Net Zero Technology - Demo Projects Open Call #1

Net Zero Technology - Demo Projects Open Call #1 (JEWEL) is a cascade funding call supporting SME-led demonstration projects that deploy near-to-market Net-Zero Technologies in manufacturing, with a total budget of €540,000 to fund up to 10 projects. Eligible applicants are consortia of at least two SMEs established in different NUTS 2 regions; maximum grant per project is €54,000, minimum project budget €60,000, and a minimum private contribution of 10% is required. Projects should demonstrate measurable GHG reductions and advance or validate technologies at TRL 6–8 in real industrial environments over an expected duration of nine months. Applications are submitted via the GoodGrant platform by 1 June 2026, 17:00 Brussels time.

What it funds

Scope and activities

Cascade grant for SME-led innovation and demonstration projects that deploy near-to-market Net-Zero Technologies (TRL 6–8, with emphasis on TRL 7–8) in real industrial manufacturing environments to reduce GHG emissions, improve energy and resource efficiency, integrate digital tools (IoT, AI), and advance circular production.

Eligible technology areas:Battery and energy storage, hydrogen and fuel cells, electricity grid solutions, wind/solar and other green energy applied to industrial processes; also digital sustainability tools, retrofit and process optimisation, circular economy measures, testing and validation. ¹

1. 1Grant type: cascade funding (innovation & demonstration).
2. 2Projects must address a concrete manufacturing use-case and show measurable results.
3. 3Recommended TRL progression: typically from TRL 5–6 toward TRL 7–8.

Who can apply

Consortia of SMEs:minimum two SMEs from two different eligible NUTS 2 regions. SMEs may act as manufacturing end-users or solution providers. Trans-regional and trans-national SME collaboration is prioritised.

Budget, award size and duration

How to apply and evaluation

Apply online via the GoodGrant platform before the deadline. Proposals undergo eligibility checks and expert evaluation on Excellence, Impact and Implementation; highest-scoring projects are funded until the budget is exhausted.

Footnotes

1. 1Applicant guide and call details available on the JEWEL Open Call pages and via the GoodGrant application portal JEWEL Open Call and the EU Funding & Tenders Portal listing.

Opportunity summary

This is a cascade funding open call launched under the Joint nEtWork for European net-zero manufacturing Leadership (JEWEL) project (Grant agreement 101236275), targeting SMEs to deploy and demonstrate near-to-market Net-Zero Technologies (NZT) in real industrial manufacturing environments. The call finances innovation and demonstration projects that show measurable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, energy efficiency improvements and resource optimisation, and integration of digital technologies. Ten projects will be funded from a total budget of €540,000. Projects are expected to last approximately 9 months and aim to progress TRL typically from 5–6 towards TRL 7–8.

Opening and deadline:Opening date 01 April 2026. Submission deadline 01 June 2026, 17:00 Brussels time. Single-stage submission via the GoodGrant platform GoodGrant Guide for Applicants. ¹

Type of action and funding:Type of action: Innovation & Demonstration Projects (cascade funding). Funding modality: grants delivered through cascade (sub)grants to SMEs.

Eligibility and applicant requirements

Minimum consortium composition:at least two SMEs established in two different eligible NUTS 2 regions. Applicants may be manufacturing end-users or solution providers; primary focus is SMEs. Projects must be clearly embedded in a manufacturing context and address a concrete manufacturing use-case with direct application in an industrial production environment.

1. 1Eligible applicant types: SMEs (manufacturing end-users or solution providers). Trans-regional SME collaboration is required (minimum 2 SMEs from 2 different NUTS 2 regions).
2. 2Consortium requirement: consortium mandatory (minimum 2 SMEs from 2 different eligible NUTS 2 regions).
3. 3Geographic eligibility: EU Member States and eligible NUTS2 regions defined in the call (EU/Euroclusters network).
4. 4Project duration: expected participation duration approximately 9 months.
5. 5Minimum project budget per proposal: €60,000 (project-level).
6. 6Maximum grant per project: €54,000.
7. 7Minimum private contribution (co-funding): 10% of the project costs.

Scope, objectives and targeted technologies

Primary objective:accelerate deployment of Net-Zero Technologies in manufacturing, support development of European NZT solutions, foster trans-regional SME collaboration, strengthen competitiveness and contribute to industrial decarbonisation. Projects must deliver measurable GHG emissions reductions and/or environmental impact reductions, improve energy efficiency or resource use, integrate innovative digital technologies and demonstrate results in a manufacturing production environment.

