Strengthening and connecting bioeconomy networks

The EU funding opportunity titled "Strengthening and connecting bioeconomy networks" falls under the Horizon Europe program, specifically targeting the strengthening of bioeconomy networks through Coordination and Support Actions (CSA). This grant uses a Horizon Lump Sum Grant model and is open for applications until September 24, 2025. The aim is to contribute to the European Green Deal and assist in achieving EU climate goals for 2030 and 2050 by enhancing coordination, knowledge exchange, and stakeholder engagement in the bioeconomy sector.

Eligible applicants include various legal entities such as universities, research institutes, NGOs, and SMEs, primarily from EU member states and associated countries, with the possibility of involvement from some non-EU countries. The grant does not require a consortium, offering flexibility for single entity applications.

Funding is provided as a single-stage open call with a focus on monetary support. Although the exact funding amount for this particular grant is unspecified, similar initiatives typically fund amounts ranging between 1 million and 5 million euros. The project emphasizes networking, capacity building, and establishing platforms for exchange among bioeconomy stakeholders.

Successful proposals should focus on building an EU-wide platform for collaboration, implementing lean business models for sustainability, and engaging various stakeholders in bioeconomy initiatives. Key outcomes include improved communication strategies, increased awareness of bioeconomy benefits, enhanced networking opportunities, and fostering collaboration to position bioeconomy solutions effectively.

The call addresses barriers in knowledge exchange and aims to create an inclusive environment for underrepresented groups in the bioeconomy sector. Ultimately, by reinforcing bioeconomy networks, the EU seeks to encourage a sustainable transition and the deployment of bio-based solutions across multiple sectors.

Participants must adhere to specific guidelines regarding proposal submissions, including admissibility and eligibility criteria outlined in the Horizon Europe Work Programme. The application process involves using the Funding & Tenders Portal for submission and access to official documents.

The EU Funding Opportunity: Strengthening and Connecting Bioeconomy Networks

This opportunity falls under the Horizon Europe (HORIZON) program, specifically the Cluster 6 Call 03, which is a single-stage call (HORIZON-CL6-2025-03). The specific topic is HORIZON-CL6-2025-03-GOVERNANCE-06, focusing on strengthening and connecting bioeconomy networks.

The type of action is a HORIZON Coordination and Support Action (HORIZON-CSA), utilizing a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] model grant agreement.

The call is currently open for submission, with a deadline of 24 September 2025 at 17:00:00 Brussels time. The opening date was 06 May 2025.

The expected outcome of successful proposals is to contribute to the European Green Deal, the EU’s climate targets for 2030 and 2050, and the bioeconomy strategy vision. This involves effective policy mixes and multi-level governance to enable a just sustainable transition for all.

Specific project results are expected to lead to:

Better understanding and increased awareness of the bioeconomy for a fast deployment of bioeconomy potential benefits and solutions across Europe, in various areas and sectors.

Better coordination of European bioeconomy initiatives and relevant networks to strengthen knowledge exchange and accelerate the achievement of EU bioeconomy strategy objectives.

Enhanced networking and cooperation on European bioeconomy between relevant actors and stakeholders at various levels, as well as outreach to international networks.

Increased buy-in from all relevant actors and stakeholders to collaborate and act as bioeconomy changemakers, including underrepresented groups.

The scope of this opportunity involves strengthening a Europe-wide network for the bioeconomy to exchange knowledge and stimulate mutual learning. It addresses barriers such as insufficient understanding of the bioeconomy concept, language barriers, limited capacities for knowledge exchange, unsuitable engagement formats, and a lack of mutual understanding.

Successful proposals are expected to:

Establish and develop an EU-wide platform (one-stop shop, multilingual) for networking and engagement on the bioeconomy.

Develop communication strategies and tools, and organise events to inform actors and stakeholders about bioeconomy deployment and successful initiatives.

Stimulate dialogue on bioeconomy solutions and initiatives to build relations, exchange knowledge, and support mutual learning.

Implement lean business models to manage the platform and its activities sustainably.

Liaise and collaborate with bioeconomy education institutes for improved skills development initiatives and networks.

Engage and train investors on the European bioeconomy to foster investment in bioeconomy sectors.

Proposals are encouraged to work with initiatives such as the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, the Circular Biobased Europe Joint Undertaking, the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform, and BIOEAST, and build on results from EU R&I projects including BioVoices and ShapingBio.

General conditions for participation include:

Admissibility conditions related to proposal page limits 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.

Eligibility of countries as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, with specific provisions for non-EU/non-Associated Countries outlined in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Other eligible conditions as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria as described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Evaluation and 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 setup of the grants, with eligible costs taking the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021.

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

Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA) information is available in the Submission System, including a standard application form (HE CSA) and evaluation form (HE CSA).

