Open calls (FSTP) for CYberSynchrony project: Open Call 1: Infrastructure Resilience & Operational Readiness; Open Call 2: Compliance, Innovation & Regulatory Advancement; Open Call 3: Mutual Assistance & Cyber Collaboration Among Member States
ClosedDescription
CYberSynchrony delivers an integrated, modular cybersecurity framework, combining advanced threat intelligence, automated response systems, and secure channels for cross-border collaboration: a. Support rapid detection and mitigation of cyber incidents, continuous risk monitoring, and effective information sharing between Member States and key stakeholders. b. Emphasise on fostering a cybersecurity-aware environment, offering targeted training, awareness campaigns, and practical tools that support organisations in aligning with evolving regulatory requirements (i.e. NIS2 Directive). Through its 3.55m € Open Call (which will comprise 3 different open calls, see more information below), CYberSynchrony invites SMEs, innovators, and specialised teams to contribute tools, services, and practices that can enhance the project’s platform and expand its applicability across different sectors. This financial support mechanism offers the opportunity to integrate new capabilities into real-world pilots, ensuring the solutions developed are practical, scalable, and relevant to the security needs of Europe’s digital infrastructure. Open Call 1: Infrastructure Resilience & Operational Readiness Scope This call targets the enhancement of cybersecurity infrastructure and operational readiness specifically within sectors governed by the NIS2 Directive—energy, transport, drinking water supply and distribution, and manufacturing. It supports solutions aimed at improving sector-specific resilience against cyber threats and enabling rapid, coordinated responses. Priority Areas (all priority areas must be met) Strengthening Sector-specific Cybersecurity Operations: Support initiatives that establish or amplify operational cybersecurity hubs tailored to the unique needs of energy, transport, water supply, and manufacturing sectors, ensuring sector-specific threat intelligence gathering, rapid incident response, and best practice sharing. Enhanced Threat Intelligence and Risk Assessment for NIS2 Domains: Channel funds towards projects that aim to develop or adapt advanced threat intelligence platforms specific to the challenges of energy, transport, drinking water, and manufacturing sectors. Focus on real-time monitoring, predictive analytics, and proactive threat hunting tailored to the infrastructures of these domains. Promotion of Cybersecurity Awareness in NIS2 Sectors: Fund campaigns and training programs tailored to professionals and stakeholders in the energy, transport, water, and manufacturing sectors. Promote best practices, risk mitigation, and cybersecurity hygiene specific to each sector's challenges and requirements. Supporting Cross-sector Collaborations: Encourage projects that foster inter-sector collaboration, ensuring best practices in one domain (e.g., energy) can be shared and adapted for others (e.g., transport or water supply). Linked CYberSynchrony Objectives (see section 2.4): #1, #3, #6, #7, #8 Mandatory KPIs to be defined by the applicants (additional KPIs may be defined): Number of essential entities supported Number of threat assessments/risk scenario analyses carried out Number of risk monitoring services provided Open Call 2: Compliance, Innovation & Regulatory Advancement Scope This call addresses the regulatory landscape and supports innovative cybersecurity solutions specifically tailored for sectors covered by the NIS2 Directive—energy, transport, drinking water supply and distribution, and manufacturing. Priority Areas (all priority areas should be met) Encouraging Regulatory Compliance in NIS2 Sectors: Dedicate funding to support initiatives focusing on achieving and maintaining compliance with cybersecurity regulations specific to energy, transport, water supply, and manufacturing sectors within the EU. Boosting Innovations Tailored to NIS2 Domains: Support research and development projects addressing the unique cybersecurity challenges and needs of the specified sectors. This includes creating sector-specific tools, technologies, and strategies ensuring a secure operational environment. Promotion of Cybersecurity Awareness in NIS2 Sectors: Fund campaigns and training programs tailored to professionals and stakeholders in the energy, transport, water, and manufacturing sectors. Promote best practices, risk mitigation, and cybersecurity hygiene specific to each sector's challenges and requirements. Supporting Cross-sector Collaborations: Encourage projects that foster inter-sector collaboration, ensuring best practices in one domain (e.g., energy) can be shared and adapted for others (e.g., transport or water supply). Linked CYberSynchrony Objectives (see section 2.4): #6, #8, #9 Mandatory KPIs to be defined by the applicants (additional KPIs may be defined): ·Number of penetration tests provided ·Number of essential entities supported ·Number and nature of vulnerabilities discovered Open Call 3: Mutual Assistance & Cyber Collaboration Among Member States Scope In an era where cybersecurity threats transcend borders, the collaboration between Member States (MS) is pivotal. This Open Call seeks to foster a more integrated and united approach to cybersecurity, emphasizing mutual assistance, best practice sharing, and coordinated response mechanisms among MS. Priority Areas (Proposals must clearly address at least one of the listed objectives and detail how the initiative will enhance mutual assistance among Member States) Establishing Unified Threat Intelligence Platforms: Develop or enhance platforms that facilitate real-time sharing of threat intelligence between MS, ensuring a collective response to emerging cyber threats. Joint Cybersecurity Exercises & Training: Organize joint cybersecurity exercises simulating cross-border incidents, aiming to test and improve the collective response capabilities of MS. Promote training sessions where MS can share their unique experiences, tools, and best practices, ensuring that all states benefit from individual advancements. Incident Response Coordination: Create or amplify mechanisms that enable rapid coordination between MS when a cybersecurity incident impacts multiple countries. Develop shared playbooks and protocols to guide coordinated responses, ensuring faster containment and mitigation of threats. Linked CYberSynchrony Objectives (see section 2.4): #2, #4, #5 Mandatory KPIs to be defined by the applicants (additional KPIs may be defined): Number of potential number of users covered per test/ exercise Number of cross-border actions/exercises
Beneficiary & submission
Proposals must be submitted only via the dedicated online platform (registration required, more details at https://cybersynchrony.eu/open-calls/). Submissions are accepted exclusively through this platform during the call’s opening period; late submissions or submissions via other means (e.g., email) are not accepted and will not be evaluated. Proposals must be written in English and submitted as a PDF. The core proposal document must be concise and must not exceed 10 pages (excluding any required annexes); proposals exceeding the page limit are ineligible and will not be evaluated. All required documents must be uploaded through the submission platform before the call deadline.
After the deadline, the Open Call Management Team (OCMT) performs an eligibility check, including automatic filtering to discard non-eligible proposals. Eligibility conditions may differ per open call, and only eligible proposals proceed to evaluation.
Eligible proposals are evaluated by independent external experts operating under confidentiality and conflict-of-interest rules. Each proposal is assigned to two external reviewers, who produce individual Evaluation Summary Reports (ESRs). Proposals are scored on a 0–5 scale per criterion (there will be 4 criteria and the maximum score for a proposal will be 20), with a threshold of 3/5 per category required to qualify for selection. For more information please refer to the “Open Call applicant guidelines”, located at https://cybersynchrony.eu/open-calls/.
Further information
All call-related documentation and supporting material, including detailed guidance on platform access, account creation, and step-by-step instructions for Open Call Applicants, is available at the dedicated CYberSynchrony Open Calls webpage: https://cybersynchrony.eu/open-calls/