. These developments will be used for future resource-efficient upgrades of existing RIs at INFN, Elettra, CERN, CNR, CNRS, DESY, ELI, GSI/FAIR and UKRI.

In addition, PACRI will support the implementation of ESFRI's EuPRAXIA distributed research facility by consolidating its sites and centres of excellence being developed under the ongoing EuPRAXIA_PP project. It will fund the development of some technical prototypes that are crucial for the implementation of the EuPRAXIA project and other European Research Infrastructures (e.g. enabling major upgrades to the ELI-Beamlines facility).

Project number: 101188004

Start date: 2025.03.01.
End date: 2029.02.28.

Funding programme: HORIZON EUROPE
Total budget: 9,999,255.00 EUR

Project partners:
Coo – ELETTRA (Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste SCPA)
CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Reseach)
INFN (Istituto Nazional Di Fisica Nucleare)
ULIV (The University of Liverpool)
THALES (Thales Las France SAS)
Scandinova (Scandinova Systems AB)
VDL ETG (VDL ETG Precision)
COMEB (CO.ME.B. S.R.L.)
UKRI (United Kingdom Research and Innovation)
CNR (Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche)
ELI ERIC (Extreme Light Infratstructure ERIC)
CNRS (Centre National De La Recherche Scientifique CNRS)
THALES LAS (Thales Las France SAS)
Amplitude (AMPLITUDE)
CLPU (Consorcio Para El Diseno, Construccion, Equipamiento y Explotacion Del Centro De Laseres Pulsados Ultracortos Ultraintensos)
FBH (Ferdinand-Braun-Institut GGMBH Leibniz-Institut Fur Hochstfrequenztechnik)
IST (IST-ID ASSOCIACAO Associacao Do Instituto Superior Tecnico Para A Investigacao E O Desenvolvimento)
UROM (Universita Degli Studi Di Roma La Sapienza)
UDUS (Heinrich-Heine-Universitaet Duesseldorf)
DESY (Deutsches Elektronensynchrotron)
UOXF (The Chancellor, Masters and Scholars of the University of Oxford)
LMU Munchen (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen)
GSI (GSI Helmholtzzentrum Fur Schwerionenforschung GMBH)
UTOV (Universita Degli Studi Di Roma Tor Vergata)
SourceLAB (SourceLAB)
PSI (Paul Scherrer Institut), Associated partner

Project website: https://www.pacri.eu/

HIPER+RF - Conceptual design for a European High Power Laser Fusion Research Facility

The HiPER+RF project proposes the conceptual design of a next-generation European laser fusion research facility for Direct Drive (DD) inertial confinement fusion (ICF). While Europe leads in magnetic confinement fusion, it lacks a civilian-accessible laser-driven program, leaving a strategic gap with the US and China.

Recent ignition breakthroughs at the US National Ignition Facility (NIF) confirm the credibility of ICF and highlight the urgency for Europe to invest in DD as a complementary path to Inertial Fusion Energy (IFE). The facility will be designed to achieve ignition, scale to high gain (Q ≥ 100), and operate at Hz repetition rates under reactor-relevant conditions. It will integrate diode-pumped solid-state lasers, scalable target fabrication and injection, radiation-hardened diagnostics, and materials capable of withstanding extreme thermal and neutron loads.

The project builds on the HiPER project (2008–2013), Enabling Research on DD and shock ignition (2017–2025), the HiPER+ Roadmap (HPLSE, 2023), and the LaserFusion Erasmus+ project (2024–present). It will unite European civilian IFE community and foster collaboration with industrial partners and start-ups (Thales, Amplitude, Marvel, GenF, Focused Energy, …) and with leading European laser facilities (LULI, PHELIX, PALS, ELI, XFEL). It will address bottlenecks in hydrodynamic stability, laser–plasma interaction, target physics, diagnostics, and materials through advanced simulations and tailored experiments, supplemented by large-scale campaigns at NIF, Omega, and LMJ when required. Seven coordinated work packages cover implosion design, experimental validation, efficient laser drivers, targets and materials, diagnostics, system integration, and community building. The expected output is one general conceptual design, including validated DD target designs, a roadmap for high-repetition lasers with >10% wall-plug efficiency, conceptual designs for reliable target production and reactor-scale diagnostics, and a complete facility layout with safety and licensing specifications.

