Three calls are open for different TRLs thus for starters till more experienced start-ups with innovative circular business models/technologies linked to minerals and materials.
The EIT Raw Materials is linked and funded by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), an EU body funded by Horizon 2020. This major consortium brings together more than 120 partners in the raw materials sector. It aims to ensure the accessibility, availability and sustainable use of metal and mineral raw materials for the economy and citizens.
The EIT Raw Materials does not only cover “industrial” recycling projects for mineral and metal raw materials, but also
- biomasses and polymers as substitutes for mineral and metal raw materials;
- the whole value chain, including the design of products, services and new business models for resource recovery, the extension of product lifetime, products as a service, sharing platforms, etc.
The EIT Raw Materials has currently 3 interesting call opens for innovative SMEs in the circular economy and which do not require partners contrary to Horizon Europe collaborative projects or the classic EIT Raw materials Call for projects.
JUMPSTARTER FOR STARTERS
EIT Jumpstarter is an innovation contest aiming to reach out, identify and support the best ideas from researchers, PhD students and starters. The innovation contest is structured in several stages. Once selected you can benefit from bootcamp and coaching, trainings and travels are reimbursed. If selected to the final sessions, you can compete to become one of the 3 top winners awarded respectively 10 000, 7 000 and 5000 €.
The Jumpstarter call also covers the EIT Food, EIT Health, EIT InnoEnergy, EIT Manufacturing and EIT Urban Mobility.
Deadline is 16 April 2021. More information here.
START-UP ACCELERATOR
The Accelerator aims to develop Start-ups so that they can rapidly become suppliers to, and perhaps future partners of, the EIT RawMaterials network. The Accelerator programme comprises 3 Phases (Invent, Build, Grow) to grow from TRL 4 to 9. The support provided in each Phase consists of both group work and individual coaching. Start-ups are both helped to anchor their local and national ecosystems and to get introduced to a Pan-European level to partners in the EIT RawMaterials Innovation Community. Grant funding is offered to participate in the activities.
The deadline for applying to the phase 1 is 3rd March 2021. More information here.
BOOSTER CALL FOR START-UP
The Booster call is intended to test new business ideas through financial support up to EUR 60 000, support services and access to the network. It is aimed at start-ups or SMEs that are not members of the EIT RawMaterials, but which could become members of the EIT at the end of the project (what will involve the payment of a membership fee) or contribute to the network created by that EIT in a different way (for instance through a backflow in revenue or equity sharing). The booster support SMEs increasing the TRL from their technology or business model from at least TRL 4.
In 2021, the EIT Booster focus on 3 issues
- Sustainable discovery and supply of primary and secondary resources (innovative solutions based for example on artificial intelligence, machine learning, virtual reality etc.) for securing and processing strategic mineral resources in a sustainable and safe way and with a social license to operate.
- Sustainable Materials for Future Mobility(materials for electrification such as batteries, fuel cells, magnets; materials for lightweight design including steels, non-ferrous alloys, composites, multimaterials).
- Raw Materials and Circular Societies(new circular business models such as reuse, repair, remanufacturing, sharing economy).
The 2021 deadlines are 31st March, 28 May and 3 September 2021. More information here.
For all these calls, Camille Lépinay and Virginia Gomez Onate at Enterprise Europe Brussels can help you prepare your application.
