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Innovation Fund – New call only for SMEs (IF26 SME Call)

EU Innovation Fund (INNOVFUND) · IF26 calls

Ευρωπαϊκή Επιτροπή – Γενική Διεύθυνση Δράσης για το Κλίμα (DG CLIMA), με τον Εκτελεστικό Οργανισμό CINEA (European Commission – DG Climate Action, with the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency – CINEA)

In plain words

A new €200 million EU Innovation Fund call only for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs), for innovative projects that cut emissions, e.g. clean energy, storage or greener production, with an investment of €2.5–20 million. Applying will be simpler than in the Fund's other calls. It opens in December 2026; the Fund covers up to 60% of the relevant costs, so you also need your own money.

Who can apply

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) under the EU definition (Recommendation 2003/361: fewer than 250 staff and turnover up to €50 million or balance sheet up to €43 million), with a project in an EU country, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein. Detailed rules (e.g. whether consortia are allowed) will be published with the call.

What it pays for

‘Small-scale’ investments with capital expenditure (CAPEX: buildings, machinery, installations) of €2.5–20 million in the Fund's areas: cleaner production in energy-intensive industry, renewable energy, energy storage, carbon capture, clean-tech manufacturing (e.g. batteries, heat pumps), and zero-emission transport and buildings. Innovation Fund grants cover up to 60% of the relevant costs. The call also accepts riskier projects than the Fund's other calls.

What must be true for you

Tick what applies. Saved on this device only.

  • An SME under the EU definition (Recommendation 2003/361).
  • A project with capital expenditure of €2.5–20 million in an EU country, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein.
  • An innovative technology that measurably cuts greenhouse gas emissions (a semi-automated calculation tool will be provided).
  • Funds (own or borrowed) for the costs the grant does not cover.
  • An EU Login account and a participant code (PIC) on the Funding & Tenders Portal.

How to apply

  1. Read the IF26 SME Call page on the Commission's climate website and watch the Funding & Tenders Portal for the call publication in December 2026.
  2. Check that your project fits: SME, €2.5–20 million investment, innovative technology that cuts emissions.
  3. Prepare a business and financing plan and the calculation of the emissions you will avoid.
  4. Create an EU Login account and get a PIC for your company.
  5. Submit on the Funding & Tenders Portal by the first deadline (end of March 2027) or the second (end of September 2027).
  6. For the first round, evaluation runs April–June 2027 and grant agreements are signed July–December 2027.

Where to apply: EU Funding & Tenders Portal – ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunitie…

Deadline

Planned, not open yet. The Commission's indicative timeline: published in December 2026 with a deadline at the end of March 2027; a second round published in April 2027 with a deadline at the end of September 2027. Exact dates will come with the call.

Sources we read

Research notes: Planned call, not yet published. Official IF26 SME Call page (read 2026-10-18): planned budget €200M; SMEs per Recommendation 2003/361; 'small-scale projects' with CAPEX €2.5M–€20M; simplified application (fewer documents, semi-automated GHG tool, lighter reporting); indicative timeline: round 1 published Dec 2026, deadline end of March 2027, evaluation Apr–Jun 2027, grant agreements Jul–Dec 2027; round 2 published Apr 2027, deadline end of Sep 2027, evaluation Oct–Dec 2027. opens/closes stay null until exact dates are published. Innovation Fund calls page: 'There are currently no open Innovation Fund calls'; '5 calls for proposals will open in December 2026', SME call listed as a new regular call; CINEA's open-call list (18 Oct) shows no Innovation Fund call. The 60% cap is the Fund's general rule for regular grants (what-innovation-fund page); the SME call's own funding rate, grant size, single-applicant/consortium rules, eligible sectors and selection method are not published yet (evaluation set to comparative because of fixed rounds with evaluation periods; the webinar page mentions 'more pass/fail criteria'). The general page also says up to 40% of a regular grant can be paid on milestones before entry into operation and that Member States may top up calls with national budgets. Sectors reflect the Fund's general scope. The SME-session slides of the 19 Jun 2026 consultation were image-only and not read. Not added (also planned for Dec 2026): IF26 NZT call, IF26 Maritime call (CAPEX ≥€2.5M, planned Dec 2026–Apr 2027, applicants and budget not stated), IF26 Hydrogen Auction; the IF26 Heat Auction is a separate record.

See also