Beyond technical progress, HiPER+RF will reinforce the European IFE ecosystem through workshops, schools, and industry–academia forums, while preparing long-term EU and national support for ESFRI integration. It will also train the next generation of fusion scientists and engineers. The project offers both a pathway to ignition and high-gain DD fusion and a strategic investment in Europe’s energy autonomy, technological leadership, and the green transition.

Climate change and geopolitical tensions make the development of secure, climate-neutral, and affordable energy sources a global priority. Nuclear fusion has long been recognized as a transformative solution. Recent progress at the US National Ignition Facility (NIF), which has repeatedly demonstrated energy (Q > 1, now exceeding 4 with a roadmap toward 10) [1], has renewed worldwide interest in inertial fusion energy (IFE) [2,3]. For the first time, laser-driven inertial confinement fusion (ICF) has provided proof that ignition and net energy gain are possible.

Europe, however, risks losing competitiveness in this strategic field, where the USA and China are investing heavily. To remain competitive, Europe must strengthen its research base and establish a dedicated IFE facility. Without decisive action, Europe could miss the opportunity to lead in this rapidly evolving, highvalue domain. ost large infrastructures (NIF in the US, LMJ in France) rely on the “indirect drive” (ID) scheme, initially developed for stockpile stewardship. While effective for ignition, ID is inefficient for power generation and restricts academic access. By contrast, the “direct drive” (DD) approach irradiates the fuel capsule directly, increasing efficiency by up to a factor of five and avoiding defense-related constraints. DD is therefore the most promising route to civilian electricity generation from laser fusion.

The HiPER+RF project unites the European civilian IFE community, building on the legacy of HiPER (2008–2013), subsequent Enabling Research programs on IFE and direct-drive (2017–2025), and the 2023 HiPER+ Roadmap [4]. It addresses the scientific, technical, and infrastructural bottlenecks to a DD-based ignition facility, engaging leading European institutions and providing an open, civilian-access platform for research and industry. Partnerships will be strengthened with European world-leading laser companies (Thales, Amplitude, Trumpf, …), IFE start-ups (Marvel, GenF, Focused Energy, …), and with colleagues in the US, UK, Japan, and China.

HiPER+RF will establish the foundation for a world-leading European IFE program with large societal impact [5,6,7]. It will drive cutting-edge high-energy-density physics, train the next generation of scientists, and promote industrial innovation in advanced materials, aerospace, and beyond. Most importantly, it will address the critical bottlenecks of IFE and prepare Europe to pioneer clean, secure, large-scale fusion energy production. Moving toward DD opens new opportunities for high energy gain, but also new challenges [8]. These include:

STC1 – achieving ignition in DD at high repetition rates
STC2 – improving efficiency and energy recovery
STC3 – developing reactor-relevant technologies such as robust lasers, advanced targets, new materials, and diagnostics for extreme environments.

Meeting these challenges requires a dedicated research infrastructure, with long-term continuity and critical mass, open to both academia and industry. In parallel, the project will reinforce the European IFE community and conduct tailored experiments on major facilities (ELI, Phelix, LULI, PALS, …) to refine target designs. Strong collaboration is foreseen with the three ELI pillars (which recently launched a programmatic call in IFE), the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, and the European XFEL. Ultimately, full-scale experiments will be pursued at NIF and Omega in the US and at LMJ in France. Synergies will also be explored with the magnetic confinement fusion community, particularly in materials research, tritium breeding, and diagnostics, as well as in regulatory frameworks, public awareness and partnership with industry

Start date: 2026.01.01.
End date: 2027.12.31.

