The Hungarian IPCEI Biotechnology Call has been published: eligible companies and research institutions can submit their preliminary project proposals until 2 October 2026. Applications may be submitted on a rolling basis from the publication date of the call.
Under the new IPCEI Biotechnology Call, state aid of up to 100% of the project’s demonstrated funding gap may be available to companies and research organisations planning genuinely pioneering biotechnology developments of European significance. This is not simply another funding programme: selected IPCEI biotechnology projects can become part of a high-level European collaboration ecosystem, gain access to international matchmaking opportunities, and receive significant public co-financing for projects that would not be implemented under market conditions, or would only be implemented on a more limited scale.
The deadline for submitting preliminary applications is 2 October 2026.
What Does the New IPCEI Biotechnology Call Mean?
IPCEI, or Important Project of Common European Interest, is a state aid framework that enables the implementation of strategically important projects involving multiple EU Member States. It can cover investments and R&D&I projects that create significant European added value but would not be implemented under market conditions, or not at the scale required.
The objective of IPCEI Biotechnology is to create a next-generation European biotechnology ecosystem and strengthen Europe’s strategic autonomy, sustainability and competitiveness.
The call is seeking research, development and innovation projects, as well as First Industrial Deployment (FID) projects. An important requirement is that the proposed development must demonstrably go beyond the current global technological benchmark, i.e. the global state of the art.
What Types of Projects Are Eligible?
The IPCEI Biotechnology Call is seeking proposals for research, development and innovation (R&D&I) projects as well as First Industrial Deployment (FID) projects. Projects should develop new solutions in biotechnology, bio-based materials, and food, feed and health-related ingredients, and must demonstrably go beyond the current global state of the art.
The call identifies five main thematic areas.
1. Bio-Based Chemical Feedstocks and Intermediates
The first thematic area focuses on the development of bio-based chemical feedstocks, intermediates and building blocks that can be used across multiple industries. This includes:
- production of platform chemicals and intermediates, such as lactic acid, succinic acid, itaconic acid, ethanol, polyols and other organic acids and alcohols;
- development of monomers and building blocks suitable for polymer production, including PLA, polyesters, polyurethanes and other bio-based polymer systems;
- development of specialty chemicals and fine chemicals;
- production of dyes, pigments and processing aids for industrial applications;
- pharmaceutical and healthcare intermediates, as well as chemical building blocks supporting active pharmaceutical ingredient production;
- production of bio-based intermediates for crop protection, biostimulant and nutrient-replenishment systems;
- development of food and feed ingredients, particularly additives, processing aids and functional ingredients.
2. Advanced Bio-Based Materials
The second thematic area focuses on new materials that offer higher functionality, improved recyclability or more favourable sustainability characteristics compared with conventional solutions. The call specifically identifies the following project areas:
- development of bio-based materials with enhanced functionality, with particular emphasis on durability, recyclability and biodegradability;
- production of fibre-based materials for textile, composite and other technical applications;
- development of lignin-based materials and polymer systems;
- development of hard carbon feedstocks produced from biomass;
- creation of next-generation materials derived from forestry biomass;
- development of bio-based composites and construction materials;
- development of high-performance fibre-based packaging materials;
- development of advanced material intermediates, including:
- lignin-based polymers,
- hemicellulose-based polymers,
- polysaccharide-based binders,
- man-made cellulose fibres,
- micro- and nanofibrillated cellulose systems.
3. Food, Feed and Health-Related Ingredients
The third thematic area focuses on new biotechnology-derived ingredients that can subsequently be integrated into food, feed or health-related value chains.
IPCEI biotechnology projects in this field may include:
- production of proteins derived from plants, fermentation or cell cultivation;
- development of microbial or algae-derived lipids and oils;
- production of amino acids, vitamins and other functional nutrients;
- development of food enzymes and biocatalysts;
- creation of functional and bioactive ingredients, including:
- probiotics,
- prebiotics,
- postbiotics,
- bioactive peptides,
- nutraceutical components;
- development of technological and sensory additives, such as:
- natural colourants,
- sweeteners,
- flavouring substances,
- stabilisers,
- emulsifiers.
In this area, the call primarily seeks ingredient-level results that can subsequently be integrated into food and feed value chains.
4. Technology Platforms and Manufacturing Systems
The fourth thematic area covers technologies and infrastructure that enable the industrial-scale production of bio-based products.
