The European Union has launched LLM-BRIDGE, a Digital Europe Programme–funded initiative designed to strengthen Europe’s capabilities in generative AI and large language model systems. Coordinated by the Alliance for Language Technologies (ALT-EDIC), the project brings together ten organisations from across Europe, including computing infrastructure providers, national AI associations, and innovation ecosystem leaders.
The consortium includes 28DIGITAL, the AI Coalition for the Netherlands (AIC4NL), the AI Data Robotics Association (ADRA), Italian supercomputing centre CINECA, Greece's GRNET, Hub France IA, the German AI Association (KI Bundesverband), Czech Republic's prg.ai and Finland's CSC.
Within the consortium, 28DIGITAL is leading a €60,000 open call to select an incubator organisation that will train and mentor the next generation of European generative AI startups. The selected incubator will deliver the Venture Incubation Programme (VIP), a structured 12-week programme supporting 30 early-stage companies building solutions with large language models and generative AI.
The programme is designed to accelerate promising European AI ventures by providing access to high-performance computing resources, structured mentoring, regulatory guidance aligned with frameworks such as the EU AI Act and GDPR, and investor-readiness support. The initiative will culminate in a Demo Day connecting participating startups with investors and ecosystem partners.
The open call represents an opportunity for experienced incubators and innovation organisations based in Europe to play a direct role in strengthening the continent’s AI ecosystem. Applicants are expected to demonstrate proven experience in startup incubation, the capacity to deliver a structured venture development programme, and the ability to support startups in areas such as market validation, business model development, scaling strategies, and responsible AI compliance.
The selected incubator will receive up to €60,000 in funding, distributed in milestone-based tranches linked to programme performance indicators including startup completion rates, MVP validation, investor readiness, and adherence to programme communication and ethical standards.
Applications for the open call are open until 23 March 2026 at 17:00 CET. The selection process includes eligibility screening, independent expert evaluation, and panel ranking to ensure transparency and alignment with Digital Europe Programme principles.
Through this initiative, 28DIGITAL is helping mobilise Europe’s incubation ecosystem to support the emergence of globally competitive AI companies. By combining technical infrastructure, regulatory support, and entrepreneurial mentoring, the LLM-BRIDGE Venture Incubation Programme aims to reduce fragmentation in the European AI landscape and strengthen Europe’s technological sovereignty in large language model technologies.
Full details on eligibility, evaluation criteria, and the application process are available on the official LLM-BRIDGE website.
