Calls for Project Proposals

The European Innovation Council (EIC) published the EIC Pathfinder Open Call for collaborative and interdisciplinary research proposals. You should apply to this call, if you are looking for support to realise an ambitious vision for radically new technology, with potential to create new markets and/or to provide solutions for global challenges. EIC Pathfinder Open supports early-stage development of such future technologies (e.g., various activities at low Technology Readiness Levels from 1 to 4), based on high-risk/high-gain science-towards-technology breakthrough research (including ‘deep-tech’). This research must provide the foundations of the technology you are envisioning. EIC Pathfinder Open may support your work, especially if it is highly risky: you may set out to try things that will not work; you may be faced with questions that nobody knows the answer to yet; you may realise that there are many aspects of the problem that you do not master. On the contrary, if the path you want to follow is incremental by nature or known, EIC Pathfinder Open will not support you. Before applying you should verify that your proposal meets all the following essential characteristics (‘Gatekeepers’):

• Convincing long-term vision of a radically new technology that has the potential to have a transformative positive effect to solving a challenge in our economy and society.
• Concrete, novel and ambitious science-towards-technology breakthrough, providing advancement towards the envisioned technology.
• High-risk/high-gain research approach and methodology, with concrete and plausible objectives.

The deadline follows a single-stage submission procedure.
Further information on the EIC Pathfinder Open Call (EN)
Further information on the EIC Work Programme 2025 (EN)
Further information on the EIC Pathfinder (EN)
Further information on the EIC Pathfinder (DE)

The European Union (EU)-Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) Interest Group launched a Joint Call to enhance the bi-regional cooperation in Science, Technology and Innovation. The aim of the call is to initiate sustainable and multilateral research cooperation between researchers from Europe, Latin-America and the Caribbean countries. In Germany, researchers are invited to submit proposals related to the following topics:

• Topic 1 - Global challenges: Biodiversity including Agriculture and Food Security.
• Topic 2 - Bioeconomy: Bioeconomy and Nature-based Solutions.
• Topic 3.1 - Global health.
• Topic 3.2 - Infectious diseases.
• Topic 4 - Energy: EU-LAC Cooperation for energy transition.

In Germany, the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF)/ DLR Project Management Agency (DLR-PT) is responsible. Applicants will be advised to check with the respective national Call Contact Person the eligibility as to who may apply and what costs are eligible before a consortium submits the complete application. If two German institutions participate in the consortium, the project duration of these two consortium partners must be the same. The upper funding limit is EUR 100,000.00 per project for a project lifetime of 36 months. Additional national eligibility criteria for the proposal beyond the general criteria in the Terms of Reference of the Joint Transnational Call: The proposal must clearly demonstrate the benefits of the multilateral cooperation for Europe, Germany and the German project partners in terms of their economic and scientific objectives (for details please see the National Funding Regulations Document of the BMBF). The call applies a two-step procedure. The deadline for the first step will expire on 22 May 2025 (for details please see the German Call Website).
EU-LAC: Further information on the Call (EN)
BMBF: National Funding Regulations Document (EN)
BMBF: German Call Website (DE)

The "Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area" (PRIMA) is a joint programme concerning Euro-Mediterranean cooperation. To date, 20 countries are committed to the programme, among them Germany (Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)). The programme is financed by a combination of funding from the EU (SECTION 1) and PRIMA Participating States (SECTION 2). PRIMA published a call for proposals on the following topics:

SECTION 1
- Thematic Area 1 - Water management
• Topic 1.1.1-2025 Upscaling Nature Based Solutions for sustainable water management to address extreme events in the Mediterranean (Innovation Action, IA)
- Thematic Area 2 - Farming systems in Nexus
• Topic 1.2.1-2025 Enhancement of Sustainable Farming Systems within Mediterranean Wetlands for Conservation and Coexistence (Innovation Action, IA)
- Thematic Area 3 - Agri-food value chain in Nexus
• 1.3.1-2025 Transforming Mediterranean Food Systems: Empowering Consumers for Sustainable Diets (Innovation Action, IA)
SECTION 2
- Thematic Area 1 - Water management in the Nexus
• Topic 2.1.1-2025 Enhancing Policy Development through Impact-Driven Water Footprint and Virtual Water Concepts in the Mediterranean Region (Research and Innovation Action, RIA)
- Thematic Area 2 - Farming systems in the Nexus
• Topic 2.2.1-2025 Upscaling Agroecology Practices at the Farm Level in the Mediterranean (Research and Innovation Action, RIA)
- Thematic Area 3 - Food value chain in the Nexus
• Topic 2.3.1-2025 Towards a Plant-Based Alternative Protein products Transition in the Mediterranean Region (Research and Innovation Action, RIA)

Each applicant is strongly encouraged to contact the PRIMA Secretariat (SECTION 1 topics) or the corresponding National Contact Point (SECTION 2 topics) to check the eligibility with the respective funding rules, before drafting or submitting an application.

On behalf of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the DLR Project Management Agency invites you to the national online information event on the PRIMA initiative. It is aimed at German stakeholders from science, industry and civil society who are planning to participate in the PRIMA 2025 calls for proposals or would like to find out about the new funding conditions. The PRIMA 2025 work programme is the first to be fully implemented under the Horizon Europe regulations. The event therefore offers a sound introduction to the new framework conditions and requirements.

The call follows a one-stage application procedure. The deadline for submitting proposals will expire on 08 July 2025 (SECTION 2 call topics) or 15 July 2025 (SECTION 1 call topics), respectively. PRIMA organised an info day on the call 2025 on 14 April 2025 that is available online. In addition, a national info day on the call 2025 will take place on 29 April 2025.
Further information of PRIMA on the call (EN)
Further information of PRIMA on the info day (EN)
Further information of BMBF on PRIMA (DE)
Further information of BMBF on the national info day (DE)
Further information of BMBF on the SECTION 2 call topics (DE)

The EU funding programme LIFE (L'Instrument Financier pour l'Environnement) co-funds important pilot projects in the areas of environmental protection, climate action and nature conservation in the EU member states. Created in 1992, it has co-financed thousands of projects. The new LIFE programme 2021-2027 has a budget of 5.4 billion Euro and is divided into four sub-programmes:

• Nature and biodiversity,
• Circular economy and quality of life,
• Climate change mitigation and adaptation,
• Clean energy transition.

The following call topics have been published:

• Nature Governance and Information,
• Circular Economy and Zero Pollution,
• Projects on Legislative and Policy Priorities in the fields of Nature & Biodiversity and Circular Economy & Quality of Life,
• Supporting the clean energy transition of European industry and businesses,
• European City Facility,
• Environment governance,
• Strategic Integrated Projects - Environment,
• Towards an effective implementation of key legislation in the field of sustainable energy,
• Energy renovation solutions - Making buildings’ renovation faster, deeper, affordable, smarter, service- and data-driven,
• Technical Assistance - Replication - Nature & Biodiversity and Circular Economy & Quality of Life,
• Projects on Legislative and Policy Priorities in the field of Clean Energy Transition,
• Climate Governance and Information,
• Nature and Biodiversity,
• Technical Assistance preparation of CLIMA SIPs,
• Climate Change Adaptation,
• Climate Change Mitigation,
• Strategic Integrated Projects - Climate Action,
• Support services for energy communities,
• Crowding in private finance,
• Technical Assistance preparation of ENV SIPs,
• Projects on Legislative and Policy Priorities (PLP) for the green transition in Urban spaces,
• BUILD UP Skills - National Platforms on energy efficiency skills for the clean energy transition,
• One-Stop-Shops - Integrated services for clean energy transition in buildings,
• Supporting district heating and cooling networks,
• Boosting the clean energy transition in cities and regions,
• Strategic Nature Projects,
• Alleviating household energy poverty in Europe,
• Technical Assistance preparation of SNAPs,
• Project Development Assistance for sustainable energy investments.

Important note: The LIFE programme only provides between 60 and 95 percent of the actual projects costs as co-financing, depending on the respective project type. Accordingly, an own contribution to the total financing must be provided. The EU LIFE Info Days 2025 will be organised by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) of the EU Commission. In addition, national info days will take place.
Further information on the LIFE Call 2025 topics (EN)
Background information on the LIFE Call 2025 topics (EN)
Further information on the European LIFE Info Days 2025 13.-15.05. (EN)
Further information on the national LIFE Info Day 20.05. (DE)
Further information on the national LIFE Info Day 22.05. (DE)
Further information on the LIFE Programme (EN)
Further information on the LIFE Programme (DE)

Die EU-Kommission hat folgende Themen ausgeschrieben, die über den Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) gefördert werden:

• Promoting complementary pathways linked to education,
• Access to healthcare,
• Measures to support Member States in the field of protection of children in migration,
• Improving digital skills among migrants,
• Support measures for migrant women’s integration.

Das Antragsverfahren ist einstufig angelegt. Bitte beachten Sie, dass in der Regel nur zwischen 75 und 90 Prozent der tatsächlichen Kosten gefördert werden und ein Eigenanteil an der Gesamtfinanzierung erbracht werden muss.
Weitere Informationen zu den Ausschreibungen (EN)
Weitere Informationen zum AMIF (EN)
Weitere Informationen zum AMIF (DE)

The mission of CBE JU is to advance a competitive bioeconomy for a sustainable Europe. The priorities are set in the CBE JU’s Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) for the 2022-2030 period. To achieve this goal, the public-private partnership announced a call for proposals and will fund projects developing innovative and sustainable bio-based solutions, with a focus on these strategic priorities:

Innovation Actions - Flagships (IA)
• Urban-industrial symbiosis for bio-waste valorisation - €18 million
• Bio-based drop-ins/smart drop-in platform chemicals, via cost-effective, sustainable and resource-efficient conversion of biomass - €20 million
• Circular-by-design fibre-based packaging with improved properties - €18 million
• Retrofitting of (bio)refineries industrial plants towards higher-value bio-based products - €20 million
Innovation Actions (IA)
• Sustainable macroalgae systems for innovative, added-value applications: cultivation and optimised production systems - €14 million
• Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) bio-based solutions to replace hazardous conventional chemicals for textiles production - €13.5 million
• Scaling-up nutritional proteins from alternative sources - €14 million
• Cost-effective and robust continuous biotech bio-based processes - €14 million
• SSbD bio-based polymers/copolymers unlocking new market applications - €13.5 million
Research and Innovation Actions (RIA)
• Valorisation of untapped forest biomass - €7 million
• Bio-based and biodegradable delivery systems for fertilising products to reduce microplastics pollution & promote soil health - €6 million
• Alternative biomanufacturing routes for natural and synthetic rubber - €6 million
Coordination and Support Actions (CSA)
• Develop and deploy new curricula and knowledge exchange practices relevant to bio-based systems - €1 million

All stakeholders of the bio-based industries ecosystem – farmers, consumer brands, companies, research organisations and local authorities, to name just a few - are invited to apply for CBE JU funding. CBE JU calls follow the rules and procedures of Horizon Europe, the EU’s research and innovation programme.

The call deadline will expire on 18 September 2025. The international call info day took place on 05 April 2025 in Brussels. The sessions have been recorded and are available online.
Further information on the call (EN)
Further information on the background of the call (EN)
Further information on the international call info day (EN)
Further information on the call networking platform (EN)

ERC Proof of Concept Grants (ERC PoC) umfassen maximal 150.000 Euro für einen Zeitraum von bis zu 18 Monaten und richten sich ausschließlich an Wissenschaftler*innen, die bereits ein ERC-Projekt eingeworben haben. Das ERC-Projekt muss entweder noch laufen oder das Projektende darf nicht länger als zwölf Monate zurückliegen. Mit dem ERC PoC kann das ökonomische und gesellschaftliche Potenzial von Ideen untersucht werden, die aus ERC-Projekten hervorgegangen sind. Der ERC finanziert hiermit keine Forschungsaktivitäten, sondern Maßnahmen zur Weiterentwicklung der Ideen des ERC-Projekts wie z.B.:

• Marktforschung,
• technische Validierung,
• Machbarkeitsstudien,
• die Klärung von Fragen des geistigen Eigentums,
• die Analyse von Geschäftschancen oder
• die Erstellung eines Business-Plans.

