1st Open Call round – Supporting SMEs in the Textile Sector towards Digital and Green Transition

FutureProofTextiles 1st Open Call provides cascade funding to support 20 SMEs in the textile value chain to accelerate digital and green transitions. Each selected SME receives a fixed lump-sum grant of €50,000 plus a required €10,000 co-funding contribution and enters a 9-month programme including approximately 40 hours of tailored training, mentoring and cross-border networking. Eligible applicants are single legal-entity SMEs established in countries participating in the EU Single Market Programme, proposals must demonstrate TRL 5 or higher, and applications must be submitted in English via the EU Survey portal. Deadline for submission is 18 September 2026 23:59 Brussels time and evaluation weighting is Technical Innovation 40%, Impact and Sustainability 30%, Business Viability 20% and Implementation Feasibility 10%.

What it funds

Grant purpose and support

Competitive open call to support SME projects that accelerate digitalisation and green transition in the textile value chain (Green Transition or Digital Innovation). Selected SMEs receive a 9-month implementation programme including training, mentoring, open-access learning materials and cross-border networking.

Award per SME:Fixed lump-sum grant €50 000 plus required SME co-funding €10 000 (total project value €60 000 per SME). 20 SMEs will be supported in this round. ¹

Who can apply

Single SMEs only (no consortia, clusters or intermediaries), legally established in countries participating in the Single Market Programme (EU Member States and SMP-associated countries). Applicants must meet the EU SME definition (Recommendation 2003/361/EC).

1. 1Operates in the textile value chain or provides a solution directly contributing to it (relevant NACE codes cited in call).
2. 2Proposed project must be TRL 5 or higher and a named English-speaking staff member must manage implementation and communication.

How to apply & deadlines

Applications are submitted online only via the EU Survey Application Portal. Proposals must be in English. Each SME may submit up to two proposals (one per topic) but may receive only one award across the programme.

Call deadline:18 September 2026 23:59 UTC. Application portal and supporting documents available on the call page Application Portal. ¹

Selection & compliance

Evaluation criteria:Technical innovation (40%), Impact and sustainability (30%), Business viability (20%), Implementation feasibility (10%). Selected projects must respect DNSH and EU ESG standards and sign mandatory eligibility and conflict-of-interest declarations.

Contact and documents:Support documents, templates and contact: OPEN_CALL_GUIDELINES_AND_APPLICATION_PORTAL_v1.pdf and related templates via the application portal; helpdesk email fpt.eu.helpdesk@gmail.com.

Footnotes

1. 1Official application portal and call documents are available at FutureProofTextiles Open Call.

Call Summary and Objective

What the call offers

FutureProofTextiles 1st Open Call supports 20 individual SMEs in the textile value chain to accelerate the twin transitions: digital transformation and green sustainability. The program provides a fixed-lump-sum co-financing grant of €50,000 per selected SME plus a required contribution of €10,000 from the SME (total project value per SME €60,000). In addition to financial support, selected SMEs will receive structured capacity building: an average of 40 hours of tailored training per SME, open-access training curricula (100 hours of material), cross-border networking facilitation and dedicated technical mentoring for up to 6 SMEs. Projects have a maximum implementation duration of 9 months.

Application portal:Submit proposals exclusively online via the EU Survey Application Portal: ec.europa.eu Application Portal ¹

Eligibility and Applicant Requirements

Eligible applicants must be single legal entities classified as SMEs according to European Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC. Partnerships, clusters and intermediary organisations are explicitly excluded even if they qualify as SMEs. Each application must be submitted by a single SME (no consortia). SMEs must be legally established in countries participating in the Single Market Programme (SMP), which includes EU Member States and formally associated SMP countries. Applicants must operate within the textile value chain or in complementary sectors whose proposed innovation directly contributes to the textile value chain and map to relevant NACE codes as listed below. At least one staff member of the applicant SME must be proficient in English and involved in project implementation and communications.

1. 1Company size: Single SME only (no consortia); must meet EC SME definition (2003/361/EC).
2. 2Ineligible: partnerships, clusters, intermediary organisations even if they are SMEs.
3. 3Location: Registered in a Single Market Programme participating country (EU Member States and associated countries).
4. 4Language: Proposal and communications in English; at least one English-speaking staff member required.

Relevant NACE codes and sector scope

Applicants must demonstrate activity in the textile value chain or offer innovations that directly support it. Acceptable NACE codes (or national equivalents) identified by the call include:

1. 1Textile manufacturing: C13.1, C13.2, C13.3, C13.9
2. 2Apparel manufacturing: C14.1, C14.3
3. 3Textile-based products and technical textiles: C15.12, C22.19
4. 4Textile recycling and circularity activities: C38
5. 5Digital and innovative solutions: J62, J63
6. 6Manufacture of machinery for textile, apparel and leather production: C28.94

Financial details and budget

Overall program budget allocated in the metadata is €1,000,000 under identifier SMP-COSME. Individual SME support is provided as a lump-sum grant of €50,000. Each SME must provide a required self-funding contribution of €10,000, meaning the total project value per SME is €60,000. The call will support up to 20 SMEs (20 x €50,000 = €1,000,000).

Funding Type:Grant (fixed lump-sum co-financing grant of €50,000 per selected SME plus required SME self-funding of €10,000).

Call logistics, evaluation and timeline

Deadline:18 September 2026, 23:59 UTC. Project duration: up to 9 months. Application mode: single-stage, open call, proposals submitted exclusively through the EU Survey portal. Applications must be written in English. Each SME may submit up to two proposals in the same Open Call round (one under Green Transition and one under Digital Innovations), however an SME may receive only one grant award across the entire program.

1. 1Deadline: 2026-09-18T23:59:00+00:00
2. 2Project duration: 9 months
3. 3Call type: single-stage open call
4. 4Submission method: online only via EU Survey portal
5. 5Language: English only
6. 6Application limit: up to two proposals per SME (one Green, one Digital), maximum one award per SME

Evaluation criteria and process

An international Evaluation Committee coordinated by UNIWA will evaluate proposals. Evaluation is confidential and impartial with attention to conflicts of interest, and compliance with ESG and EU Do No Significant Harm principles. The scoring weightings are:

1. 1Technical Innovation: 40% (novelty, feasibility, scalability)
2. 2Impact & Sustainability: 30% (supply chain resilience, digitalisation, green transition contributions)
3. 3Business Viability: 20% (market potential, financial sustainability, commercialization strategy)
4. 4Implementation Feasibility: 10% (SME capacity, resources, timeline)

Selected projects must integrate climate-neutral and circular economy practices and promote gender equality across personnel levels. Proposals must declare absence of double funding and conflicts of interest using mandatory signed forms supplied in the application package.

Project maturity, eligible activities and requested documentation

Project maturity requirement:proposals must demonstrate Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5 or higher. Eligible activities and eligible cost types are detailed in the downloadable document Exhaustive_List_of_Eligible_Activities_and_Eligible_Costs_.pdf available through the application portal. Applicants must complete and upload specific templates and declaration forms described below.

Application form structure and guidance (template outline)

The online form is structured as a survey with mandatory fields and upload areas. Applicants are strongly advised to prepare answers offline using the Standardized Application Form Template and the supplied supporting documents. The portal indicates maximum text lengths for many questions. Key sections and required inputs (as visible on the online form) include:

1. 1Basic applicant and contact information, confirmation of SME status and NACE code alignment.
2. 2Call type selection: Green Transition or Digital Innovation (applicants may apply for both separately).
3. 3Project title and short abstract.
4. 4Problem statement and solution description with maximum line limits (concise explanations required).
5. 5Detailed description of the proposed innovation (process or product), including top three highlights and measurable objectives.
6. 6Selection of TRL and justification for TRL rating (max 5 lines).
7. 7Integration and scalability statements (system integration needs, workforce training requirements, capital expenditure needs).
8. 8Market and commercialisation section: competitors, competitive advantages, target users, estimated revenue and go-to-market channels.
9. 9Sustainability / environmental proof (for Green proposals): LCA, utility tracking, certifications, Digital Product Passport, lab tests, waste audits, etc.
10. 10Digital proof metrics (for Digital proposals): adoption metrics, uptime logs, API integration, cyber security audits, pilot test results.
11. 11Financial sustainability after grant expiry (sales, subscription, cost savings, private investment, strategic partnership).
12. 12Uploads: completed budget tables, signed declaration forms and supporting documents.

The portal enforces mandatory uploads for the budget tables and declaration forms before submission. Several multiple-choice selections and checkboxes guide technical and commercial evidence submission (see the portal’s list of questions: proof options for environmental and digital validation).

Assessment of key categorical questions

Below are detailed, structured answers to the requested classification and extraction questions based on the call documentation.

Eligible Applicant Types:Single legal entity SME only (startups and small/medium enterprises that fall under the European Commission 2003/361/EC definition). Partnerships, clusters, intermediary organisations and consortia are explicitly ineligible; the applying entity must be one SME representing itself.

Funding Type:Grant: fixed lump-sum co-financing grant (€50,000 per selected SME) combined with required SME self-funding of €10,000. This is a direct grant instrument administered under the Single Market Programme (COSME-related action).

Consortium Requirement:Single applicant only. Consortia of multiple applicants are not permitted; each application must be submitted by an individual SME representing itself as sole beneficiary.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):Only SMEs legally established in countries participating in the Single Market Programme (SMP) may apply. This includes EU Member States and countries formally associated to the SMP. A definitive list of participating countries is available from the Single Market Programme participating countries list (link provided in the call materials).

Target Sector:Textile sector value chain including textile manufacturing, apparel, technical textiles, textile recycling and circularity, textile machinery manufacturing, and digital/innovative solutions applied to textiles. The call explicitly references NACE codes covering textiles, apparel, recycling (C13, C14, C15.12, C22.19, C38, C28.94) and digital service codes (J62, J63).

Mentioned Countries:No individual countries are listed by name in the call text except references to EU Member States and SMP-associated countries. Therefore the region is: EU Member States and Single Market Programme associated countries (SMP participants).

Project Stage:Expected maturity: development / validation / demonstration stage. The call requires a minimum TRL of 5, which corresponds to component validation in a relevant environment; proposals should exhibit product/process prototypes or pilot-ready solutions rather than early-stage ideas.

Funding Amount:Per-beneficiary grant: €50,000 (fixed lump-sum). Required SME contribution: €10,000. Program budget: approximately €1,000,000 total to fund up to 20 SMEs.

Application Type:Open call; single-stage; online portal submission via EU Survey. The call is an open competitive call accessible to eligible SMEs until the deadline.

Nature of Support:Monetary support (grant) plus substantial non-monetary services: tailored training (average 40 hours), mentoring (technical consulting for up to 6 SMEs), open-access training materials (100 hours), and cross-border networking facilitation. Therefore beneficiaries receive both money and non-financial services.

Application Stages:Single-stage submission followed by evaluation and selection. The administrative process is: 1) eligibility check, 2) peer evaluation by the international committee, 3) selection and grant award. Practically applicants pass through two main decision phases: submission and evaluation/selection.

Success Rates:Estimated success rate: up to 20 SMEs selected from all eligible submissions. The exact number of applicants is unknown; therefore the success rate cannot be calculated precisely from the call text. Historically, open SME calls have single-digit to low double-digit percentage success rates depending on application volume. The call will fund 20 beneficiaries from the applicant pool.

Co-funding Requirement:Yes. Each SME must provide €10,000 as required self-funding (contribution to the total project budget). The grant is a fixed partial co-financing instrument where the SME demonstrates its contribution through the signed budget tables and supporting documentation.

Scoring guidance, compliance and ethics

Evaluation adheres to declared criteria and to EU standards:absence of double funding, conflict of interest declarations, ESG compliance and the Do No Significant Harm (DNSH) principle. Projects are expected to actively integrate climate-neutral measures, circular economy practices and to promote gender equality across personnel levels. Applicants must complete and sign the mandatory declarations available in the application package to confirm compliance.

How to prepare a competitive proposal (practical checklist)

1. 1Verify SME status and legal establishment in an SMP-participating country.
2. 2Confirm that the project reaches at least TRL 5 and map TRL evidence into the application.
3. 3Select whether applying to Green Transition or Digital Innovation (or both separately) and tailor the proposal to the chosen stream.
4. 4Use the Standardized Application Form Template to draft answers offline and respect word/line limits.
5. 5Complete the Tables_with_activities_budget_Milestones_and_risks document with a clear 9-month timeline and realistic milestones (they may be negotiated after selection).
6. 6Prepare and sign the SME and Eligibility Declaration and the Funding eligibility and absence of conflict of interest declaration forms.
7. 7Gather proof elements: LCA, certificates, pilot data, adoption metrics, cybersecurity audits or lab testing depending on project type.
8. 8Ensure at least one English-speaking staff member is assigned for communications and project implementation.
9. 9Save backups and upload all documents via the EU Survey portal before the deadline. Use a stable internet connection.

Contact points, further documents and help:application guidelines and templates are available for download within the application portal and via the supplied shared links. For questions contact fpt.eu.helpdesk@gmail.com. Additional project pages: profile.clustercollaboration.eu profile and FutureProofTextiles LinkedIn page. Project profile LinkedIn

Comprehensive summary

This open call by FutureProofTextiles is a targeted SME support action financed under the Single Market Programme/COSME cluster initiative to help textile-sector SMEs accelerate digital and green transitions. It funds up to 20 individual SMEs with a fixed-lump-sum grant of €50,000 each and requires a €10,000 SME contribution. The program combines monetary support with a capacity-building package including tailored training, mentoring, open-access curricula and cross-border networking. Eligible applicants are single SMEs legally established in SMP participating countries, operating within the textile value chain or delivering innovations that directly serve it, and must demonstrate at least TRL 5. Applications are submitted online via the EU Survey portal in English by 18 September 2026. Evaluation follows a weighted scoring model prioritizing technical innovation (40%), impact and sustainability (30%), business viability (20%) and implementation feasibility (10%). Mandatory documentation includes budget/milestones tables and signed declarations confirming SME eligibility and absence of double funding or conflicts of interest. The project duration is nine months and selected activities must align with EU ESG and DNSH requirements while promoting circularity and gender balance. Interested SMEs should prepare the standardized application template, gather supporting technical and commercial evidence (pilot data, certifications, LCA, adoption metrics as relevant), and ensure compliance with NACE alignment and co-funding rules before submitting via the portal.

Footnotes

1. 1Official online application portal and downloadable documents are accessible at the EU Survey link: ec.europa.eu. The call is listed on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal under identifier SMP-COSME.

Funding Overview and Support Package

The FutureProofTextiles initiative empowers 20 SMEs in the textile sector to navigate the twin transitions of digital transformation and green sustainability through a lump-sum grant and extensive capacity-building resources ¹.

Grant Amount:Each selected SME receives a fixed lump-sum grant of €50,000, with an additional requirement of €10,000 self-funding, totaling €60,000 in project support ².

Additional Support:Beyond funding, SMEs receive 40 hours of tailored training on circular economy and digital transformation, dedicated mentoring for up to 6 SMEs, and access to cross-border networking opportunities ³.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must be single Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) legally established in countries participating in the Single Market Programme (SMP), including EU Member States and associated countries ¹.

1. 1Company Size: Must qualify as an SME under European Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC; clusters and intermediary organizations are ineligible even if they are SMEs.
2. 2Industry: Must operate in the textile value chain (e.g., NACE codes C13, C14, C15, C38, J62, J63, C28.94) or in complementary sectors if the innovation directly contributes to textiles.
3. 3Location: Must be legally established in SMP-participating countries (EU 27, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Türkiye, Ukraine).
4. 4Language: Must have at least one staff member proficient in English to handle communication with the consortium.
5. 5Technology Level: The proposed solution must demonstrate a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 5 or higher.

Application Process and Deadlines

Proposals must be submitted exclusively online via the EU Survey Platform in English; submissions in other languages will not be evaluated ³.

Key Requirements for Proposals

Green Transition proposals must formally prove environmental impact (e.g., LCA, Utility Tracking, Third-Party Certifications) and ensure permanent benefits, while Digital Innovation proposals must prove success via User Adoption Metrics, System Uptime, or Pilot Test Results ³.

1. 1Mandatory Documents: Tables with Activities/Budget/Milestones/Risks, SME and Eligibility Declaration, Funding Eligibility and Conflict of Interest Declaration.
2. 2Evaluation Criteria: Technical Innovation (40%), Impact & Sustainability (30%), Business Viability (20%), Implementation Feasibility (10%).
3. 3IP Rights: Any intellectual property developed remains the exclusive property of the SME.
4. 4Compliance: Applicants must confirm absence of double funding and conflict of interest.

Contact and Resources

For assistance, contact the helpdesk at fpt.eu.helpdesk@gmail.com or visit the official portal for downloadable documents including the Eligible Activities List and SME Needs Survey ³.

Footnotes

1. 1Official Call Guidelines: FutureProofTextiles 1st Open Call Round, co-funded by the EU Single Market Programme (SMP), launched 24 June 2026 [[bgfashion.net.
2. 2Grant Details: €50,000 lump-sum grant + €10,000 self-funding per SME; total program budget €1,000,000 for 20 SMEs [[developmentaid.org.
3. 3Application Portal & Documents: EU Survey Platform with downloadable templates (Eligible Activities, SME Needs, Budget Tables) and contact fpt.eu.helpdesk@gmail.com [[digitalcluster.eu.