Bio-based drop-ins/smart drop-in platform chemicals, via cost-effective, sustainable and resource-efficient conversion of biomass
HORIZON-JU-CBE-2025-IAFlag-02
Funding Amount
Amount not specified
Deadline
18/09/2025
Eligible Organization Types
Non-profit, Private Business, Research Institution, Public Institution
Trusted by
What is the Bio-based drop-ins/smart drop-in platform chemicals, via cost-effective, sustainable and resource-efficient conversion of biomass Call?
Grant Description
This call supports innovation actions to develop and demonstrate sustainable, cost-effective, large-scale biorefineries producing bio-based drop-in and smart drop-in platform chemicals as analogues to fossil-based chemicals. It addresses the EU Bioeconomy Strategy, zero pollution ambition and industrial strategy by reducing fossil feedstock dependence, enhancing strategic autonomy, resilience and competitiveness of the European chemical industry, while fostering local and regional employment. Pr...
Required Results for Successful Funding
Expected Outcomes
- Establishment of full-scale biorefineries and value chains for sustainable large-scale production of bio-based drop-in platform chemicals.
• Market-ready bio-based products meeting technical performance requirements, accelerating uptake of bio-based solutions.
• Enhanced sustainability, strategic autonomy, resilience and competitiveness of the European chemical industry and downstream sectors.
• Reduced dependence on fossil feedstocks and minimised biomass import dependencies for bio-based industries.
• Increased societal value through creation of direct and indirect employment at local and regional levels.
• Contribution to implementation of the EU Bioeconomy Strategy (and action plan), the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability and Zero Pollution Action Plan, the EU Industrial strategy, and the Transition Pathway for the chemicals industry.
• Market-ready bio-based products meeting technical performance requirements, accelerating uptake of bio-based solutions.
• Enhanced sustainability, strategic autonomy, resilience and competitiveness of the European chemical industry and downstream sectors.
• Reduced dependence on fossil feedstocks and minimised biomass import dependencies for bio-based industries.
• Increased societal value through creation of direct and indirect employment at local and regional levels.
• Contribution to implementation of the EU Bioeconomy Strategy (and action plan), the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability and Zero Pollution Action Plan, the EU Industrial strategy, and the Transition Pathway for the chemicals industry.
Funded areas
Scope Requirements
- Demonstrate cost-effective, robust, sustainable large-scale production processes for bio-based drop-in/smart drop-in platform chemicals at end TRL 8, covering both upstream and downstream operations.
• Use feedstocks to cascade-valorise secondary biomass and residues.
• Produce analogues of non-SVHC fossil-based chemicals.
• Optimize resource efficiency, minimise E-factor (waste) and address process safety.
• Demonstrate conversion and integration of platform chemicals into market-relevant final products at end TRL 6 or higher.
• Implement a Multi-Actor Approach, involving key actors across the circular bio-based system (including B2B end-users and feedstock suppliers).
• Apply the SSbD framework, develop assessment thresholds, identify safety, environmental and socio-economic data gaps, and propose priorities for data collection.
• Assess and document compliance with EU regulatory frameworks for target chemicals and impurity profiles.
• Demonstrate complementarities and build on outcomes of relevant Horizon 2020/Horizon Europe and BBI JU/CBE JU projects (e.g. AFTERBIOCHEM, URBIOFIN, BIOFOREVER, OPTISOCHEM, PROMOFER).
• Use feedstocks to cascade-valorise secondary biomass and residues.
• Produce analogues of non-SVHC fossil-based chemicals.
• Optimize resource efficiency, minimise E-factor (waste) and address process safety.
• Demonstrate conversion and integration of platform chemicals into market-relevant final products at end TRL 6 or higher.
• Implement a Multi-Actor Approach, involving key actors across the circular bio-based system (including B2B end-users and feedstock suppliers).
• Apply the SSbD framework, develop assessment thresholds, identify safety, environmental and socio-economic data gaps, and propose priorities for data collection.
• Assess and document compliance with EU regulatory frameworks for target chemicals and impurity profiles.
• Demonstrate complementarities and build on outcomes of relevant Horizon 2020/Horizon Europe and BBI JU/CBE JU projects (e.g. AFTERBIOCHEM, URBIOFIN, BIOFOREVER, OPTISOCHEM, PROMOFER).
Additional Conditions for Applicants
Special Conditions
- Single-stage submission by 18 September 2025, 17:00 Brussels time, via the Funding & Tenders Portal using the updated Part B template (04/04/2025).
• Admissibility: comply with page limits and layouts (Annex A/E and Part B of HE Work Programme General Annexes).
• Eligibility: legal entities from EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries (see Annex B). Specific provisions apply for certain non-associated third countries.
• Applicants must demonstrate financial and operational capacity (Annex C) and meet exclusion criteria.
• Evaluation and award based on criteria, scoring and thresholds (Annex D), following processes and timeline in Annex F.
• Grants governed by Horizon Europe Action Grant Budget-Based MGA (Annex G).
• Proposals must comply with specific requirements of section 2.2.3.1 of the CBE JU Annual Work Programme 2025.
• Mandatory Multi-Actor Approach and SSbD tasks.
• Ensure regulatory compliance assessments and synergies with listed past projects.
• Identify data gaps and propose SSbD framework improvements.
• Admissibility: comply with page limits and layouts (Annex A/E and Part B of HE Work Programme General Annexes).
• Eligibility: legal entities from EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries (see Annex B). Specific provisions apply for certain non-associated third countries.
• Applicants must demonstrate financial and operational capacity (Annex C) and meet exclusion criteria.
• Evaluation and award based on criteria, scoring and thresholds (Annex D), following processes and timeline in Annex F.
• Grants governed by Horizon Europe Action Grant Budget-Based MGA (Annex G).
• Proposals must comply with specific requirements of section 2.2.3.1 of the CBE JU Annual Work Programme 2025.
• Mandatory Multi-Actor Approach and SSbD tasks.
• Ensure regulatory compliance assessments and synergies with listed past projects.
• Identify data gaps and propose SSbD framework improvements.
Important dates
Open from: 03/04/2025
Deadline:18/09/2025
Application period has ended
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