Die Förderung des ERC PoC steht grundsätzlich ERC-Projekten aus allen Fachbereichen offen. So kann auch die Umsetzung innovativer Ideen im öffentlichen und nichtkommerziellen Bereich gefördert werden, etwa wenn es um die Lösung sozialer Probleme oder um die Verwirklichung von Umweltschutzzielen geht. Bei solch spezifischen ERC PoC-Projekten muss allerdings ein gesamtgesellschaftlicher oder ein volkswirtschaftlicher Nutzen deutlich erkennbar sein. Es kann nur ein Antrag pro ERC-Grantee und pro Jahr eingereicht werden. Das Auswahlverfahren ist einstufig angelegt.
Weitere Informationen zur Ausschreibung (EN)
Weitere Informationen zum ERC Proof of Concept Grant (EN)
Weitere Informationen zum ERC Proof of Concept Grant (DE)

Das EU-Justizprogramm trägt zur weiteren Entwicklung eines europäischen Justizraums bei, der auf Rechtsstaatlichkeit basiert. Es fördert justizielle Zusammenarbeit in den Bereichen Zivil- und Strafrecht sowie die juristische Ausbildung, um eine gemeinsame Rechts- und Justizkultur in der EU zu schaffen. Das Justizprogramm erleichtert zudem den effektiven Zugang zur Justiz für alle und unterstützt die Rechte von Opfern von Verbrechen sowie die Verfahrensrechte von verdächtigen und angeklagten Personen in Strafverfahren. Im Jahr 2025 werden u.a. folgende Themen ausgeschrieben:

• Call for proposals for action grants to support transnational projects in the fields of e-Justice, victims’ rights and procedural rights (02.10.2025).

Das Antragsverfahren ist einstufig angelegt. Bitte beachten Sie, dass in der Regel nur 90 Prozent von der EU gefördert werden und ein Eigenanteil von 10 Prozent an der Gesamtfinanzierung erbracht werden muss.
Weitere Informationen zur Ausschreibung (EN)
Weitere Informationen zum Justice Programme (EN)

Die Clean Energy Transition Partnership (CETPartnership), ein Zusammenschluss internationaler Geldgeber und Förderagenturen mit dem Ziel, gemeinsame Projekte rund um die Energiewende zu fördern, veröffentlicht ihren Förderaufruf 2025 voraussichtlich im Mai/ Juni 2025. Von deutscher Seite ist das Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz (BMWK) beteiligt.

Die Ausschreibung 2025 ist in 9 Call-Module gegliedert, die auf verschiedene Energietechnologien und/oder -systeme sowie auf forschungs- und innovationsorientierte Ansätze auf verschiedenen Technologiereifegraden (TRL) abzielen, die sich gegenseitig ergänzen und vervollständigen:

• Call Module 2025-01: Multi-vector interactions between the integrated energy system and industrial frameworks,
• Call Module 2025-02: Energy system flexibility: renewables production, storage and system integration,
• Call Module 2025-03 A/B: Advanced renewable energy (RE) technologies for power production,
• Call Module 2025-04: Carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS),
• Call Module 2025-05: Hydrogen and renewable fuels,
• Call Module 2025-06: Heating and cooling technologies,
• Call Module 2025-07: Integrated regional energy systems,
• Call Module 2025-08: Integrated industrial energy systems,
• Call Module 2025-09: Clean energy integration in the built environment.

Bitte beachten Sie die nationalen Förderkriterien des BMWK. Eventuell werden nicht alle Call Module gefördert. Das Antragsverfahren ist in zwei Stufen gegliedert. Die Einreichungsfrist der ersten Stufe (pre-proposal submission) wird voraussichtlich am 09. Oktober 2025 enden. Die nationale Informationsveranstaltung findet am 23. Mai 2025 von 10:00 bis 12:00 Uhr online statt, die europäische Informationsveranstaltung am 28. Mai 2025 von 10:00 bis 12:30 Uhr ebenfalls online.
Weitere Informationen zur nationalen Informationsveranstaltung am 23.05. (DE)
Weitere Informationen zur europäischen Informationsveranstaltung am 28.05. (EN)
Weitere Informationen zur CETP-Ausschreibung 2025 (EN)

COST ist eine durch Horizon Europe (2021-2027) geförderte zwischenstaatliche Initiative zur europäischen Vernetzung, die allen wissenschaftlichen Disziplinen offen steht. COST Actions finanzieren u.a. die Organisation von Veranstaltungen, Training Schools, Publikationen und Short Scientific Exchanges. COST fördert nicht die Forschungsmaßnahmen selbst.

