SSbD bio-based solutions for home and/or personal care

This grant aims to support industrial-scale biorefineries and related value chains to produce Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) bio-based solutions for the home and/or personal care sector, including fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and cosmetics. The goal is to create sustainable alternatives to conventional chemicals and ingredients, ensuring improved sustainability and regulatory compliance. The program seeks to increase availability and market uptake of bio-based products, enhance consumer acceptance, reduce fossil feedstock dependency, and contribute to EU strategic autonomy and environmental goals.

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Agency	HORIZON (EU)
Region	EU
Country	N/A
Legal form	Company, NGO, Government organization, Other
Start date	23 Apr 2026
End date	22 Sep 2026
Max funding	20,000,000 EUR per grant (Innovation Actions, Flagship)
Budget	170,760,699 EUR allocated in 2026 across the CBE JU Work Programme
Coverage	Funding coverage and co-financing rate are as specified in the Horizon Europe rules for participation.

Grant application conditions

Admissibility conditions	Proposal page limit and layout as described in Annex A and E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and Part B of the Application Form.
Eligible countries	EU Member States and associated countries; some non-EU/non-Associated Countries may participate with their own funding. See Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
Legal and financial capacity	Applicants must meet the financial and operational capacity requirements set out in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Other eligibility conditions	As described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes and specific requirements of section 2.2.3 of the CBE JU Annual Work Programme 2026.
Technology Readiness Level (TRL)	Demonstrate production of SSbD bio-based solution(s) at TRL 8; application at TRL 7 or above in relevant end-product formulations; industrial use case validation at TRL 6 if applicable.
Application sector scope	Solutions for home and/or personal care product formulations (including cosmetics); ingredients/materials such as solvents, surfactants, preservatives, antimicrobial/antifungal agents, etc.; does not cover nonwovens, packaging, or wipes.
Safety and regulatory assessment	Assessment must adopt standards and protocols in line with EU regulatory requirements for the targeted application sector(s).
Market involvement	Involve end-users, including brand owners and consumers, early in the process to assess market acceptance and incorporate feedback.
Environmental assessment	Release and accumulation of pollutants and harmful substances (including microplastics) in water must be avoided. When applicable, biodegradability must be validated according to relevant EU/international standards.
Compatibility and complementarity	Ensure complementarities with past and ongoing R&I projects under Horizon 2020/Horizon Europe and BBI JU/CBE JU.
Application requirements	Use official application and evaluation form templates provided in the Funding & Tenders Portal.
Documentation	https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/HORIZON-JU-CBE-2026-IAFlag-03

Eligible expenses

Evaluation criteria

Business exclusions

Reporting

Application process

Application requirements