The main objective of the Open Call (OC) in iCOSHELLs is to engage and include new stakeholders in the Soil Health Living Labs (LLs) and to include new innovations and solutions (referred to as prototypes). A prototype represents a co-created practice, technology, or process designed to address specific soil-health challenges under real-life conditions.
Successful applicants to the OC will become full actors of the LL and will participate in all further co-creation activities to validate their prototypes in real life settings of the particular LL leading to improve soil health within the iCOSHELLs project.
The OC will be divided into 6 sub-calls, one specific for each LL, and the applicants applying for each of the sub-calls should be aligned with the requirements of the specific LL sub-call:
Basque Soil Health Living Lab (Basque LL)
Biosolutions for soil enhancement
Non-invasive technologies for soil health measurement
Non-invasive technologies for biodiversity measurement
Tools for soil-health communication and awareness actions
Bulgarian Viticultural Soil Health Living Lab (BUV LL)
Long-term organic farming and cover cropping between vine rows
Biological herbicides and fertilizers
Grass-legume mixtures and sustainable soil management
In-field and remote sensing tools for monitoring
Irrigation in combination
Greek Mine Soil Health Living Lab (GREEK LL)
Recovering and processing the nickel accumulated through phytoremediation
In-field and remote sensing tools for monitoring
ITAlian Soil Health Living Lab (ITA LL)
Drone-based soil health monitoring system
Tools for soil-health communication and awareness actions
Interactive installations for public engagement
Innovative and/or real time sensors to monitor the soil water balance terms in vineyards
Phytoremediation
SouthEastern Spain Soil Health Living Lab (GREENNOMED)
Circular fertilisers
Biostimulants
Specific bio-inoculants for salt stress
Testing of bio-phytosanitaries
Biodegradable mulches
Biosolarization and other regenerative practices
Tools for soil-health communication and awareness actions
Interactive installations for public engagement
In-field and remote sensing tools for monitoring
SWEdish Soil Health Living Lab (SWE LL)
Field sensors and camera
Soil amendments
Drainage system improvement
Biostimulants
Disease suppressive soil
Digital Monitoring Tools for Real-Time assessment
To reflect the multidimensional nature of soil health, iCOSHELLs distinguishes three complementary categories of prototypes (A, B or C):
A. Soil Intervention Prototypes – direct actions applied to soils to improve structure, fertility, and ecosystem functions (e.g., soil amendments, irrigation strategies, cover crops, bio-based fertilisers, or drainage innovations).
B. Soil Literacy Prototypes – initiatives that indirectly enhance soil health by promoting awareness, behavioural change, and community participation, such as educational programmes, participatory monitoring, and citizen- engagement activities.
C. Monitoring and Decision-Support Prototypes – tools and methods for assessing soil condition and supporting management decisions, including sensors, remote-sensing platforms, digital dashboards, and decision- support systems.
The OC will support applicants by providing up to 100% lump-sum funding of the eligible budget of each. For each LL, at least two applications will be selected. Thus, at least 2 stakeholders will be added to each LL. Each of the beneficiaries can receive a maximum amount of €75.000.
Selected applicants will be cooperating with the iCOSHELLs consortium, and they will be fully included in the co-creation process and the overall working process of iCOSHELLs. The selected beneficiaries will become full actors within their respective LLs and will benefit from the activities and knowledge shared by the project, building capacity and co-implement solutions in their experimental sites, while contributing to the project activities by providing data and participating in the LLs activities and initiatives.
Main advantages of participation in the iCOSHELLs OC:
• Financial Support – Fund your technology validation in iCOSHELLs’ LL experimental sites, or stakeholder engagement activities.
• Access to LLs – Test your prototype in collaborative, open environments embedded in real-life conditions.
• Technical & Scientific Guidance – Work with experts in soil science, circular systems, land restoration, and monitoring.
• Policy Impact & Visibility – Be part of the EU’s flagship efforts under the Mission Soil, gaining European recognition.
• Stronger Networks & Future Opportunities – Connect with mission-aligned actors for future projects and partnerships
The call will be limited to single applicants.
Applicants, which are considered eligible under the Horizon Europe rules (residing in one of the eligible countries described in the Horizon Europe general annexes to the Work Programme), include:
• Landowners or land managers (e.g. farmers)
• Academic or Research organisations.
• Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).
• Public administrations.
• Representatives of civil society (e.g. consumers, environmental NGOs).
Eligible applicants should have the capacity to conduct field testing.
