TRUNSPORT Open Call 1 [NEW]

Deadline for an application

Applications must be submitted by 30 October 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time. Selected projects are scheduled to start in January 2027 and run for nine months, with completion expected in September 2027.

Objective

TRUNSPORT Open Call 1 supports the development, testing and validation of cybersecurity solutions that improve the preparedness and operational resilience of road, rail, air and water transport organisations. It also aims to strengthen skills, collaboration and uptake of the TRUNSPORT Cyber Support Hub services and tools.

Summary

TRUNSPORT Open Call 1 offers transport organisations and cybersecurity innovators a practical route to test solutions in operational, simulated, virtualised or cyber-range environments. Projects must address at least one transport-related cyber challenge in road, rail, air, water, public or multimodal transport. Relevant solutions include risk assessment, continuous monitoring, vulnerability testing, cyber exercises, staff training, threat-intelligence sharing, incident response and support for compliance with the Network and Information Security 2 Directive.

Eligible applicants include small and medium-sized enterprises, start-ups, mid-caps, large companies, transport operators, technology providers, infrastructure managers, research organisations, universities and public bodies.

Applicants must be established in a Member State of the European Union or in Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein. A project may be submitted by one organisation or by a consortium. Collaboration is therefore not mandatory, but a joint Dutch-German proposal is permitted because organisations from both countries meet the geographic eligibility conditions.

Each applicant can receive up to EUR 60,000, while the grant covers no more than 50 per cent of total eligible project costs. A consortium does not receive a higher grant ceiling for an individual applicant, and each participating organisation may take part in only one proposal under this call.

The scheme is attractive for entrepreneurs that want to validate an existing or emerging cybersecurity solution in a transport setting and demonstrate measurable operational value. Selected beneficiaries receive a nine-month implementation programme as well as mentoring, training, technical guidance and access to the TRUNSPORT ecosystem.

Projects must demonstrate integration with modern information technology or operational technology environments and should use documented interfaces and widely adopted cybersecurity standards where applicable. Applicants must submit the proposal, budget and required declarations through the designated application platform in English. Administrative obligations include three technical deliverables, participation in project meetings and workshops, progress feedback, and an in-person demonstration event in Thessaloniki. Beneficiaries must also comply with ethics, data protection, communication, record-keeping and audit requirements. The funding is provided as a lump sum, but applicants must present a detailed and credible cost estimate and retain supporting records for possible checks and audits.

Eligible costs include personnel working on the project and its deliverables, necessary travel, project-specific software, hardware and data, and justified access to infrastructure or other goods and services. Subcontracting is eligible when defined and justified in the application, aligned with the project purpose and limited to 25 per cent of the proposed budget; project coordination may not be subcontracted. Communication activities, service promotion and indirect costs are also eligible, with indirect costs limited to 7 per cent of eligible direct costs excluding subcontracting.

Consortium partners of overall project:

German consortium partners: None.

Dutch consortium partners: None.

Other consortium partners:
• Center for Research and Technology Hellas - Hellenic Institute of Transport, Greece
• Institute of Communication and Computer Systems, Greece
• Hellenic Gas Transmission System Operator, Greece
• eBOS Technologies, Cyprus
• EVIDEN Technologies SRL, Romania
• Deep Blue SRL, Italy
• Societa per Azioni Esercizi Aeroportuali SEA, Italy
• Incites Consulting SA, Luxembourg

Total budget of the call:  EUR 1,260,000 for Open Call 1.

Website: https://trunsport.eu/open-calls/

Companies with an interest in the grant opportunity can get support through the TECH.LAND partners. For more information, please contact:

Vincent Bökkerink
Project Developer and funding TECH.LAND
X-Border Cooperation North Westphalia & East Netherlands
https://techland.org/
bokkerink@techland.org
+31 6 51 98 75 07