Pilot Call
EU funding for Up2Circ implementation projects
Up2Circ will provide financial support to a minimum of 92 SMEs for implementation projects focussing on the uptake of circular business model, product or process innovation. Financial support will be provided to single SMEs that have been actively involved in the Up2Circ academy activities and prepared application documents of sufficient quality before the open call deadline. A pilot call eligible only for SMEs from the 7 Up2Circ partner regions will open on September 13th, 2023. Two open calls eligible for SMEs from all countries eligible in Horizon Europe programme are planned for 2024 (with deadline 31.05.2024) and 2025. Information about the first open call is coming soon, the call will be open two months prior to the deadline.
Up2Circ Pilot Call Announcement
Get up to €50K to move your business towards circularity
In its pilot call, Up2Circ Accelerator will support 7 projects to validate the adoption of circular business models and implement concrete actions towards circular products, processes and services. The budget allocation for the pilot call is €350.000.
Call opening: September 13th, 2023
Call closure: November 15th, 2023
Projects must be submitted by a single SME that has been actively involved in the Up2Circ Academy and should address the objectives of the Up2Circ project.
For the pilot call only SMEs with headquarters in one of the Up2Circ partner regions are considered eligible. These are:
- Metropolitan Region of Hamburg (DE, TUTECH)
- Estonia (EE, TSP)
- South Moravian Region (CZ, JIC)
- Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur Region (FR, risingSUD)
- Lubelskie region (PL, LFR)
- Metropolitan City of Torino (IT, CCIAATO)
- Extremadura region (ES, FUNDECYT-PCTEX)
SMEs can apply for two different funding schemes based on the maturity of their transition projects:
Small scale projects: Feasibility studies
Funding: small scale projects of up to €15.000
Project scope: In-depth validation of technical, economic and social aspects of adoption of circular business models, considering desirability, feasibility, viability and environmental aspects. Projects should focus on one or several circular business models such as circular supply chain, sharing platforms, product as a service, product life extension, recovery and recycling.
Expected outcome: feasibility study including a business plan
Project duration: max. 6 months
Large scale projects: Piloting and demonstration
Funding: large scale projects of up to €50.000
Project scope: Pilot and demonstration activities to implement concrete transition measures towards circularity through the implementation of certain technologies, introduction of new products, processes and services. Projects should focus on prototyping, pilot testing, implementation of new business processes, solutions and systems.
Expected outcome: validated prototype
Project duration: max. 12 months
Submission of application not possible any more
Closed since November 16th, 2023 (0:00 CET)!
We recommended to read all the Up2Circ Pilot Call documentation prior to submitting your project proposal.