HEDGE-IoT Open Call for SMEs and Innovators

HEDGE-IoT Open Calls are designed to empower SMEs and startups by providing financial support and resources to develop innovative, IoT-enabled, data-driven energy services within the HEDGE-IoT framework. Through the two open calls, selected third parties will have the opportunity to contribute to the project’s technological advancements and validate their solutions in real-world demonstrators.

About the Open Call 1

HEDGE-IoT Open Call 1 opens on 22nd of July, 2025 and it will close on 24th of October, 2025 at 17:00 CET.

HEDGE-IoT Open Call 1 will fund up to 12 successful applications to develop data-driven energy services. The Open Call will foster innovation through a cascade-funding mechanism.
By participating, SMEs and innovators will:

  • Leverage HEDGE-IoT’s distributed digital solutions.
  • Prove the interoperability and scalability of their solutions.
  • Contribute to advancing energy consumer services and the EU’s energy transition.

HEDGE-IoT Open Call 1 will distribute a total of €700,000 for financial support, with a maximum funding of €60,000 per third party.

Important Documents

Below you can find the documents you need to use in order to submit your application:

In case you have any doubts or questions, please read our Frequently Asked Questions by clicking on the button below:

How It Works

The Open Call process follows a structured approach to ensure transparency, fairness, and efficiency:

1

Preparation & Publication

  • Guidelines and templates can be found in “Important Documents” section in this page.
  • Open Call details will be disseminated widely.

2

Application & Selection

  • Proposals will be evaluated based on technical excellence, innovation potential, and alignment with HEDGE-IoT goals.
  • An impartial panel will assess submissions.

3

Implementation & Support

  • Selected applicants will receive funding and mentorship.
  • Services developed will be integrated into the HEDGE-IoT framework.

4

Evaluation & Sustainability

  • Progress will be monitored to ensure objectives are met.
  • Solutions will be assessed for long-term viability.

Eligibility and Project Types

Who can apply?

  • SMEs and startups legally established in Horizon Europe participating countries.
  • Entities developing IoT-enabled, data-driven energy services.

Technical Definition of the Call

Applicants must address clearly defined technical requirements linked to real-world business cases, leveraging the HEDGE-IoT framework. The Open Calls specifically aims to enable third parties, particularly SMEs, to use the solutions developed within HEDGE-IoT as a foundation to build their innovative data-driven energy services targeting energy consumers. The technical focus is structured around fifteen main topics:

  1. Solutions that Enhance Observability and Resiliency of the Grid | Cooperation with the Finnish Pilot
  2. Market Integration for Local Flexibility Services | Cooperation with the Finnish Pilot
  3. DER Optimization Tools | Cooperation with the Finnish Pilot
  4. Energy resource forecasting models – Scalable edge-level solutions enabling distributed optimization of DERs | Cooperation with the Greek Pilot
  5. Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring for Device-Level Visibility | Cooperation with the Greek Pilot
  6. AI-driven predictive flexibility pricing models – Development of dynamic pricing algorithms that optimize flexibility bids based on congestion and market conditions | Cooperation with the Greek Pilot
  7. DSO Perimeters for flexibility resources pre-qualification | Cooperation with the Italian Pilot
  8. Standardized IoT & Data‐Sharing Protocols – Development of open APIs and middleware that enable seamless integration of smart‐grid assets for secure data exchange | Cooperation with the Dutch Pilot
  9. Standardized DER‐Integration Solutions for Smart Grids – Smart control & monitoring of heat pumps, PV, batteries, V2G chargers and building equipment | Cooperation with the Dutch Pilot
  10. Hardware utilization for edge computing and testing facilities for HEDGE-IoT models operational testing | Cooperation with the Portuguese Pilot
  11. Cross-border flexibility value chain and market integration | Cooperation with the Portuguese Pilot
  12. Federated Learning (FL) Algorithm Validation in Energy Communities | Cooperation with the Portuguese Pilot
  13. Load Disaggregation at the Substation Level | Cooperation with the Slovenian Pilot
  14. Integration of Data Space Connectors compliant with the new Data Space Protocol showcasing scalability and technology agnostic connectivity
  15. AI-Enhanced Data App Discovery & Recommendation Engine
  16. Semantic Mapper as a Service: A cloud-native or edge-deployable toll to map proprietary or heterogeneous data schemas to the HEDGE-IoT ontologies

Financial Support & Funding Rules

Up to
€60,000
per third party.

70% of
eligible costs
covered.

Up to
25% pre-financing,
with further payments tied to milestones and deliverables.

Maximum
20% of the budget
may be allocated to equipment and consumables.

The financial support will be granted under a standard contract, ensuring:

  • Compliance with EU funding rules.
  • Protection of intellectual property rights.
  • Transparency in payment and reporting mechanisms.

Evaluation Criteria

Each proposal will be assessed based on the following principles:

Excellence
Innovative, high-quality proposals aligned with the Open Call objectives.

Impact

Contribution to strengthening SMEs’ market position and improving energy consumer services.

Technical Quality
Well-defined use cases, integration strategies, and implementation plans.

Work Plan
Feasibility
Clear objectives,
risk management, and resource allocation