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Horizon Europe Cluster 6 — Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources & Environment

Horizon Bioeconomy: Marine Bio-Based Products

Funds two €5M projects turning marine organisms — algae, fungi, invertebrates — into safer bio-based replacements for adhesives, coatings and chemicals.

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European industry still leans on hazardous chemicals — in textiles, in polymers, across manufacturing — and needs greener alternatives that can actually compete on performance. The sea is a mostly untapped source of those alternatives: algae, fungi and invertebrates produce biomolecules with properties no lab has fully exploited yet — how they stick to surfaces, how they're structured, how they fl

Turning biomolecules from marine life — algae, fungi and invertebrates — into bio-based products that can replace hazardous or synthetic materials in industry: things like adhesives, antifouling coatings, surfactant substitutes, biosensors, biomarkers and enzymes. A funded project has to build in synthetic and engineering biology methods together with digital tools such as AI/ML and bioinformatics, and has to weigh the new product's safety, environmental impact and cost against the conventional material it would replace. Work runs from early research through proof of concept, reaching TRL 4-5. Health-biotechnology and biofuel or bioenergy uses are out of scope, to avoid overlap with other Horizon Europe clusters.

CycleiHow often this grant runs — e.g. annually, on a rolling basis, or a one-off call.Annual
Next deadlineiThe next date applications are due. Rolling means you can apply any time.17 Sept 2026
Decision timeiTypical time from the deadline to the funder's decision.22 weeks
Project durationiHow long the funded work is expected to run.
Award typeiThe form of funding — grant, equity, loan, tax credit, etc.Grant
Match fundingiThe share of project costs you must cover yourself. 0% = fully funded.0%
Funding pooliThe total budget available across all awards in this round.€10M

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Last verified: 25 Aug 2026Funder reference: HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-11Source: ec.europa.eu