This includes:
- fermentation technologies, including:
- microbial fermentation,
- precision fermentation,
- biomass fermentation,
- gas fermentation;
- biotechnology and catalytic conversion platforms, including:
- enzymatic processes,
- biocatalytic systems;
- photobioreactors and algae cultivation systems;
- lignocellulose-based pre-treatment, fractionation and biomass processing technologies;
- technology platforms for the production of cellulose fibres and fibrils;
- bio-based polymer production and material formulation systems;
- cell cultivation platforms operated in bioreactors, particularly for the production of:
- cultivated meat,
- cultivated fat,
- dairy components,
- other cell-based food ingredients.
5. First Industrial Deployments and Demonstration Systems
The fifth thematic area focuses on projects that take innovative biotechnology developments towards industrial implementation.
The call seeks projects involving:
- development of pilot and demonstration plants;
- first industrial deployment of new biotechnology manufacturing processes;
- industrial-scale validation and scale-up activities;
- creation of bioindustrial capacities that can be integrated into European value chains;
- demonstration of sustainable, low-carbon bioindustrial production systems.
The breadth of these thematic areas shows that the IPCEI Biotechnology Call is not limited to traditional biotechnology R&D projects. A wide range of developments may fit within the initiative, from bio-based chemicals and advanced materials through food and health-related ingredients to industrial manufacturing platforms, pilot plants and first industrial deployments.
Who Can Apply?
The call provides two main participation options for SMEs, large companies and research institutions.
1. Direct Participation
Direct participant status is relevant for applicants seeking direct state aid under the IPCEI rules.
Projects must include a significant innovation component, be implemented at a site in Hungary, and establish active cross-border cooperation with other IPCEI participants.
2. Associated Partnership
The associated partner model is available to companies and research organisations that contribute to the objectives of the IPCEI through their own R&D projects but do not seek funding under the IPCEI Communication.
Subject to the applicable conditions, these projects may receive support under the General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER) while also participating in the IPCEI matchmaking, knowledge-sharing and networking ecosystem.
What Requirements Must Projects Meet?
A strong technological concept alone is not enough. Within the IPCEI framework, three issues are particularly important.
The project must demonstrate substantial innovation and go beyond the current state of the art. It must also involve genuine cross-border cooperation with other European stakeholders and generate spillover effects whose benefits extend beyond the company receiving the state aid. These collaborations can be developed within the IPCEI process; applicants do not need to submit their national applications as a consortium.
Finally, the project must substantiate both the market failure and the incentive effect: why would the project not be implemented without state aid, or why would it only be implemented on a smaller scale, at a slower pace or with a narrower scope?
What Must Be Submitted by 2 October?
The preliminary project proposal may be up to 15 pages long and must be submitted in both Hungarian and English.
Among other elements, the document must present the applicant, the market problem, the proposed solution, the innovative nature of the project, its European significance, potential partners, timeline, business model, budget and the incentive effect of the requested state aid.
The submission deadline is 2 October 2026, and project proposals must be sent to ipcei@ngm.gov.hu.
What Happens After Submission?
It is important to understand that selection at the current national stage does not automatically create an entitlement to state aid.
For direct IPCEI participants, national selection is followed by further European-level consultations and an assessment by the European Commission. As previous IPCEI programmes have shown, this is a process involving multiple decision gates and substantial documentation. A specific state aid agreement can only be concluded following approval by the Commission.
For this reason, the preliminary application should already be structured in a way that ensures the technological, financial and state aid rationale can withstand the more detailed assessment at later stages.
Why Is a Management Decision Needed Now?
Given the proximity of the 2 October deadline, the key question is not whether a company has a general interest in biotechnology. Management needs to determine whether the company has a specific and sufficiently mature IPCEI project for which the necessary own resources, partner network and internal expert capacity can be secured.
IPCEI is not simply a large-scale funding application. The current preliminary selection is the first decision gate in a longer European process.
Conclusion
The IPCEI Biotechnology Call may represent a significant opportunity for Hungarian companies and research organisations pursuing internationally ambitious biotechnology developments.
Given the short deadline, however, project eligibility should be assessed quickly and systematically: does the project meet the technological requirements, can the need for state aid be demonstrated, are suitable European partners available, and is the organisation able to commit the resources required for the subsequent IPCEI process?
If you would like to assess whether your company and project are ready for the IPCEI Biotechnology Call, request our IPCEI Readiness Assessment.
