Call for Developers and Pilots: XR4ED €4.6 million Funding Programme

Objectives

• The overall aim of the open call is to fund projects that take advantage of the XR4ED solutions, validate them, and further contribute to enriching the XR4ED platform. Additional general objectives include:
  • Provide financial and technical support to digital start-ups, SMEs, and industry active in the XR sector to further advance early prototypes of XR educational solutions (TRL4) to a market ready product (TRL6).
  • Populate the XR4ED platform with pilots focusing on educational material, therefore demonstrating its potential.
  • Demonstrate the usefulness of the XR4ED platform as an XR technology development platform.
• The specific objectives of the two tracks are:
  • Call for Developers: Provide digital learning solutions to enrich the XR4ED platform, using XR technologies, including both hardware and software. Applicants applying to this track must choose one of the six challenge areas and provide a solution for it.
  • Call for Pilots: Develop a market ready educational product addressing one of the six challenge areas. The product prototype must undergo mini-pilots testing, in collaboration with educational actors. All developed solutions will be based on open standards and will be published on the European solution catalogue.
• The Open Call targets start-ups and SMEs that are providers of XR technologies for education; and startups, SMEs and educational institutions (schools, high schools, universities and VET institutions) that are providers of digital learning solutions and contents.

Open Call Areas

The two open calls, with different objectives, share the same six thematic areas.

• Virtual field trips
• Content creation and exploration
• Awareness of climate change and biodiversity challenges
• Training of young professionals and upskilling
• Distance and Blended learning
• Inclusiveness and accessibility

Funding Scheme 

• The XR4Ed Open Call has €4.6 Million to fund and support the industry and educational entities through two open calls – Call for Developers and Call for Pilots. 10 projects will be selected for each open call.
• Selected beneficiaries will receive up to €230,000 to implement their projects. The funds are disbursed based on quality of results and all projects will be evaluated against their results described through mandatory reporting.

Types of Applicants 

• The call will fund projects developed by single entities or a consortium of 2-3 entities, led by a Coordinator. Natural persons applying alone are not eligible.
• Note: In the Call for Developers, only start-ups, SMEs and Mid-Caps are eligible to participate (alone or as a consortium of 2-3 entities). In the Call for Pilots, a consortium is required (and must be led by a start-up/ SME).
• The following types of entities (legally established) may apply as part of a consortium:
  • Start-ups, SMEs and Mid-Caps that are providers of XR technologies for education or providers of digital learning solutions.
  • Universities, working on XR research and innovation focused on digital learning solutions.
  • Vocational and educational training (VET) organisations, working in the areas addressed by the Open Call, and capable of working on programmes and pilots aligned with the challenge areas.
  • Non-for-profit organisations representing and/ or working with the target groups (e.g. vulnerable/ underserved groups, teachers, students, primary/ high schools) required for the open call challenge areas.
• Note: Universities, VET organisations, and non-for-profit entities can only apply as part of a consortium and not individually.
• Consortia Requirements
  • For the Call for Pilots, when applying as a consortium (mandatory condition), the following rules apply:
    • The consortium must be led by a start-up/ SME (who will act as the consortium Coordinator).
    • A 2nd and 3rd partner (if applicable) must be an SME (including start-ups), mid cap, university, VET, or non-for-profit organisation, showing capacity to contribute to the development of the XR-based digital learning solution and mobilisation of the required education actors to carry out the pilot activities.
    • The specific roles of each partner must be described in the technical proposal.
• Eligible Countries
  • All entities, including those participating in a consortium, must be established in any of the following countries to be eligible to participate in the XR4ED – Open Call:
    • The Member States (MS) of the European Union (EU), including their outermost regions.
    • Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to Member States.
    • Horizon Europe associated countries.

For more information, visit eXtended Reality for EDucation.