Proposals should address:

• Identification and bioprospecting of novel natural enzymes and/or microbial hosts, including though the use of existing sequencing data, from all types of environments (especially terrestrial but also marine).The identified solutions must especially address extreme habitats (relevant to bio-based processes conditions/ challenges-see next point).
• Optimisation of enzymes’ and/or microbial hosts’ properties for industrial use, addressing (bio-based) process conditions barriers. Such barriers comprise of physical parameters (e.g., temperature, pH) and chemical parameters/stressors (e.g., solvents, variable biomass feedstock composition, contaminants etc.). Optimisation efforts may include understanding, modification and control of microbial hosts and enzymes, (e.g. via Synthetic Biology methodologies).
• Testing and demonstrating of novel concepts for industrial enzyme-catalysed or microbial host-based processes (e.g., engineering of enzyme cascades/multi-enzyme reactions, co-factor regeneration, broader range of functional activity etc.) to valorise biomass and produce high-value bio-based products.
• Demonstrating optimised process design, development and control aspects, with considerations for implementation of automation, integration of unit operations, robust and precise process analytical technologies (PAT), and the horizontal incorporation of enabling digital technologies, where necessary for improving process efficiency but also achieving environmental performance improvements.
• Assessment of the tested, optimized enzyme-catalysed or microbial host-based processes with respect to biotechnological, economic, environmental performance (lifecycle assessment) as well as safety parameters and standards.
• Linking to the ongoing work on sustainability improvements via industrial biotechnology, if underpinned by the thematic focus on enzymes.

Beneficiaries should pay attention to the delivery of FAIR data, results and methodologies.