Enhancing the NCC Network (Digital Europe programme)

Official call identifier: DIGITAL-ECCC-2027-DEPLOY-CYBER-11-NCC

Objective of the call

The objective of the call is to support the operation of National Coordination Centres (NCCs) and enable them to strengthen the cybersecurity community, including SMEs, by supporting the uptake and dissemination of state-of-the-art cybersecurity solutions and increasing cybersecurity capacities.

The call also supports the uptake of European cybersecurity technologies and products, the commercialisation and scale-up of European cybersecurity start-ups and SMEs, and the development of national cybersecurity ecosystems. Activities may use Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP).

Scope of activities

Depending on their national context, mandate and priorities, NCCs may implement one or more of the following activities:

• Cybersecurity Competence Community: Act as national contact points for the Cybersecurity Competence Community, support community registration and management, and facilitate engagement with the ECCC and the NCC Network.
• Support for EU cybersecurity projects: Encourage and facilitate participation of industry, start-ups, SMEs, academia, research organisations and civil society in cross-border projects and EU-funded cybersecurity actions.
• Technical assistance: Support stakeholders preparing applications for projects managed by the ECCC, in coordination with relevant National Contact Points.
• Financial Support to Third Parties: Provide financial support to third parties, where relevant, to strengthen the uptake and dissemination of state-of-the-art cybersecurity solutions, particularly by SMEs.
• Start-up and SME scale-up: Support cybersecurity start-ups and SMEs in commercialisation, access to finance, access to market and further funding, including through incubators, accelerators, technology transfer, public procurement and private investment.
• Cybersecurity awareness and skills: Promote safer digital behaviour, cybersecurity awareness, best practices and cybersecurity careers through schools, universities, community activities, campaigns, training and educational initiatives.
• Cybersecurity training and exercises: Organise boot camps, cybersecurity challenges, training courses, workshops, simulations, awareness campaigns and cyber exercises, including activities targeted at SMEs and students.
• Cybersecurity tools and services: Build partnerships with SMEs, technology companies and government agencies to develop and distribute tools and services supporting early threat detection, actor identification and threat evolution monitoring.
• Cybersecurity community building: Develop communities of cybersecurity professionals and facilitate knowledge sharing, cooperation and exchange of experience across national and European cybersecurity ecosystems.
• Market uptake of cybersecurity solutions: Support adoption of market-ready cybersecurity solutions, including solutions developed through EU-funded research and innovation projects, and provide organisations, particularly SMEs, with up-to-date tools and services to prepare for, protect against and respond to cyber threats.
• European cybersecurity marketplace: Activities may support a European-level platform and marketplace where cybersecurity SMEs and start-ups can present market-ready products and solutions and potential users can identify suitable cybersecurity products and services.
• Cross-European cooperation: Strengthen collaboration with other NCCs and the ECCC, establish synergies between national, regional and European initiatives, and support implementation of the Cybersecurity Skills Academy and EU Cybersecurity Challenges.

Eligible applicants

• Innovative SMEs, startups and enterprises aiming to scale and strengthen competitiveness
• Public-sector organisations driving transformation and societal impact
• Research and academic institutions commercialising knowledge
• Non-profit organisations delivering purpose-driven innovation
• Organisations based in EU Member States, EFTA/EEA countries, or Associated Countries as defined in the Horizon Europe General Annexes
• Consortia must include at least the minimum number of independent legal entities from different eligible countries, as specified in the call conditions

For this specific topic, the call targets National Coordination Centres recognised by the European Commission as having the capacity to manage funds under Regulation (EU) 2021/887. Other public and private entities, including academia and research organisations, may participate in consortium with NCCs. There is no minimum consortium composition requirement specified for this topic.

Eligible beneficiaries and affiliated entities must be legal entities established in EU Member States, including overseas countries and territories, or EEA countries (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein). Due to security restrictions, participation in any capacity is limited to entities established in and controlled from eligible countries.

Specific consortium we are looking for:

• A recognised National Coordination Centre (NCC) forming the core of the proposal and implementing activities aligned with its national mandate
• Public and private cybersecurity ecosystem organisations supporting implementation of NCC activities
• Academic and research organisations contributing cybersecurity expertise, education, skills development or research-community engagement
• Start-up, SME and innovation ecosystem expertise supporting commercialisation, scale-up, access to market and uptake of European cybersecurity solutions
• Cybersecurity training, skills and awareness organisations able to implement campaigns, educational activities, boot camps, challenges, training or cyber exercises
• Community-building and ecosystem partners supporting the Cybersecurity Competence Community, matchmaking and cross-border collaboration
• Incubator, accelerator, technology-transfer or access-to-finance expertise where activities focus on cybersecurity start-ups and SMEs
• Partners with the operational capacity to manage FSTP schemes and ownership and control assessments, where Financial Support to Third Parties is included in the project
• Technology and platform expertise where the project includes cybersecurity community platforms, tools, marketplaces or services

Eligible costs

Eligible costs may include:

• Personnel costs
• Subcontracting costs
• Travel and subsistence
• Equipment costs based on depreciation
• Other goods, works and services
• Financial Support to Third Parties
• Internally invoiced goods and services
• Indirect costs calculated at a 7% flat rate of eligible direct costs

• For Financial Support to Third Parties, the maximum amount is €100,000 per third party.

Funding conditions

Type of action: 
DIGITAL JU Simple Grants

Funding rate: 
50% funding rate

EU indicative budget: 
Around EUR 11,000,000 

Expected EU contribution: 
€2–3 million per project

Project duration: 
Typically 36 months 

Deadline for submission

14 January 2027