Take your bio-circular innovation to the European level
AGRI-BIOCIRCULAR-HUB is awarding €50,000 grants to 12 SMEs and startups from Poland, Latvia, and Ukraine to develop, test, or scale innovative solutions for sustainable agriculture and the circular bioeconomy. The call for applications is now closed. Submitted proposals are under evaluation.
About the Open Call
AGRI-BIOCIRCULAR-HUB is a Horizon Europe project connecting research, business, and public institutions across Poland, Latvia, Ukraine, Belgium, and Spain to accelerate innovation in sustainable agriculture and circular bioeconomy.
The call sought solutions at TRL 4 or above that can pilot, test, or validate innovations making a real difference in the agri-food value chain. Selected projects receive a €50,000 lump-sum grant plus 12 months of dedicated mentoring, monthly workshops, access to a pan-European network, and a final in-person pitch event. Grantees keep full ownership of their intellectual property.
Applications closed on 31 July 2026 at 17:00 CEST and are now under expert evaluation. All applicants will be notified of the outcome by 15 October 2026.
Key facts at a glance
The 7 challenge areas
Each application had to address one of the following thematic challenges, in the area where the solution best contributes to the agri-biocircular value chain.
Circular nutrients and fertiliser independence
Recover and reuse nutrients from organic streams; reduce dependence on synthetic mineral fertilisers.
Soil health and peat-free growing media
Improve soil quality and develop substrates that replace peat in horticulture.
Low-emission manure and residue valorisation
Convert manure and crop residues into value-added products while cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
Water-smart farming and runoff reduction
Improve water efficiency on the farm and reduce nutrient and pollutant runoff.
Bio-based farm inputs and end-of-life solutions
Develop bio-based alternatives to conventional inputs, including biodegradable packaging and films.
Data-driven IPM and input reduction
Use data and digital tools for integrated pest management and reducing pesticide / fertiliser use.
Agricultural practices integrating bio-circular principles
On-farm practices and systems that embed circular bioeconomy principles end-to-end.
Note: The funded activity had to be hands-on (pilot, test, validate, optimise), not purely analytical. Applicants could apply to several challenges with different ideas, but only the highest-ranked proposal per entity will be funded.
Who could apply?
The Open Call was open to SMEs and startups legally registered in Poland, Latvia, or Ukraine. The eligibility conditions applied at the time of submission are summarised below.
✅ Eligible applicants
- SMEs or startups legally registered in Poland, Latvia, or Ukraine
- Fewer than 250 employees and turnover ≤ €50M (EU SME definition)
- Solution at TRL 4 or above
- Single entity or a consortium of max 2 SMEs / startups
- Legally incorporated at the moment of application
⛔ Not eligible
- Entities registered outside Poland, Latvia, or Ukraine
- 250+ employees or exceeding EU SME turnover thresholds
- Solutions below TRL 4 (still at basic research stage)
- Consortia of more than 2 entities
- Entities not yet legally registered as a company
What selected projects get
Funding is only one part of it. Selected projects join the AGRI-BIOCIRCULAR-HUB Programme — a 12-month structured support journey designed to take an innovation from validation to market.
Financial grant
€50,000 lump sum, disbursed in 3 instalments: 40% upfront, 30% at mid-point, 30% at completion.
Dedicated adviser
A named programme adviser from the consortium accompanies you throughout the 12 months.
Monthly workshops
Online sessions covering technology, branding, market strategy, and investment readiness.
Pan-European network
Connections across Poland, Latvia, Ukraine, Spain, and Belgium — academia, business, and public institutions.
Expert mentoring
Access to a network of 10+ technical, business, and market mentors across all key domains.
Study visit
In-person visit to a consortium partner facility. Travel budget should be included in the project budget.
Final pitch event
Mandatory in-person presentation of your results to stakeholders and potential investors.
Full IP ownership
You retain full ownership of all intellectual property developed during the project. No strings attached.
Application process
Submissions closed on 31 July 2026 at 17:00 CEST and the F6s form is no longer accepting entries. The steps below are kept online so applicants can see how their proposal is being handled.
Read the guidelines
The full Guidelines for Applicants PDF remains available in the Documents tab.
Check eligibility
Eligibility was assessed against the checklist in Section 3 of the guidelines.
Choose your challenge
Each proposal addressed one of the 7 thematic challenges.
Prepare your proposal
Proposals used the official template, maximum 15 pages, submitted as PDF.
Submit on F6s
The online form closed automatically on 31 July 2026 at 17:00 CEST.
Evaluation and results
Three independent experts assess each eligible application. Results by 15 October 2026.
Call timeline
Key milestones from launch to project start. Completed steps are shown in grey. Remaining dates are indicative and may shift.
Documents & downloads
The official call documents remain available below for reference. All files open in a new tab.
Looking for the Privacy Notice? See the Privacy tab on this page for the full GDPR notice covering how your application data is processed.
