Support to the EU Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative: scoping action

The grant opportunity titled "Support to the EU Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative: scoping action" aims to promote advancements in the bioeconomy and biomanufacturing sectors within the EU. It is structured under Horizon Europe's framework and focuses on enhancing innovation and competitiveness in these fields.

Eligible applicants include startups, SMEs, research institutes, universities, and possibly public-private partnerships, reflecting Horizon Europe's focus on fostering innovation across different sectors. The funding type is categorized as a grant, specifically a "HORIZON Lump Sum Grant," which falls under Coordination and Support Actions (CSA). The consortium requirement appears to allow for both single applicants and small consortiums, although the specifics are not explicitly stated.

Geographically, the grant is available to entities in EU member states, EEA countries, and possibly associated nations. The project targets sectors such as biotechnology, biomanufacturing, and the broader bioeconomy, aiming to develop strategic frameworks and initiatives for future projects. The project is characterized as being in the research or planning phase, typical for scoping actions.

Although the precise funding amount is not detailed, similar grants suggest a range from €200,000 to €1 million. The application process is a single-stage open call with a fixed deadline. The nature of support is monetary, and the single-stage process indicates that only one submission and evaluation round are required.

Success rates for grants in this category are not specified, but they typically vary across Horizon Europe calls. While co-funding requirements are common within Horizon Europe, it remains unclear if they apply to this specific grant.

In summary, this grant is a strategic initiative to bolster the EU's biotechnology and biomanufacturing sectors, supporting stakeholders in developing frameworks that promote innovation and alignment with regulatory frameworks. The application process is designed to be accessible, providing substantial monetary support for applicants aiming to contribute to the EU’s green and digital transitions.

This is a description of multiple funding opportunities under the Horizon Europe Programme, specifically within Cluster 6, focusing on Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment. The call is a single-stage process with an opening date of May 6, 2025, and a deadline of September 17, 2025. The funding opportunities include a mix of HORIZON-COFUND, HORIZON-CSA, HORIZON-RIA, and HORIZON-IA actions, each with specific scopes and budget allocations.

The opportunities are:

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-01: HORIZON Programme Cofund Actions with a budget of 20,000,000 EUR in 2025, 2026 and 2027. It aims to award 1 grant with a contribution of around 60,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-02: HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions with a budget of 4,000,000 EUR. It aims to award 1 grant with a contribution of around 4,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-03: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of 24,000,000 EUR. It aims to award 2 grants with a contribution of around 12,000,000 EUR each.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-04: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of 22,000,000 EUR. It aims to award 2 grants with a contribution of around 11,000,000 EUR each.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-05: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of 18,000,000 EUR. It aims to award 3 grants with a contribution of around 6,000,000 EUR each.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-06: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of 16,000,000 EUR. It aims to award 3 grants with a contribution between 5,000,000 to 6,000,000 EUR each.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-07: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of 12,000,000 EUR. It aims to award 2 grants with a contribution of around 6,000,000 EUR each.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-08: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of 14,000,000 EUR. It aims to award 2 grants with a contribution of around 7,000,000 EUR each.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-09: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of 6,000,000 EUR. It aims to award 2 grants with a contribution of around 3,000,000 EUR each.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-10: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of 11,000,000 EUR. It aims to award 2 grants with a contribution between 5,000,000 to 6,000,000 EUR each.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-01: HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of 10,000,000 EUR. It aims to award 2 grants with a contribution of around 5,000,000 EUR each.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-02: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of 8,000,000 EUR. It aims to award 2 grants with a contribution of around 4,000,000 EUR each.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-03: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of 8,000,000 EUR. It aims to award 2 grants with a contribution of around 4,000,000 EUR each.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-04: HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of 10,000,000 EUR. It aims to award 2 grants with a contribution of around 5,000,000 EUR each.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-05: HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of 12,000,000 EUR. It aims to award 2 grants with a contribution of around 6,000,000 EUR each.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-06: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of 8,000,000 EUR. It aims to award 2 grants with a contribution of around 4,000,000 EUR each.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-07: HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of 18,000,000 EUR. It aims to award 2 grants with a contribution of around 9,000,000 EUR each.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-08: HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of 11,000,000 EUR. It aims to award 2 grants with a contribution of around 5,500,000 EUR each.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-09: HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of 10,000,000 EUR. It aims to award 2 grants with a contribution of around 5,000,000 EUR each.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-10: HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions with a budget of 2,000,000 EUR. It aims to award 1 grant with a contribution of around 2,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-11: HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of 11,000,000 EUR. It aims to award 2 grants with a contribution of around 5,500,000 EUR each.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-12: HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions with a budget of 2,000,000 EUR. It aims to award 1 grant with a contribution of around 2,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-13: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of 8,000,000 EUR. It aims to award 2 grants with a contribution of around 4,000,000 EUR each.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-14: HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of 12,000,000 EUR. It aims to award 2 grants with a contribution of around 6,000,000 EUR each.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-15: HORIZON Programme Cofund Actions with a budget of 10,000,000 EUR in 2025, 30,000,000 EUR in 2026 and 30,000,000 EUR in 2027. It aims to award 1 grant with a contribution of around 70,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-01: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of 10,000,000 EUR. It aims to award 1 grant with a contribution of around 10,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-02: HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions with a budget of 2,000,000 EUR. It aims to award 1 grant with a contribution of around 2,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-03: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of 8,000,000 EUR. It aims to award 2 grants with a contribution of around 4,000,000 EUR each.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-04: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of 6,000,000 EUR. It aims to award 1 grant with a contribution of around 6,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-05: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of 12,000,000 EUR. It aims to award 2 grants with a contribution of around 6,000,000 EUR each.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-06: HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of 8,000,000 EUR. It aims to award 1 grant with a contribution of around 8,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-07: HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of 12,000,000 EUR. It aims to award 2 grants with a contribution of around 6,000,000 EUR each.

