LLM-BRIDGE

Objectif

The LLM-BRIDGE Consortium invites early-stage startups and entrepreneurial teams to apply to the LLM-BRIDGE Venture Incubation Programme (VIP), an initiative co-funded by the European Union under the Digital Europe Programme.

The objective of the VIP is to accelerate the creation and growth of European startups developing innovative solutions based on Large Language Models (LLMs), Generative AI (GenAI), and multilingual AI technologies, while supporting Europe’s strategic priorities in trustworthy, human-centric, and sovereign AI.

The VIP contributes to the broader mission of the LLM-BRIDGE project, which aims to strengthen the European AI ecosystem by connecting key stakeholders and resources, such as:
- advanced computing and data infrastructures.
- research and innovation actors.
- startups and entrepreneurs.
- industry and public sector stakeholders.

Through this call, 30 selected startups will receive structured incubation support over a 12 week period in summer 2026 providing services such as:
- entrepreneurial mentoring.
- technical guidance.
- access to ecosystem resources.
- responsible-AI and regulatory orientation.

Additionally, up to five of the top performing startups in the VIP may be granted a 25.000 € prize after completion of the programme, to further support their development and growth.
The programme is implemented by a carefully selected incubation partner in collaboration with the LLM-BRIDGE consortium members.
Participation in the programme aims to support startups in:
- validating their technological solution and business model.
- achieving product-market fit.
- developing scalable and ethically compliant AI applications.
- preparing for follow-on investment or further European innovation programmes.
- optimise their productivity and improve the quality of work.

Critères d'éligibilité

Applicants must be:
- startups, SMEs, or entrepreneurial teams intending to establish a startup.
- developing solutions based on Generative AI, Large Language Models, Natural Language Processing, or related AI technologies.
- operating at an early stage of development with demonstrated innovation potential.

Geographic Eligibility
Applicants must be legally established in countries eligible under the Digital Europe Programme.

Technologies clés

The programme focuses on early-stage ventures developing innovative solutions using:
Generative AI.
Large Language Models.
Natural Language Processing.
Multilingual AI.
AI applications with cross-sector impact.

Typologie de consortium

The LLM-BRIDGE Venture Incubation Programme is delivered as a structured incubation process implemented by the selected incubation partner in collaboration with the LLM-BRIDGE consortium. The programme is designed to support early-stage startups in advancing their technological solutions, validating business models, and preparing for market deployment through a sequence of coordinated phases.

The incubation process consists of the following stages:
- Selection Phase: Evaluation and selection of startups through a transparent and competitive process.
- Onboarding Phase: The onboarding phase introduces selected startups to the programme framework and ensures alignment with its objectives, methodology, and expected outcomes.
During this phase, startups will receive:
- orientation on programme goals and activities,
- introduction to mentors, experts, and ecosystem resources,
- guidance on reporting requirements and milestones,
- overview of responsible AI principles and regulatory considerations.

- Acceleration Phase: The acceleration phase represents the core of the programme and provides tailored support to participating startups over an incubation period of approximately 12
weeks. Activities include:
- business and market development mentoring.
- technical guidance related to Generative AI and Large Language Model solutions.
- product and technology validation.
- model design and architecture support.
- ethics, regulatory, and responsible AI orientation.
- customer discovery and product–market fit validation.
- investor readiness and fundraising preparation.
- access to relevant ecosystem stakeholders and infrastructure where applicable.
The acceleration phase focuses on measurable progress toward predefined milestones and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

- The Demo Day and Evaluation Phase serves as a milestone for programme completion and future development opportunities.

At the conclusion of the incubation programme, participating startups will present their progress and results to a panel of experts, investors, and ecosystem stakeholders. This phase
includes:
- demonstration of technological and business achievements.
- assessment of progress against programme objectives and KPIs.
- feedback from evaluators and mentors

The Venture Incubation Programme will include up to 30 startups participating in the incubation activities. Following the Demo Day and final evaluation, the five (5) top-performing startups per cohort will be selected to receive financial support.
Each selected startup will receive a grant of €25,000.
This financial support is provided to support the continued development and scaling of the startup following the incubation programme.