Funding programme: EUROfusion / EURATOM Programme
Total budget: 2,360,000.00 EUR

Project partners:

Coo - CEA
CTU Prague
FZU-PALS / Extreme Light Infrastructure ERIC
CELIA
LULI
Univ Marseille
GSI
KIT
HMU
ELI ALPS
EK-CER
UNIMB
ENEA
INFN LNS
INO CNR
POLIMI
IPPLM
IST-ID
ELI-NP
INFLPR
ETSIAE-UPM
INF-UPM
UNED
CLPU
Univ GCanaria
Univ CastillaLM
Univ C3M
Univ Valladolid
NSC KIPT
Comenius Univ

This work has been carried out within the framework of the EUROfusion Consortium, funded by the European Union via the Euratom Research and Training Programme (Grant Agreement No. 101052200 — EUROfusion). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be held responsible for them.

EuPRAXIA_EIP - EuPRAXIA Early Implementation Phase Project

EuPRAXIA is a distributed, compact, and cutting-edge accelerator facility based on plasma technology, and it was included in the 2021 update of the ESFRI Roadmap. In its initial phase, the consortium—comprising European research institutes and industrial partners —will construct an electron-beam-driven plasma accelerator in the metropolitan area of Rome, hosted by INFN at Frascati National Laboratories. This initiative will bring technological innovation, opportunities for spin-off companies, advanced scientific applications, and a dynamic international user community to central Italy. Recently, the EuPRAXIA Collaboration Board selected ELI-ERIC as the host institution for the second pillar of the facility, namely the Laser-Driven Pillar, which will complement and reinforce the distributed research infrastructure model. The Early Implementation Phase will build upon the achievements of the Preparatory Phase Project, with a focus on organizational development. Its primary objective is to lay the foundation for establishing a new legal entity. Furthermore, it will define a comprehensive business and financial plan, as well as refine the governance structure of the facility. Additional areas to be addressed include data management, collaboration with industry, and the further development and implementation of the outreach and dissemination strategy initiated during the Preparatory Phase. EuPRAXIA will serve users in ultra-fast science, e.g. on high-resolution medical imaging, deeply penetrating positron annihilation spectroscopy for materials and with Europe’s most southern free-electron laser (FEL). It will offer fascinating capabilities for research on biomolecules, viruses and microscopic processes. EuPRAXIA will thus be a transformative step in the development of ultra-compact accelerators and applications.

Project number: 101286681

Start date: 2026.10.01.
End date: 2030.09.30.

Funding programme: HORIZON EUROPE
Total budget: 1,496,376.91 EUR

Project partners:

Coo - INFN (ISTITUTO NAZIONALE DI FISICA NUCLEARE)

X-officio (X-officio Research AB)

ELI ERIC (EXTREME LIGHT INFRASTRUCTURE ERIC)

IST ID (IST-ID ASSOCIACAO DO INSTITUTO SUPERIOR TECNICO PARA A INVESTIGACAO E O DESENVOLVIMENTO)

CNR (CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE)

THE UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL (THE UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL)

UKRI (UNITED KINGDOM RESEARCH AND INNOVATION)

CLPU (CONSORCIO PARA EL DISENO, CONSTRUCCION, EQUIPAMIENTO Y EXPLOTACION DEL CENTRO DE LASERES PULSADOS ULTRACORTOS ULTRAIN)

CNRS (CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS)

UNITOV (UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI ROMA TOR VERGATA)

ELETTRA (ELETTRA - SINCROTRONE TRIESTE SCPA)

DESY (DEUTSCHES ELEKTRONEN-SYNCHROTRON DESY)

PSI (PAUL SCHERRER INSTITUT)

GSI (GSI HELMHOLTZZENTRUM FUR SCHWERIONENFORSCHUNG GMBH)

UNIROMA1 (UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI ROMA LA SAPIENZA)

CEA (COMMISSARIAT A L ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES)

THALES LAS FRANCE SAS (THALES LAS FRANCE SAS)

HUN-REN Wigner Fizikai Kutatokozpont (HUN-REN Wigner)

Amplitude (AMPLITUDE), Associated partner

IASA (INSTITUTE OF ACCELERATING SYSTEMS AND APPLICATION), Associated partner

Access2Access - ACCESS2ACCESS towards the next generation of European transnational access

ACCESS2ACCESS lays the foundations for a future European access framework enabling world-class research through open, integrated and sustainable use of Research Infrastructures (RIs). It unites leading RIs across domains to address a core need: making access discoverable, inclusive, fair, efficient, scalable and adaptable, while aligning with ERA priorities, the European Charter for Access to RIs and the next MFF/FP10. The project directly supports the European Strategy on Research and Technology Infrastructures (2025), which calls for integrated “one-stop” access, AI-assisted navigation, simplified and sustainable funding models, and stronger EU–national coherence across infrastructures.

