Innovative, AI-based solutions for urban planning and management
Climate Neutral and Smart Cities Mission – Innovative, AI-based solutions for urban planning and management
Funding Amount
Amount not specified
Deadline
04/09/2025
Eligible Organization Types
Non-profit, Private Business, Research Institution, Public Institution
Trusted by
What is the Innovative, AI-based solutions for urban planning and management Call?
Grant Description
This call funds the development, testing, calibration and implementation of AI-based urban Digital Twin models across multiple European cities to support climate-neutral urban planning and management. Projects must integrate complex static and variable urban data, provide scenario visualisation and decision-support tools, build multidisciplinary communities, ensure data security and environmental sustainability, and plan for replication and exploitation.
Required Results for Successful Funding
Expected Outcomes
• AI-enabled Digital Twin models and tools, tested, calibrated and implemented in each participating city, meeting all scope requirements.
• Guidelines and recommended approaches for integrating and orchestrating developed models, applications and tools into urban planning and decision-making, aligned with the LDT-Citi VERSE-EDIC sandbox.
• Capacity building outputs: software available on AI on Demand, open-source repositories, EU LDT toolbox; structured peer-learning frameworks for replication.
• Exploitation plans including market analyses for replicability and scalability, engaging Smart City networks.
• Participatory visualization components enabling multi-stakeholder communication and informed citizen feedback.
• Established multidisciplinary communities of IT developers, planners, designers, authorities and other actors to support future adaptation, enhancement and integration of AI solutions across urban domains (e.g., infrastructure planning, logistics, traffic management, nature-based solutions, climate neutrality, inclusive streets, health and well-being).
• Guidelines and recommended approaches for integrating and orchestrating developed models, applications and tools into urban planning and decision-making, aligned with the LDT-Citi VERSE-EDIC sandbox.
• Capacity building outputs: software available on AI on Demand, open-source repositories, EU LDT toolbox; structured peer-learning frameworks for replication.
• Exploitation plans including market analyses for replicability and scalability, engaging Smart City networks.
• Participatory visualization components enabling multi-stakeholder communication and informed citizen feedback.
• Established multidisciplinary communities of IT developers, planners, designers, authorities and other actors to support future adaptation, enhancement and integration of AI solutions across urban domains (e.g., infrastructure planning, logistics, traffic management, nature-based solutions, climate neutrality, inclusive streets, health and well-being).
Funded areas
Scope Requirements
• Consortium composition: minimum three cities from three different Member States or Associated Countries, of which at least one is among the 112 EU Mission Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities; plus local authorities, urban planners, IT developers, operators, service providers and other relevant stakeholders.
• Demonstrated contribution to Climate City Contracts and/or Sustainable Energy/Climate Action Plans and/or Sustainable Mobility Plans.
• Comprehensive state-of-the-art review of existing AI applications/tools for urban planning and evidence of Digital Twin development skills.
• Digital Twin model must: integrate into urban planning processes; support medium-/long-term climate-neutral strategic visions; incorporate defined static and dynamic data layers; provide multi-area, cross-sector scenario simulation (forecasting/backcasting); assess replicability in other cities; estimate implementation resources; include real-time monitoring/response; facilitate joint policy coordination from project inception; cover city core and potentially extended functional areas with climatic/typology/geographic complementarity.
• Promote synergies with: Driving Urban Transitions partnership, Urban Transitions Mission, Local Digital Twin Toolbox, relevant Horizon 2020/Europe R&I projects, Digital Europe Programme (EU Toolbox for Local Digital Twins), EUI-Innovative Actions (“Technology in Cities”), Common European Data Spaces (e.g. Smart Communities, Mobility, Tourism, Green Deal), SIMPL project, and the July 2023 Communication on EU Missions.
• Demonstrate technical robustness, reliability and explainability of AI systems; implement appropriate data security measures; include a Data Management Plan ensuring high-quality, reusable data.
• Briefly assess environmental footprint of AI tools; if significant, include cost-benefit analysis and mitigation measures.
• Identify and mitigate project risks.
• Demonstrated contribution to Climate City Contracts and/or Sustainable Energy/Climate Action Plans and/or Sustainable Mobility Plans.
• Comprehensive state-of-the-art review of existing AI applications/tools for urban planning and evidence of Digital Twin development skills.
• Digital Twin model must: integrate into urban planning processes; support medium-/long-term climate-neutral strategic visions; incorporate defined static and dynamic data layers; provide multi-area, cross-sector scenario simulation (forecasting/backcasting); assess replicability in other cities; estimate implementation resources; include real-time monitoring/response; facilitate joint policy coordination from project inception; cover city core and potentially extended functional areas with climatic/typology/geographic complementarity.
• Promote synergies with: Driving Urban Transitions partnership, Urban Transitions Mission, Local Digital Twin Toolbox, relevant Horizon 2020/Europe R&I projects, Digital Europe Programme (EU Toolbox for Local Digital Twins), EUI-Innovative Actions (“Technology in Cities”), Common European Data Spaces (e.g. Smart Communities, Mobility, Tourism, Green Deal), SIMPL project, and the July 2023 Communication on EU Missions.
• Demonstrate technical robustness, reliability and explainability of AI systems; implement appropriate data security measures; include a Data Management Plan ensuring high-quality, reusable data.
• Briefly assess environmental footprint of AI tools; if significant, include cost-benefit analysis and mitigation measures.
• Identify and mitigate project risks.
Additional Conditions for Applicants
Special Conditions
• Grant mechanism: lump sum (HORIZON-AG-LS) under Horizon Europe Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA).
• Adhere to standard admissibility (page limits/layout) and eligibility conditions (at least three cities as beneficiaries, one being a selected Mission city) per Horizon Europe General Annexes.
• If using earth observation/GNSS data, must employ Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS services.
• Collaboration with the Cities Mission Platform (HORIZON-MISS-2021-CIT-02-03) is mandatory, formalized by a Memorandum of Understanding at project start.
• Use simplified costs decision for lump sums as per 7 July 2021 decision.
• Proposals must plan interaction with the Mission Platform in the work plan.
• Follow all Horizon Europe evaluation, award, exclusion, legal and financial set-up rules; no additional topic-specific conditions beyond those described.
• Adhere to standard admissibility (page limits/layout) and eligibility conditions (at least three cities as beneficiaries, one being a selected Mission city) per Horizon Europe General Annexes.
• If using earth observation/GNSS data, must employ Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS services.
• Collaboration with the Cities Mission Platform (HORIZON-MISS-2021-CIT-02-03) is mandatory, formalized by a Memorandum of Understanding at project start.
• Use simplified costs decision for lump sums as per 7 July 2021 decision.
• Proposals must plan interaction with the Mission Platform in the work plan.
• Follow all Horizon Europe evaluation, award, exclusion, legal and financial set-up rules; no additional topic-specific conditions beyond those described.
Important dates
Open from: 06/05/2025
Deadline:04/09/2025
Application period has ended
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