Call for Grand Challenge on Quantum Sensors for Inertial Navigation

Deadline: 14-Jan-2027

The European Union under Horizon Europe has launched the Grand Challenge on Quantum Sensors for Inertial Navigation to accelerate the development of quantum-enabled navigation systems capable of operating in GNSS-denied or contested environments. The initiative supports quantum inertial navigation technologies, including cold-atom interferometry systems and chip-scale quantum sensors, through a two-phase competitive structure implemented in collaboration with the European Investment Bank (EIB).

The first phase is a Coordination and Support Action (CSA) focused on technical readiness, benchmarking, investment preparedness, commercialization planning, and industrialisation roadmaps. Funding ranging from €400,000 to €500,000 is available for eligible legal entities worldwide under Horizon Europe participation rules.

What is the Horizon Europe Grand Challenge on Quantum Sensors for Inertial Navigation?

The Horizon Europe Grand Challenge on Quantum Sensors for Inertial Navigation is a strategic European Union initiative designed to support the development, validation, and commercialization readiness of quantum-enabled inertial navigation systems (Q-INS).

The initiative aims to strengthen Europe’s technological sovereignty and resilience in advanced navigation technologies by supporting quantum systems capable of functioning in environments where Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) are unavailable, disrupted, or contested.

The challenge is implemented through a two-phase competitive structure in collaboration with the European Investment Bank (EIB). The first phase focuses on readiness analysis, benchmarking, financial planning, and industrialisation strategies that prepare technologies for future deployment and investment support.

Programme Objectives

The initiative aims to:

• Accelerate development of quantum-enabled inertial navigation systems.
• Improve resilient navigation capabilities in GNSS-denied environments.
• Strengthen European technological sovereignty in quantum technologies.
• Support industrialisation and commercialization planning.
• Enhance investment readiness for quantum navigation technologies.
• Promote interoperability and integration with classical navigation systems.
• Reduce dependence on non-EU critical technology suppliers.

Key Focus Areas

The opportunity supports a wide range of quantum navigation and industrialisation activities.

Priority focus areas include:

• Quantum-enabled inertial navigation systems (Q-INS).
• Cold-atom interferometry navigation technologies.
• Chip-scale quantum inertial sensors.
• Hardware and system integration strategies.
• Technical and financial roadmaps.
• Commercial viability assessment.
• Industrialisation and scalability planning.
• Benchmarking and prototype validation.
• Supply-chain sovereignty and resilience.
• Risk assessment and mitigation strategies.
• Maritime and aviation applications.
• UAV and autonomous transport systems.
• Small satellite applications.
• Navigation in GNSS-denied or contested environments.

These activities are intended to support future deployment and investment readiness for advanced quantum navigation systems.

Two-Phase Competitive Structure

The Grand Challenge operates through a two-phase structure.

Phase One: Coordination and Support Action (CSA)

The current funding opportunity represents the first phase of the challenge.

The CSA focuses on:

• Readiness analysis.
• Exploitation and commercialization potential.
• Technical and industrial planning.
• Financial roadmaps and investment preparedness.
• Benchmarking and validation activities.
• Investor-aligned strategic development.

This phase is designed to establish strong technical, industrial, and financial foundations for future investment and scaling activities.

Future Investment and Deployment Phase

The second phase is expected to support future deployment and investment activities through EU financial instruments, including InvestEU support mechanisms.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) may provide:

• Tailored advisory services.
• Financial structuring support.
• Investment readiness guidance.

Technology Categories Supported

The initiative supports two main technology categories.

1. Cold-Atom Quantum Inertial Navigation Systems

This category supports:

• Cold-atom interferometry-based navigation technologies.
• Quantum inertial systems with reduced drift performance.
• High-accuracy navigation systems for maritime and aviation applications.
• Benchmarking against commercial inertial measurement units.

Projects are expected to demonstrate:

• Long-term navigation accuracy improvements.
• Evidence-based benchmarking.
• Alignment with operational end-user requirements.

2. Chip-Scale Quantum Inertial Navigation Systems

This category focuses on:

• Low size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) systems.
• Chip-scale quantum inertial sensors.
• Defect-centre and vacancy-based quantum technologies.
• Warm atomic vapour systems.
• Nuclear magnetic resonance technologies.

Potential applications include:

• Small satellites.
• Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
• Autonomous transport systems.
• Compact resilient navigation platforms.

Technical Roadmap Requirements

Projects are expected to develop comprehensive technical roadmaps.

Required roadmap elements include:

• System architecture design.
• Integration and interoperability strategies.
• Performance milestones.
• Industrialisation pathways.
• Scalability assessments.
• Environmental resilience planning.
• Real-world deployment considerations.
• Supply-chain sovereignty assessments.
• Risk identification and mitigation strategies.

Roadmaps should demonstrate credible pathways toward future deployment and commercialization.

Financial and Commercialisation Planning

Applicants must also prepare detailed financial and commercial viability plans.

Required financial planning components include:

• Market analysis.
• Commercialization strategies.
• Revenue projections.
• Investment readiness assessments.
• Business model development.
• Financial risk analysis.
• Commercial scaling pathways.

The initiative strongly emphasizes investor-oriented planning and long-term market viability.

Prototype Benchmarking and Validation

Projects are expected to validate and benchmark existing or externally financed prototypes.

