European UnionDeadline PassedNon-profit, Private Business, Research Institution, Public Institution, Other
Open Topic: Innovative solutions for the sustainable and circular transformation of SMEs
HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-01-two-stage
Funding Amount
Amount not specified
Deadline
04/09/2025
Eligible Organization Types
Non-profit, Private Business, Research Institution, Public Institution, Other
Trusted by
What is the Open Topic: Innovative solutions for the sustainable and circular transformation of SMEs Call?
Grant Description
Development, demonstration, and large-scale deployment in operational environments of innovative circular and bio-based materials, products, processes, services, business models, governance approaches, metrics, digital tools and skill development activities to support the sustainable and circular transition of small and medium-sized enterprises, aligned with EU policies and enabling replication across contexts
Required Results for Successful Funding
Expected Outcomes
- SMEs equipped to overcome barriers in the green transition and implement EU policy requirements (e.g. climate neutrality, zero pollution, biodiversity protection, resource efficiency).- A significantly larger number of SMEs adopting sustainable business and management practices, improving environmental performance and offering innovative circular and bio-based materials, products, processes or services that enhance industrial competitiveness, resilience and resource independence.- Broad uptake and diffusion of sustainable circular business practices, supported by user-friendly, concrete solutions that reduce administrative burdens for SMEs and are backed by policy recommendations for regulatory frameworks.
Funded areas
Scope Requirements
- Address common, emerging or unforeseen challenges in SMEs’ green transition through innovative, disruptive, sustainable solutions.- Identify and analyse barriers to SMEs’ sustainable and circular transition.- Develop and demonstrate innovative solutions (products, processes, services, plans, arrangements) without duplicating Horizon Europe 2021-2024 ‘Circular economy and bioeconomy sectors’ calls.- Solutions may include regenerative business models, collaborative governance, tailored transformation plans, meaningful metrics/indicators, environmental management/reporting tools.- Integrate digital technologies: digital product passports (DPP), AI, generative AI-enabled digital assistants.- Include analysis of required skills and deliver skill-development activities for SME workforces.- Demonstrate feasibility (economic, technical), environmental performance, utility and transferability, notably for climate mitigation, biodiversity protection or environmental remediation.- Conduct demonstrations in large-scale operational environments with strong SME involvement; validate first deployments in territorial, sectoral or value-chain contexts; design for effective replication elsewhere.- Ensure solutions comply with relevant EU and, where appropriate, national/regional policies and business partner requirements.
Additional Conditions for Applicants
Special Conditions
- Two-stage submission model: Stage 1 deadline 04 Sep 2025, Stage 2 deadline 18 Feb 2026 (Brussels time).- Blind evaluation pilot (first-stage proposals must omit organisation names, logos and personnel identifiers).- Proposal page limits and layout as per General Annex A & E; application forms available in Submission System.- Eligible countries and other conditions per Work Programme General Annex B; financial and operational capacity per Annex C.- Evaluation criteria, scoring, thresholds per Annex D; submission and evaluation processes per Annex F; legal and financial setup per Annex G.- Model Grant Agreement: HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based (HORIZON-AG); use standard application and evaluation forms for HE RIA/IA.- Consortia must include SMEs or SME associations; engagement of NGOs, small-scale initiatives and industry associations encouraged.- Proposals must build on publicly available findings from previous projects and collaborate with designated public organisations (e.g. Enterprise Europe Network, INCITE, EU Pact for Skills).
Important dates
Open from: 06/05/2025
Deadline:04/09/2025
Application period has ended
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