NEURA Research Programme — Call for Proposals (Funding Year 2026/2027)

About

The NEURA Research Programme funds universities, publicly funded research institutes and startups established in Germany, the EU, the UK or Switzerland with up to €500,000 per project over 12–18 months to bring Physical AI research to pilot readiness on NEURA's MiPA service robot in health care, retail or hospitality.

Benefits

• 💰Project Funding
  Conditional: Up to €500,000 per project over 12–18 months, based on actual need, with up to €10 million in total funding expected for this call
• 🤖MiPA Platform (Required)
  Mandatory: Access to the MiPA mobile dual-arm service robot with an open software API, featuring two 7-DoF lightweight arms, a 3.0 kg payload per arm, 1 kHz low-level control, NVIDIA Jetson Thor onboard computing, ROS 2 and Python SDK, and Isaac Sim and Gazebo models. The robot is provided under a monthly leasing model, with leasing costs paid from the granted funding
• 🧪NEURA Gym Services
  Access: A real-world testing environment to integrate, train and evaluate capabilities on the target system, and remotely collect data using MiPA
• 🌐Neuraverse Platform
  Access: A simulation and exchange platform offering a digital twin, integrated data recorder, training and qualification, and a marketplace for publishing your own skills and models
• 🤝Application Partners
  Access: Opportunities to connect with NEURA’s application partners in the healthcare, retail and hospitality sectors

Eligibility Criteria

• 🏢 Eligible Applicant Organisations
• Mandatory: Applicants must be universities or higher education institutions, publicly funded research institutes, or startups
• 🌍 Geographic Eligibility
• Mandatory: The applicant organisation must be established in Germany, another EU Member State, the United Kingdom or Switzerland
• 🤖 NEURA MiPA Platform
• Mandatory: Projects must be implemented on the NEURA MiPA platform
• 🎯 Application Segment
• Mandatory: Projects must have a clear focus on at least one target segment: healthcare, retail or hospitality
• 🚀 Technology Readiness and Piloting
• Mandatory: Projects must demonstrate a realistic pathway to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6–7 within the funding period, enabling a pilot with an application partner
• 📄 Proposal Submission
• Mandatory: Proposals must be submitted as a single PDF, limited to six pages and written in English or German, with CVs, letters of intent, and a work and cost plan, to mipa_research@neura-robotics.com before 24:00 Central European Time (CET) on the deadline
• 🔬 Basic Research Exclusion
• Not eligible: Basic research without a concrete application and piloting focus is excluded
• 🧪 Minimum Technology Readiness Level
• No minimum required: Early-stage research is eligible, provided the project meets the required development and piloting objectives
• 🤝 Collaborative Projects
• Preferred: Joint projects involving several eligible institutions and collaborations with application partners in the target segments are welcome and viewed favourably
• 🦾 Real-World Robotics Experience
• Selection criterion: Demonstrated experience piloting robotic systems in real-world environments is considered during selection

Participation Commitments

• 🤖 MiPA Platform and Target Segments
• Mandatory: Selected projects must implement their capabilities on the NEURA MiPA platform and focus on at least one of the three target segments: healthcare, retail or hospitality
• 💰 Platform Leasing and Service Costs
• Mandatory: MiPA is provided under a monthly leasing model. The costs of NEURA’s contributions, particularly the MiPA leasing rate and NEURA Gym Services, are covered by the granted funding and must be included in the work and cost plan
• 📄 Cooperation Agreement
• Mandatory: Project commencement is subject to a separate cooperation agreement with NEURA
• 💵 Application Fees and Equity
• Not stated: The call does not specify an application fee, tuition or equity requirement. The costs of NEURA’s contributions are financed from the granted funding

Target Sector

Healthcare & Life Sciences, Retail & Consumer, Travel & Hospitality

Target Location

Applicants must be established in Germany, another EU Member State, the United Kingdom or Switzerland. This requirement applies to the applicant organization — universities and higher education institutions, publicly funded research institutes and startups. Joint projects with several eligible institutions and cooperations with application partners from the target segments are welcome.