Nutrients produced by microorganisms utilising primarily CO2 from the air, with the support of biotechnology

The grant opportunity HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-14 focuses on sustainable nutrient production using microorganisms that convert atmospheric CO₂. It is part of the Horizon Europe initiative, which supports advancements in biotechnology, agriculture, food systems, and environmental sustainability. Eligible applicants include small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), start-ups, research institutes, and possibly other actors in biotechnology.

Funding is through grants under the HORIZON Innovation Actions program, with expected project budgets ranging from €1 million to €5 million. The application process involves a single-stage submission, due on September 16, 2025. Although the requirements for a consortium are not explicitly defined, collaboration across various sectors is emphasized, aligning with Horizon Europe's multi-actor approach.

Geographically, the funding is available to entities from EU member states, associated countries, and encourages international collaboration, particularly with partners from the United States. The primary focus of the projects is on scaling up pre-commercial technologies that utilize precision fermentation and carbon capture techniques to improve food systems.

The expected outcomes of funded projects include enhanced resource efficiency in biotechnological processes, advancements in the understanding of environmental impacts, and the development of supportive infrastructures for innovative technologies. Proposals should address specific activities such as cost analysis for scaling up, establishing databases for business models, and assessing the sustainability and efficiency of production methods.

Co-funding may be required, depending on the specific actions, and success rates for these grants hover around 10 to 39%. The overall objective of this call is to strengthen Europe's strategic autonomy in food production by promoting innovative nutrient production solutions that align with EU sustainability goals.

This EU grant opportunity focuses on innovations in food production, specifically using precision fermentation with genetically engineered microorganisms to create safer and more sustainable food systems. The goal is to foster EU strategic autonomy and leadership in innovative nutrient production.

The grant aligns with the Food 2030 R&I initiative and the Commission communication on Boosting Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing in the EU. Successful proposals should address the application of precision fermentation using genetically engineered microorganisms to contribute to safer food systems. The initiative aims to promote innovation by supporting the creation of new start-up companies in the field of food production via biotechnology. The expected outcomes include fostering EU strategic autonomy and leadership in delivering innovative nutrient production processes through business models applicable to industrial plants and SMEs.

Key expected outcomes of the projects include:

Improved cost and resource efficiency of bioreactors and upstream/downstream processing.
Better understanding of the environmental and climate impacts of CO2 reduction through these processes.
Support from food producing companies for new or existing living laboratory facilities and pre-commercialization infrastructure.
Identification and scaling up of innovative technologies using genetically engineered microorganisms to transform CO2 into nutrients for food purposes, particularly by SMEs and start-ups.
Improvement of existing pilot plants in Europe to scale up nutrient production by addressing barriers.

The proposals should address the following activities:

Cost analysis and investment requirements for scaling up nutrient production using genetically engineered microorganisms that capture CO2.
Establishment of an open space database or platform for companies to create business models for precision fermentation, including pre-commercialization testing and in situ application.
Development of business models for industry and in-situ applications, considering gases other than CO2.
Evaluation of the sustainability, efficiency, and resilience of European companies using precision fermentation and their contribution to CO2 reduction.
Scale-up feasibility analysis for developed biotechnologies, considering up-scaling feasibility from early stages.

The proposals must implement the multi-actor approach, ensuring the involvement of existing private companies in Europe, especially SMEs and start-ups. A dedicated task in the workplan and resources for collaboration with other funded projects is required. Links with Regional Innovation Valleys for the bioeconomy and food systems (RIV4BFS) are expected to encourage technology deployment across EU regions. Cross-articulation with data spaces, particularly the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC), is encouraged. The use of services offered by European research infrastructures like IBISBA is also encouraged. Collaboration with international partners, especially those in the United States, is encouraged to maximize the impact of R&I.

General conditions include:

Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout as described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and Part B of the Application Form.
Eligible Countries: As described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, with specific provisions for non-EU/non-Associated Countries as detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
Other Eligible Conditions: Proposals must apply the multi-actor approach.
Financial and operational capacity and exclusion: As described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds as described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes. Submission and evaluation processes as described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual. Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement as described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Legal and financial set-up of the grants as described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA):

Application form templates are available in the Submission System, including the Standard application form (HE RIA, IA).
Evaluation form templates will be used with necessary adaptations, including the Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA).

