Advancing the European bio-based innovation enabled by biotechnology and biomanufacturing concepts
EU-wide funding of research and innovation projects for the development and validation of bio-based products and processes using cutting-edge biotechnological and biomanufacturing concepts. Planned call launch: 17.04.2026, submission deadline: 17.09.2026.
Discover your potential with AI support
- Find out if this grant matches your project
- Develop your application together with AI
- Get matched with many more suitable grants
Grant criteria
Funding objective
The aim of this Horizon Europe call is to further develop key technologies in bio-based innovation and industrial biomanufacturing to enable environmentally friendly, circular value chains. Projects supported will validate at pilot scale, integrate digital processes, and derive policy recommendations, with the overarching purpose of strengthening the EU's decarbonization, resource efficiency, and strategic autonomy.
Eligible expenses
- Personnel expenses
- Material costs
- Travel expenses
- Subcontractor services
- Equipment and devices
- Show more
Non-eligible expenses
- Acquisition of real estate
- Retroactive costs
- Debt settlement
Eligible to apply
- Companies
- Founders
- Non-profit Organizations
- Educational Institutions
- Public Institutions
- Individuals
Funding requirements
- Legal capacity in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country
- Experience in transnational R&D projects
- Fulfillment of financial and operational capacity criteria
- No grounds for exclusion under the EU Financial Regulation
Documents required for application
- Application form Part A
- Project description Part B
- Lump sum budget table
- Consortium agreement
Evaluation criteria
- Innovative content of the project
- Sustainability aspects
- Relevance for the target groups
- Quality and efficiency of implementation
Description
The funding under the Horizon Europe Call HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-07 is aimed at companies, start-ups, non-profit organizations, educational institutions, as well as individuals with legal capacity in EU Member States or associated countries. The objective is research and innovation projects for the development and validation of bio-based products and processes using cutting-edge biotechnological and biomanufacturing concepts. The focus is on the identification and further development of promising key technologies – from synthetic biology through genome and microbiome engineering to biofoundries – with the overarching goal of establishing environmentally friendly, circular value chains. Particular emphasis is placed by the reviewers on the integration of digital methods such as AI and bioinformatics, as well as on the quantitative assessment of decarbonization, resource efficiency, and biodiversity. From April 17, 2026, fully completed applications can be submitted until September 17, 2026, 5:00 p.m. Brussels time. Projects with a volume of up to €4 million per project are supported at a funding rate of up to 100%.
The submitted consortia – consisting of at least three independent partners from different countries – must demonstrate proven expertise in transnational R&D projects, appropriate financial and operational capacities, as well as compliance with the EU Financial Regulation. All eligible costs are funded, such as personnel and material expenses, travel costs, subcontracting services, equipment, and operating resources. Special attention is given to deriving policy recommendations to strengthen the EU’s strategic autonomy as well as to the consideration of Do-No-Significant-Harm principles and FAIR data standards. The project structure should be convincing through clearly defined risk management, milestones, and a robust dissemination and exploitation concept. Selection is based on the criteria of innovativeness, sustainability aspects, relevance to target groups, as well as quality and efficiency of implementation.