ELLIOT (European Large Open Multi-Modal Foundation Models for Robust Generalization on Arbitrary Data Streams) is a groundbreaking EU-funded project that aims to develop a new generation of open, generalist, and multimodal AI foundation models. With €25 million in funding under the Horizon Europe programme, ELLIOT brings together 30 leading research and industry partners across 12 countries, running from July 2025 to June 2029.

The project addresses key challenges in AI: robust generalization, trustworthy AI, and efficient handling of multimodal data (e.g. text, images, video, sensor data, satellite feeds). Unlike many commercial models, ELLIOT's models, datasets, and training pipelines will be open-source and reproducible, accelerating research and innovation across Europe.

Key Objectives

• Build next-generation multimodal foundation models (MGFMs) that generalize across diverse and dynamic real-world data.

• Ensure transparency, fairness, privacy, and explainability throughout the AI lifecycle, aligning with EU AI regulations.

• Enable reproducible, open research through the release of models, datasets, and training tools.

• Train a new generation of European AI researchers through close integration with the ELLIS network.

Applications

ELLIOT will demonstrate its impact in strategic domains, including:

• Media: Real-time fact-checking and AI-assisted content generation.

• Earth Observation: Climate modelling and environmental monitoring using satellite data.

• Robotics and Mobility: Autonomous driving and robotic perception.

• Workflow Automation & Engineering: Intelligent tools for code generation and complex document understanding.

A European Vision for Sovereign, Trustworthy AI

By leveraging Europe’s HPC infrastructure (e.g., JUPITER, LUMI, Leonardo, MareNostrum) and high-quality datasets (including from European Data Spaces), ELLIOT strengthens Europe’s position in sovereign, human-centric AI. It builds upon the scientific excellence of the ELLIS network and the open science principles championed by the LAION community.

Coordinated by

CERTH - Information Technologies Institute, Greece
Contact: Dr Yiannis Kompatsiaris – ikom@iti.gr

Follow ELLIOT:
LinkedIn | Bluesky
More about ELLIS: ellis.eu

ELLIOT: Advancing European AI with Open Multimodal Foundation Models

ELLIOT (European Large Open Multi-Modal Foundation Models for Robust Generalization on Arbitrary Data Streams) is a groundbreaking EU-funded project that aims to develop a new generation of open, generalist, and multimodal AI foundation models. With €25 million in funding under the Horizon Europe programme, ELLIOT brings together 30 leading research and industry partners across 12 countries, running from July 2025 to June 2029.

The project addresses key challenges in AI: robust generalization, trustworthy AI, and efficient handling of multimodal data (e.g. text, images, video, sensor data, satellite feeds). Unlike many commercial models, ELLIOT's models, datasets, and training pipelines will be open-source and reproducible, accelerating research and innovation across Europe.

Key Objectives

• Build next-generation multimodal foundation models (MGFMs) that generalize across diverse and dynamic real-world data.

• Ensure transparency, fairness, privacy, and explainability throughout the AI lifecycle, aligning with EU AI regulations.

• Enable reproducible, open research through the release of models, datasets, and training tools.

• Train a new generation of European AI researchers through close integration with the ELLIS network.

Applications

ELLIOT will demonstrate its impact in strategic domains, including:

• Media: Real-time fact-checking and AI-assisted content generation.

• Earth Observation: Climate modelling and environmental monitoring using satellite data.

• Robotics and Mobility: Autonomous driving and robotic perception.

• Workflow Automation & Engineering: Intelligent tools for code generation and complex document understanding.

A European Vision for Sovereign, Trustworthy AI

By leveraging Europe’s HPC infrastructure (e.g., JUPITER, LUMI, Leonardo, MareNostrum) and high-quality datasets (including from European Data Spaces), ELLIOT strengthens Europe’s position in sovereign, human-centric AI. It builds upon the scientific excellence of the ELLIS network and the open science principles championed by the LAION community.

Coordinated by

CERTH - Information Technologies Institute, Greece
Contact: Dr Yiannis Kompatsiaris – ikom@iti.gr

Follow ELLIOT:
LinkedIn | Bluesky
More about ELLIS: ellis.eu