Research Infrastructures
This programme supports the facilities, platforms and data ecosystems that make high-level research more accessible, connected and strategically valuable across Europe.
The Horizon Europe Research Infrastructures Work Programme 2026-2027 is a major funding route for facilities, platforms, data ecosystems and service providers that want European visibility, stronger access models and long-term sustainability. This is broader than infrastructure construction. It covers ESFRI/ERIC development, transnational and virtual access, advanced instrumentation, data services, digital solutions, AI-enabled tools, policy alignment and co-creation with industry.
Research Infrastructures provide the facilities, services, and digital ecosystems that enable high-quality research—from laboratories and large-scale instruments to data platforms, biobanks, and high-performance computing systems.
The destinations that shape the programme
Across all destinations, the programme rewards infrastructures that are more open, interoperable, policy-relevant, environmentally aware and easier for researchers, innovators and industry to access.
Who can benefit?
- ESFRI Projects and Landmarks, ERICs, international European research organisations, and pan-European or national facilities seeking to evolve, integrate or widen their user base
- Universities, research institutes and host organisations that operate core facilities, distributed infrastructures, data repositories, observatories, biobanks, platforms or national nodes
- Digital research infrastructures, EOSC nodes, data stewards, repository operators, HPC/cloud providers and organisations building FAIR, secure and interoperable scientific services
- Ministries, research funders, regional authorities and infrastructure coordinators preparing roadmaps, governance models, sustainability plans or national commitments around major infrastructures
- Technology developers, engineering companies, instrument manufacturers and deep-tech SMEs/startups/scaleups co-creating next-generation infrastructure solutions and seeking reference use cases
- Research communities and user consortia needing structured access to top-level facilities, specialised services, datasets or interdisciplinary workflows to accelerate excellent science and innovation
- Organisations in widening countries, candidate countries, Ukraine-related collaborations and international partnerships that want a stronger role in the European Research Area
Under Horizon Europe, funding supports:
- Development of new research infrastructures (pan-European or global scale)
- Upgrading and integration of existing infrastructures
- Open access for researchers across countries and disciplines
- Digitalisation, data platforms, and the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC)
- Advanced tools, instrumentation, and services for research communities
We support applicants in Designing competitive Research Infrastructure proposals; Strengthening strategy, structure and EU alignment; Improving Impact narratives (access, sustainability, uptake, user communities) and Ensuring evaluator-level clarity and coherence across the proposal