Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The call targets two main domains: Cognitive Cities and Health & Life Sciences.

Cognitive Cities include four topics:

Smart mobility: Exploration of integrated, intelligent, and low-emission mobility solutions that enhance accessibility, safety, and urban flow across all modes of transport.
Next-generation built environments and infrastructure: Rethinking how cities are constructed and operated – from advanced materials and automated systems and energy performance – with an emphasis on resilience, adaptability, and human-centered design.
Climate-neutral and resilient urban systems: Advancing urban systems that reduce environmental impact and strengthen resilience through a combination of technological, ecological, and systems-level innovations – enabling climate adaptation, resource efficiency, and pollution prevention.
Urban health intelligence for proactive well-being: Integration of data, designs, and environmental insights to promote healthier cities – enabling preventive action and informed decision-making for population-level health.

Potential examples of research areas under Cognitive Cities

Smart mobility
Examples may include: AI-enabled traffic management, efficient transportation, multimodal logistics, or sustainable last-mile delivery operations.
Next-generation built environments and infrastructure
Examples may include: modular construction using robotics, smart infrastructure systems with embedded sensing, or the use of novel materials for low-carbon and adaptive buildings.
Climate-neutral and resilient urban systems
Examples may include: integrated air-quality monitoring networks, circular waste-to-energy ecosystems, nature-based infrastructure, or urban climate risk platforms.
Urban health intelligence for proactive well-being
Examples may include: urban-scale health informatics, AI for community risk detection, or early-warning systems for public health management.

Health & Life Sciences include four topics:

Biological discovery and systems science: Research that enhances understanding of biological processes, disease mechanisms, and the interplay between genetics, environment, and behaviour.
Clinical and translational health: Bridging science and care through innovations in diagnostics, therapeutics, and personalised approaches to disease prevention and management.
Health innovation and engineering: Development of next-generation tools and platforms – including digital health, robotics, and wearable technologies – to enable new models of care, recovery, and health monitoring.
Biomanufacturing and synthetic biology: Advancing engineered biological systems for sustainable production in food, agriculture, and industrial biotechnology.

Potential examples of research areas under Health & Life Sciences

Biological discovery and systems science
Examples may include: aging and longevity science, microbiome-function studies, bioenergy, or systems-level modelling of disease pathways.
Clinical and translational health
Examples may include: precision diagnostics, regenerative medicine, or AI-assisted clinical workflows.
Health innovation and engineering
Examples may include: remote health monitoring, surgical robotics, injury-prevention wearables for athletes, or assistive technologies for rehabilitation.
Biomanufacturing and synthetic biology
Examples may include: cell-cultured food, microbial platforms for enzyme or material production, or synthetic biology for bio-based chemicals.

The call encourages the use of various enabling cross-cutting technologies, including: