Jun 01, 2026

EUREKA launches Biotech Call 2026!

The aim of this call for proposals is to accelerate the transition of innovative biotechnology processes and products to industrial application through collaboration with European and international partner countries, and to strengthen Germany’s competitiveness as a hub for innovation.

Funding is available for application-oriented, pre-competitive research and development (R&D) projects in industrial biotechnology that involve a significant contribution from SMEs and are carried out as part of international Eureka collaborations. The R&D projects must address one or more of the thematic areas outlined in the framework call for proposals “Future Technologies for the Industrial Bioeconomy”:

Sustainable bioprocesses for industry,
Innovative bioeconomy products,
Disruptive approaches to the industrial bioeconomy.

Possible topics for R&D projects may include (non-exhaustive list):

Development of sustainable biotechnological production processes using renewable carbon sources (e.g., biogenic residues, CO2, secondary raw materials),
Biotechnological production of platform and fine chemicals as substitutes for fossil-based products,
Process development for the biotechnological production of ingredients and additives, as well as innovative biofunctionalized products,
Development of new food products through precision fermentation or the cultivation of animal cells.

This call for proposals is aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Collaborative projects involving SMEs and other academic and/or industrial partners are eligible; consortia without SME participation on the German side are not eligible for funding. Under this call for proposals, a significant contribution by the participating SMEs to the collaborative projects is mandatory.

Important facts:

30.09.2026 – full-proposals
Joint projects involving at least two participating countries
Up to 500,000 EUR German funding per German partner
Max. 70 % of project costs from one country
Medical products are not eligible for Germany
SME should coordinate the project

Participating countries:

Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Estonia, France, Germany, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkiye

Important LINKs:

https://www.eurekanetwork.org/programmes-and-calls/network-projects/biotech-call-september-2026/

https://www.ptj.de/foerdermoeglichkeiten/biooekonomie/eureka

Contact at EPC: