EU funding opportunities for 2025 - targeting fields such as new materials and advanced coatings
EU funding opportunities for 2025 - targeting fields such as new materials and advanced coatings
Published on 15 Nov 17:31 (about 1 month ago)
by AquaTT
The European Union offers several funding tools available for individual companies and for consortia. Through the ambitious Horizon Europe, Innovation Fund (IF), and European Innovation Council (EIC) programs, the EU is paving the way for a greener, more competitive, and technologically advanced Europe. These initiatives are also targeting businesses working in diverse fields such as new materials and advanced coatings that address global challenges. Find out how you can benefit from these funding opportunities! Horizon Europe Programme 2021 -2027 [ref https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe_en] HORIZON EUROPE 2023-2025 Horizon Europe 2023-2025 has earmarked 15,6 BEUR to tackle urgent issues like climate change, energy transformation, and public health. For companies specializing in materials science, coatings, and energy storage, this is a unique opportunity to drive sustainable solutions with EU support. Key Focus Areas:
Climate, Energy & Mobility
Digital Industry
Health
Food & Bioeconomy
How to apply? Horizon Europe regularly publishes calls for proposals targeting specific topics, e.g. the development of advanced materials for energy storage - especially in battery technologies - to support Europe’s transition to clean energy. One specific opportunity may be the topic “Demonstrations of innovative floating wind concepts”, an Innovation Action which has a submission deadline until 4th February 2025* and a budget of 30 MEUR*. Eligible applicants are Consortia of Companies, Research Centers and Universities from all over Europe. Another Horizon Europe Cluster 5 call that may be of interest is "Critical technologies for the future ocean energy farms" (a Research and Innovation Action with deadline also 4th February 2025*) this includes anti-biofouling and anti-corrosion.
Further opportunities and calls for proposals can be found here: EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Many deadlines for the submission of proposals are expected to be in September/October 2025.
INNOVATION FUND (IF)
Is your project ready to make an environmental impact? The Innovation Fund, with a 40 BEUR budget running until 2030, backs groundbreaking projects and investments in the field of clean energyandemissions reduction. This is an invaluable resource for companies developing new materials and technologies for a carbon-neutral Europe.
The Innovation Fund provides non-dilutive grants of up to 60% for large-scale proposals (projects with total capital expenditure above 7,5 MEUR) and for small-scale proposals (projects with total capital expenditure below 7,5 MEUR) in:
Carbon capture and utilization (CCU)
Sustainable alternatives to carbon-heavy products
Low-carbon technologies in heavy industry and energy sectors
Mark Your Calendar:
An Info Day is planned for Innovation Fund 2024 Call and Battery Info Day on Tuesday 17 December 2024, 09:30 - Wednesday 18 December 2024, 13:30 (CET) more details and register here
EIC Pathfinder – For early-stage, transformative research project submitted by small consortia (3-5 partners) with the potential to create new markets.
Funding: Up to 3 MEUR for open calls and up to 4 MEUR per project for challenges like Biotechnology for the following challenges:
Waste-to-value devices: Circular production of renewable fuels, chemicals and materials.
Biotech for Climate Resilient Crops and Plant-Based Biomanufacturing
Generative-AI based Agents to Revolutionize Medical Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer
Towards autonomous robot collectives delivering collaborative tasks in dynamic unstructured construction environments
*Deadlines: 21st May 2025 (Open Call); 29th October 2025 (Challenges)
EIC Transition – Supports validation and commercialization of innovations that have demonstrated experimental feasibility in the lab, based on previously EU funded project results. Single applicants as well as small consortia (2-5 partners) are eligible.
Funding: Up to 2,5 MEUR per project
Activities Covered: Prototype development, user testing, business model validation
*Deadline: 17th September 2025
EIC Accelerator – Targets high-impact startups and SMEs with potential for market disruption.
Total Budget: 634 MEUR for 2025, available as grants and equity investments.
Focus Areas: Includes advanced materials development and scaling
Application Process:
Short Application: No deadlines
Long Application: 12th March and 1st October 2025 *
Jury Interviews
Funding: Up to 2,5 MEUR in grants per project (TRL 6 to TRL 8 developments) and up to10 MEUR in equity for scale-up activities (TRL 9).
STEP Scale Up – A pilot initiative for Europe’s strategic technologies in sectors like cleantech and biotechnology.
Funding Range: 10 to 30 MEUR per project in equity.
Additional Rounds: Potential to catalyze rounds of 50 to 150 MEUR.
No Deadlines: Continuous application for projects in high-impact sectors.
