Sustainability funding, handled.
Sustainability is clean processes, emissions reduction and circular-economy materials, proven on pilot lines and reactors. We secure the non-dilutive funding for the process R&D that carries the cost and the risk.
Capital-heavy process R&D, strong funding fit
Sustainability R&D spans clean processes, emissions and resource efficiency, new materials and recycling methods, all of it eligible. Non-dilutive funding covers the pilot and process work that takes the longest.
Why R&D funding fits Sustainability
Four reasons sustainability companies are well positioned for German R&D funding.
Long pilot and scale-up cycles
Process development and pilot validation run for years before scale. That is exactly the window the Research Allowance is built to support.
Pilot reactors and rigs count too
Since 2024, depreciation on pilot reactors, test rigs and measurement equipment used directly in an R&D project can be included in the eligible base.
Engineer-heavy teams
Funding is built around R&D wage costs, and sustainability teams are full of the process, chemical and materials engineers those costs cover.
Strong climate pull
The Horizon Europe climate, energy and mobility cluster (Cluster 5) and the bioeconomy cluster (Cluster 6), together with the EIC, actively fund clean processes, giving teams a route to larger grants on top of the national instruments.
What sustainability activities qualify
Four categories of sustainability R&D that consistently qualify. The common thread is technical uncertainty.
Clean process development
- New processes to cut emissions, energy or waste
- Catalysis, separation or reaction engineering under uncertainty
- Process methods where no standard solution exists
Circular economy and recycling
- New recycling, recovery or reuse methods
- Sorting, separation and purification developed from scratch
- Material recovery under new feedstock constraints
Sustainable materials
- Bio-based, low-carbon or recyclable material development
- Formulation and performance work under new requirements
- Durability and lifecycle testing for a novel material
Measurement and pilot scale-up
- Monitoring and verification methods for emissions or resource use
- Pilot-line development from bench to reproducible operation
- Process modelling validated against pilot data
The line that decides a claim
The line that decides a claim is technical uncertainty. A quick orientation for sustainability:
Usually qualifies
- New clean processes, recycling or materials tested under uncertainty
- Pilot-line development from bench to reproducible operation
- Monitoring or process models validated against pilot data
Usually does not
- Routine operation, production ramp-up and line tuning
- Certification, permitting and reporting on their own
- Standard process improvements without technical risk
How much sustainability companies typically receive
Indicative ranges based on R&D team size and intensity. Actual figures depend on eligible costs and the funder's decision.
Mostly the Research Allowance on a core process and engineering team.
The Research Allowance stacked with a ZIM grant on a defined pilot or product.
Toward the Research Allowance ceiling, plus stacked ZIM and Horizon Europe climate funding.
* Indicative figures. The actual amount depends on company size, eligible costs and the programs you qualify for.
The kind of sustainability work that qualifies
If it carries genuine technical risk and novelty, it usually counts. A few examples:
New processes that cut emissions, energy or waste with technical novelty.
Recycling and recovery methods validated under real feedstock.
Bio-based and low-carbon materials with genuine uncertainty.
Bench-to-pilot development and verification under uncertainty.
Best-fit funding for Sustainability
We usually combine two or three of these for the largest total.
Research Allowance
25-35% of R&D costs back as cash, retroactive to 2022.
Explore program →Grant + equityEIC Accelerator
EUR 2.5M grant + up to EUR 10M equity for clean-tech deep tech.
Explore program →GrantEurostars
~50%, up to EUR 500k per partner for international R&D.
Explore program →GrantHorizon Europe
up to 100% for collaborative climate R&I consortia.
Explore program →Sustainability funding, answered
The work that resolves genuine technical uncertainty can qualify. Routine operation and production ramp-up do not, but systematic pilot development often does. We help you separate the two.
Yes. The Research Allowance is paid out even with no profit, which suits the long pilot and scale-up phases typical in sustainability.
Since 2024, depreciation on equipment used exclusively and directly in an R&D project can be included in the eligible base. We assess which of your equipment qualifies.
Yes. Contract research is eligible at 70% of the cost, so working with a university or institute does not exclude you, it adds to the eligible base.
The Research Allowance and ZIM cover the national base, while Horizon Europe (Clusters 5 and 6) and the EIC fund larger, more ambitious programmes. We design the stack so they reinforce each other.
Ask us anything
Tell us about your project and we'll assess your case by hand. No prep, no obligation. Prefer to talk?