Frequently asked questions
The answers below describe the rules of this call, which closed on 31 July 2026. If your question is not here, write to the helpdesk — we reply within 3 working days.
Privacy Notice
This notice explains how your personal data is processed when you apply to the AGRI-BIOCIRCULAR-HUB Open Call. We comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR) and Horizon Europe data protection rules.
1. Who is responsible for your data
Data Controller: SIA FNG Invest, acting on behalf of the AGRI-BIOCIRCULAR-HUB Consortium for the purposes of running this Open Call. The Consortium consists of partner organisations from Poland, Latvia, Ukraine, Belgium, and Spain (full list on the project website).
Data Protection Officer (DPO): Ilona Gulchak — ilona.gulchak@commercializationreactor.com
The project is funded by the European Union under Horizon Europe. The European Commission and the European Research Executive Agency (REA) receive aggregated and selected personal data as joint controllers for project oversight.
2. What personal data we collect
When you apply and (if selected) participate in the programme, we process:
- Identification: name, position, email, phone of contact person and legal representative
- Company / entity data: legal name, registration number, VAT, address, country
- SME-related data: headcount, turnover, balance sheet, shareholder structure (for SME-status verification)
- Application content: technical proposal, budget, CVs of key team members
- Banking / financial information (contracting phase only): bank account details for payments
- KYC documents (selected applicants only): proof of ID and residency
- Communications: emails, helpdesk tickets, programme correspondence
- Technical data: IP address and browser info when you submit via the F6s platform
3. Why we process your data
- To evaluate your application against the published criteria
- To manage the selection, ranking, and contracting process
- To implement the AGRI-BIOCIRCULAR-HUB Programme (mentoring, workshops, reporting)
- To make payments and verify SME status
- To report to the European Commission, REA, and other competent EU bodies
- To communicate with you regarding the call (notifications, helpdesk replies)
- To comply with audit, anti-fraud, and legal obligations (including OLAF requests)
4. Legal basis for processing (GDPR Art. 6)
- Performance of a contract — the sub-grant agreement, if your project is selected
- Pre-contractual measures at your request — during application and evaluation
- Legal obligation — reporting and audit requirements toward the European Commission
- Legitimate interest — programme administration, fraud prevention, dissemination of public results
- Consent — where applicable (e.g. optional newsletter subscription)
5. Who has access to your data
Your data is shared only with parties who need it to perform their role:
- AGRI-BIOCIRCULAR-HUB Consortium partners — for evaluation and programme management
- Independent expert evaluators — bound by confidentiality and conflict-of-interest declarations
- European Commission, REA, EISMEA, and OLAF — for project oversight and anti-fraud checks
- External auditors — only if and when an audit is initiated
- F6s — operating the submission platform as our data processor
- IT service providers — hosting, email, helpdesk — as data processors under contract
Your data is never sold and is never shared with third parties for advertising.
6. International data transfers
Your data is primarily stored on servers in the EU/EEA. Where sub-processors operate outside the EU, we ensure appropriate safeguards under GDPR Chapter V (Standard Contractual Clauses or adequacy decisions).
7. How long we keep your data
- Application and project records: retained until 5 years after the balance of the AGRI-BIOCIRCULAR-HUB project is paid, or longer if ongoing audits, investigations, or litigation require it.
- KYC and financial records: same retention period (legal requirement).
- Newsletter/marketing communications consent: until you withdraw it.
8. Your rights under GDPR
You have the right to:
- Access the personal data we hold about you
- Request rectification of inaccurate or incomplete data
- Request erasure ("right to be forgotten") — subject to legal retention obligations above
- Request restriction of processing
- Request data portability
- Object to processing based on legitimate interest
- Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent
- Lodge a complaint with your national data protection authority
To exercise any of these rights, contact our DPO at ilona.gulchak@commercializationreactor.com. We will respond within one month of receiving your request.
9. Cookies and analytics
The AGRI-BIOCIRCULAR-HUB website uses minimal anonymous analytics to measure page views. The F6s submission platform may set its own cookies — see the F6s Privacy Policy for details.
10. Changes to this notice
We may update this Privacy Notice to reflect operational or legal changes. The most recent version is always available at the top of this section, with the effective date shown above. Material changes will be communicated to selected applicants by email.
11. Contact
For any privacy-related question, contact:
ilona.gulchak@commercializationreactor.com
(Data Protection Officer)
For general Open Call questions:
agri-biocircular-hub-fstp@commercializationreactor.com
Questions about the Open Call?
The call is closed, but the helpdesk remains available for questions about the evaluation, the notification of results, and future opportunities. Check the FAQ tab first. We reply within 3 working days.
agri-biocircular-hub-fstp@commercializationreactor.comNote: we cannot disclose interim evaluation results or individual scores before the official notification. All official communications take place through the F6s platform.
The Open Call is closed
Applications closed on 31 July 2026 at 17:00 CEST. Proposals are under expert evaluation and all applicants will be notified by 15 October 2026. Future opportunities will be announced on this website.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the granting authority. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Project No. 101186869.