Future Needs, helps secure €5M European project to assess and advance societal readiness for IAM

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.

The approach will be tested through Living Labs in Madrid, Milan, and Coimbra, where local stakeholders will take part in demonstrations, immersive experiences, and workshops to explore real-world applications and societal impacts.

As air mobility technologies continue to evolve, IAM-CC addresses a key gap: societal readiness remains underdeveloped. By providing structured methodologies, practical tools, and inclusive processes, the project supports more informed, inclusive, and context-sensitive integration of IAM across urban and rural areas.