Innovation Fund 2025 Net Zero Technologies - General decarbonisation - Small-Scale Projects

The Innovation Fund 2025 Net Zero Technologies opportunity, specifically titled INNOVFUND, is an EU funding initiative aimed at supporting projects that contribute to general decarbonization. This program offers InnovFund Lump Sum Grants, designed to facilitate the deployment of innovative low-carbon technologies and is financed through EU Emissions Trading System revenues. The total budget allocated for this call is €2,900,000,000. Eligible applicants include a wide range of entities such as private enterprises, industrial operators, technology providers, renewable energy producers, research institutions, and consortia. The fund supports both single applicants and partnerships, although consortium participation is common for complex projects that require diverse expertise. Geographically, the funding is open to organizations established in the European Economic Area, which encompasses all EU member states and additional EEA countries. The projects may span various sectors including energy-intensive industries, renewable energy, energy storage, industrial carbon management, and net-zero mobility. The call targets projects at demonstration and early commercialization stages, focusing on those ready for large-scale deployment. The funding amounts for individual small-scale projects typically range from approximately €1.4 million to €50 million, depending on factors such as technology complexity and deployment scale. The application process utilizes a single-stage, open submission method, with a deadline set for April 23, 2026. Applicants must submit complete proposals electronically through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Evaluation of applications will consider several criteria including the degree of innovation, greenhouse gas emissions reduction potential, project maturity, replicability, and cost efficiency. Success rates for previous calls have been around 20-25%, indicating a moderately competitive selection process. Co-funding is encouraged but not explicitly required at the call level, creating opportunities for applicants to leverage additional resources. Overall, this funding opportunity represents a significant avenue for organizations within the EEA to advance projects that align with the EU's climate objectives and contribute to the ambitious goals of industrial decarbonization and climate neutrality.

The Innovation Fund 2025 Net Zero Technologies call, specifically the INNOVFUND topic, is an EU funding opportunity under the Innovation Fund program. It aims to support projects contributing to general decarbonization through small-scale projects. The funding is provided as InnovFund Lump Sum Grants. The call is open for submissions with a deadline of April 23, 2026, at 17:00 Brussels time. The submission session opened on December 4, 2025.

The total budget allocated to this call is €2,900,000,000.

The call encompasses several topics:INNOVFUND-2025-NZT-GENERAL-MSP, INNOVFUND-2025-NZT-GENERAL-LSP, INNOVFUND-2025-NZT-CLEAN-TECH-MANUFACTURING, INNOVFUND, and INNOVFUND-2025-NZT-PILOTS.

The admissibility conditions, eligible countries, other eligible conditions, financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria, submission and evaluation processes, award criteria, scoring and thresholds, indicative timeline, and legal and financial setup are detailed in sections 5, 6, 6, 7, 8 & 11, 8 & 9, 4, and 10 of the call document, respectively.

Applicants must use the forms provided inside the Submission System under "Part B templates" for submission.

Several documents are available to guide applicants:the call document, methodology for calculating GHG emission avoidance, methodology for calculating relevant costs, application form, detailed budget table/relevant cost calculator, GHG emission avoidance calculators (including GHG calculator renewable electricity and heating, GHG calculator energy storage, GHG calculator energy intensive industries (EII), and GHG calculator mobility), feasibility study template, business plan template, participant information template, timetable/Gantt chart template, extended Part C form, and knowledge sharing report template.

The legal framework for this call is based on Decision C(2025)7674 and Annex, the Decision on lump sums for the Innovation Fund, INNOVFUND Legal Framework, INNOVFUND Regulation 2019/856, ETS Directive 2003/87, and EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509. Additional documents include Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, EU Grants AGA, Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions, and Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

To submit a proposal, applicants must access the Electronic Submission Service via the submission button and confirm their choice of action and model grant agreement. Existing draft proposals can be accessed through the Funding & Tenders Portal.

For assistance, applicants can contact the InnovFund helpdesk for call-specific questions or the IT Helpdesk for technical issues. The Online Manual provides a step-by-step guide to the Portal processes.

In summary, this Innovation Fund call aims to support net-zero technology projects through lump sum grants. It focuses on general decarbonization, clean technology manufacturing, and pilot projects. The application process involves submitting a detailed proposal with specific forms and adherence to eligibility criteria. The evaluation process will consider factors outlined in the call document, and successful projects will receive funding to contribute to the EU's climate goals. Applicants should carefully review all provided documents and utilize available support services to prepare a strong application.

Eligible Applicant Types:The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. The call document (section 6) should contain this information.

Funding Type:The funding type is a grant, specifically an INNOVFUND Lump Sum Grant.

Consortium Requirement:The text does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. This information is likely available in the call document.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):The eligible countries are described in section 6 of the call document, but the specific countries or regions are not listed in the provided text.

Target Sector:The program targets Net Zero Technologies, general decarbonisation, and clean tech manufacturing. It also mentions energy intensive industries (EII), renewable electricity and heating, energy storage, and mobility.

Mentioned Countries:No specific countries are mentioned in the provided text.

Project Stage:The call includes topics for pilot projects, suggesting that projects at the demonstration or validation stage are relevant. The inclusion of feasibility studies and business plans as application documents suggests that projects in earlier stages of development may also be considered.

Funding Amount:The total budget for the call is €2,900,000,000. The budget per project is not specified in the provided text.

Application Type:The application type is an open call, with a single-stage submission process.

Nature of Support:Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant.

Application Stages:The application process is single-stage.

Success Rates:The success rates are not mentioned in the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement:The text does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required.

Summary:

This is a call for proposals under the Innovation Fund 2025 Net Zero Technologies (INNOVFUND-2025-NZT), offering INNOVFUND Lump Sum Grants. The call aims to support projects that contribute to Net Zero Technologies and general decarbonisation, with specific topics including clean tech manufacturing, pilot projects, and general decarbonisation projects of various sizes (small, medium, and large scale). The total budget for the call is €2.9 billion. The call is structured as a single-stage submission, with a deadline of April 23, 2026. Applicants must submit their proposals electronically through the Funding & Tenders Portal. The call document provides detailed information on admissibility conditions, eligible countries, evaluation criteria, and the legal and financial setup of the grants. Applicants need to prepare an application form, a detailed budget table, and potentially a feasibility study, business plan, and GHG emission avoidance calculators, depending on the project type. The call is governed by the INNOVFUND legal framework, including the INNOVFUND Regulation, the ETS Directive, and the EU Financial Regulation. Helpdesks and support services are available to assist applicants with the call documentation, application process, and technical aspects of submission. The call includes several specific topics: INNOVFUND-2025-NZT-GENERAL-MSP (Medium-Scale Projects), INNOVFUND-2025-NZT-GENERAL-LSP (Large-Scale Projects), INNOVFUND-2025-NZT-CLEAN-TECH-MANUFACTURING, INNOVFUND (Small-Scale Projects), and INNOVFUND-2025-NZT-PILOTS. The opening date for submissions is December 4, 2025.