BIONetZero
Are you an SME or startup developing biosolutions and aiming for net-zero production?
The BIONetZero accelerator programme invites innovative SMEs including startups to apply for financial support, expert guidance and access to a strong European ecosystem supporting the transition to climate-neutral production across agrifood and energy-intensive industries.
Application deadline: 9 June, 2026
Why join BIONetZero?
By joining BIONetZero, your company becomes part of an European biosolution ecosystem designed to accelerate innovation, strengthen competitiveness and support the transition to a greener and more resilient industry.
What BIONetZero offers
Selected SMEs and startups gain access to a comprehensive support combining a cascade of direct financial support with tailored innovation and business development services. This includes dedicated key account management, access to experts, mentors and technology providers, learning and maturation through networking and matchmaking plus exposure and engagement with investors. Hereby, the program supports both scaling and commercialization.
Overview
Grant types and funding
BIONetZero follows a four-stage funding model, allowing companies to progress through different levels of support:
- Stage 1: Ideation stage: Networking and travel grants (up to €3,500 per SME)
- Stage 2: Validation & development: Grants for testing and validation of products and processes (up to €15,000 per SME)
- Stage 3: Commercialisation: Funding for further development and market adaptation (up to €40,000 per SME)
- Stage 4: Internationalisation: Support for entering third-country high growth markets (up to €5,000 per SME)
Each SME and startup may receive up to €60,000 in total financial support through BIONetZero. All grants require 25% co-financing by the participating companies.
Who can apply?
BIONetZero is open to innovative SMEs and startups developing biosolutions.
To be eligible, your company must:
- Be an SME or startup according to the EU definition
- Develop a bio-based product, process or service
- Have a biosolution at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4–8 at the time of application.
- Be established in an EU country or associated eligible countries in the Single Market Programme
- Be able to participate in the mandatory kick-off meeting (7–10 September 2026)
- Be able to provide 25% co-financing
Your solution should be relevant to one or more of the following BIONetZero areas: Agrifood or energy-intensive industries
- Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions
- Reduction of dependency on critical raw materials
- Validation, scaling or commercialisation of biosolutions supporting net-zero production
Is BIONetZero the right match for you?
Before you apply, please check details about eligibility, funding and requirements in the Funding Handbook for Applicants
Ready to take the next step with BIONetZero?
Get up to €60,000 to develop and scale your biosolution
Apply nowTo apply for BIONetZero, start by accessing the application form.
Application deadline is 9 June, 2026 at 17:00 CET
After submitting your initial details, you will receive an email with a personal link to the BIONetZero application form. Here, you must:
- Complete your application
- Add information on key team members
- Upload required documents, including a pitch deck (mandatory)
- Submit your application
You can save as your draft application and return any time for completion using the personal link received by email. Final submission is required; saving a draft is not sufficient. You will receive a confirmation e-mail once your application has been successfully submitted
To support a smooth application process, we have prepared a step-by-step application guide, which we recommend keeping open alongside the application platform. Completing the application typically takes around 30 minutes.
Please make sure you have prepared and are ready to upload:
- Your pitch deck (mandatory and matching the requirements described in the application guide)
- Application deadline: 9 June, 2026 at 17:00 CET
- Evaluation results communicated: July 2026
- Mandatory kick-off meeting: 7 to 10 September 2026 (Copenhagen and Odense, Denmark). Participation is supported through the Travel Grant (Ideation Stage) of up to €3,500 with 25% co-financing required.
- The call for the second cohort of SMEs is expected to open in early 2027.
- Programme duration: September 2026 - Summer 2028
About
BIONetZero
The project supports the development and deployment of new biosolutions, substitute products and innovative services that reduce dependency on critical inputs and technologies while enabling net-zero production.
BIONetZero is a European initiative coordinated by Food & Bio Cluster Denmark along with LITMEA | Smart Food Cluster, Cluster Industrial Biotechnology (CLIB) and Bioeconomy Cluster (BEC) as consortium partners.
BIONetZero FAQ
About BIONetZero and Scope
Only startups and SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) are eligible to apply to BIONetZero.
If you are unsure whether your company qualifies as an SME, you can verify this using the EU SME Wizard.
