ECIV Open Call 1 Results: A Strong Start for Circular Innovation in Europe

The first Open Call of the European Circular Innovation Valley (ECIV) has successfully demonstrated the strong interest and engagement of European stakeholders in advancing the circular economy. With high-quality proposals and solid interregional collaboration, this first milestone sets the stage for future opportunities through Open Call 2 and the upcoming Experimentation Fund. 

Strong engagement from the circular innovation ecosystem 

Launched on 22 December 2025 and closed on 16 March 2026, ECIV Open Call 1 aimed to support interregional innovation projects at advanced technology readiness levels (TRL 6–8), addressing key circular economy value chains. 

Participants came from ECIV regions Navarra, Northern Netherlands, North-Middle Sweden, Normandy, and Scotland, fostering meaningful collaboration across ECIV territories. 

The call attracted significant interest: 

• 21 proposals submitted, 4 projects approved for funding 

• Over 117 organizations applied, 25 were approved for grant agreement 

• €4.7 million has been allocated out of a total €9.1 million available budget, representing 52% of the funding mobilised through ECIV Open Call 1 

• The average funding per project is around €1.2 million 

• All four innovation quadruple helix categories are represented: academia, industry, government, and civil society 

Open Call 1 Results: Four high-impact projects selected 

The approved projects cover a diverse set of sectors and innovation approaches, notably industrial symbiosis, resource efficiency, waste reduction, and circular design. Their objectives are aligned with ECIV key challenges in water and wastewater management, circular and sustainable packaging, and electrical and electronic equipment. 

Throughout their implementation, due consideration will be given to their integration into the evolving innovation ecosystem. 

Meet the winners 

C2BIOTICS turns agri-food side streams into high-value biotic ingredients for food applications. Food production still relies largely on virgin resources, while valuable by-products are often discarded. By bringing together expertise from Navarra (Spain), Normandy (France) and Northern Netherlands, the project shows how circular bioeconomy solutions can create value from resources that already exist. 

HYDROSTARCH turns wastewater from starch-intensive agro-food industries into reusable resources. Starch processing consumes large amounts of water and produces effluents that contain valuable materials, which usually go unused. Using advanced treatment, separation and monitoring technologies, the project recovers water and starch from these streams. It is led by partners from Navarra (Spain), Normandy (France) and Northern Netherlands. 

REVALUE connects reuse, repair, recycling, digital traceability and inclusive employment into one integrated circuit for electronic waste. Rather than focusing on recycling alone, it aims to recover real value from e-waste, while training and employing people who face barriers in the labour market. The project links Navarra (Spain), Normandy (France) and Scotland (UK). 

SABOR tackles one of the hardest challenges in packaging: safely using recycled materials in new food packaging. It combines advanced recycling technologies, digital traceability systems and new business models, and will provide a toolkit so that other European regions can replicate its approach. The consortium brings together Navarra (Spain), Northern Netherlands and North-Middle Sweden. 

A robust and transparent selection process 

The evaluation and selection process followed strict principles of transparency, equal treatment and impartiality, ensuring fairness and quality throughout the process. 

Key features included: 

• High-quality evaluations, based on clear criteria and validated through multiple review levels (independent experts, ECIV Call Steering Committee, consensus meetings) 

• Clearly defined evaluation criteria (impact, excellence, quality of implementation) 

• Final validation by ECIV Open Call 1 governance bodies and the DG Research and Innovation from the European Commission and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA) 

With a 19% success rate, the call reflects both the high level of competition and the strong quality of submitted proposals. 

Looking ahead: access ECIV Dancefloor for Open Call 2 and the Experimentation Fund 

Building on the success of Open Call 1, ECIV is preparing the next funding opportunities to further accelerate circular innovation. We encourage interested organisations to make effective use of the matchmaking platform and take part in ECIV dancefloor submission groups to build strong consortia. 

Along with Open Call 2, the Experimentation Fund will provide complementary support for more exploratory and early-stage initiatives, helping to broaden participation, particularly among SMEs and emerging innovators. 

Our European Circular Innovation Valley remains committed to supporting project holders throughout their journey within the ecosystem, fostering collaboration, idea development and access to future funding opportunities. This shapes a dynamic European space for cooperation, accelerating the transition to a circular economy. 

Stay tuned for more information on upcoming opportunities.