Researchers struggle to identify and utilise RI capabilities in Europe’s fragmented landscape due to unfamiliarity with RI terminology or structures, resulting in missed opportunities to leverage the diverse RI portfolio.

ACCESS2ACCESS builds on lessons from INFRA-IA and INFRA-SERV, best practices from operational RIs and gap analyses to: (1) build a robust evidence base by analysing national and European schemes; (2) capture stakeholder and user needs through consultations, deep dives and policy dialogues; (3) co-design governance, funding and policy models aligned with the RI Access Charter; (4) develop a conceptual AI-assisted single-entry discovery model to harmonise the user journey; (5) maximise uptake, impact and policy embedding through dissemination, stakeholder communication and exploitation planning; and (6) ensure coordination, ethics and compliance through GDPR- and AI-ethics-aligned oversight and an Advisory Board.

Combining evidence-gathering, stakeholder co-creation, policy and governance modelling, concept prototyping and a multi-layered engagement structure—Executive Team, Supporting and Consultation Network, Advisory Board—along with dissemination, clustering and early policy engagement will ensure visibility, uptake and long-term impact.

Project number: 101291041

Start date: 2026.05.01.
End date: 2027.12.31.

Funding programme: HORIZON EUROPE
Total budget: 1,392,255.50 EUR

Project partners:

Coo - EURO-BIOIMAGING ERIC

EUROPEAN SYNCHROTRON RADIATION FACILITY

EUROPEAN X-RAY FREE-ELECTRON LASERFACILITY GMBH

HELMHOLTZ-ZENTRUM DRESDEN-ROSSENDORF EV

ANALYSIS AND EXPERIMENTATION ON ECOSYSTEMS ERIC

ACTRIS ERIC

BIOBANKS AND BIOMOLECULAR RESOURCES RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE CONSORTIUM (BBMRI-ERIC)

INSTRUCT-ERIC

INSTITUT NATIONAL DE RECHERCHE POUR L'AGRICULTURE, L'ALIMENTATION ET L'ENVIRONNEMENT

ECCSEL EUROPEAN RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE CONSORTIUM

ISTITUTO NAZIONALE DI OCEANOGRAFIA E DI GEOFISICA SPERIMENTALE

CLARIN ERIC

PARTNERSHIP FOR ADVANCED COMPUTING IN EUROPE AISBL

CENTRAL EUROPEAN RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE CONSORTIUM EUROPEAN RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE CONSORTIUM

FONDATION EUROPEENNE DE LA SCIENCE

DEUTSCHES ELEKTRONEN-SYNCHROTRON DESY

INESC TEC - INSTITUTO DE ENGENHARIADE SISTEMAS E COMPUTADORES, TECNOLOGIA E CIENCIA

CESSDA ERIC, Associated partner

EATRIS ERIC, Associated partner

ECRIN EUROPEAN CLINICAL RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE NETWORK, Associated partner

INFRAFRONTIER ERIC, Associated partner

JOINT INSTITUTE FOR VERY LONG BASELINE INTERFEROMETRY AS A EUROPEAN RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE CONSORTIUM (JIV-ERIC), Associated partner

EXTREME LIGHT INFRASTRUCTURE ERIC, Associated partner

EUROPEAN MARINE BIOLOGICAL RESOURCE CENTRE EUROPEAN RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE CONSORTIUM, Associated partner

EUROPEAN SYNCHROTRON AND FREE ELECTRON LASER USER ORGANISATION, Associated partner

TILLER ALPHA GmbH, Associated partner

TEKNOLOGISK INSTITUT, Associated partner

MAX-PLANCK-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER WISSENSCHAFTEN EV, Associated partner

