FORUM MED IA Research Prize 2026: Call for Applications Now Open
Expertise France, the IRD and ANIMA Investment Network are awarding two €5,000 prizes to AI research projects from Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia. Applications close on 21 September 2026.
The FORUM MED IA Research Prize opened for applications on 21 August 2026. Carried jointly by Expertise France, the Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD) and ANIMA Investment Network, it recognises research projects that mobilise artificial intelligence to address the social, environmental and economic challenges of the Mediterranean region.
The Prize sits within Sila – the France-Mediterranean Initiative for Artificial Intelligence, funded by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEAE) through the Fonds Équipe France (FEF+) and implemented by Expertise France. It is organised as part of the third edition of the Mediterranean Artificial Intelligence Forum (FORUM MED IA), initiated by the Interministerial Delegation for the Mediterranean (DIMED), which takes place on 5 November 2026 at the Palais du Pharo in Marseille.
We are sharing this call with our community because it speaks directly to a conviction EuroMedAI has defended since FMIA 2025 in Tunis: Mediterranean AI capacity already exists on the southern and eastern shores, and it deserves visibility, funding and a seat at the table.
Call for applications · open now
Two prizes of €5,000 for Mediterranean AI research
Open to researchers, doctoral and post-doctoral candidates, laboratories, universities, start-ups and research spin-offs established in Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco or Tunisia. Applications close on 21 September 2026 at 23:59 (Paris time, UTC+2).
The Official Fact Sheet
The organisers’ presentation document sets out the rules, the categories, the evaluation grid and the calendar in full. You can page through all seven pages below, or open the PDF directly.
FORUM MED IA · Research Prize
Fiche de présentation (French, 7 pages)
Source document
Prix de recherche FORUM MED IA — fiche de présentation
Published by Expertise France, the IRD and ANIMA Investment Network · PDF · 7 pages · French · 609 KB
Two Categories, One Application
Applicants submit a single application and do not choose a category. The jury assigns each project to one of the two categories at the evaluation stage.
Social Innovation Prize
Funded by the IRD. For AI projects serving the public interest and generating social or environmental impact — health, education, environment, water, agriculture, sea and coastline, sustainable development or inclusion.
Economic Innovation Prize
Funded by the MEAE. For AI solutions with strong economic potential — research valorisation, technology transfer, industrialisation, business creation and value creation, including agrifood, maritime activities and the blue economy.
One laureate is designated per category, each receiving a €5,000 grant. The grant covers purchases, services, subcontracting and compute time, but not staff costs. The awards ceremony is held on 5 November 2026 at the Palais du Pharo.
Who Can Apply
Eligibility conditions are identical for both categories:
- Geographic anchoring: the applicant, or the organisation they are affiliated with, must be established in Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco or Tunisia.
- Field: the project must rest on a concrete application of AI, developed or under development — not simply the use of existing tools.
- Maturity: no technology readiness level is imposed; projects are eligible at any TRL.
- Submission: a complete file must be submitted before 21 September 2026 at 23:59 (Paris time, UTC+2) on the online platform. Late applications are not examined.
Eligible profiles and structures include researchers and teaching researchers, doctoral and post-doctoral candidates, research teams and laboratories, universities and higher education institutions, and innovative young companies and research spin-offs.
Applications led or co-led by women are particularly encouraged by the organisers.
How Projects Are Assessed
The jury evaluates applications against five criteria:
- Scientific quality and innovation
- Mediterranean relevance and contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Frugality, sovereignty and ethics
- The criterion specific to the category assigned by the jury
- Team and feasibility
The jury brings together representatives of Expertise France, the IRD and ANIMA Investment Network, alongside qualified figures from the research, innovation and investment communities, selected for their AI expertise and their knowledge of the Mediterranean region. Its members are designated jointly by the three partner organisations, and the final composition is published on the call page. The jury assigns each project to a category, deliberates behind closed doors on the basis of the evaluation grid, and designates one laureate per category.
What the Six Selected Candidates Receive
Six applications are shortlisted, on the strength of the written file alone — there is no interview. Selected candidates then receive targeted support before pitching in Marseille:
- A one-day online preparation workshop in October 2026, focused on structuring a short, compelling pitch, articulating a clear value proposition, and adapting the presentation to an audience of researchers, entrepreneurs, investors and public decision-makers.
- Hands-on support from the Prize partners on the pitch deck, the business model and the investor-facing value proposition, including help in making the science accessible to non-specialists without compromising rigour.
- Individual feedback on each presentation.
- Travel and accommodation in Marseille covered by Expertise France for selected candidates residing outside France, together with an official invitation letter and, where needed, support with visa procedures. Visa issuance remains the decision of the competent consular authorities.
Attendance at both the workshop and the Forum is expected. Where a candidate is prevented from attending for reasons beyond their control — a visa refusal, an inability to travel, or force majeure — adapted arrangements can be examined with the organisers without calling their selection into question.
Beyond the ceremony, selected candidates and laureates are connected to the wider Mediterranean AI network: introductions to laboratories, companies and investors present at the Forum, networking activities under the Sila initiative, and project promotion by the IRD and ANIMA Investment Network in the months following the event.
Timeline
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Call opens | 21 August 2026 |
| Applications close | 21 September 2026, 23:59 (Paris time, UTC+2) |
| Evaluation of applications | Second half of September 2026 |
| Selection of the six shortlisted candidates | End of September 2026 |
| Online preparation workshop | October 2026 · date communicated to finalists |
| Final pitch of the six candidates | 5 November 2026 |
| Award ceremony · FORUM MED IA 2026, Palais du Pharo, Marseille | 5 November 2026 |
How to Apply
Applications are submitted through the organisers’ platform on F6S: f6s.com/forum-med-ia-prix-de-recherche. The application form is single and bilingual, common to both categories, and does not ask applicants to choose between them. Only complete and eligible files are evaluated.
Questions about the call can be addressed to aymen.bouazizi@expertisefrance.fr. Personal data collected through the call is processed by Expertise France as data controller, under the EU General Data Protection Regulation.
If you are preparing an application from our network and would like to connect with peers working on similar challenges across the region, join EuroMedAI. We will continue to relay Mediterranean AI research and funding opportunities as they open.
Share