Deadline Date: May 26, 2026
The I4BE is pleased to announce its applications to support SMEs implementing innovative projects that enhance the valorisation of agri-food biomass and side-streams, strengthen the competitiveness of the European agri-food sector and support the green transition through the adoption of sustainable processes, products, services and digital technologies.
The call focuses on the valorisation of agri-food biomass and side-streams, sustainable and resilient agri-food ecosystems, development of new processes, products and services, utilisation of digital tools and technologies, twin transition in the agri-food industry, extraction of dietary fibre from fruit by-products, extraction of polyphenols and antioxidants from wine by-products, functional ingredients from brewer spent grains, biostimulants from agri-food by-products, and food flavourings from agricultural and cosmetic by-products.
The total budget allocated for the Innovation Open Call is €2.020 million, distributed among a minimum of 35 SMEs. Under the funding scheme, a single SME can receive a maximum grant of €60,000. A consortium of up to three SMEs may apply for funding of up to €90,000. The reserved budget for the first cut-off is €1.380 million, while approximately €640,000 has been allocated for the second cut-off.
Eligible costs include direct staff costs, which may account for up to 80% of the total project budget per SME, subcontracting costs for external expertise, travel expenses necessary for project implementation, equipment depreciation or leasing costs and other direct costs such as consumables, dissemination activities, intellectual property rights, translations, and publications. Universities, research institutes, and other RTOs may be subcontracted for a maximum of 30% of the project budget.
Eligible projects may include the extraction of dietary fibre from fruit by-products for food applications, extraction of antioxidants and polyphenols from wine by-products for nutraceuticals and cosmetics, development of functional ingredients from brewer spent grains, production of biostimulants from agri-food by-products, and development of food flavourings from agricultural or cosmetic by-products. Projects focused on non-edible bioplastics from brewer spent grains or compost production from agri-food by-products are not eligible under this call.
The call is open to SMEs operating in the agri-food production and processing sector, SMEs from other sectors such as cosmetics and nutraceuticals that valorise biomass, by-products, or side-streams from the agri-food sector, SMEs valorising their own biomass and by-products for the agri-food industry, and SMEs offering technologies or solutions for biomass valorisation, including ICT solutions, machinery, packaging, and system integration technologies.
For more information, visit I4BE.