Companies must be established in an EU Member State, an EEA country:
- Norway
- Iceland
- Liechtenstein,
or in a country associated with the Single Market Programme, including:
- Montenegro
- North Macedonia
- Türkiye
- Serbia
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Ukraine
- Albania
- Armenia
- Georgia
- Moldova
- Kosovo
The United Kingdom (UK) is not an eligible country under the Single Market Programme.
In BIONetZero programme, we apply the following definition of the term ‘bioeconomy’:
‘the production, trade, distribution, management and consumption of goods, processes, tools and services that arise from biological resources or biological transformation.’
For more details, please see the following reference: World Economic Forum (2024) Accelerating the tech-driven bioeconomy
In the BIONetZero programme, we define ‘Biosolutions’ as ‘solutions that combine biology and technology to accelerate the green transition’. In other words, biotechnological solutions and products that utilize biological systems, e.g. enzymes, microorganisms and bio-based raw materials, to address challenges across different industries and contribute to lowering the carbon footprint and strengthening resilience and self-sufficiency in Europe.
This includes, for example:
- Bio-based materials
- Bioprocesses
- Waste-to-value solutions
- Biotechnological innovations
- Digital solutions supporting sustainable bio-based systems
Yes, digital solutions such as software platforms can be considered biosolutions, provided they directly support bio-based or sustainable production systems.
BIONetZero applies the standard EU Technology Readiness Level (TRL) framework, which is widely used across EU research and innovation programmes (including Horizon Europe and the Single Market Programme).
Within BIONetZero, the programme targets pre‑commercial technologies at TRL 4–8, meaning solutions that have moved beyond basic research but are not yet fully commercialised.
The TRL levels relevant to BIONetZero are defined as follows:
- TRL 4 – Technology validated in laboratory
The technology has been tested and validated in a controlled lab environment. Core technical principles are proven, but the solution is not yet tested in real‑world conditions. - TRL 5 – Technology validated in relevant environment
The technology is validated in an environment that begins to resemble real operating conditions (e.g. pilot‑scale tests, relevant biological or industrial settings). - TRL 6 – Technology demonstrated in relevant environment
A prototype or pilot system has been demonstrated under conditions relevant to its intended application. - TRL 7 – System prototype demonstrated in operational environment
A system prototype is demonstrated in an actual operational environment (e.g. industrial pilot, on‑site testing). - TRL 8 – System complete and qualified
The system is complete and has been qualified through testing and demonstration, but is not yet fully commercial at scale.
Technologies at TRL 9 (fully commercial systems) fall outside the scope of BIONetZero funding.
All confidential information shared within BIONetZero is protected under binding confidentiality provisions in the Consortium Agreement. These obligations apply to project partners, evaluators and involved third parties, and continue after the end of the project.
All submitted information is treated confidentially and used only for evaluation purposes within the BIONetZero programme. Evaluation is carried out under strict confidentiality procedures.
This means:
- Application material is not shared publicly
- Only authorised evaluators and programme staff have access
- Information is not used for purposes outside BIONetZero
BIONetZero follows standard EU grant rules on intellectual property rights, designed to protect participating companies including those with early‑stage ideas or technologies under patenting.
- You retain full ownership of your IP
All background intellectual property (e.g. existing know‑how, technologies, data, software or patents developed before joining BIONetZero) remains entirely with your company. Participation in BIONetZero does not require you to transfer or license ownership of your IP to the consortium or the European Union. - IP generated during the project belongs to the creator
Any results or new intellectual property generated during your participation in BIONetZero are owned by the company that creates them. Joint ownership only applies in rare cases where results are generated jointly and cannot be separated. - Early‑stage patenting is fully compatible
Companies are free to file patents or otherwise protect their results during the project. The EU grant rules explicitly allow protection of results before any dissemination or communication takes place. - No obligation to disclose sensitive information publicly
You are not required to publicly disclose technical details, trade secrets or proprietary know‑how as part of the programme. Any sharing of information within the project is limited, purpose‑bound and covered by confidentiality obligations.
In short, BIONetZero is designed to support innovation without putting your intellectual property at risk, including ideas or technologies that are still in an early or pre‑patent stage.
