Budget
Funding rate: Up to 80% Budget conditions / limitations: EUR 80,000 to EUR 120,000 per project; maximum EUR 60,000 per SME; minimum 20% co-funding required from private sources.
Key dates and deadline
Call opening date: 18-06-2026 Call deadline: 15-09-2026 at 17:00 (Brussels time)
Details
This open call provides financial support to SME consortia to enhance innovation capacity and competitiveness through the adoption and development of net-zero technologies. It targets collaborative innovation projects delivering new or improved products, services, or processes. The initiative focuses on accelerating market-ready solutions and strengthening sustainability and resilience in the green and digital transition. Innovation projects including proof-of-concept, testing, pilot and demonstration activities of new or improved environmentally friendly products, net-zero solutions and services at TRL 6–7. Projects must demonstrate innovation in operational or industrially relevant environments. SECTORS / DOMAIN: Net-zero technologies including solar energy, batteries and energy storage, hydrogen technologies, sustainable biogas and biomethane, carbon capture and storage, and related digital solutions.
Eligibility
Consortia only, composed of at least 2 and no more than 3 SMEs. Applicants must be SMEs (including start-ups, in such case, they must have at leat one closed and validated financial year) established in EU Member States or countries participating in the Single Market Programme, with at least one closed financial year, and not receiving double funding or being in conflict of interest. Consortia members must not overlap across applications.
Additional information
Projects must address defined challenges under two strands: (A) net-zero technology topics such as waste management, materials, storage, digital solutions, value chains, CO2-hydrogen coupling, and carbon capture; or (B) City of Turin challenges including emissions reduction and urban solutions. PROJECTS DURATION: Up to 10 months.
How to apply?
https://piemonteinnova.it/second-powerup-netzero-open-call-innovation-projects/