Alternative Biomanufacturing Routes for Natural and Synthetic Rubber

Scopes

• Proposals under this topic should:
  • Identify and characterise the suitable sources of rubber-bearing genetic backgrounds (e.g., plants, yeast, microbial hosts, etc…) which are suitable for optimisation for natural and/or synthetic rubber biomanufacturing. When targeting plant-based sources, proposals should focus on implementing low-ILUC solutions.
  • Develop bio-based solutions aiming at high yield of isoprenoid and/or other elastomers, e.g. by deploying the modern tools of biotechnology or other biomanufacturing approaches.
  • Advance EU/AC-based production, extraction and/or processing methods, to enable high productivity and quality of high molecular weight natural rubber and/or other bio-based elastomers. Test the suitability of the developed biomanufactured alternatives into end-products.

Funding Information

• Grant amount: €7 million

Expected Outcomes

• Projects results are expected to contribute to the following expected outcomes:
  • Wider availability of sustainable sources of natural and/or bio-based synthetic rubber supporting European industrial competitiveness and strategic autonomy across various sectors of the (bio)economy.
  • Competitive and robust production routes for natural and/or synthetic rubber, with high environmental performance, resource efficiency and sustainability.
  • Biomanufactured alternatives to conventional natural and/or to fossil-based synthetic rubber meeting market requirements for targeted final applications.

Eligibility Criteria

• Any legal entity, regardless of its place of establishment, including legal entities from no associated third countries or international organisations (including international European research organisations) is eligible to participate (whether it is eligible for funding or not), provided that the conditions laid down in the Horizon Europe Regulation have been met, along with any other conditions laid down in the specific call/topic.
• A ‘legal entity’ means any natural or legal person created and recognised as such under national law, EU law or international law, which has legal personality and which may, acting in its own name, exercise rights and be subject to obligations, or an entity without legal personality.
• Entities eligible for funding:
  • To be eligible for funding, applicants must be established in one of the following countries:
    • the Member States of the European Union, including their outermost regions:
      • Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.
    • the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to the Member States:
      • Aruba (NL), Bonaire (NL), Curação (NL), French Polynesia (FR), French Southern and Antarctic Territories (FR), Greenland (DK), New Caledonia (FR), Saba (NL), Saint Barthélemy (FR), Sint Eustatius (NL), Sint Maarten (NL), St. Pierre and Miquelon (FR), Wallis and Futuna Islands (FR).
    • Countries associated to Horizon Europe;
      • Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Faroe Islands, Georgia, Iceland, Israel, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Tunisia, Türkiye, Ukraine, United Kingdom.

For more information, visit EC.