As well as supporting public authorities, NGOs, universities and institutes, the LIFE programme helps companies bring their green products, technologies, services and processes to the market.
These so-called close-to-market projects launch innovative, demonstrative solutions that offer clear environmental and/or climate benefits. Examples could be in waste management, the circular economy, resource efficiency, water, air or climate change mitigation.
These projects also have a high level of technical and business readiness. This means that solutions could be implemented in close-to-market conditions (at industrial or commercial scale) during the course of the project or shortly after its completion.
Many of today’s commercial refrigerators contain substances like hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
A LIFE project has explored converting brewing waste into high-value ingredients for use in the beverage, nutrition and cosmetics sectors.
The impressive findings complement the EU's ambition of enhancing resource efficiency across the industry.
What’s it like to apply for LIFE funding? We caught up with LIFE BIOBCOMPO’s Alfonso Molaro to gain his insight into the process.
Inside a good LIFE proposal: tips, insights, experiences – part I.
LIFE+ DIGITALIFE brings eco-friendly ceramic tiles to market while helping create jobs and supporting the EU’s recently adopted circular economy action plan.
LIFE eco-friendly tiles for safer hospitals, less waste and new jobs.
News LIFE C2M
LIFE Waste2Protein (madebymade) addresses the challenges of food waste and animal feed by recycling organic residues into insect protein. This innovative solution has earned them the prestigious 2024 LIFE Award for Circular Economy and Quality of Life.
New rules on urban waste water came into force this month — but LIFE was already well ahead of the game. Let’s look at four LIFE projects helping clean up Europe’s dirty wastewater.
At an early stage, Instagrid received funding through the LIFE CLEANAIRMM project. Today, they are worth more than €350 million and have shipped around 30 000 units of their product. We spoke to Sarah Fichtner from Instagrid, to learn more about their journey as a LIFE beneficiary.
How LIFE helps close-to-market projects
The LIFE programme has been instrumental in supporting green innovations and cleantech solutions across Europe. As well as co-funding each project, the LIFE financial instrument helps with the commercialisation of innovative solutions, easing their entry into the market. A dedicated team with extensive business and financial experience is on hand to support close-to-market projects via a variety of services such as:
- Business plan development advice
- Business coaching - project strategy and business set-up with emphasis on the project’s commercial development and sustainability post-LIFE funding
- Presentation guidance - training on how to communicate with potential investors
- Expert connections – e.g. connecting projects with intellectual property rights (IPR) specialists
- External debt financing – identifying debt financing options (loans, guarantees) and financing institutions
How to apply for funding
Every year, the European Commission publishes LIFE calls for proposals. Applicants with projects having close-to-market features can apply under serveral areas of the LIFE Programme including climate change mitigation and adaptation, circular economy and quality of life and Nature and biodiversity.
Tips for applicants
Clearly explain how your project will serve the environment or climate. Ensure that its benefits are ambitious, credible and well quantified, as set out in the key project level indicators for environment and climate action projects in your application pack.
To help us assess the technical coherence and quality of your application, describe how your project will outlast its funding. How will the products or services that you develop thrive on the open market? All LIFE close-to-market projects must also produce a business plan.
Outline how you will replicate and transfer your results to other sectors, regions or countries, beyond LIFE funding. Clarity will help your proposal meet the award criteria on sustainability, continuation, replication and transfer potential. For more details, see the evaluation guides for environment and climate action projects.
Consult the application guides for environment and climate action projects when describing the problem that you are addressing, the solution you propose, the team you pitch and why your project deserves funding. These guides set out how your project will be evaluated.
Describe the staff members involved in each action and show that your partners can take on the challenges ahead. Aim to involve the players across your value chain as stakeholders and/or direct partners if possible.
Before writing, start budgeting. Ensure that each expense reflects market prices and is justified given its impact on sustainability and your business potential.
A business plan is one of the deliverables of your project, its drafting should have a dedicated action in your project design and you should plan writing it as soon as possible. A good business plan will help both you and investors understand your market, competitors, costs and sources of income. It also gives tangible milestones to follow and gauge your progress.
Read the application and evaluation guides as well as the other resources in the application package. For more tips, have a look at existing LIFE projects, join our EU LIFE Information and Networking Day and/or national Info Days organised by national contact points (NCPs), and liaise with your NCP with any questions you may have.