The European Reference Genome Atlas (ERGA) pilot project reports its success in uniting scientists from across Europe to produce high-quality reference genomes for 98 species. This marks a significant milestone in the quest to create a high-quality reference genome database for all European animals, plants and fungi. The pilot project was co-initiated in 2021 by the then ERGA chair Dr Camila Mazzoni from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) with input from the entire community. This continental effort sets the stage for a new, inclusive and equitable model for biodiversity genomics, as reported in an article published today in the journal “npj Biodiversity”.