Additional documents include:

HE Main Work Programme 2023–2025 – 1. General Introduction

HE Main Work Programme 2023–2025 – 9. Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

HE Main Work Programme 2023–2025 – 13. 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 for this topic is as follows:

HORIZON-CL6-2025-03-GOVERNANCE-01 - HORIZON-RIA: 6,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 1

HORIZON-CL6-2025-03-GOVERNANCE-02 - HORIZON-IA: 12,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-03-GOVERNANCE-03 - HORIZON-RIA: 12,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-03-GOVERNANCE-04 - HORIZON-RIA: 8,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-03-GOVERNANCE-05 - HORIZON-RIA: 9,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-03-GOVERNANCE-06 - HORIZON-CSA: 4,400,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 1

HORIZON-CL6-2025-03-GOVERNANCE-07 - HORIZON-CSA: 4,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 1

HORIZON-CL6-2025-03-GOVERNANCE-08 - HORIZON-RIA: 10,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-03-GOVERNANCE-09 - HORIZON-IA: 15,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-03-GOVERNANCE-10 - HORIZON-RIA: 16,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-03-GOVERNANCE-11 - HORIZON-RIA: 12,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-03-GOVERNANCE-12 - HORIZON-CSA: 3,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 1

HORIZON-CL6-2025-03-GOVERNANCE-13 - HORIZON-CSA: 10,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 1

HORIZON-CL6-2025-03-GOVERNANCE-14 - HORIZON-RIA: 8,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 1

There are 13 partner search announcements available for this topic.

In summary, this EU funding opportunity aims to bolster the bioeconomy by creating and strengthening networks across Europe. It seeks to foster collaboration, knowledge exchange, and the implementation of sustainable solutions, aligning with the European Green Deal and broader climate and biodiversity objectives. The funding supports various actions, including research, innovation, coordination, and support activities, with a focus on creating a multilingual platform, developing communication strategies, and engaging stakeholders and investors in the bioeconomy sector. The application process involves adhering to specific guidelines and utilizing the Funding & Tenders Portal for submission and access to relevant documents and support services.

This funding opportunity is about establishing a robust and interconnected bioeconomy network across Europe. It's like building a comprehensive communication and collaboration system for everyone involved in making the bioeconomy a reality. Think of it as creating a central hub where researchers, businesses, policymakers, educators, and investors can come together to share ideas, learn from each other, and drive the bioeconomy forward. The EU is investing in projects that can create this platform, develop effective communication strategies, and train the next generation of bioeconomy leaders, all while ensuring that the bioeconomy contributes to a sustainable and climate-neutral future. The goal is to make the bioeconomy more visible, accessible, and impactful across all sectors and regions of Europe.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, based on the nature of Horizon Europe calls, eligible applicants typically include universities, research institutes, SMEs, large enterprises, non-profit organizations, and other legal entities capable of conducting research and innovation activities. The specific eligibility criteria are detailed in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Funding Type: The primary funding mechanism is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant, as indicated by the "Type of MGA: HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS]" designation. Additionally, the call includes HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA), HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA).

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. However, given the scope and objectives of the call, which involve strengthening and connecting bioeconomy networks across Europe, it is highly likely that a consortium of multiple applicants is preferred, if not required, to ensure a broad range of expertise and geographical coverage. Partner search announcements are available, suggesting that consortia are expected.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility primarily includes EU Member States and Associated Countries. The text also mentions that a number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries have made specific provisions for funding their participants in Horizon Europe projects, as detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Target Sector: The primary target sector is the bioeconomy, with a focus on strengthening and connecting bioeconomy networks across Europe. This includes areas such as food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture, and environment. The call aims to support the European Green Deal, EU’s climate targets, and the bioeconomy strategy.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are explicitly mentioned, but the opportunity targets EU Member States and Associated Countries. There is also a mention of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that may have specific provisions for funding participants. BIOEAST is mentioned as a relevant initiative.

Project Stage: The project stage varies depending on the type of action. The call includes Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), which typically support projects from research to demonstration; Innovation Actions (IA), which focus on demonstration and piloting; and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA), which support networking, knowledge exchange, and coordination activities. Therefore, the expected maturity ranges from research and development to demonstration and implementation.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic within the call, ranging from €3,000,000 to €16,000,000. The indicative number of grants per topic also varies, typically between 1 and 2. Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum.

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 to support their projects.

Application Stages: The application process is a single-stage process.

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

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement. However, it does state that successful proposals are expected to implement lean business models to manage the platform and its activities in a sustainable manner beyond the end of the project using public and private funding, suggesting that some form of financial sustainability and potentially co-funding may be expected in the long term.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call aims to strengthen and connect bioeconomy networks across Europe to support the European Green Deal, EU climate targets, and the bioeconomy strategy. It seeks to enhance knowledge exchange, promote mutual learning, and foster collaboration among stakeholders in the bioeconomy sector. The call includes various types of actions: Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), Innovation Actions (IA), and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA), each with different funding levels and objectives. Eligible applicants include universities, research institutes, SMEs, and other relevant organizations from EU Member States and Associated Countries, with potential participation from non-EU/non-Associated Countries under specific provisions. The application process is a single-stage open call, with funding provided as lump sum grants. Successful proposals are expected to establish EU-wide platforms, develop communication strategies, stimulate dialogue, implement sustainable business models, and engage with education institutes and investors to accelerate the deployment of bioeconomy solutions and contribute to a just and sustainable transition.