Funding
Each SME including start-ups and pre-commercial enterprises may receive up to €60,000 in total financial support throughout the BIONetZero programme. Funding is distributed across four stages depending on your company’s development needs: networking & travel, testing & validation, commercialisation, and internationalization. All grants require 25% co-financing from participating companies.
Funding can be used for activities such as:
- Testing and validation
- Pilot activities
- External technical services
- Materials and consumables
- Certification and regulatory activities
- Personnel costs (e.g. staff time documented through timesheets and salary records)
- Travel related to programme activities
Please note that overhead costs (e.g. rent or general administration) are not eligible.
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Funding in BIONetZero is provided as reimbursement of eligible costs.
This means that companies first carry out approved activities and pay the related costs, and with the grant you will subsequently get reimbursement based on the submitted documentation.
Yes. Personnel costs are eligible, including staff time directly related to project activities.
Personnel costs must be:
- Based on actual salaries
- Documented through timesheets and salary records
- Directly linked to approved project activities
For SME owners without salary, a fixed hourly rate may be applied in accordance with the programme rules. Payments are linked to approved activities within each stage of the programme and require proper documentation of costs.
External services (subcontracting) are eligible if they are clearly linked to approved project activities.
Companies must document:
- The service is included in the approved activity plan
- The invoice and proof of payment
- A clear description of the delivered service
All external services must be included in the approved activity and budget plan (from Stage 2 onwards).
The required 25% co-funding must be based on actual costs, such as salaries, materials, or external services.
In-kind contributions (e.g., unpaid volunteer time or non-documented contributions) are not eligible.
Yes, in principle, funding from BIONetZero can be combined with other funding sources.
However:
- The same activities and cost cannot be funded more than once
- Activities supported under BIONetZero must be clearly separated from activities funded elsewhere
- Companies are responsible for ensuring compliance with state aid and funding rules
Application process
After creating your profile, you will receive an email with a personal link to the application platform.
We recommend saving this link as a bookmark in your browser, so you can easily return to your application. You can also access it again via this email at any time. You are welcome to share the link with others who need to edit or upload documents for the application.
Yes. Click “Save” at the bottom of the page to store your progress. We recommend saving your progress regularly while working on your application. Once saved, you can leave the platform and return later using the personal link sent to you by email after creating your profile. We recommend saving this link as a bookmark in your browser, so you can easily return to your application and continue working on it at any time before submitting your final application.
To apply for BIONetZero, you must upload a pitch deck. Detailed requirements for the pitch deck can be found in the BIONetZero Application Guide.
There is no strict page limit. However, the pitch deck should be clear, concise, and cover all required elements listed in the checklist.
Programme structure
You will be assigned a BIONetZero Key Account Manager (KAM), also called ‘BIONetZero mentor’. The interactions during stage 1 will be part of the evaluation process and be considered along with the first application as basis for who will proceed to the next stages and receive further funding. Progression between stages is conditional on evaluation and will be by invitation only and without further application. Participation in Stage 1 does not guarantee progression or funding in the later stages.
All companies must first apply to Stage 1, which provides access to a Travel Grant of up to €3,500. This grant supports participation in the mandatory kick-off days taking place 7–10 September 2026 in Denmark. The kick-off days offer valuable opportunities for networking, meeting investors, pitching, and engaging with key ecosystem partners, helping companies strengthen their development and collaboration potential.
After completing Stage 1 and participating in the kickoff activities, companies may apply directly to later stages, such as Stage 3, if this is the most relevant next step based on the maturity of their solution. Companies are not required to complete all four stages. Progression between stages depends on evaluation and relevance to the company’s needs and development level.
However, we strongly encourage applicants to carefully consider the full four-stage grant structure and plan how their solution could benefit from progressing through multiple stages where relevant.
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All applications will be reviewed after the submission deadline. Applicants can expect to receive the results in July 2026.
Accepted companies will participate in the mandatory kick-off days (7–10 September 2026 in Denmark). Travel support of up to €3,500 is available to support participation.
During the kick-off days, companies will engage in networking, pitching and collaboration activities.
Want to Know More?
Please feel free to reach out to us or the consortium partners,
if you have any questions regarding the BIONetZero programme.
Jens Skytte Sørensen
General programme questions
Sophie Krog Agergaard
Application platform questions
Susanne Baden Jørgensen
Webinar questions
