AI-BOOST Launches “AI Challenge Competition” an European GenAI Competition to Drive Innovation in Robotics and Engineering
Bruno Veloso
AI-BOOST Launches “AI Challenge Competition” an European GenAI Competition to Drive Innovation in Robotics and Engineering
The AI-BOOST consortium has officially opened applications for its AI Challenge Competition, an initiative designed to unlock the potential of Europe’s leading Generative AI innovators. The competition seeks to drive significant research progress in the fields of autonomous robotics, agentic AI for engineering design and simulation, clinical datasets and mobility, advancing projects from Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 2-3 to TRL 4-5.
The programme aims to attract talented individuals, start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and academic teams across the European Union and Associated Countries to solve real-world industrial problems.
The four challenges
The competition is structured around two key challenges, each guided by an industry Challenge Owner:
Challenge 1: GenAI-Based Natural Language Mission Generator for Autonomous Robots in Agriculture. Led by Consorzio Intellimech and JOiINT LAB, this challenge aims to democratise robotic programming. By leveraging advanced Vision-Language-Action (VLA) models, participants will develop a system capable of translating natural language into executable commands, initially focusing on enhancing vineyard productivity while being adaptable to broader industrial field operations.
Challenge 2: Agentic AI for Automated CAD Generation and Autonomous Simulation. Led by SIAD Group, this challenge focuses on streamlining the design and simulation of industrial piping, specifically for routing compressor tubes within skids. The goal is to translate natural language requirements and CAD data into editable parametric models, automating complex tasks like geometric constraint extraction and mesh generation to significantly reduce manual engineering efforts.
Challenge 3: Generative AI for Enhancement of Clinical Datasets_EUropean Federation for CAncer IMages (EUCAIM). Led by EUropean Federation for CAncer IMages (EUCAIM), this challenge focuses on using Generative AI to enhance the quality and representativeness of clinical imaging datasets, which are often incomplete or imbalanced. By creating realistic synthetic patient cohorts, the solution aims to fill critical data gaps and harmonise information across various imaging conditions. The system will identify key demographic and clinical characteristics to ensure synthetic data remains realistic and consistent with real-world statistics. Ultimately, the project seeks to improve fairness and reduce bias, enabling the development of trustworthy models that support accurate medical research and clinical decision-making.
Challenge 4: Generative AI for Automatic Test Case Generation from Crash Databases & Standards_Siemens Industry Software NV. Led by Siemens Industry Software NV, this challenge aims to enhance the safety and validation of autonomous driving systems by using Generative AI to automate the creation of simulation scenarios. By transforming accident reports, visual data, and international safety standards into structured, simulation-ready formats, the solution replaces slow, manual processes with a more scalable and consistent workflow. This approach strengthens the link between real-world data and regulatory frameworks, helping teams identify critical safety gaps and complex edge cases. Ultimately, the project will provide technical and regulatory experts with comprehensive scenario sets, significantly improving the efficiency and accessibility of safety assessments for autonomous vehicles.
Competition Structure and Significant Funding
The AI-BOOST competition is a two-phase funnel approach to continuously support and evaluate the strongest candidates:
Spark Phase: Participants will submit a Concept Note for evaluation. Five winners will be selected per challenge, with each receiving a €28,500 prize and an invitation to progress to the next stage.
Advance Phase: The Spark Phase winners will undertake an intensive five-month development and validation programme. This phase will culminate in a Final Live Event in Brussels in February 2027, where teams will publicly pitch their solutions. One grand winner from each challenge will be awarded a final prize of €100,000.
In addition to the main prizes, AI-BOOST will grant two special recognitions per challenge: an Innovation Excellence Award (€12,500) and a Responsible AI Award (€12,500).
Eligibility and Application Details
Participation is open to individuals, single legal entities, SMEs, start-ups, universities, NGOs, and non-profit organisations with technical capacity and AI expertise. Applicants must be established in an EU Member State, overseas countries and territories (OCTs), or eligible Associated Countries. Projects must focus exclusively on civil applications.
Deadlines:
For challenge 1 and 2 applications are open from 19 June 2026 and will close on 25 August 2026 at 17:00 CEST. Applicants must submit an application via the F6S platform: https://www.f6s.com/ai-challenge-competition/
For challenge 3 and 4 applications are open from 3 July 2026 and will close on 8 September 2026 at 17:00 CEST. Applicants must submit an application via the F6S platform: https://www.f6s.com/ai-challenge-competition-2
AI-BOOST is a project funded by the EC’s Horizon Europe programme that has a central focus on establishing and managing highly scalable AI open innovation competitions, fostering scientific advancements in critical AI domains.
AI-BOOST is composed of a strong consortium of seven partners: ZABALA, F6S, CINECA, INESC TEC, Univerzita Pavla Jozefa Safarika V Kosiciach, EIT DIGITAL and Universitat Pompeu Fabra.
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Funded by the European Union under GA No 101135737. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.