How can we improve social welfare by adding Innovative Air Mobility (IAM) to the mix of existing transport modes?
This is the starting point of IAM-CC, a €5 million EU-funded project addressing one of the most critical – and often overlooked – aspects of IAM: societal readiness for its adoption.
Rather than focusing only on technological feasibility, the project looks at the problems IAM can solve, society’s readiness to adopt it, and how it can be deployed fairly.
Running from June 2026 to December 2029, IAM-CC brings together a consortium of 20 organisations to shape how IAM is introduced in practice.
The proposal that secured IAM-CC funding was led by Future Needs, building on the company’s strong portfolio of EU-funded aviation and mobility projects and its continued focus on the societal dimension of innovation.
“IAM-CC is about making sure innovation works for society, not the other way around,” says Anna Palaiologk, founder of Future Needs. “When we were developing the proposal, we built on the work already done in this space and brought together the right mix of expertise to support this vision. We also made a conscious decision to base the project on the Responsible Research and Innovation approach, so that co-creation is part of the process from the beginning, not something we address later.”
IAM-CC’s participatory, evidence-based methodology moves beyond passive public acceptance toward active co-creation.
The project will develop a societal readiness methodology that integrates technological, organisational, and citizen readiness, alongside legal and ethical considerations. Future Needs will lead this work, developing the framework and tools to help stakeholders assess impacts, define priorities, and shape decision-making processes that reflect citizen needs and expectations.
In parallel, Future Needs will lead the development of the IAM Competence Centre, offering validated tools, training, and practical guidance, and supporting a European community of practice. The project will also deliver multilingual public awareness and educational campaigns to raise understanding of IAM.
As part of the meeting, Future Needs researchers facilitated co-creation workshops with project partners in preparation for the Living Labs in Madrid, Milan, and Coimbra. The first workshop focused on co-creating societal readiness for IAM integration across the three cities, reflecting on their specific needs and readiness. The second workshop focused on stakeholder mapping across the IAM use cases to be explored in each city. The dissemination team also recorded short videos with project partners for public awareness.
Through the introduction of the Societal Readiness Pilot, the European Commission is placing greater emphasis on ensuring that research and innovation activities are responsive to societal needs, concerns, and expectations through stakeholder engagement, interdisciplinary collaboration, and co-creation. If you’re preparing a proposal for one of the upcoming Autumn 2026 calls and looking for an experienced SSH partner, we’d be happy to have a conversation.
Get in touch to start the conversation: proposals@futureneeds.eu
- Example from the Mobility sector: (HORIZON-CL5-2027-06-D6-08) Enhancing Mobility for All: Affordable, Reliable and Accessible Multimodal Transport for Inclusive Rural and Urban Connectivity – Societal Readiness Pilot. Deadline: 7 October 2027.
Requires: an interdisciplinary approach that deepens consideration of societal needs and concerns, actively involving stakeholders and end users in the development of inclusive mobility solutions.
- Example from the Industrial Decarbonisation sector: (HORIZON-CL5-2027-07-D3-32) Delivery of Industrial CCUS Clusters – Societal Readiness Pilot. Deadline: 1 December 2027.
Requires: understanding and addressing the needs, concerns, and expectations of affected stakeholder groups to support societal uptake and responsible deployment of innovative solutions.
- Example from the Mobility sector: (HORIZON-CL5-2026-10-D6-02) Geopolitical Competition and Socioeconomic Resilience in CCAM: An Innovation and Policy Roadmap for EU Leadership (CCAM Partnership). Deadline: 8 October 2026.
Requires: assessing socioeconomic impacts, supporting policy development, and engaging multiple stakeholders to ensure that future mobility systems are resilient, inclusive, and responsive to societal needs.
At Future Needs, we help organisations design and deliver stakeholder engagement, co-creation, and human-centred research activities that strengthen project impact and support successful adoption. If your next proposal includes requirements related to societal readiness, stakeholder engagement, or co-creation, we’d be happy to discuss how we can support you.
