EU funding for Eco-innovators
You missed the EIC Accelerator “Green Deal” cut-off”? There are luckily other funding available for SMEs having developed innovations in the field of environment and who wish to bring their product to markets and to scale up. Nevertheless there are small differences between these funding streams which are shown in the table below.
Remember that:
- Your project should be very innovative at a European Level.
- All these funding streams are very competitive.
- Double EU funding is not allowed. In particular, should you apply for both the EIC Accelerator and LIFE make sure that you indicate the EIC Accelerator application in your LIFE application because failing to do so could result in the rejection of your LIFE application.
|
Programme Name |
LIFE Close to Market projects |
Horizon 2020 EIC Accelerator |
Eurostars |
|
Next Deadline |
14 July 2020 (concept note, full application in February 2021) |
7/10/2020 |
3/09/2020 |
|
Eligible entities |
Open to any legal entities |
Only for for-profit SMEs |
R&D-performing SME as main partner Universities or research organisations also eligible in support |
|
Stage of development |
LIFE should not cover Research but can cover the innovation phase (pilot and demonstration phase) |
Objective is to bring the innovation to market TRL 6 to 8 for the grant component Equity possible for TRL higher than 8 |
Focus on R&D (TRL 4-7) but Market introduction must be planned within 24 months of the project’s completion |
|
Environmental focus |
Focus on Environment and Resource Efficiency, extra points for projects fitting priorities of the multi-annual work programme section 3.1. |
No, Open to all sectors (Green Deal cut-off was an exception) |
No, open to all sectors |
|
Environmental Evaluation criteria |
Stronger focus on the environmental impact of the project, though the potential for commercialisation is also assessed. |
Focus on Excellent, Impact and Implementation, but broader impacts are assessed including the impact on the environment |
Focus on Excellent, Impact and Implementation |
|
Partners |
LIFE allows for submitting the project with or without partners (international or local) but the EU added value is assessed. |
Applying with partners is not possible any more |
Need to find at least one partner in another country to cover 2 Eurostars countries. This brokerage event aims to help you find partners. |
|
Cofunding rate |
55% per project (Partners can decide their co-funding as they wish) |
70% for the grant It is also possible to apply for equity |
Depend from your country , in Brussels 15 to 70% |
|
Time to grant |
About a year – start of Environment projects submitting for the 2020 call in Sept. 2021 |
5 months |
4 to 7 months |
|
Financial Capacity |
Requirement concerning financial guarantee requested for private entities existing since less than 2 years (cf. p18 of the evaluation guide). |
Funding for high risks high potential project. |
|
|
Support Available during the project |
Dedicated support see this article |
Support for beneficiaries through the Enterprise Europe Network |
Not specifically |
|
Examples |
Cf. LIFE Project Database (select “SMEs” as beneficiary types) For instance Smart In’Air |
Cf. EASME Accelerator Data Hub for instance Envirolas |
For instance EFIRE |
|
More information |
Check p.34 of the application guide for Environment and Ressource Efficiency |
||
|
Comments |
A very competitive call |
Intergovernmental Funding programme, funding depends from your national/regional funding agency |
|
|
National Contact Points for Brussels projects |
Stijn Maas, Innoviris
|
See also this article with a more general explanation of the distinctions between LIFE and Horizon 2020.
Brussels-based SMEs can contact
- Camille Lépinay for R&I environment projects
- Jean-Philippe Mergen for LIFE Projects (as part of the services of the Enterprise Europe Network).
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