Open Calls

EIT Community Launches €1 Million ‘Catalyse NEB 2026’ Programme to Empower Europe’s Next Generation of Impact-Driven Startups

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

The EIT Community New European Bauhaus (NEB) has launched the €1 million Catalyse NEB 2026 programme, a major European funding call to support 20 impact-driven startups across Europe. The initiative is part of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) and aims to accelerate ventures that blend sustainability, design, and inclusion,  the core values of the New European Bauhaus movement.

Overview

Through Catalyse NEB 2026, selected startups will gain the tools, funding, and European network needed to scale their solutions responsibly. The programme supports innovators working at the crossroads of creativity, technology, and sustainability, from climate and circular economy, to food, manufacturing, urban mobility, and wellbeing.

Delivered by EIT Climate-KIC, with partners including EIT Food, EIT Manufacturing, and EIT Urban Mobility, the call strengthens cross-sector collaboration and fosters startups that help turn the European Green Deal into reality through human-centred design.

Benefits

Each of the 20 selected startups will receive a €50,000 support package, including a combination of financial support, in-kind services, and mentoring, as well as an additional €22,000 grant for travel, dissemination, and participation costs.

Startups will also benefit from:

  • Tailored business and communication mentoring aligned with NEB values
  • Training workshops on strategy, storytelling, and impact measurement
  • Visibility and investor exposure through EIT events and pan-European platforms
  • Integration into the EIT Community network of over 2,000 partners and 60 innovation hubs

Who Can Apply

Startups must be:

  • Legally registered in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe–Associated Country
  • Founded on or after 1 January 2021
  • At pre-seed, seed, or early-stage (up to Series A)
  • Have raised less than €1 million in total
  • Led by at least one founder who will actively participate in the programme
  • Ready to sign a SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) with the EIT

Startups must also demonstrate one of the following:

  • ≥ €15,000 in revenue in 2024
  • ≥ €40,000 in external investment
  • Participation in the Grow NEB programme

Projects must address at least one New European Bauhaus challenge:

  • Reconnecting with nature
  • Regaining a sense of belonging
  • Prioritising places and people most in need
  • Fostering long-term, circular thinking and life-cycle design

How to Apply

  • Call opens: 27 October 2025
  • Information session: 26 November 2025, Register here.
  • Deadline: 19 January 2026, 17:00 CEST
  • Evaluation period: January – April 2026
  • Programme start: 25 May 2026

Applications must be submitted via the official EIT NEB Awards Platform

RESIST II Opens €800,000 Funding Call For Process Innovation In Mobility And Transport

by News Editor

Overview

RESIST II Eurocluster has opened its Process Innovation Open Call, offering cascade funding to SMEs in the Mobility, Transport and Automotive ecosystem. The call supports companies seeking to improve their manufacturing or industrial processes by making their current operations more digital, greener and more resilient.

The call sits under RESIST II’s wider €1.6 million funding package for SMEs developing innovation projects linked to net-zero technologies and critical raw materials. The Process Innovation call itself has a budget of €800,000.

Benefits

Selected SMEs can receive lump-sum grants of:

  • Up to €20,000 for individual SME projects
  • Up to €30,000 per SME for consortium projects
  • Up to €60,000 per SME across RESIST II open calls

Beneficiaries will also have access to a pool of experts, coaching and mentoring, international market opportunities, online training for upskilling and reskilling, and technical support provided by CTAG.

Projects require 10% private co-financing from the beneficiary SMEs. Across the two cut-offs, RESIST II expects to support around 15 to 20 projects and fund around 25 to 30 SMEs.

Who Can Apply

The call is open to SMEs established in an EU Member State or a country participating in the Single Market Programme.

Applicants must be active in the ecosystem, either by working in sectors such as automotive, rail, waterborne and cycling, or by being a member of a cluster linked to the Mobility, Transport and Automotive ecosystem.

Criteria

Projects may be submitted by a single SME or by a consortium of two or three SMEs. Consortium projects must involve SMEs from different NUTS2 regions.

Submitted projects should address one or more of RESIST II’s four innovation pillars:

  • Net-Zero Manufacturing & Industrial Decarbonisation
  • Circular Critical Raw Materials & Resource Efficiency
  • Digital Mobility & Smart Industrial Systems
  • Resilient Mobility Value Chains

Projects funded under the first cut-off are expected to run for up to nine months, from October 2026 to June 2027.

How To Apply

Applications must be submitted electronically through the RESIST II platform. The first cut-off opened on 13 May 2026 and closes on 13 July 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time. A second cut-off is planned for May 2027.

About RESIST II

RESIST II Eurocluster supports European SMEs working in the Mobility, Transport and Automotive ecosystem, helping them advance their twin transition and strengthen resilience against market shifts and unexpected disruptions.

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