Bioprospecting and optimised production of the terrestrial natural products: new opportunities for bio-based sectors
Programme Category
Programme Name
Programme Description
Horizon Europe is the European Union (EU) funding programme for the period 2021 – 2027, which targets the sectors of research and innovation. The programme’s budget is around € 95.5 billion, of which € 5.4 billion is from NextGenerationEU to stimulate recovery and strengthen the EU’s resilience in the future, and € 4.5 billion is additional aid.
Identifier Code
Call
Summary
The aim of this action is to broaden the range of novel compounds, lowering the production costs, quicken the development pipeline, and enable more innovation for the industrial operators, with clear-cut benefits for the final users (consumers and industries).
The scope covers immense diversity of terrestrial micro- and macro-organisms and their communities, which represents a rich and largely unexplored reservoir of natural products and their base ingredients (e.g. plants, fungi, microorganisms etc. are in scope).
Detailed Call Description
This action aims to support the transition to a clean, circular, and sustainable bioeconomy by promoting the discovery and production of innovative, climate-neutral, bio-based materials and products. Through the integration of bioprospecting, biotechnology, and biomanufacturing, the initiative will enable the development of new value chains with higher market value and improved resource efficiency. Projects are expected to demonstrate a broader range of accessible and sustainable natural products from terrestrial ecosystems, supported by advanced digital and biotechnological tools.
The scope includes a wide diversity of terrestrial micro- and macro-organisms (e.g. plants, fungi, and microorganisms), which remain largely unexplored but offer significant potential for high-value bioactive compounds. Biodiscovery approaches should leverage modern digital technologies such as AI, machine learning, and bioinformatics for tasks like genome analysis, bioactivity prediction, and compound identification. Production must be safe and sustainable, following the Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) and Do-No-Significant-Harm (DNSH) principles.
Projects should also contribute to biodiversity conservation by promoting alternative production methods (e.g. biosynthesis, fermentation, in vitro culture) that reduce dependence on wild resources. Proposals must comply with EU and international regulations (e.g. the Nagoya Protocol) and carry out comprehensive sustainability assessments. Strong industry and SME involvement is expected, along with demonstration activities to validate the technical and economic feasibility of the proposed solutions.
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
70%
Expected EU contribution per project: €5.50 million
Thematic Categories
- Agriculture - Farming - Forestry
- Agriculture - Food
- Environment and Climate Change
- Health
- Industry
- Land Development
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
- Small-Medium Enterprises and Competitiveness
Eligibility for Participation
- Businesses
- Farmers, Agriculturalists
- Legal Entities
- Other Beneficiaries
- Private Bodies
- Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
- Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
Eligibility For Participation Notes
A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects.
Call Opening Date
Call Closing Date
National Contact Point(s)
Research and Innovation Foundation
29a Andrea Michalakopoulou, 1075 Nicosia,
P.B. 23422, 1683 Nicosia
Telephone: +357 22205000
Fax: +357 22205001
Email: support@research.org.cy
Website: https://www.research.org.cy/en/
Contact Persons:
Marcia Trillidou
Scientific Officer A’
Email: trillidou@research.org.cy
Dr. Mary Economou
Scientific Officer
Email: meconomou@research.org.cy