IHI (Horizon Europe): six topics under consultation for calls 14 and 15, launching in 2027

The Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) Joint Undertaking, the public-private partnership for health under Horizon Europe, published the provisional topic texts for calls 14 and 15 on 15 October 2026. There are six research and innovation themes, ranging from animal-free methods in drug discovery to patient access to treatments under compassionate use. The calls are expected to be launched in early 2027 and are the last under the current programme, and the texts may still change substantially before launch.

In brief

• Programme: Innovative Health Initiative (IHI), call 14 (single-stage) and call 15 (two-stage), Horizon Europe.
• Authority: The IHI Joint Undertaking, funded by the EU and five industry associations (COCIR, EFPIA, EuropaBio, MedTech Europe, Vaccines Europe); total budget for 2021–2027 of €2.4 billion.
• Beneficiaries: any organisation established in the EU or in a country associated with Horizon Europe: universities, institutes, hospitals, patient associations, SMEs and mid-sized companies; large companies are funded only depending on the type of call.
• Total budget: not yet announced for calls 14 and 15; it is set when the work programme is approved.
• Submission period: not announced; launch planned for early 2027.
• Status: provisional topics under consultation with the States Representatives Group and the Science and Innovation Panel.

Which topics are proposed?

Call 14 is a single-stage call and has four provisional topics:

• validating new human-relevant approaches to accelerate the discovery and preclinical development of innovative medicines and medical technologies (alternatives to animal testing);
• validated and predictive approaches for the clinical development of personalised health technologies;
• transforming healthcare delivery through integrated, scalable and patient-centred care systems;
• advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs): preparing manufacturing capacity and clinical centres in Europe.

Call 15 is a two-stage call and has two provisional topics:

• a common European approach to equitable patient access to compassionate use of medicines;
• from surrogate endpoints to long-term outcomes: health system decisions based on surrogate evidence, for faster patient access.

The text of each topic is published on the IHI "Future opportunities" page. All the documents state that the information is indicative and becomes final only after approval by the IHI Governing Board.

Who can apply and how is funding provided?

IHI funds consortia, not individual organisations. Entities established in the EU or in a country associated with Horizon Europe can receive funding. EU funding primarily supports universities, research organisations, patient associations, SMEs and mid-sized companies. For two-stage calls, IHI publishes an eligibility checklist for companies with an annual turnover below €500 million; for call 13, also two-stage, the official text provides for a funding rate of 100% for eligible applicants, and large companies do not receive funding.

The difference between the two types of call matters for consortium strategy:

• Call 14, single-stage: the complete consortium submits the full proposal directly. For call 12, also single-stage, IHI required at least 45% of costs to be covered by contributions from industry participants or contributing partners; the exact condition for call 14 will be set in the final text.
• Call 15, two-stage: a short proposal is submitted in the first stage; in the second stage the selected consortium merges with the industry consortium pre-identified by IHI, which brings in-kind contributions (expertise, assets) and does not receive funding.

As an order of magnitude, call 13 (launched on 2 July 2026) has an IHI contribution of €53.2 million and industry contributions of €31.6 million, while call 12 had a maximum IHI contribution of €163.1 million. The budgets for calls 14 and 15 have not been announced.

What happens until launch?

The provisional topics are now under consultation with the States Representatives Group and the Science and Innovation Panel. The programme office integrates the feedback, then the final texts are submitted for approval to the Governing Board as part of the annual work programme. Once approved, the calls are published on the IHI website and on the European Commission's Funding & Tenders portal, where proposals are also submitted.

IHI announces information sessions "around the launch" on topics, rules and procedures. At the time of checking, the events calendar does not yet show a brokerage event for calls 14 and 15. For single-stage calls, IHI provides the "IHI Call Days" platform for profiles and partner search, in addition to the Partner Search tool on the Funding & Tenders portal.

What this means for your business

Our recommendation: publication of the topics a few months before launch is exactly the window in which winning consortia are built. IHI states explicitly that it does not help individual organisations find partners and that existing professional networks remain the most effective way into a consortium. Those who wait for the official launch usually arrive too late.

For Romania, the topics are particularly well suited to:

• medtech and medical software SMEs, for the topics on clinical development of personalised technologies and integrated patient-centred care;
• university hospitals and clinical centres, for preparing ATMP capacity and piloting care pathways;
• universities, institutes and biotechnology firms, for alternative methods to animal testing;
• patient associations and health authorities, for the two call 15 topics on compassionate access and surrogate evidence.

Common pitfalls: treating the provisional text as final (IHI warns that it may change considerably), underestimating the industry contribution requirement in single-stage calls and, in two-stage calls, overlooking the fact that industry only joins in the second stage, so the initial consortium must be complete on the academic, clinical and SME side. Check your organisation's classification (SME, mid-sized or large company) before discussing the budget, and for an initial assessment you can use the eligibility check.

Frequently asked questions

When will IHI calls 14 and 15 be launched?

IHI has announced a launch in early 2027, without an exact date. Submission deadlines, budgets and final conditions will be published with the calls, after the Governing Board approves the work programme.

Can a Romanian company receive IHI funding?

Yes. Any organisation established in the EU or in a country associated with Horizon Europe is eligible, including companies from Romania. In two-stage calls, funding goes to public entities, non-profit organisations, SMEs and companies with a turnover below €500 million; large companies take part with their own resources.

What is the difference between a single-stage and a two-stage call?

In a single-stage call, the complete consortium submits the full proposal from the start and must also secure the required industry contribution. In a two-stage call, a short proposal is submitted first, and in the second stage the selected consortium merges with the industry consortium pre-identified by IHI, which contributes in kind and does not receive funding.

Can I send comments on the provisional texts?

Formal consultation takes place with the States Representatives Group and the Science and Innovation Panel. IHI says it receives ideas from the wider medical community, but it does not describe a public comment procedure on the provisional texts. Follow the IHI newsletter for revised versions.

How do I find partners for an IHI consortium?

IHI recommends the Partner Search tool on the Funding & Tenders portal, the IHI Call Days platform for single-stage calls, publishing your interest on the topic page after launch and, above all, professional networks and conferences in the field. IHI does not broker partnerships for individual organisations.

Official sources

• IHI: Draft topic texts for calls 14 and 15 are now online (15 October 2026)
• IHI: Future opportunities – provisional topic texts for calls 14 and 15
• IHI: provisional topic for call 15 – equitable access to compassionate use (PDF)
• IHI: About IHI – budget and members
• IHI: call 13 page (two-stage)
• IHI: call 12 page (single-stage)
• IHI: Call documents – applicant's guide, FAQ and checklist for turnover below €500 million
• IHI: Find partners
• IHI: How call topics are generated

Information checked on 19 October 2026. Conditions may be changed by the managing authority — check the guide in force before you submit.