IMDEA Networks has been granted funding for four projects under the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU), reinforcing its position as one of Europe’s leading research centers in 6G innovation. This year we have a 50% success rate in the proposals, and we participate in 20% of the projects selected in the call.

The projects—PROSPERO, PAISES-6G, IoT-ZERO and PRIME-6G—are part of the European Union’s investment in next-generation communication technologies through Horizon Europe, contributing to a total public funding of €630 million. Together, they address key challenges for the development of 6G, including sustainability, security, industrial transformation and future network architectures.

A particularly noteworthy aspect is that the four projects are coordinated by only two principal investigators: Marco Fiore, who leads PROSPERO and PAISES-6G, and Joerg Widmer, who leads IoT-ZERO and PRIME-6G. This further reinforces the institute’s capacity to deliver high-impact research across multiple strategic domains.

Among the funded initiatives, PRIME-6G focuses on enabling resilient industrial manufacturing environments through AI-driven optimization of 6G networks and computing resources. The project will validate its solutions in real-world factory environments, leveraging deterministic connectivity, multi-modal sensing and digital twins to enhance operational efficiency, safety and flexibility. It will deliver a close-to-market 6G platform blueprint, supporting Europe’s leadership in smart manufacturing.

Similarly, IoT-ZERO targets the development of near-zero-energy Internet of Things (IoT) devices through ultra-low-power communication, energy harvesting and secure integration of terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks. By combining event-driven sensing and neuromorphic computing, the project will support battery-less, long-life deployments and demonstrate sustainable asset-tracking solutions across hybrid connectivity environments.

In parallel, PROSPERO will develop a unified, integrated and simplified 6G architecture designed to reduce costs, improve sustainability and enhance network resilience. By combining connectivity, intelligence and resource efficiency within a single framework, the project aims to overcome fragmentation and reduce dependence on proprietary technologies.

Its approach includes AI-native automation, sustainability-by-design principles and seamless management across heterogeneous environments, validated through targeted proof-of-concept implementations. These innovations will contribute to new business models, improved efficiency and strengthened European technological sovereignty.

“Within the scope of PROSPERO, IMDEA Networks Institute will contribute to the design, implementation, and validation of AI-based solutions to reduce the energy cost of the large-scale infrastructure that underpin the radio access and transport domains of today’s and tomorrow’s operational mobile networks. The work will in fact build on top of the results achieved by the institute and key partners such as Telefónica and NEC in two previous collaborative actions, DAEMON and ORIGAMI; indeed, the continued funding by the European Commission to such a stream of projects in very competitive calls with acceptance rates well below 10% represents a clear recognition of the impactful research carried out by the core consortium in recent years”, explains Marco Fiore, Research Professor at IMDEA Networks.

Complementing this work, PAISES-6G will develop next-generation 6G infrastructures that are secure, intelligent and scalable, integrating advanced AI and machine learning technologies to enhance network performance and efficiency.

The project will leverage digital twins to generate synthetic data for secure testing of network functions, alongside quantum-ready encryption technologies to address future cybersecurity threats. It will also enable zero-touch deployment of AI across federated domains, improving automation, resilience and operational efficiency.

Through these projects, IMDEA Networks contributes to building a 6G ecosystem that is not only high-performing, but also secure, sustainable and aligned with European strategic priorities.

The SNS JU programme represents a major European effort to consolidate leadership in next-generation networks, fostering collaboration between academia, industry and public stakeholders to accelerate the development and deployment of 6G technologies.