STICHTING EGI, Associated partner

ISTITUTO NAZIONALE DI FISICA NUCLEARE, Associated partner

HERMANN VON HELMHOLTZ-GEMEINSCHAFT DEUTSCHER FORSCHUNGSZENTREN EV, Associated partner

CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE, Associated partner

JRC -JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE- EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Associated partner

RANDEXT2030 - Accelerators and other Research Infrastructures for Radiation Effects Research

Radiation effects induced by energetic particles in electronic and photonic components and systems are a critical concern for space, avionics, high-energy physics, nuclear energy, IT infrastructure and many other mission-critical applications. RADNEXT 2030 builds on the success of the H2020 RADNEXT project (https://radnext.web.cern.ch/) to establish a sustainable, transnational, and interdisciplinary radiation testing and research infrastructure supporting both scientific excellence and industrial competitiveness in Europe. The RADNEXT 2030 consortium brings together over 40 institutions from across Europe and beyond, including research laboratories, universities, space and nuclear agencies, and industrial stakeholders. It integrates more than 30 world-class irradiation facilities, covering

heavy ions, protons, neutrons, and other beam types, along with digital tools, training resources, and best practices to support advanced radiation effects testing and qualification. RADNEXT 2030’s main objectives are to (i) coordinate and provide high-quality transnational access to radiation facilities, (ii) foster harmonization, innovation, and sustainability in radiation effects testing, (iii) support European users and SMEs through training and tailored assistance, and (iv) position Europe as a global leader in radiation effects research and qualification. RADNEXT 2030 will be crucial for CERN in two complementary ways. Firstly, it will enable access to CERN radiation effects researchers across multiple groups, departments and sectors to world-class radiation effects testing facilities. In fact, CERN has been the number one RADNEXT user, with more than 20 experiments completed. Secondly, the project will provide the necessary framework for radiation effects research access to CHARM and HEARTS@CERN, partially funded by the EU.

Project number: 101292931

Start date: 2026.06.01.
End date: 2030.05.31.

Funding programme: HORIZON EUROPE
Total budget: 6,249,999.86 EUR

Project partners:

Coo - CERN (ORGANISATION EUROPEENNE POUR LA RECHERCHE NUCLEARE)

ANSTO (AUSTRALIAN NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ORGANISATION)

ATRON (ATRON METROLOGY)

CAL (CENTRE ANTOINE LACASSAGNE)

CNA-USE (UNIVERSIDAD DE SEVILLA)

CNAO (FONDAZIONE CENTRO NAZIONALE DI ADROTERAPIA ONCOLOGICA)

ENEA (AGENZIA NAZIONALE PER LE NUOVE TECNOLOGIE, L'ENERGIA E LO SVILUPPO ECONOMICO SOSTENIBILE)

ESRF (EUROPEAN SYNCHROTRON RADIATION FACILITY)

GANIL (GRAND ACCELERATEUR NATIONAL D'IONS LOURDS)

GSI (GSI HELMHOLTZZENTRUM FUR SCHWERIONENFORSCHUNG GMBH)

HPTC (HOLLAND PARTICLE THERAPY CENTRE BV)

HZDR (HELMHOLTZ-ZENTRUM BERLIN FUR MATERIALIEN UND ENERGIE GMBH)

HELMHOLTZ-ZENTRUM DRESDEN-ROSSENDORF EV

IC (INSTITUT CURIE)

IFJ PAN (THE HENRYK NIEWODNICZANSKI INSTITUTE OF NUCLEAR PHYSICS, POLISH ACADEMY OF SCIENCES)

ILL (INSTITUT MAX VON LAUE - PAUL LANGEVIN)

JYU (JYVASKYLAN YLIOPISTO)

KU Leuven (KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN)

LHEP-UNIBE (UNIVERSITAET BERN)

METU (MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY)

NPI CAS (USTAV JADERNE FYZIKY AV CR)

PSI (PAUL SCHERRER INSTITUT)

PTB (PHYSIKALISCH-TECHNISCHE BUNDESANSTALT)

RADTST (Radtest Ltd)

TAU (Tau Systems Inc.)

