Single Market Programme (SMP)

Agri-food Biotech Scaling-up (SMP-COSME-BIOAGRIFOOD)

Backs research teams and institutions for Agri food Biotech Scaling up in agriculture innovation, biotechnology, and food technology.

Eligibility · EU member states + EEA + Horizon-associated

⚠ This may reflect a past cycle — verify the current call on the funder's site.

SMP-COSME-2026-BIOAGRIFOOD is an action grant call under the Single Market Programme's COSME strand, managed by the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA). The call targets advanced fermentation for food and feed applications within the agri-food sector, aiming to strengthen biotech collaboration and support SMEs through scale-up activities including applied R&D, piloting, demonstration, and regulatory dossier guidance. Two projects will be funded from a total budget of EUR 3 million, each running for a maximum of 36 months. The single application deadline was 2 June 2026 at 17:00 CEST, and this call is now closed to new submissions.

Applicants must form a consortium of at least three independent legal entities from at least two different eligible countries — EU Member States, EEA countries, or Single Market Programme-associated nations. At least two consortium members must be cluster organizations registered with the European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP) and must have at least three years of experience supporting biotech SMEs. This program funds cluster organizations, not individual SMEs directly; SMEs participate as consortium members rather than lead applicants. Priority areas include strategic direction and coherence, knowledge exchange and networking, scale-up support with equipped facilities, and regulatory dossier preparation advice.

Applications were submitted via the EU Funding and Tenders Portal using Application Form Parts A and B plus Annex 5 (Eligibility Checklist). With only two awards from a EUR 3 million pool, competition is highly selective. Winning consortia will need to demonstrate a clear industrial pathway for scale-up of fermentation-based solutions in food and feed, strong cluster credentials, and active SME engagement across the project lifetime.