Applications open for Interconnecting Local Digital Twins for Smart Communities

Deadline: 13-Jul-2026

The Local Digital Twins for Smart and Sustainable Communities (LDT4SSC) initiative is funding pilot projects that strengthen interconnected, AI-enabled, and scalable Local Digital Twin ecosystems across Europe. The programme supports cross-border collaboration, digital infrastructure interoperability, urban innovation, and data-driven decision-making through grants of up to €500,000 per third-party participant and up to €1,000,000 per consortium.

Programme Overview

The Local Digital Twins for Smart and Sustainable Communities (LDT4SSC) initiative is a European programme designed to accelerate the adoption of Local Digital Twins (LDTs) and support smart, sustainable, and resilient communities.

Funded through the Digital Europe Programme, the initiative aims to create a connected ecosystem of digital twins that enables cities, regions, and communities to share data, improve planning, optimize resources, and deliver innovative public services through advanced digital technologies and artificial intelligence.

The programme promotes interoperability, digital transformation, technological sovereignty, ethical AI, and cross-border collaboration across Europe.

Funding Information

• Total funding available: At least €2.3 million
• Maximum grant per third-party participant: €500,000
• Maximum cumulative grant per consortium: €1,000,000
• Required co-financing: Minimum 50% of total project costs
• Pilot duration: 12 to 18 months

Key Focus Areas

The programme supports projects addressing:

• Local Digital Twins (LDTs)
• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Smart cities and smart communities
• Digital infrastructure interoperability
• Cross-border data sharing
• Urban mobility
• Energy efficiency
• Environmental sustainability
• Climate resilience
• Digital public services
• Advanced simulation and modelling
• Immersive technologies
• Data spaces and collaborative data ecosystems
• Citizen-centric digital innovation
• Sustainable urban development

What Are Local Digital Twins?

A Local Digital Twin (LDT) is a virtual representation of a city, region, or community that combines real-time and historical data to simulate, monitor, and improve decision-making.

Digital twins help public authorities and stakeholders:

• Model future scenarios.
• Improve urban planning.
• Optimize energy consumption.
• Manage mobility systems.
• Monitor environmental conditions.
• Strengthen resilience against climate and infrastructure challenges.
• Improve public service delivery.

By integrating AI, analytics, and data-sharing technologies, Local Digital Twins provide evidence-based insights for policy and operational decisions.

Programme Objectives

The initiative aims to:

• Build a scalable European Local Digital Twin ecosystem.
• Connect existing digital twin infrastructures.
• Develop new digital twins for common urban challenges.
• Strengthen AI-powered digital services.
• Support cross-border and cross-sector collaboration.
• Improve sustainability and resource efficiency.
• Enable data-driven governance.
• Promote reusable and interoperable digital solutions.
• Stimulate innovation and market growth for digital twin services.

Work Strand 1: Connecting Existing Local Digital Twins

This strand supports the federation and interoperability of existing Local Digital Twins.

Key objectives include:

• Connecting existing LDT infrastructures.
• Enabling seamless data exchange.
• Supporting common standards.
• Leveraging open-source software.
• Strengthening European data spaces.
• Creating reusable digital building blocks.

Potential pilot examples include:

• Cross-border traffic management systems.
• Multi-city energy optimization.
• Shared environmental monitoring platforms.
• Regional resilience planning tools.

Work Strand 2: Developing New Local Digital Twins

This strand supports the creation of new Local Digital Twins addressing shared urban challenges.

Potential focus areas include:

• Sustainable mobility.
• Urban sustainability.
• Climate adaptation.
• Energy management.
• Environmental protection.
• Resource efficiency.
• Public service modernization.

Projects should demonstrate scalability and replication potential across multiple European communities.

Work Strand 3: AI-Enhanced Digital Twin Services

This strand focuses on integrating advanced technologies into Local Digital Twins.

Supported innovations include:

• Artificial Intelligence.
• Predictive analytics.
• Machine learning applications.
• Digital simulation tools.
• Immersive technologies.
• Advanced visualization platforms.
• Decision-support systems.

Solutions developed under this strand may be shared through the EU Local Digital Twin Toolbox Marketplace.

Why This Programme Matters

European cities face increasing challenges related to climate change, mobility, energy efficiency, population growth, and public service delivery.

The LDT4SSC initiative helps address these challenges by:

• Improving policy decisions through data.
• Supporting greener urban development.
• Enhancing operational efficiency.
• Strengthening resilience.
• Encouraging innovation.
• Accelerating AI adoption.
• Promoting collaboration across borders.

The programme also contributes to Europe’s broader digital and green transition goals.

Who Is Eligible?

The call is open to a wide range of organizations across eligible European countries.

Eligible applicants include:

• Local authorities.
• Regional authorities.
• National public administrations.
• Businesses and companies.
• Technology providers.
• Digital solution developers.
• Research institutions.
• Universities and academic organizations.
• Non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
• Civil society organizations.
• Industry associations.

Consortium Requirements

Each consortium must include:

• At least two local or regional authorities.
• Authorities must come from two different eligible countries.
• At least one additional partner.

Additional partners may include:

• Private companies.
• Research organizations.
• Industry associations.
• Trusted third parties.
• Technology providers.
• Sector representatives.

Expected Project Outcomes

Successful projects should demonstrate:

• Improved interoperability between digital twins.
• Enhanced cross-border collaboration.
• Increased data sharing capabilities.
• AI-driven decision support.
• Better urban planning outcomes.
• Improved sustainability performance.
• Reusable digital solutions.
• Strong stakeholder engagement.
• Replication potential across Europe.

How to Apply

Step 1: Identify the Appropriate Work Strand

Determine whether the project focuses on:

• Connecting existing LDTs.
• Creating new LDTs.
• Enhancing LDTs with AI-driven services.

Step 2: Build an Eligible Consortium

Ensure participation of:

• Two local or regional authorities from different eligible countries.
• At least one additional qualified partner.

Step 3: Define the Pilot Use Case

Develop a clear pilot addressing:

• Mobility.
• Sustainability.
• Energy efficiency.
• Environmental management.
• Urban resilience.
• Other common urban challenges.

Step 4: Develop Technical and Financial Plans

Prepare:

• Project methodology.
• Technology architecture.
• Interoperability strategy.
• Budget and co-financing arrangements.
• Risk management framework.

Step 5: Demonstrate European Added Value

Explain how the pilot:

• Supports cross-border collaboration.
• Contributes to EU digital goals.
• Promotes interoperability.
• Creates scalable and reusable solutions.

Step 6: Submit the Proposal

Complete all application requirements and submit supporting documentation before the deadline.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid:

• Building isolated solutions without interoperability.
• Weak cross-border collaboration.
• Lack of AI or innovation components.
• Insufficient stakeholder engagement.
• Poor scalability planning.
• Inadequate co-financing arrangements.
• Limited data governance frameworks.
• Failure to demonstrate long-term sustainability.

Tips for a Strong Proposal

• Focus on real-world urban challenges.
• Build diverse and experienced consortia.
• Use established standards and open-source tools.
• Demonstrate clear citizen benefits.
• Include strong AI and analytics components.
• Plan for replication across Europe.
• Prioritize interoperability and data sharing.
• Show measurable sustainability outcomes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is a Local Digital Twin?

A Local Digital Twin is a digital representation of a city, region, or community that uses real-world data to support planning, monitoring, and decision-making.

How much funding is available?

The programme provides at least €2.3 million in total funding, with grants of up to €500,000 per third-party participant and up to €1,000,000 per consortium.

Who can apply?

Public authorities, businesses, research institutions, NGOs, technology providers, universities, and other eligible organizations can participate.

Is a consortium required?

Yes. Each consortium must include at least two local or regional authorities from two different eligible countries and at least one additional partner.

What sectors can projects address?

Projects may focus on mobility, energy, sustainability, environmental management, resilience, smart city services, and other urban challenges.

What is the project duration?

Pilot projects are expected to run for between 12 and 18 months.

Is co-financing required?

Yes. Applicants must contribute at least 50% of total project costs.

Conclusion

The Local Digital Twins for Smart and Sustainable Communities (LDT4SSC) initiative represents a major opportunity for European cities, regions, technology providers, and research organizations to develop interconnected, AI-powered digital twin ecosystems. By supporting interoperability, cross-border collaboration, and innovative urban solutions, the programme contributes to Europe’s digital transformation while advancing sustainability, resilience, and smarter public decision-making across communities.

For more information, visit LDT4SSC.