Open Topic: Innovative solutions for the sustainable and circular transformation of SMEs
Funds open-topic solutions — from AI tools to new business models — that help SMEs cut resource use and comply with green-transition rules.
Open Topic: Innovative solutions for the sustainable and circular transformation of SMEs is a Horizon Europe two-stage Innovation Action from the European Commission that funds open-topic solutions — from AI tools to new business models — helping SMEs cut resource use and comply with green-transition rules. Stage 1 runs as part of a Horizon Europe pilot testing blind evaluation, so organisation na…
This is an open topic: the European Commission will fund proposals addressing any barrier SMEs face in going green and circular, from new business models and governance approaches to digital tools like digital product passports, AI or generative-AI assistants. Solutions must be demonstrated in a large-scale operational environment with strong SME involvement, and should help SMEs meet requirements like the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation.
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Guides for this application
All guides →Horizon Europe Grants for Startups: A Founder Guide
A practical guide to Horizon Europe grants for startups, including EIC, consortia, eligibility, Funding & Tenders, TRL, budgets, and EU strategy.
DocumentsGrant Work Plan Template: Work Packages, Gantt, Milestones, and Risks
Use this grant work plan template to structure work packages, tasks, owners, deliverables, Gantt timing, dependencies, and risk registers.
Write proposalGrant Concept Note Example: Pre-Proposal Structure for Startups
See a practical grant concept note example, with a worked deeptech pre-proposal, section map, invite-to-full logic, and reviewer checks.
DocumentsLetter of Support for Grant Applications: Template and Examples
Learn how to write and request a letter of support for a grant, with template structure, examples, reviewer logic, and common mistakes.
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