TRAD (SARL TRAD)

TRIUMF (TRIUMF)

UCLouvain (UNIVERSITE CATHOLIQUE DE LOUVAIN)

UJM (UNIVERSITE JEAN MONNET)

UKRI (UNITED KINGDOM RESEARCH AND INNOVATION)

UM (UNIVERSITE DE MONTPELLIER)

CNRS (CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS), Associated partner

UMCG (ACADEMISCH ZIEKENHUIS GRONINGEN)

UU (UPPSALA UNIVERSITET)

CLPU (CONSORCIO PARA EL DISENO, CONSTRUCCION, EQUIPAMIENTO Y EXPLOTACION DEL CENTRO DE LASERES PULSADOS ULTRACORTOS ULTRAIN), Associated partner

ELI ERIC (EXTREME LIGHT INFRASTRUCTURE ERIC), Associated partner

Fraunhofer INT (FRAUNHOFER GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG EV) ,Associated partner

INFN TIFPA (ISTITUTO NAZIONALE DI FISICA NUCLEARE), Associated partner

TU GRAZ (TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET GRAZ), Associated partner

TU WIEN (TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET WIEN), Associated partner

QST (National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology), Associated partner

DLR (DEUTSCHES ZENTRUM FUR LUFT - UND RAUMFAHRT EV), Associated partner

Nucletudes (SOCIETE NUCLETUDES SA), Associated partner

UNIPD (UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI PADOVA), Associated partner

CNES (CENTRE NATIONAL D'ETUDES SPATIALES – CNES), Associated partner

SURREU (UNIVERSITY OF SURREY), Associated partner

Infineon (INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG), Associated partner

TAS-I (THALES ALENIA SPACE ITALIA SPA), Associated partner

UNIREN (UNIVERSITE DE RENNES), Associated partner

Seibersdorf Laboratories (SEIBERSDORF LABOR GMBH), Associated partner

UniCaen (UNIVERSITE DE CAEN NORMANDIE), Associated partner

UCF (UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA), Associated partner

CHEDS (Center for High Energy Density Science), Associated partner

HIAF at ANU (THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY), Associated partner

ALTER Spain (ALTER TECHNOLOGY TUV NORD SA), Associated partner

Quironsalud (Radioterapia de Protones), Associated partner

HIT (HEIDELBERGER IONENSTRAHL THERAPIE (HIT) BETRIEBS G), Associated partner

AbAO (Evgeni Kharadze Georgian National Astrophysical Observatory), Associated partner

ADS (AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE SAS), Associated partner

ARMINES (ASSOCIATION POUR LA RECHERCHE ET LE DEVELOPPEMENT DES METHODES ET PROCESSUS INDUSTRIELS), Associated partner

ILIAUNI (ILIA STATE UNIVERSITY), Associated partner

Project website: https://radnext.eu/

4U-PI - ULTRAFAST, ULTRASHORT, ULTRAHIGH-PEAK-FLUX, AND ULTRAHIGH-DOSE-RATE PARTICLE SOURCES DRIVEN BY HIGH-INTENSITY LASERS

4U-PI: Ultrafast, Ultrashort, Ultrahigh-peak-flux, and Ultrahigh-dose-rate Particle sources driven by high-Intensity lasers, will advance Europe’s leadership in laser–plasma acceleration and its translation to biomedical and industrial impact. 4U-PI will develop and exploit ultrashort, ultrahigh-dose-rate ion and neutron bunches as novel radiation tools for users, setting new benchmarks in temporal precision and particle flux. By building on the plasma accelerator roadmap by Albert et al. (NJP 2021), 4U-PI will pioneer high-repetition-rate ion sources, hybrid acceleration schemes, compact beam transport, and advanced diagnostics, pushing the field toward user-ready platforms. In addition, it implements the biomedical roadmap by Hideghety et al. (EPJP 2025) by enabling breakthrough studies in ultrafast radiation biology, FLASH and microbeam therapy, and isotope production, supported by standardized dosimetry and radiobiology protocols. The consortium unites 12 partners from 6 countries led by Europe’s flagship infrastructures (ELI ERIC (Beamlines, ALPS), ELI-NP, and FAIR)—and large national infrastructures (GSI, CLF-UKRI, HZDR, ATOMKI) as the backbone for high-impact user experiments. Clinical, industrial and cross sectoral partners (PTC, MIRROTRON, Focused Energy, EIT Manufacturing) ensure translation into medicine, industry, and technology. Multi-modal imaging with laser-driven sources will extend the impact to industry and security applications, while AI/ML-enabled diagnostics will ensure reproducibility and open path to autonomous operation. Supported by 9 stakeholders 4U-PI is extending impact to clinics, industry, and innovation. Through this dual alignment with technological&biomedical roadmaps, 4U-PI will validate key exploitable results ranging from ultrafast beamlines to imaging and AI solutions. The outcomes will accelerate clinical translation, foster industrial competitiveness, and reinforce Europe’s strategic autonomy in ultrafast science&innovation.

Project number: 101290656

Start date: 2026.09.01.
End date: 2030.08.31.

Funding programme: HORIZON EUROPE
Total budget: 10,091,411.25 EUR

Project partners:

Coo - ELI ERIC (EXTREME LIGHT INFRASTRUCTURE ERIC)

ELI ALPS (ELI-HU KUTATASI ES FEJLESZTESI NONPROFIT KOZHASZNU KORLATOLT FELELOSSEGU TARSASAG)

FAIR (FACILITY FOR ANTIPROTON AND ION RESEARCH IN EUROPE GMBH)

GSI (GSI HELMHOLTZZENTRUM FUR SCHWERIONENFORSCHUNG GMBH)

MIR (MIRROTRON MUSZAKI FEJLESZTO ES SZOLGALTATO KFT)

HUN-REN (HUN-REN Atommagkutato Intezet)

FE (Focused Energy GmbH)

HZDR (HELMHOLTZ-ZENTRUM DRESDEN-ROSSENDORF EV)

PTC (PROTON THERAPY CENTER CZECH S.R.O.)

ELI-NP/IFIN-HH (Institutul Național de Cercetare-Dezvoltare pentru Fizică și Inginerie Nucleară „Horia Hulubei”)

CLF-UKRI (UNITED KINGDOM RESEARCH AND INNOVATION)

EIT-S (EIT Manufacturing SUTH SRL)

ELIgnite - Igniting Breakthrough Deep Tech Innovation Through High-Power Laser Infrastructure

Europe has invested substantially in world-class Research Infrastructures (RIs), yet a persistent gap remains between scientific excellence and the validation of deep-tech technologies required for industrial uptake and societal impact. Early-stage deep-tech innovations frequently stall at low Technology Readiness Levels (TRL 1–3) due to limited access to specialised experimental environments, fragmented innovation pathways, and insufficient integration of technical and commercial validation. ELIgnite addresses this structural gap by establishing a pan-European deep-tech acceleration model anchored in the Extreme Light Infrastructure ERIC (ELI ERIC), an ESFRI Landmark with unique high-power laser and laser-driven particle and photon sources. The project enables selected deep-tech teams to advance from proof-of-concept to validated prototypes (TRL 3–5) while simultaneously increasing Commercial Readiness Levels (CRL 3–5), combining infrastructure-enabled validation with structured business and innovation support. The action supports a focused portfolio of 6–10 high-potential deep-tech projects across strategic domains including medical technologies, energy, space and security, semiconductors, and AI. More than 60% of the project budget is allocated through Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP), providing up to EUR 500,000 per project for experimental validation at ELI ERIC and, where necessary, complementary European RIs. Validation activities are explicitly framed as pre-competitive, experimental RI access. By using a limited number of deeply supported projects as ecosystem anchors, ELIgnite strengthens RI–industry collaboration, reduces early-stage deep-tech risk, improves the socio-economic return on RI investments, and delivers a replicable model for RIcentred deep-tech ecosystems across Europe, contributing to strategic autonomy, inclusive innovation, and long-term competitiveness.