Die geförderten Netzwerke haben eine Laufzeit von vier Jahren. Das Besondere bereits bewilligter COST Actions liegt in der laufenden Aufnahme neuer Mitglieder. Sie können die COST-Datenbank der bereits bewilligten COST Actions nach für Sie relevanten Stichworten durchsuchen.

COST Actions bieten verschiedene Vorteile für Forschende wie z.B.:

• Sie erleichtern Kontakte zu europäischen Partnern, woraus sich gemeinsame Vorhaben im Bereich Forschung und Innovation entwickeln können wie u.a. Publikationen oder Projektanträge.
• Sie bieten vielfältige Möglichkeiten der Karriereentwicklung, was insbesondere für junge Wissenschaftler*innen nützlich sein kann.

Das Antragsverfahren für neue COST Actions ist themenoffen (Bottom-up-Prinzip) und einstufig angelegt.
Weitere Informationen zu COST (EN)
Weitere Informationen zu COST (DE)

With its Pathfinder programme the European Innovation Council (EIC) aims to build on new, cutting-edge directions in science and technology to disrupt a field and a market or create new opportunities by realising innovative technological solutions grounded in high-risk/high-gain research and development. With each specific Challenge, a portfolio of projects will be established that explore different perspectives, competing approaches or complementary aspects of the Challenge. The complexity and high-risk nature of this research will require multi-disciplinary collaborations. Projects in a Challenge portfolio are expected to interact and exchange, remaining flexible and reactive in the light of developments within the portfolio or in the relevant global scientific or industrial community. They will progress together towards common goals and create new opportunities for radical innovation.

You should apply, if you have a potential cutting-edge project that would contribute to the specific objectives of the respective Challenge. Specifically, your proposed project must aim to deliver by its end the expected outcomes defined in the respective Challenge. In general, the starting point of a proposal answering to a Pathfinder Challenge is an early Technology Readiness Level (TRL, e.g. TRL 2) to up to proof of concept or validation in the lab (e.g. TRL 3 or 4). Project results should also include top-level scientific publications, adequate formal protection of the generated intellectual property (IP) as well as an assessment of relevant aspects related to regulation, certification and standardisation. In addition, you are encouraged to involve and empower in your team key actors that have the potential to become future leaders in their fields such as excellent early-career researchers or promising high-tech SMEs, including start-ups. Your proposed project should reinforce the mind-set for targeted research and development aimed at high-impact applied results.

Before you decide to apply, you are strongly encouraged to read the respective EIC Pathfinder Challenge Guide that will be published on the EIC website and the Funding & Tenders Portal after the call opening. The Challenge Guide will provide you with more information about the objectives of the Challenges, technical information underpinning the objectives and portfolio considerations used for the final selection of proposals to be funded.

The EIC Pathfinder Challenges support collaborative or individual research and innovation from consortia or from single legal entities established in an EU Member State or an Associated Country (unless stated otherwise in the specific Challenge chapter). The legal entities may for example be universities, research organisations, SMEs, start-ups, natural persons.

The following Pathfinder Challenges were published:

• 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;
• Waste-to-value devices: Circular production of renewable fuels, chemicals and materials.

You will receive a grant for a Research and Innovation Action to cover the eligible costs, necessary for the implementation of your project, including the portfolio activities. For this call, the EIC considers proposals with an EU contribution of up to EUR 4 million as appropriate.
Further information on EIC Work Programme 2025 (EN)
Further information on EIC Pathfinder Challenges 2025 (EN)
Further information on EIC Pathfinder (DE)