Validation activities include:

• Laboratory testing and benchmarking.
• Documentation of technical performance.
• Benchmark reports and evidence packages.
• Comparative analysis with classical inertial technologies.
• Demonstration of measurable technical advantages.

These activities support evidence-based assessment of technology readiness and performance.

Applications and End-User Focus

The initiative encourages projects that identify practical operational applications and end-user requirements.

Target sectors include:

• Maritime navigation.
• Aviation systems.
• Autonomous transportation.
• Small satellite technologies.
• Defence and security applications.
• UAV navigation systems.
• Critical infrastructure resilience.

Applicants are encouraged to engage with:

• Potential end-users.
• Industrial partners.
• Public sector stakeholders.
• Operational system integrators.

Expressions of Interest from end-user partners are strongly encouraged.

Why This Initiative Matters

Quantum-enabled navigation technologies are increasingly important for strategic resilience and autonomous positioning capabilities.

This initiative is important because it helps:

• Strengthen navigation resilience without reliance on GNSS.
• Support European technological sovereignty.
• Advance next-generation quantum technologies.
• Improve strategic autonomy and industrial competitiveness.
• Accelerate commercialization of quantum systems.
• Reduce dependence on external suppliers.
• Support future defence, aerospace, and transport innovation.

The initiative also contributes to Europe’s long-term quantum technology leadership ambitions.

Funding Available

The indicative funding available for this topic ranges from:

• €400,000 to €500,000.

Funding supports:

• Technical roadmap development.
• Financial and commercialization planning.
• Benchmarking and validation activities.
• Stakeholder engagement and coordination.
• Industrialisation and scalability planning.

Who is Eligible?

Participation is open to:

• Research organisations.
• Universities and academic institutions.
• SMEs and start-ups.
• Large technology companies.
• International organisations.
• Public and private legal entities.

Participation is open regardless of place of establishment, including:

• Non-associated third countries.
• International entities.

Applicants must comply with all Horizon Europe participation and eligibility conditions.

Participation Requirements

Applicants are required to:

• Register in the Horizon Europe Participant Register.
• Obtain a Participant Identification Code (PIC).
• Complete all required validation procedures before grant agreement signature.

Compliance with Horizon Europe rules is mandatory.

Expected Outcomes

The initiative is expected to achieve several strategic and technological outcomes.

Expected results include:

• Improved development readiness of quantum navigation systems.
• Stronger industrialisation and commercialization pathways.
• Enhanced interoperability and integration capabilities.
• Reduced drift and improved navigation accuracy.
• Increased investment readiness.
• Strengthened European quantum supply-chain resilience.
• Expanded applications for resilient navigation technologies.

The initiative also supports future deployment and scaling of sovereign quantum navigation solutions.

How Applications are Evaluated

Applications are likely to be assessed based on:

• Technical excellence and innovation.
• Commercial viability and investment readiness.
• Quality of industrialisation planning.
• Benchmarking and validation methodologies.
• Scalability and integration potential.
• Stakeholder engagement and end-user alignment.
• Strategic relevance to European sovereignty objectives.

Strong proposals should combine technical credibility with strong commercialization and deployment planning.

Tips for Preparing a Strong Proposal

Applicants can improve their proposals by focusing on the following areas:

• Demonstrate strong quantum technology expertise.
• Include realistic commercialization and scaling plans.
• Provide clear benchmarking methodologies and validation evidence.
• Demonstrate strong end-user engagement.
• Address supply-chain sovereignty and resilience.
• Include robust financial and industrialisation roadmaps.
• Align technical goals with operational use cases.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid the following issues:

• Weak commercialization or investment planning.
• Limited benchmarking or prototype validation evidence.
• Poor integration and scalability planning.
• Weak stakeholder and end-user engagement.
• Unrealistic technical or financial assumptions.
• Incomplete Horizon Europe registration requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the purpose of the Grand Challenge?

The initiative supports the development of resilient quantum-enabled navigation systems capable of operating in GNSS-denied or contested environments.

What type of action is this?

The current funding opportunity is a Coordination and Support Action (CSA) under Horizon Europe.

How much funding is available?

Indicative funding ranges from €400,000 to €500,000.

What technologies are supported?

The initiative supports cold-atom interferometry systems, chip-scale quantum inertial sensors, and related quantum navigation technologies.

Who can participate?

Any legal entity worldwide may participate, subject to Horizon Europe eligibility conditions.

What are the target application sectors?

Applications include maritime navigation, aviation, UAVs, autonomous transport systems, and small satellites.

What registration is required?

Applicants must register in the Participant Register and obtain a Participant Identification Code (PIC).

Conclusion

The Horizon Europe Grand Challenge on Quantum Sensors for Inertial Navigation provides strategic funding and coordination support to accelerate the development of quantum-enabled navigation technologies in Europe. Through technical roadmaps, benchmarking, commercialization planning, and investment readiness activities, the initiative supports resilient navigation systems capable of operating independently of GNSS infrastructure.

The challenge also strengthens Europe’s ambitions for technological sovereignty, industrial competitiveness, and strategic autonomy in quantum technologies. Organisations with expertise in quantum sensing, navigation systems, industrialisation planning, and commercialization are encouraged to develop strong and collaborative proposals for this Horizon Europe opportunity.

For more information, visit EC.