Project number: 101318665

Start date: 2026.10.01.
End date: 2030.09.30.

Funding programme: HORIZON EUROPE
Total budget: 4,998,698.75 EUR

Project partners:

Coo - ELI ERIC (EXTREME LIGHT INFRASTRUCTURE ERIC)

ELI ALPS (ELI-HU KUTATASI ES FEJLESZTESI NONPROFIT KOZHASZNU KORLATOLT FELELOSSEGU TARSASAG)

TC (TECHNOLOGICKE CENTRUM PRAHA ZSPO)

CR (SABIEDRIBA AR IEROBEZOTU ATBILDIBU FNG INVEST)

INAM (INNOVATION NETWORK FOR ADVANCED MATERIALS EV)

ENEA (AGENZIA NAZIONALE PER LE NUOVE TECNOLOGIE, L'ENERGIA E LO SVILUPPO ECONOMICO SOSTENIBILE), Associated partner

Mecasys s.r.o. (Mecasys s.r.o.), Associated partner

FTMC (VALSTYBINIS MOKSLINIU TYRIMU INSTITUTAS FIZINIU IR TECHNOLOGIJOS MOKSLU CENTRAS), Associated partner

CIC nanoGUNE (ASOCIACION CENTRO DE INVESTIGACION COOPERATIVA EN NANOCIENCIAS CIC NANOGUNE), Associated partner

UBER (HUMBOLDT-UNIVERSITAET ZU BERLIN), Associated partner

ICENT (INOVACIJSKI CENTAR NIKOLA TESLA), Associated partner

IP Lab Services, s.r.o. (IP Lab Services, s.r.o.), Associated partner

ELI Impact Lab (ELI Impact Lab s.r.o.), Associated partner

POLIMI (POLITECNICO DI MILANO), Associated partner

TwinMetro - TWINNING FOR BOOSTING A HUB OF ULTRAFAST METROLOGY FOR SAFE AND SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION FOR CZECHIA AND EUROPE COMPETITIVENESS

This Twinning action elevates ELI Beamlines (Czechia) to a leading European position in ultrafast metrology for advanced photonic and phase-change materials. Through structured excellence transfer from Universidad de Cantabria (UC, Spain) and Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR, Italy), ELI will build durable expertise to accelerate development, validation and reliability assessment of functional materials key to the energy transition and industrial reliability. The project delivers harmonised experimental protocols, staff secondments, joint training schools and open research outputs, establishing ELI as the reference node for ultrafast metrology in Czechia. Specific Objectives SO1. Build a sustainable ultrafast metrology capability at ELI for advanced photonic and phase-change materials, with clear procedures, trained staff and reusable tools. SO2. Harmonise measurement and analysis across partners through shared protocols, calibration routines and benchmark datasets enabling cross-lab reproducibility. SO3. Transfer excellence through structured secondments, training schools, mentoring and joint supervision so that know how becomes embedded at ELI and usable by a wider community. SO4. Connect the metrology capability to Czech energy transition and industrial reliability needs through focused demonstrators and dissemination, creating pathways for uptake. WP1 — Metrology Infrastructure Establish shared ultrafast metrology protocols and calibration routines at ELI; define uncertainty estimation methods and benchmark datasets. WP2 — Excellence Transfer & Training Structured secondments of ELI staff to UC and CNR; joint training schools and hands-on workshops; mentoring and joint PhD supervision. WP3 — Joint Research on Phase-Change Materials Joint experiments on phase-change materials as cross-cutting case study (energy storage, photonics, construction); shared analysis workflows and FAIR open data outputs. WP4 — Dissemination & Industrial Uptake Connect metrology capability to Czech energy-intensive industries; stakeholder workshops; demonstrators for energy transition and industrial reliability applications.

Project number: 101340255

Start date: 2026.11.01.
End date: 2029.10.31.

Funding programme: HORIZON EUROPE
Total budget: 1,429,000.00 EUR

Project partners:

Coo - ELI ERIC (EXTREME LIGHT INFRASTRUCTURE ERIC)

UC (Universidad de Cantabria)

CNR (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche)