FIERCE 1st Open Call for the Financial Support Program

The FIERCE 1st Open Call for the Financial Support Program is an EU funding initiative aimed at assisting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including self-employed individuals, micro, small, and medium-sized businesses, as well as start-ups and scale-ups. Eligible applicants must be legally registered in any EU Member State, its Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT), or Horizon Europe Associated Countries.

The program provides grants of up to €50,000 to support the development and commercialization of space-enabled green solutions, particularly those that utilize downstream space data such as Earth Observation, remote sensing, and satellite navigation. The focus areas include improving circularity, resource management, waste management, and enhancing environmental monitoring.

There are three project stages supported under this program:
1. Ideation projects can receive up to €25,000.
2. Scale-Up projects are eligible for funding up to €50,000.
3. Commercialization projects can also receive up to €25,000.

The total budget for the call is €1.25 million, with an aim to support approximately 35 projects. Application submissions can occur through an online portal, with multiple cut-off deadlines scheduled for February 28, 2026, and March 31, 2026.

Funding is directed towards contracting external service providers rather than direct operational costs, meaning that the grants are non-reimbursable and completely dedicated to securing specialized services. Beneficiaries will also receive non-financial support through mentoring and access to guidance networks.

Each applicant's proposal will go through a structured evaluation process comprising full proposal submission, eligibility checks, expert evaluations, consensus meetings, and formal legal screenings. Co-funding is not required as the program covers 100% of the financial support directed towards external services.

This initiative emphasizes the translation of space-based data into actionable business solutions, aligning entrepreneurial innovation with EU sustainability and climate goals. The overarching project, under the Horizon Europe framework, aims to foster innovative ecosystems for improving raw materials and enabling circular economy solutions.

The FIERCE 1st Open Call for the Financial Support Program aims to support SMEs in developing space-enabled green solutions, contributing to sustainable and circular business innovation. The program provides financial support for contracting External Service Providers to help beneficiaries design, upscale, or commercialize their solutions, or adopt commercially available ones.

The opening date for the call is January 12, 2026. There are multiple cut-off dates for submissions: February 28, 2026, at 17:00 (Brussels time) and March 31, 2026, at 23:59 (Brussels time). The expected duration of participation is up to 6 months. The total funding available for this call is 1,250,000 EUR. The project acronym is FIERCE, and the full name of the EU-funded project is Financing and Innovation Ecosystems for SMEs to innovate for Raw materials and Circular Economy solutions and using downstream space technologies. The grant agreement number is 101177496. The relevant topic is HORIZON-CL4-2024-RESILIENCE-01-41 - 'Innovate to transform' support for SME's sustainability transition (CSA).

The program scope focuses on using downstream space data to create solutions with a positive environmental impact. There are two types of transformation projects: Type A, which improves the company's internal processes to minimize resources, waste, and pollution, and Type B, which creates new or improves existing products for better resource management and environmental monitoring for its users. Applicants should demonstrate their potential to leverage downstream space data, including Earth Observation (EO), remote sensing, and satellite navigation. The program prioritizes solutions that improve circularity in resource use and waste management, ensure safe and resource-efficient management of raw materials, and enhance environmental monitoring.

Each selected beneficiary can receive up to 50,000 EUR to implement their project. This amount is based on the budget information provided in the application form and is paid out after successful completion and verification of results.

Applications must be submitted via the online portal at https://1st-financing.project-fierce.eu/ by the specified deadline.

Eligible applicants are single entities, including self-employed individuals, micro enterprises, small enterprises, medium-sized enterprises, start-ups, and scale-ups. At the time of application, these entities must be legally registered in any EU Member State, its Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT), or Horizon Europe Associated Countries.

The program aims to support approximately 35 projects in this open call. The final number of awarded projects depends on the total budget allocated.

The evaluation process includes: Full proposal submission, Admissibility & eligibility check, Expert Evaluation by independent evaluators based on established criteria, a Consensus Meeting where the Selection Committee prioritizes proposals based on evaluation results and FIERCE project objectives, and a Formal Check involving legal screening of pre-selected entities before signing the Sub-Grant Agreement.

Detailed information and support documents are available at https://1st-financing.project-fierce.eu/. Applicants are strongly advised to read the Guide for Applicants thoroughly. For assistance, contact helpdesk@project-fierce.eu. Additional information about the project can be found at https://project-fierce.eu/.

The Financial Support Program supports SMEs in advancing their space-based green solutions from early-stage ideas to market-ready products. There are three types of projects, each with different funding limits: Ideation projects (up to 25,000 EUR), Scale-Up projects (up to 50,000 EUR), and Commercialisation projects (up to 25,000 EUR). The projects are implemented with the support of External Service Providers, and 100% of the financial support is allocated to them. Eligible services and a list of External Service Providers can be found in the Guide for Applicants. Beneficiaries can use as many services as needed, provided they do not exceed the maximum spending limit of 50,000 EUR on service providers. Each beneficiary will be assigned a Lead Mentor to provide guidance and support throughout the program.

In summary, this FIERCE open call offers funding to SMEs and other eligible entities to develop and implement green solutions using space-derived data. The funding is intended to cover the costs of engaging external service providers who can assist with various stages of development, from initial ideation to commercialization. The program is specifically targeted at projects that contribute to circular economy principles, efficient resource management, and environmental monitoring. Applicants must be based in the EU or associated countries and demonstrate a clear plan for leveraging space data to achieve their environmental goals. The application process involves several stages of evaluation, and successful applicants will also receive mentorship to guide them through the project implementation.

Eligible Applicant Types: Self-employed individuals, Micro Enterprises, Small Enterprises, Medium-sized Enterprises, including start-ups and scale-ups are eligible applicants. These entities must be legally registered in any EU Member State and its Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT) or Horizon Europe Associated Countries.

Funding Type: Grant. This is cascade funding provided through the FIERCE project.

Consortium Requirement: Single applicant. Only single entities can apply.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): EU Member States, its Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT), and Horizon Europe Associated Countries.

Target Sector: The program targets SMEs with space-enabled green solutions. Specifically, it focuses on solutions that leverage downstream space data, such as Earth Observation (EO), remote sensing, and satellite navigation, to create a positive environmental impact. The target sectors include improvement of circularity in terms of improved use of resources and waste management, safe, resource-efficient, and environmentally friendly management of primary, secondary, and critical raw materials, and improved environmental monitoring. It also targets raw materials and circular economy solutions.

Mentioned Countries: EU Member States, Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT), and Horizon Europe Associated Countries are mentioned as eligible regions.

Project Stage: The program supports projects at various stages of maturity, including ideation, scale-up, and commercialization. There are three types of projects: Ideation projects, Scale-Up projects, and Commercialisation projects.

Funding Amount: The maximum grant amount is 50,000 EUR per selected beneficiary. Ideation projects can receive up to 25,000 EUR, Scale-Up projects can receive up to 50,000 EUR, and Commercialisation projects can receive up to 25,000 EUR.

Application Type: Open call. Applications must be submitted via an online portal. The deadline model is multiple cut-off.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a grant. The grant is to be used to contract External Service Providers who will help the beneficiaries design, upscale, or commercialize their space-enabled green solutions. 100% of the financial support will be allocated to the External Service Providers.

Application Stages: The evaluation process consists of the following steps: Full proposal submission, Admissibility & eligibility check, Expert Evaluation, Consensus Meeting, and Formal Check.

Success Rates: The program aims to support approximately 35 projects. The success rate is not explicitly stated, but it can be inferred that it will depend on the number of applications received and the quality of the proposals. Given the total funding available is 1,250,000 EUR and the maximum grant is 50,000 EUR, the maximum number of projects that could be funded is 25, so the success rate is likely below 10%.

Co-funding Requirement: No, co-funding is not required. 100% of the financial support will be allocated to External Service Providers.

Summary:

The FIERCE 1st Open Call for the Financial Support Program is an EU funding opportunity designed to support SMEs and self-employed individuals in advancing their space-based green solutions. The program provides grants of up to 50,000 EUR to selected beneficiaries, which must be used to contract External Service Providers. These providers will assist in the design, upscaling, or commercialization of space-enabled green solutions. The program targets projects at various stages of development, from ideation to commercialization, and focuses on solutions that leverage downstream space data, such as Earth Observation, remote sensing, and satellite navigation, to address environmental challenges. Eligible applicants must be legally registered in an EU Member State, its Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT), or a Horizon Europe Associated Country. The application process involves submitting a proposal through an online portal, followed by admissibility and eligibility checks, expert evaluation, a consensus meeting, and a formal check. The program aims to support approximately 35 projects, with a total funding of 1,250,000 EUR available. The deadline model is multiple cut-off, with deadlines on 28 February 2026 and 31 March 2026. Beneficiaries will also be assigned a Lead Mentor to guide them through the program. The program falls under the Horizon Europe framework, specifically addressing the topic of 'Innovate to transform' support for SME's sustainability transition. The full name of the EU funded project is Financing and Innovation Ecosystems for SMEs to innovate for Raw materials and Circular Economy solutions and using downstream space technologies.