As the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU) announced the 16 winners of its third call for proposals, it said that the 127M EUR funding round brought total funding to over EUR500 million.
SNS JU is an EU Partnership that brings together public and industry researchers, and funding, with the aim of advancing “European industrial leadership” in 5G and 6G networks and services. This partnership is jointly led by the EU Commission and the 6G Smart Networks and Services Industry Association (6G-IA).
16 projects – all of which SNS said focus on driving the development of 6G technology in Europe – were selected in the 2024 call to receive funding to drive the development of experimental platforms, conduct large-scale trials, and innovation research.
The grants were whittled down from 1,874 applicants across 33 European countries, with the 16 selected projects including 301 beneficiaries from 25 countries.
“We were pleased with the robust response to our 2024 call,” said Erzsébet Fitori, Executive Director of SNS JU. “The projects selected highlight the diversity of 6G development happening across Europe, from infrastructure to applications to security. SNS JU is proud to support these efforts to ensure Europe remains at the forefront of 6G research and innovation and help realise its potential to transform lives and society.”
The winning projects span iverse array of projects ensures a multifaceted approach to addressing 6G challenges and promises a wide range of research breakthroughs and innovative solutions:
- FLECON-6G: Developing an architecture to bring the “Intelligent 6G Network of Networks” vision to life.
- UNITY-6G: Focussing on an AI-native architecture to support the diverse requirements of 6G networks.
- 6G-LEADER: Advancing the physical and Radio Access Network aspects of 6G such as machine learning-empowered algorithms and disaggregated RAN implementation.
- Multi-X: Developing a fusion 6G-RAN system to pioneer multi-sensor and multi-technology paradigms for sensing applications.
- AMBIENT-6G: Energy-neutral devices (ENDs), powered by ambient energy harvesting, for IoT ecosystems.
- NexaSphere: A sustainable multi-connected 3D network, integrating radio and wireless-optical technologies for sectors like aeronautics and automotive.
- MARE: A 6G security plane offering multi-domain security and privacy provisioning.
- XTRUST-6G: Arobust zero-trust security framework, focusing on AI-driven and quantum-safe network and services.
- 6G MIRAI: AI-native wireless systems, leveraging cell-free massive MIMO and next-gen virtualised RAN.
- 6G ARROW: Focuses on leveraging AI in radio access networks, enhancing network efficiency and device integration.
- SUSTAIN-6G (Sustainability Lighthouse*): A sustainability framework that addresses environmental, societal, and economic aspects of 6G and for key vertical sectors.
- 6G-DALI: An end-to-end AI framework for 6G, integrating AI experimentation as a service, data analytics and storage.
- X-TREME 6G (Microelectronics Lighthouse*): Design chipsets for 6G, including applications like wireless back-hauling and joint communication and sensing.
- 6G-VERSUS: Focuses on integrating sustainable technologies across five environmentally conscious industries, using 6G platforms to optimise data and decision-making processes.
- AMAZING-6G: Aims to showcase 14 use cases in the domains of Healthcare, Public Safety, Energy and Transport (including Rail) implementing large-scale trials and pilots across Europe. Develop and test technology enablers in the areas of Communications, Compute-as-a-Service, Applications and AI, IoT and localization.
- SNS CO-OP: Supports the overall activities of SNS JU, ensuring long-term continuity and coordination for 6G research and innovation efforts across Europe.
* SNS JU said that Lighthouse: SUSTAIN-6G and X-TREME 6G are two critical SNS “Lighthouses”. SUSTAIN-6G is aiming to integrate environmental, societal, and economic sustainability into future communications and vertical systems.
X-TREME 6G is tasked with establishing and maintaining an open platform to push forward 6G chip design.
6G-DALI is pioneering the integration of AI into 6G networks with a two-pillar framework: AI experimentation as a service via MLOps, and data management via DataOps.
6G-MIRAI and 6G-ARROW are two international projects in partnership respectively with Japan and South Korea. 6G-MIRAI aims at developing AI-native wireless communication systems that leverage the latest physical layer technological advances, and of next-generation virtualised and disaggregated radio access networks.
