A new wave of public funding is coming for biotech this summer, as several EU countries open national calls for high-impact biotech innovation projects.

Food and feed ingredients made from biotech, including alternative proteins, are a key focus. 

Through the Food and Feed Ingredients Biotech Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI), participating countries will support pre-commercial innovation projects in food and feed biotech at a scale that goes beyond standard public funding programmes. 

GFI Europe is tracking national funding calls under the Food and Feed Ingredients Biotech IPCEI so companies and researchers working in alternative proteins don't miss this opportunity. This page will be updated as new national calls open.

What is the Food and Feed Biotech Ingredients IPCEI?

An Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) is a special EU framework that allows participating countries to fund large, ambitious industrial innovation projects at a scale that goes beyond standard state aid rules. IPCEIs are reserved for technologies that are highly innovative and strategically important for the EU. Unlike most research funding programmes, they are designed to support the full journey from innovation to industrial deployment.

This IPCEI focuses on food and feed ingredients made using biotechnology. For companies developing alternative proteins, it creates a unique opportunity to access public funding at a scale rarely available in the sector.

Two funding pathways are available:

• Direct participation: For companies with a large, pre-commercial innovation project focused primarily on first industrial deployment, typically with total costs above €50 million.

• Associated participation: For R&D and collaborative projects with a funding need of €10 to €20 million. The consortium must include at least one direct participant. Universities, public research centres, and RTOs can join as associated partners.

National calls are opening this summer. As this is not a rolling programme, countries will run their call once.

Is my project eligible?

• IPCEI funding is open to start-ups, SMEs, and large companies with relevant innovation projects.

• Projects must be based in a participating country and align with the objectives of the Food and Feed Ingredients Biotech IPCEI.

• Projects must go beyond the current state of the art.

• IPCEI funding can support both R&D and first industrial deployment (FID). FID is defined as “the upscaling of pilot facilities, demonstration plants or of the first-in-kind equipment and facilities covering the steps subsequent to the pilot line, including the testing phase and bringing batch production to scale, but not mass production or commercial activities“. In simple terms, FID is about proving that a new technology can be manufactured at scale. 

• The Food and Feed Ingredients Biotech IPCEI focuses on ingredients and functional components for food and feed value chains. End products, agriculture, and raw material production are out of scope. 

• A key feature of all IPCEIs is cross-border collaboration. Projects are expected to connect with complementary activities in other participating countries. An EU-level matchmaking process will support partner identification.

• Funding is typically provided through grants and may support both capital and operating expenditures.

What about universities and research organisations?

Universities, public research centres, and RTOs are not expected to receive direct funding through the IPCEI itself.

However, they can play an important role as “associated partners”, with their participation supported through separate national funding mechanisms.

Why this matters for your business

While every project is different, previous IPCEIs have demonstrated how coordinated public support can help innovative companies undertake projects that would otherwise be difficult to finance.

Beyond the funding itself, IPCEI participation carries real strategic value:

• Visibility: your company becomes part of a recognised EU strategic priority

• Investor signal: IPCEI status can support fundraising and reduce perceived investment risk

• European partnerships: build relationships across the European biotech value chain