24 new projects to strengthen the scaleup of Europe's bioeconomy

Selected from a strong pool of high-quality proposals, the 24 new projects will drive innovation in bioeconomy and scale up the production of circular bio-based solutions through four types of actions: 

• Four flagship innovation actions will receive €68 million to build first-of-their-kind industrial biorefineries in Europe.  
• Eleven innovation actions will share €75.2 million to scale up prototype bio-based solutions.  
• Eight research and innovation actions have been awarded €27.4 million to test the potential of new or improved solutions in laboratory or controlled settings.  
• One coordination and support action has been granted €1 million to strengthen skills and training across Europe’s bio-based industries. 

Together, these projects will play a critical role in advancing the goals of the CBE JU Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda and shaping a competitive, resilient and sustainable bioeconomy in Europe. 

With these 24 new projects, Europe takes another concrete step towards a circular and sustainable bio-based economy. In a time of global uncertainty, the bioeconomy stands out as a strategic asset for Europe, helping to cut our reliance on fossil resources, sharpen our competitiveness and secure our strategic autonomy. It is inspiring to see SMEs, large industries, researchers and primary producers working side by side to turn ambition into real solutions for a more resilient future.

Nicoló Giacomuzzi-Moore, CBE JU Executive Director 

The 2025 call attracted significant interest from the bio-based sector. Applicants submitted 248 proposals which together requested over €1.42 billion across 13 topics. Innovation actions stood out, with applications to this type of action nearly doubling compared to the 2024 call. The high interest points to the sector's readiness to bring bio-based technologies closer to industrial deployment and reflects the strong momentum behind Europe's bio-based transition.  

In particular, small and medium-sized enterprises play a central role in the 2025 call, as they will receive 47% of the total awarded budget compared to 25% in the previous call. This focus confirms CBE JU as a driver of innovation and growth across many industrial sectors. 

Four of the funded projects will build first-of-their-kind industrial biorefineries to transform underutilised feedstocks into valuable resources for Europe's bioeconomy. Among them:  

• PACE will receive €20 million to set up a first-of-its-kind biorefinery in the Netherlands. The project will enable zero-waste operations and unlock new circular value chains by converting leftovers from potato farming into valuable bio-based medium-chain fatty acids as a sustainable alternative to those typically derived from palm oil.  
• BIOWRAP will benefit from €13 million to develop a certified, 100% compostable, paper-based bubble wrap through innovative technology for a scalable alternative to plastic packaging. The project will build a production facility in Germany, marking the first CBE JU-funded flagship in the country. 

CBE JU funding will support the development of sustainable bio-based solutions across sectors as varied as materials, textiles, packaging and chemicals. These innovations will help reduce Europe's dependence on fossil resources, lower greenhouse gas emissions and promote circular economy practices in the industry. Furthermore, several projects will strengthen resource efficiency, support primary producers and enhance regional collaboration in Europe. 

The 2025 call introduces rubber as a new area of application. Europe relies heavily on imports of natural rubber and on synthetic rubber derived from fossil resources, and building local, bio-based rubber value chains is key to reducing this dependency and reinforcing European autonomy. Two new research and innovation actions will support this advancement: 

• CHIHIRO has been granted €3.5 million to transform local guayule, a woody shrub, waste into sustainable rubber and bio‑based elastomers. 
• RUBBIO will receive €3.5 million to deliver scalable, high‑performance rubber materials made from starch‑rich food sidestreams, such as bread and potato waste, using sugars for microbial fermentation and advancing the decarbonisation of the rubber sector. 

Other projects will bring bio-based innovation to the textile sector and leverage the potential of macroalgae as a sustainable feedstock for European industry. 

• TEX4GREEN will benefit from €7 million to develop and scale bio-based textile solutions from lignin and industrial sidestreams, delivering coatings, surfactants and dyes for sportswear, interior textiles and fashion. 
• BIG ALGAE will be granted €7 million to develop cultivation methods for five macroalgae species in both land-based and offshore systems, and to advance production of new algae-based products in the food, feed, cosmetics, textiles and packaging sectors.  

Beyond technological innovation, the 2025 call invests in the development of the skills and talents needed to sustain the growth of Europe's bio-based industries. 

• BIOSPARK has been awarded €1 million to design demand-driven curricula for the education, training and reskilling of students and professionals, reinforcing the European bioeconomy. The project will tackle the sector's training gap and prepare the workforce for future advances in bioeconomy systems. Networks of bio-based educational centres will be established across the 27 EU member states, and the project will enable knowledge sharing as well as closer collaboration between universities, research and technology organisations, and industry. 

Explore the full list of funded projects and learn more about all the initiatives. 

A new 2026 call for project proposals, with €170.7 million in funding, is currently open across 13 topics. The submission deadline is 22 September 2026, 17:00 Brussels time.