• Targeted NZT categories: Battery and energy storage technologies; Hydrogen technologies (electrolysers, fuel cells); Electricity grid technologies (smart/flexible grid solutions); Wind, solar and other green energy production technologies applied to industrial processes; Transformative industrial technologies and integration with digital solutions.
• Target ecosystems (preferred sectors): Automotive, Mobility or Transport; Aerospace & Defence; Energy-Intensive Industries.

Eligible activities (detailed)

The call supports activities directly linked to demonstration and deployment of NZT in manufacturing. Activities must contribute to demonstration in operational environments and support scale-up, replication and market uptake.

1. 1Demonstration and pilot activities: deployment and testing in operational industrial environments; pilot lines, prototypes, demonstrators or proof-of-concept validation at TRL 6–8; integration into existing production systems.
2. 2Technology implementation and adaptation: customisation and integration of NZT into manufacturing processes; retrofitting or upgrading industrial equipment to improve energy efficiency or reduce emissions; process optimisation and digitalisation (IoT, AI, data-driven monitoring).
3. 3Digital solutions for sustainability: energy monitoring, optimisation and management tools; consumption/resource reduction, tracking and valorisation systems; digital twins and predictive maintenance improving resource efficiency.
4. 4Circular economy implementation: reuse, recycling or recovery of materials within production; development of circular production systems or industrial symbiosis; reduction of raw material consumption and waste generation.
5. 5Testing, validation and performance assessment: measurement and verification of environmental impact (e.g. GHG reduction), life-cycle and performance assessments linked to the demonstration, validation of scalability and replicability, gap-filling activities between demonstration and commercialisation.
6. 6Optional complementary activities: upskilling, internationalisation and value-chain strengthening, promotion and outreach to demonstrate scalability and contribute to Europe’s leadership in sustainable manufacturing.

Project maturity and expected outcomes

Projects must target mature, near-to-market solutions with activities focused on TRL 7–8 demonstration in real industrial environments. Proposals must state the TRL before project start and the TRL expected at completion. Typical aim: progress from TRL 5–6 to TRL 7–8, or demonstrate TRL 7–8 deployment and scalability.

Submission and evaluation process

Applications are submitted online through the GoodGrant platform by the stated deadline. After submission the JEWEL consortium performs an eligibility check. Eligible proposals are evaluated by independent experts against three criteria: Excellence, Impact and Implementation. Projects that meet minimum thresholds are ranked and the highest scoring proposals are funded until the budget is exhausted.

1. 1Submission: single-stage open call via GoodGrant.
2. 2Eligibility check: performed by the consortium.
3. 3Evaluation: independent experts assessing Excellence, Impact and Implementation.
4. 4Selection: ranked list; funds awarded top-down until budget depletion.
5. 5Number of evaluation stages: 1 main evaluation stage after eligibility (single-stage call).

Selection will fund 10 projects. Applicants should ensure the consortium and budget meet the minimum conditions and that TRL targets, GHG reduction measurement and industrial embedding are clearly described.

Co-funding, financial conditions and budget details

Funding is provided as grants through cascade funding. Typical funding intensity indicated:up to 90% of project costs with a minimum private contribution of 10%. Maximum grant per project is €54,000. Projects must present a clear budget, justify costs and include at least 10% private co-funding. Budget split rules may apply depending on project structure and partners.

Co-funding requirement:Minimum private contribution is 10% of the project budget; the grant finances the remainder (typical grant intensity up to 90%).

Application templates and guidance

Applicants must use the GoodGrant submission forms. The call provides a Guide for Applicants and a Service Pack with project information, templates and examples on the JEWEL Open Call website (Evoluma cluster page). The GoodGrant form typically requests project summary, workplan and milestones, consortium details, budget breakdown, TRL before and after, impact metrics (energy savings, GHG reductions), description of demonstration site and replication strategy, risk assessment and dissemination/upskilling activities.

1. 1Application form structure (typical): administrative details; consortium composition and declarations; project summary and objectives; description of manufacturing use-case and site; technical description including TRL and integration plan; detailed workplan and timeline (9 months expected); deliverables and KPIs (GHG reduction, energy/resource savings); budget breakdown and co-funding; sustainability, scalability and replicability plan; exploitation and dissemination; risks and mitigation; supporting annexes (letters of support, technical schematics).
2. 2Where to apply: GoodGrant platform (link and guide available on JEWEL Open Call page).
3. 3Supporting documents: Guide for Applicants, JEWEL Service Pack, InfoDay materials and webinars (recordings and slides).

Success rates and competition

Ten projects will be funded from the available budget. Exact success rates depend on the number of applications received; with 10 awards available, expected competitiveness is high for high-quality, well-anchored industrial demonstrators. No historical success-rate data is provided in the call text.

Key considerations for applicants

1. 1Demonstrate a real manufacturing use-case with access to an operational production environment where deployment/testing will occur.
2. 2Provide measurable KPIs for GHG emissions reduction, energy savings, resource efficiency and lifecycle/performance assessment plans.
3. 3Declare TRL at project start and target TRL at completion; aim to progress toward TRL 7–8 or demonstrate TRL 7–8 activities.
4. 4Include digitalisation elements (IoT, AI, digital twins) where relevant to monitoring, optimisation and replication.
5. 5Ensure consortium meets minimum geographic requirement (2 SMEs from different NUTS 2 regions) and that budget meets minimum and maximum thresholds.
6. 6Plan for scalability and replicability, include dissemination, upskilling and value-chain strengthening where possible.

Categorisation answers

Below are explicit answers to the requested categorisation questions based on the call information.

Eligible Applicant Types:Primary eligible applicants: SMEs (manufacturing end-users or solution providers). Consortium must include at least two SMEs. Other entity types (universities, research institutes or large enterprises) are not presented as primary beneficiaries for cascade grants in this call; they may participate as subcontractors or partners where allowed but the call explicitly targets SMEs for funding.

Funding Type:Primary funding mechanism: grant via cascade funding (sub-grants to SME-led consortia).

Consortium Requirement:Consortium required: minimum two SMEs from two different eligible NUTS 2 regions. Single applicant projects are not eligible under the minimum requirement.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):Geographic eligibility: EU Member States (eligible NUTS 2 regions). The call is part of a Eurocluster initiative; projects must involve SMEs in at least two different eligible NUTS 2 regions within the scope of the JEWEL consortium and EU rules.

Target Sector:Target sectors: manufacturing with priority ecosystems Automotive, Mobility & Transport; Aerospace & Defence; Energy-Intensive Industries. Thematic sectors include energy, environment, industrial manufacturing, digital technologies (IoT, AI), battery/energy storage, hydrogen/fuel cells, electricity grid technologies, renewables and circular economy.

Mentioned Countries:No individual countries are mandated in the call text; the geographic framing is EU NUTS 2 regions. The JEWEL consortium includes partners across Belgium, Portugal, France, Italy, Finland, Latvia, Poland and other European cluster regions, but the call eligibility is defined by NUTS 2 region rules rather than specific country lists.

Project Stage:Expected project maturity: near-to-market demonstration and deployment; targeted TRL 7–8 activities. Projects should typically aim to progress from TRL 5–6 toward TRL 7–8.

Funding Amount:Total call budget: €540,000. Minimum project budget: €60,000. Maximum grant per project: €54,000. Ten projects will be funded.

Application Type:Open call (single-stage). Applicants submit proposals through the GoodGrant online platform by the deadline.

Nature of Support:Monetary support: direct grant funding to SMEs (cascade). Non-monetary support: JEWEL offers knowledge, mentorship, networking, training, matchmaking and service pack resources, but the cascade funding provides direct financial grants to selected SME consortia.

Application Stages:Single-stage submission followed by eligibility check and expert evaluation (practically two procedural steps: eligibility check by consortium and full evaluation by independent experts).

Success Rates:Not specified in call documentation. Ten awards are available; success rate depends on the number of applications. No historical acceptance rate provided.

Co-funding Requirement:Yes. Minimum private contribution of 10% of the project budget; grant covers the remainder (typical grant intensity up to 90%).

How to prepare a strong application (practical checklist)

1. 1Ensure consortium includes at least 2 SMEs from different NUTS 2 regions and document legal status and region of establishment.
2. 2Describe the manufacturing use-case, access to the demonstration site and describe the production environment, processes and expected operational constraints.
3. 3State TRL at project start and target TRL at completion; provide technical roadmap to demonstrate TRL advancement or deployment at TRL 7–8.
4. 4Provide detailed KPIs and measurement plan for GHG reductions, energy savings, resource efficiency and life-cycle/performance assessment methods.
5. 5Include digital integration elements where applicable (IoT, AI, digital twin) and explain how they enable monitoring, optimisation and replication.
6. 6Prepare a realistic 9-month workplan with milestones, deliverables, responsibilities and risk mitigation measures.
7. 7Provide a clear budget with cost breakdown, demonstrate the 10% private co-funding and explain budget allocations per partner and activity.
8. 8Include dissemination, exploitation and replication plans (how the solution will be scaled, commercialised or promoted across regions).
9. 9Attach supporting documents such as letters of commitment from demonstration site owners, technical schematics, previous pilot evidence and partner CVs.
10. 10Follow the GoodGrant form instructions and the Guide for Applicants; attend InfoDay/webinars or review recordings/materials for clarifications.

This summary synthesises the public call text from the JEWEL Open Call #1 NZT-Demo Projects page and the EU Funding & Tenders Portal listing. Applicants should consult the official Guide for Applicants and the GoodGrant submission portal for the authoritative templates, full eligibility rules and detailed application forms before preparing their submission. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Apply and find the Guide for Applicants via the GoodGrant platform and the JEWEL Open Call web pages (JEWEL Open Call #1 – NZT Demo Projects on Evoluma and the EU Funding & Tenders Portal).

This cascade funding open call under the JEWEL project (Joint nEtWork for European net-zero manufacturing Leadership, Grant Agreement 101236275) supports SMEs in deploying near-to-market Net-Zero Technologies (NZT) in manufacturing environments to accelerate industrial decarbonisation. It funds innovation and demonstration projects addressing concrete manufacturing use-cases at TRL 6-8, with a total budget of €540,000 for 10 projects.

Key Dates and Budget

Opening Date:1 April 2026.

Submission Deadline:1 June 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time (single-stage submission).

Expected Project Duration:9 months.

Total Funding Available:€540,000, with up to €54,000 per project (90% funding rate, minimum private contribution 10%). Minimum project budget €60,000.

Applications are submitted via the GoodGrant platform. Full guide for applicants available on the JEWEL website JEWEL Open Call Website. Official EU portal: EU Funding Portal.

Eligibility and Who Can Apply

Open exclusively to SMEs acting as manufacturing end-users or solution providers. Minimum consortium: 2 SMEs from 2 different eligible NUTS 2 regions (trans-regional/trans-national collaboration required). Projects must target one or more of the following ecosystems: Automotive/Mobility/Transport, Aerospace & Defence, Energy-Intensive Industries.

• SMEs established in EU Member States or associated countries.
• Proposals must demonstrate mature technologies (TRL 7-8 focus, typically progressing from TRL 5-6 to TRL 7-8).
• Must clearly indicate TRL at project start and expected at completion.

Objectives and Scope

Projects must deliver GHG emissions reductions, improve energy efficiency/resource use, integrate digital technologies (e.g., IoT, AI), and demonstrate measurable results in real industrial environments. Must address at least one NZT category.

• Battery and energy storage technologies (e.g., advanced battery cells, thermal storage).
• Hydrogen technologies (e.g., electrolysers, fuel cells).
• Electricity grid technologies (smart/flexible grids for renewables).
• Wind, solar, and other green energy production technologies for industrial decarbonisation.

Eligible Activities

Focus on demonstration, deployment, and validation of NZT in manufacturing. Optional:upskilling, internationalisation, value chain strengthening, promotion for scalability.

• Demonstration/pilot activities: deployment/testing in operational environments, pilot lines/prototypes at TRL 6-8, integration into production systems.
• Technology implementation/adaptation: customisation, retrofitting, process optimisation/digitalisation.
• Digital solutions for sustainability: energy monitoring, digital twins, predictive maintenance.
• Circular economy: reuse/recycling, industrial symbiosis, waste reduction.
• Testing/validation: GHG measurement, life-cycle assessments, scalability validation, pre-commercialisation activities.

Evaluation Process

1. 1Eligibility check by consortium.
2. 2Evaluation by independent experts on Excellence, Impact, Implementation.
3. 3Ranking of proposals meeting thresholds; top 10 funded until budget exhausted.

Additional Opportunities and Resources

Part of the JEWEL Eurocluster initiative SMP-COSME. Info Day webinar:5 March 2026. JEWEL consortium includes clusters from Belgium, Portugal, France, Italy, Spain, Finland, Latvia, Poland. Service Pack, reports, and guidelines available on JEWEL website.

This call bridges applied research and market uptake, contributing to EU industrial competitiveness and net-zero goals¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Source: EU Funding & Tenders Portal and JEWEL project documentation.