EU Grants: Agri-Bioeconomy SMEs and Startups from Latvia, Poland, and Ukraine Can Apply for €50,000

The "AGRI-BIOCIRCULAR-HUB" project, funded under the European Union's Horizon Europe programme, has officially launched its open call for applications. This initiative aims to provide significant financial and professional acceleration support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups. Innovators from Latvia, Poland, and Ukraine are invited to submit their projects, which offer smart and sustainable solutions in the fields of agriculture and the circular bioeconomy. A total of 12 highly promising projects will be selected for funding through this call.

This programme is particularly attractive to entrepreneurs as the support is awarded as a 100% funded lump sum grant. This means that no co-financing or matching funds are required from the participating companies, significantly reducing the financial risk of scaling the innovation. The deadline for submitting project proposals is July 31, 2026, at 17:00 CEST. Applications must be submitted online via the dedicated F6S application platform.

The open call is looking for technological solutions that have already reached at least Technology Readiness Level 4 (TRL 4), meaning the technology has been successfully validated in a laboratory environment. Project proposals must address at least one of the seven defined industry challenges. These include highly relevant topics such as circular nutrient management, improving soil health, water-smart farming, and the development of bio-based inputs. The core mission of the hub is to help entrepreneurs transform these bio-circular ideas into field-ready, commercialized solutions.

What Selected Companies Will Receive 

The 12 selected companies will enter a comprehensive 12-month mentoring and growth programme designed to scale their business and technology:

• A €50,000 equity-free grant with absolutely no co-financing requirements.
• 12 months of dedicated mentoring and expert support tailored to the solution's development.
• Monthly workshops and investment readiness coaching to prepare for future funding rounds.
• Access to a pan-European network spanning across five countries.
• An invitation to a final pitch event, while the company retains full ownership of their intellectual property (IP).

Detailed guidelines and more information about the open call can be found on the official project website at agri-biocircular-hub.eu/open-call/. The direct link to the application form is available on the F6S platform. We encourage regional AgriTech and bioeconomy visionaries not to leave their applications until the last minute and seize this opportunity to scale their impact!