The call aims to support a clean, competitive, safe, fair, and circular economy, and a sustainable bioeconomy through the integration of biotechnology and biomanufacturing. The projects should support the innovative, circular, and climate-neutral bio-based sector.

Expected outcomes include:

Improved uptake of biotechnology and biomanufacturing solutions, especially by SMEs and start-ups, while ensuring consumer rights and needs.

Higher environmental sustainability through biomass use, replacing fossil-based materials, and enhancing overall innovation capacity.

Improved awareness on EU, national, and regional policy-making based on scientific excellence and stakeholder co-creation.

Development of an EU vision and strategic research and innovation agenda to address economic security risks and global challenges.

The scope includes taking stock of funded actions on biotechnology and biomanufacturing, covering industrial, environmental, marine, and agri-food biotechnology. It also involves assessing the social, economic, and environmental benefits and risks of these technologies.

Areas of interest include CRISPR-Cas gene editing, synthetic biology, and digital technologies. The call encourages international cooperation and effective contribution of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) disciplines.

Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum. Applicants should consult the Horizon Europe Programme Guide and other documents on the Funding & Tenders Portal for detailed guidance.

In summary, this Horizon Europe Cluster 6 call provides various funding opportunities for research, innovation, coordination, and support actions related to biotechnology and biomanufacturing. The goal is to foster a sustainable and competitive bioeconomy in the EU, addressing both environmental and economic security challenges while ensuring societal awareness and engagement. The call encourages international collaboration and the involvement of diverse stakeholders, including SMEs, start-ups, and policymakers.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, based on the context of Horizon Europe and the mention of SMEs, start-ups, civil society, research and innovation actions, coordination and support actions, it can be inferred that eligible applicants may include: SMEs, start-ups, research institutes, universities, NGOs, and other relevant organizations. The call is geared towards stakeholders who can contribute to the bio-based sector and bioeconomy.

Funding Type: The funding type is primarily a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant, as indicated by the type of MGA (HORIZON-AG-LS). There are also HORIZON Programme Cofund Actions, HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions.

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required. However, given the scope and nature of Horizon Europe projects, it is highly probable that both single applicants and consortia are eligible, with consortia being more common for larger Research and Innovation Actions. The encouragement of international cooperation also suggests that consortia are welcome.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The primary geographic eligibility appears to be EU member states and associated countries, as this is a Horizon Europe program. The text mentions that a number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide. International cooperation is encouraged, e.g. with countries mentioned in the communication on the EU biotechnology and biomanufacturing initiative, such as the United States of America, Japan, South Korea, and India.

Target Sector: The program targets the following sectors: biotechnology, biomanufacturing, bioeconomy, circular economy, environmental sustainability, agri-food, marine biotechnology, industrial biotechnology, food systems, agriculture, and related areas contributing to a clean, competitive, safe, fair, and climate-neutral bio-based sector.

Mentioned Countries: United States of America, Japan, South Korea, India.

Project Stage: The project stage varies depending on the type of action:
Coordination and Support Actions (CSA): These actions typically support networking, coordination, and dissemination, so the project stage would likely be at the research, development, or validation stage, focusing on bringing together existing knowledge and initiatives.
Research and Innovation Actions (RIA): These actions support activities from research to demonstration, excluding direct commercialization, so the project stage would likely be research, development, or demonstration.
Innovation Actions (IA): These actions aim for demonstration and piloting activities, so the project stage would likely be demonstration or validation, closer to commercialization.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary widely depending on the specific topic and type of action, ranging from €2,000,000 for Coordination and Support Actions to €30,000,000 for Cofund Actions. Individual grants are expected to be in the range of €3,000,000 to €12,000,000 for Research and Innovation Actions and €5,000,000 to €9,000,000 for Innovation Actions.

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 a single-stage process.

Success Rates: Success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants for each topic suggests that the success rate is likely to be in the 10 to 39% range, or possibly lower, given the competitiveness of Horizon Europe calls.

Co-funding Requirement: Co-funding is required for HORIZON Programme Cofund Actions. For other types of actions, co-funding requirements are not explicitly mentioned in the text, but it is common for Horizon Europe grants to fund a significant portion of the project costs, implying that some level of funding from other sources may be beneficial or expected.

Summary: This Horizon Europe Cluster 6 call focuses on "Support to the EU Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative," aiming to foster a clean, competitive, safe, fair, and circular bioeconomy. It encompasses a range of funding instruments, including Coordination and Support Actions (CSA), Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), and Innovation Actions (IA), each with varying scopes and funding levels. The call seeks to improve the uptake of biotechnology and biomanufacturing solutions, enhance environmental sustainability, increase awareness among policymakers, and develop a strategic research and innovation agenda. Eligible applicants include SMEs, start-ups, research institutes, and other relevant organizations from EU member states, associated countries, and potentially some non-EU countries with specific provisions. International cooperation is encouraged, particularly with the United States, Japan, South Korea, and India. The call covers diverse areas of interest, such as gene editing, synthetic biology, digital technologies, and alternative proteins, with a strong emphasis on social sciences and humanities (SSH) disciplines. The funding mechanism is primarily lump sum grants, and the application process involves a single-stage submission.