Call has ended!
In accordance with its strategy, Business Finland has launched mission-oriented operations with a new Circular Transition for Zero Waste mission. The goal of the mission-based approach is to provide Finnish companies with more opportunities to take advantage of future market opportunities.
Background
Business Finland plans to launch a new program under the mission in 2024, tentatively named Circularizing Industrial Material Flow, focusing on the circular economy of industrial material streams
The aim of the program is to increase Finnish cross-sectoral expertise in the circular economy of industrial material flows and to promote the efficient utilization of material-intensive industrial waste and side streams towards zero waste.
The program focuses on the utilization of waste and side streams in new types of value chains, as well as industrial symbiosis and the creation of recyclable, certified substitute materials and products.
Goals of the funding call
In the research call, you can apply for public research funding (Co-Research) for research projects related to the program’s topics.
If it is reasonable to assume that companies would be able to launch a parallel R&D project of their own within the same research topic, Co-Research is not the right funding service for the project. In this case, you could apply for Co-Innovation funding for a joint project carried out in cooperation with companies.
In this funding call, we are looking for research projects that explore, develop, and promote the following:
- new types of future circular economy solutions and value chains for the interfaces between industries
- systemic solutions and technologies that utilize new waste and side streams (e.g., industrial biotechnology and synthetic biology)
- optimal utilization of side streams and waste (bioeconomy, mining and mineral industry, manufacturing industry)
- significant increase on added value, for example through new business models based on the circular economy
- removing obstacles: availability, quality, regulation, logistics, and the end customer
- research of the material circular economy effects on biodiversity loss: common indicators, methods, and impact on the competitive advantage of companies
- utilization of digital platforms and artificial intelligence in material flow management and new business models
Projects and their funding criteria
Co-Research projects may be funded in the funding call. The Co-Research projects must be planned in close cooperation with companies, and their steering groups must involve representatives from several companies that could utilize the results. The companies must also contribute to the financing of the public research in total by at least ten (10) percent of the overall public research budget. Otherwise, the funding is subject to Business Finland’s normal Co-Research funding criteria. In addition, the projects must involve international cooperation.
Read more about the Co-Research funding service
Review the general terms and conditions for funding public research
Explore the funding of leading companies and ecosystems
Research call schedule and budget
- We require that you discuss your plans with Business Finland before submitting your application. Please book your discussion time from the contact (Teams meeting) well before the application DL.
- Submit your funding application by April 10, 2024 via Business Finland’s online system. More detailed instructions on how to submit an application will be provided later.
- Research funding granted based on this call is estimated to be approximately EUR 4 million. The research projects compete for funding with research projects in other programs.
- In this funding call, you may also suggest topics that, in addition to the topics of this search, suit the roadmaps or interfaces of leading companies and their ecosystems: Funding for leading companies and ecosystems
- Projects combining the ecosystems of leading companies and this program may expand Business Finland’s funding opportunities.