Guidance documents include:

HE Programme Guide
HE MGA

Additional documents include:

HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 9. Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment
HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 14. General Annexes
HE Programme Guide
HE Framework Programme 2021/695
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764
EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment
EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual
Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions
Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement

The budget overview provides details for various topics under Cluster 6, Call 02, with a single-stage submission process, opening on 06 May 2025 and a deadline of 16 September 2025. The topics include:

HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-CLIMATE-01 to -05
HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-COMMUNITIES-01 to -04
HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-01 to -17

Each topic has a specific budget and an indicative number of grants. For example, HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-14 has a budget of 12,000,000 EUR and aims to award around 2 grants.

Partner search announcements are available, and LEARs, Account Administrators, or self-registrants can publish partner requests.

To start the submission process, applicants should access the Electronic Submission Service via the Funding & Tenders Portal.

In summary, this grant opportunity aims to revolutionize the food system by leveraging biotechnology and precision fermentation to produce nutrients from CO2, contributing to a healthier planet and EU strategic autonomy. It encourages collaboration between industry, academia, and SMEs, with a focus on scaling up innovative technologies and establishing sustainable business models. The call provides funding for various research and innovation actions, coordination and support actions, and co-fund actions, all contributing to the broader goals of the Food 2030 initiative and the EU's biotechnology strategy.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types include existing private companies in Europe, specifically SMEs and start-ups, industry, academia, civil society, and public authorities. The multi-actor approach is required, meaning that the proposals should involve actors from across the quadruple helix, promoting a model of cooperation between industry, academia, civil society, and public authorities, with a strong emphasis on citizens and their needs. Collaboration with international partners, in particular with those established in the United States, is encouraged.

Funding Type: The funding type includes HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA), HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA), and HORIZON Programme Cofund Actions (HORIZON-COFUND), and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA). These are all grant-based funding mechanisms.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity requires a consortium of multiple applicants, as it emphasizes the 'multi-actor approach' and the involvement of various stakeholders, including SMEs, start-ups, industry, academia, civil society, and public authorities.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility primarily focuses on European entities, including those from EU member states and associated countries. However, collaboration with international partners, particularly those in the United States, is encouraged, and non-EU/non-Associated Countries may have specific provisions for funding their participants.

Target Sector: The program targets several thematic and industry sectors, including food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture, environment, biotechnology, biomanufacturing, climate, and innovation. It specifically focuses on the application of precision fermentation through genetically engineered microorganisms for safer food systems.

Mentioned Countries: United States. The opportunity also mentions Europe and EU regions.

Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project for this opportunity ranges from development to scale-up, with a focus on pre-commercialization testing and scaling up innovative technologies by SMEs and innovative start-ups.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic and type of action. The indicative budgets range from €2,000,000 to €50,000,000 for the year 2025, with some topics having additional budget allocations for 2026 and 2027. The indicative number of grants per topic ranges from 1 to 3, with the exception of HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-CLIMATE-05 and HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-01 and HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-15 which have an indicative number of grants of 1.

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

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money through grants to support their projects.

Application Stages: The application process involves a single stage.

Success Rates: The success rates can be inferred from the indicative number of grants and the level of competition. Given the high budgets and the single-stage application process, the success rates are likely to be below 10%.

Co-funding Requirement: For HORIZON Programme Cofund Actions (HORIZON-COFUND), co-funding from the applicant or other parties is likely required, as these actions are designed to leverage additional investment at the regional or national level.

Summary: This Horizon Europe Cluster 6 call focuses on "Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment" and offers various funding opportunities for research and innovation projects. The call aims to support the application of precision fermentation through genetically engineered microorganisms to enhance food systems, promote EU strategic autonomy, and foster innovation in biotechnology. The call includes several topics related to climate action, communities, and farm-to-fork initiatives. Eligible applicants include SMEs, start-ups, industry, academia, civil society, and public authorities, emphasizing a multi-actor approach. The funding mechanisms include Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), Innovation Actions (IA), Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) and Programme Cofund Actions (COFUND), each with specific objectives and budget allocations. The geographic focus is primarily on European entities, with encouraged collaboration with international partners, particularly those in the United States. The application process involves a single stage, with deadlines in September 2025. The funding amounts vary widely, ranging from smaller coordination actions to large-scale co-funded programs. This call presents a significant opportunity for organizations involved in biotechnology, food production, and environmental sustainability to secure funding for innovative projects that align with EU priorities.