New Funding Call: Transition to Digital Autonomy Now Open

As digital dependencies continue to shape Europe’s technological landscape, SIDN Fund and Digital Holland launch a new funding call to accelerate the shift toward digital autonomy. The “Transition to Digital Autonomy” call supports collaborative projects that develop and test practical alternatives to dominant non-European digital technologies, strengthening control over critical digital infrastructure. A total of €1 million is available to fund practice-oriented research projects that deliver real-world impact and actionable insights for a more resilient and sovereign digital ecosystem.

Digital sovereignty has become a prominent issue on the policy agenda. Not only because of dependencies and vulnerabilities at system level, but also due to significant changes in the geopolitical landscape. To avoid losing control over our core processes, a transition towards digital autonomy is essential. This is a long-term challenge: existing alternatives are not yet able to compete with the services currently offered by dominant technology platforms. To sustainably reduce our dependency, we need a clear understanding of what our digital crown jewels are, how we want to protect them, and which exit strategies are required.

Requirements

Projects must focus on technologies released under an open-source licence and make use of open standards. They must align with the core mission of Digital Holland as outlined in the Knowledge and Innovation Agenda (KIA) 2024–2027 of the Digitalisation KIA. Projects must also comply with the general terms and conditions of the SIDN Fund. The deadline for submitting a project proposal is 23 February 2026 at 13:00 (CET). Applications must be submitted via the Fundpro application system.

The focus is on projects that:

• Explore alternatives to dominant digital infrastructure and assess how these can be implemented and scaled in practice

• Address both technical and organisational challenges related to digital autonomy

• Apply technologies based on open standards and open-source principles

Application

Applications must be submitted by a consortium consisting of:

• At least one knowledge institution

• At least one company

• Preferably a public partner willing to pilot the solution in a real-world setting

The knowledge institution acts as the lead applicant on behalf of the consortium.

Personal Pitch

After the call closes on 23 February 2026, a selection of projects will be invited to present their ideas in person to members of the advisory board. These pitch sessions will take place on 15 April 2026. Applicants will be informed whether their proposal has been approved within a maximum of three months after the call deadline.

SIDN Fund supports multiple projects within the same thematic call to enable knowledge sharing between them. Additional (live) meetings will therefore be organised for the projects within this call to facilitate exchange and learning. Participation in these meetings and knowledge sessions is mandatory for project partners.

Information webinar 

Digital Holland and SIDN Fund expect to organise a webinar of approximately one hour in the second half of January. During this session, potential applicants will be able to ask questions about the call. The relatively complex budget template will also be explained using practical calculation examples.

More information here