Overview
RESIST II Eurocluster has opened its Product Innovation Open Call, offering cascade funding to SMEs working in the Mobility, Transport and Automotive ecosystem. The call supports companies developing new or significantly improved products and services that can improve environmental performance, reduce carbon emissions, increase resource efficiency and reduce dependence on critical raw materials across the mobility value chain.
The call is part of RESIST II’s wider €1.6 million funding package for SMEs developing innovation projects in mobility, transport and automotive, focused on net-zero technologies and critical raw materials. The Product Innovation call itself has a budget of €800,000.
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Benefits
Selected SMEs can receive financial support through lump-sum grants:
- Up to €20,000 for individual SME projects
- Up to €30,000 per SME for collaborative projects
- A maximum of €60,000 per SME across RESIST II open calls
- Technical services, mentoring, internationalisation support, and training opportunities
Projects must include at least 10% co-financing from the beneficiary SMEs. Across the two Product Innovation 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 / COSME strand.
Applicants must be active, directly or indirectly, in the Mobility, Transport and Automotive ecosystem. Startups and micro-enterprises may also apply if they meet the SME definition and operate in the sectors addressed by the call.
Criteria
Projects may be submitted by a single SME or by a consortium of two to three SMEs. Collaborative projects must involve SMEs from different NUTS2 regions. Other organisations, such as research centres, universities or technology providers, may support projects as subcontractors, but direct financial support under the call is reserved for SMEs.
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 online through the RESIST II submission platform. The first cut-off opened on 13 May 2026 and closes on 13 July 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time.
Applications must be completed in English. Incomplete applications, late applications or applications submitted outside the designated platform may be rejected without evaluation.
About RESIST II
RESIST II is a European initiative funded under the Single Market Programme Euroclusters call. It supports SMEs in the mobility, transport, and automotive ecosystem by funding product and process innovation projects that strengthen resilience, sustainability, and innovation capacity across European value chains.
