XR2LEARN Open Call 2
ClosedDescription
The objective of the XR2LEARN – Open Call #2 is to perform test, piloting, evaluate and validate the user acceptance of new or already developed XR-based applications in real life settings. The projects should be validated within the XR2LEARN ecosystem, targeting training/educational scenarios. With respect to the targeted sectors, a minimum of 70% will be dedicated to XR-application relevant to industry 5.0 technologies and relevant skills and a maximum of 30% will be allocated to sub-projects targeting other educational sectors (e.g. healthcare and medical, manufacturing, construction and engineering). The total amount of funding that will be provided at Open Call#2 is €2,100,000. Each accepted sub-project may receive €30,000 to €300,000 (100% funding as lump sum). As such, it is expected that 10 applications will be selected via this open call to enter the process, extend XR2Learn scope. Small consortia of up to three partners consisting of XR-developing industrial partners, training organizations and XR-application user/adopters are eligible for applying. The project coordinator must be an SMEs, while SMEs, mid-caps or research institutions, research organizations and educational or training actors including private and public entities, eligible for Horizon Europe calls will be eligible to participate as members in a single proposal, except for the consortium’s beneficiaries and parties that may have conflicts of interest. More details are available at Open Call webpage (https://xr2learn.eu/open-call-2/). In addition to presenting the technological concept and the use of XR technologies, applicants are requested to provide initial exploitation plans and business scenarios, as these are important elements of the XR2Learn evaluation criteria. Delivery of open-source versions of tools and/or applications will also be favoured. The XR2Learn subprojects of this open call may have a total duration of 12 months. The final delivered MVP should have a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) at least 7 (TRL > 7), while Market Readiness Level (MRL) 4 or higher (MLR ≥ 4) is targeted. Each sub-project is organised in three (3) phases (Pilot SPECIFICATION, EXECUTION and GROWTH) associated with relevant payments directly linked to deliverables as shown in the following figure and may run for 12 months (1/4/2025 – 31/03/2026). The selected 10 SMEs from the Open Call #2 are first challenged to provide Application Customization/ Adaptation, Pilot Specification and a sound business plan that are presented at the end of the SPECIFICATION phase. These are filtered and the top eight (8) move on to the Pilot EXECUTION phase. They will be performing pilot execution with real end users, validate the developed application and provide a business plan, which are used to evaluate/select the top three (3) sub-projects towards the GROWTH phase. In the end the Top #1 sub-project will be selected to receive an additional prize of €5,000. This structured approach allows the best and most promising applications to achieve growth and market uptake.
Beneficiary & submission
Timeline of the OC
Submission to Open Call #2 will be enabled on Friday, September 27th, 2024, and will end on Friday, December 27th, 2024, at 17:00CET time (Brussels time). Selected projects are expected to start on April 1st, 2025. Below are presented the dates for the different phases. The opening and closing dates for each stage can be subject to change in case of any project schedule modifications.
Type of Beneficiary
An application may be submitted by a small consortium of up to 3 members in total. The Project Leader/ Coordinator must be an SME, while the participation of a training providing organization (private or public) is mandatory. The inclusion in the consortium as a member of a potential user/early adopter (e.g. University, Academic) may be a plus (although not mandatory).
Eligibility
The participants should be eligible for Horizon Europe calls, adhering to the program's criteria and guidelines.
The following proposal’s eligibility criteria also apply:
- Proposals must offer technological XR pilots and experimentation such as piloting of XR applications targeting educational scenarios.
- Proposals must have a clear European dimension and contribute towards EU digitization, targeting clear economic and societal impact.
- The application must be submitted by a small consortium of up to 3 members. The project Leader/ Coordinator must be an SME. The participation of a training provider organization (private or public) is mandatory. Inclusion in the consortium as a member of a potential user/ early adopter may be a plus (although not mandatory).
- The requested funding per proposal will be between €30,000 and €300,000. Each participant legal entity may receive between €60,000 and €200,000. All partners are funded at 100% (lump sum). The total funding for the industrial partners should be at least 60% of the requested funding at each project phase, while academic, teaching or research organisations request up to 40% of the total funding at each project phase.
- Each legal entity may participate in only one (1) proposal at each XR2Learn open call. If a legal entity participates, in any direct or indirect way in multiple submissions, all associated proposals are automatically disqualified and will be automatically excluded from the evaluation process.
- It is considered as Conflict of Interest and the relevant proposals will be automatically considered not eligible, in case an individual participates, controls, submits or is associated in any way with more than one proposal. As indicative example, without excluding other cases, it is not allowed for an individual to be in the project team or the advisory board of more than one proposal. Moreover, it is not allowed for an individual to have a legal, administrative, technical, advisory or financial position or capacity in more than one applicant or is in the position to access or influence in any way more than one proposal.
- Any legal entity may participate in maximum one (1) accepted application. Applicants that have been accepted via Open Call #1 are automatically excluded from participating in Open Call #2 even if they submit a different proposal or form a different consortium and the proposal will be automatically rejected.
Please note that a signed version of Annex 4: Consortium Declaration and Annex 5: Declaration of Honour are mandatory for all consortium partners and signed version of Annex 6: SME Financial Stability Declaration is mandatory for all SMEs participating in a proposal at submission time. The Annex are available at Open Call webpage (https://xr2learn.eu/open-call-2/).
Proposal Preparation
For the proposal preparation, the applicants are requested to apply online and answer all mandatory questions (with no exception) at: https://www.f6s.com/xr2learn-open-call-2/
English is the only official language for XR2Learn open calls. Submissions done in any other language will not be evaluated. English is also the only official language during the whole execution of the XR2Learn programme. This means any requested submission of deliverable will be done in English to be eligible.
Proposals Evaluation
All proposals will be evaluated against four criteria, namely:
Criterion 1: Concept and Innovation
Criterion 2: Technology
Criterion 3: Impact
Criterion 4: Applicant Entity/Team
Further information
Project website:
Open call webpage:
https://xr2learn.eu/open-call-2/
Open call application form:
https://www.f6s.com/XR2Learn-open-call-2/
Help desk:
F6S helpdesk: