Eureka Lightweighting Initiative – A Eureka Initiative for Lightweighting in Europe and Worldwide

For the 2024 Eureka Lightweighting Call, please see the official Eureka Website and the new Community Platform!

Scope of the Transnational Eureka Call on Lightweighting

Lightweighting technology is the key enabling technology that provides environmental-friendly solutions, while at the same time adding commercial value, across all industries. Driven by mobility linked challenges, lightweight technology is the path to fundamental resource savings. At the same time, collaboration across borders is essential in an increasingly connected world. Strong partnerships within leading Europe regions and worldwide allow access to customers, technologies and best practices for all stakeholders’ businesses and research institutions.

To realize the benefits of Lightweighting, this call for projects has been launched following Eureka’s Network projects framework based on mutual consent between participating national and regional funding bodies. The national funding bodies from Austria, Belgium (Flanders & Wallonia), Canada, France, Luxembourg, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland have allocated funding for organisations collaborating on international R&D projects in the field of Lightweighting.

For more information please visit the call information at the Eureka Network website and have a look at the call text. To submit your Eureka application please open https://eureka.smartsimple.ie/.

Effects to be targeted by Lightweighting technologies

Optimize energy and resource efficiency
Increased energy and resource efficiency is necessary for creating sustainable success environmentally, economically, and socially. From this perspective, lightweight innovation is an enabler whose potential needs to be fully leveraged. Smart design, bio-based raw materials, reuse, remanufacturing, and recycled material streams are crucial parameters. Digital solutions for calculation models, production processes and the like are key tools for driving the success of lightweight innovation.
Create sustainable value circles
Circular solutions based on smart lightweight design and a technology for production and materials usually provide immediate results in terms of reduced carbon dioxide emissions. We must ensure that the practices, materials, and products we develop promote circular sustainable development over time. Lightweight solutions undoubtedly contribute to energy and material efficiency also at higher levels in the system.
Bolster lightweight integration in more areas
Much of the lightweight development that has taken place so far has been in the mobility sector. Demands for reduced carbon dioxide emissions in the automotive, aviation and shipping industries have been around for quite some time. Through determined efforts to integrate lightweighting in more contexts, circular solutions can get a big boost in significantly more areas. Construction, agriculture, forestry, and energy are examples of industries where lightweighting shows great promise.

Relevant industry sectors include (but are not limited to)

All sectors with a need for lightweighting technologies are welcome e.g. automotive, aerospace, maritime, energy, construction, infrastructure, health, farming, forestry, etc. In the transport sector lightweighting through functional integration, novel lightweighting materials, new and improved joining technology in multi material design, the optimization of (multimaterial) design approaches, Additive Manufacturing, improved Life Cycle Assessment / Circular economy approaches promise substantial benefits in road transport and aviation, thus contributing to the transition towards alternative propulsion systems.

Lightweighting technologies to be researched and developed include (but are not limited to)

Joining technology in multi material design
- bionics in joining technology (incl. AM)
- smart adhesives
- design for recycling
- pre-treatment of surfaces
- weight management concepts (p.e. for electric vehicles)
- new joining technologies (CMT welding, electron beam welding, gluing, etc.)
- development of new welding consumables and solders for special metal mixing combinations
- hard coatings & technologies enabling for a lifetime expansion
- development of joining processes for high-strength and low-ductile lightweight materials or mixed connections made of metal-plastic fiber composites
Optimization of (multimaterial) design approaches
- hybrid lightweight construction (e.g. Ti+Al+CFRP)
- crash-optimized lightweight construction and material development, including advanced simulation approaches
- optimizing material mix – affordable/sustainable/intelligent
- implications of construction industry as a new market (steel-wood hybrids as sustainable and affordable solutions)
- biobased plastics
Lightweighting trough functional integration
- intelligent components (e.g., high pressure die casting parts; energy storage; power electronics and e machine)
Additive Manufacturing
- material mix including fiber composite materials and cost savings in AM under consideration of future CO2 prizing
- AM for structural parts
- cost optimized processes for large AM components
Novel lightweighting materials including optimized manufacturing
- Increase recycling rations of polymers, metals and light metals
- Sustainable materials and processing technologies
- Development of resources for efficient manufacturing processes for hybrid materials
LCA – Life Cycle Assessment / Circular economy
- Circular economy of multimaterial design / disassembling
- Sustainable production of lightweight materials
- Recycling of CFRP hybrids incl. LCA
- LCA and recycling optimised components
- Integration of CO2 footprint/CO2 prizing in material selection / databases
- LCA analysis from different manufacturing processes/materials/functions
- LCA monitoring with sensors on the component

Events

Please conctact your National Funding Body (NFB) about events and pitching sessions in your country. Some indicative information about national events for the call can be found here.

08 February 2023 14:00 CET, 08:00 EST, 22:00 KST

International Webinar and Project Pitches for the Transnational Eureka Lightweighting Call.

For more information and registration please visit the event website. A one-page teaser for the event is available here.

For a recap of the event please see the corresponding news article.

Timeframe (please check Funding conditions and rules per NFB & Contacts for details on national application and evaluation timelines)

25 January 2023 Eureka call opens
25 April 2023 12:00 CEST Submission deadline Eureka application
May 2023 Eureka application eligibility check, start of national evaluation procedures
From July – end of year 2023 National funding decisions are made, Eureka label is given
October 2023 – January 2024 Projects can begin

Eureka project application (please check Funding conditions and rules per NFB & Contacts for details on national application procedured)

Contact your national funding body to discuss your project idea, financial viability, eligibility and national procedures.
Create an account on our application portal https://eureka.smartsimple.ie/ (one per consortium) and select the funding opportunity you want to apply to.
Using the portal, complete one application form per consortium (in English) and invite other consortium partners to fill in a partner form. Click here for a tutorial on t h e SmartSimple application platform.
Upload a GANTT chart (one per consortium), a signed and completed co-signature form (which you can download from the platform) and any additional required annexes.
Your application will be checked for completeness and eligibility before being reviewed using a standard evaluation procedure. If successful, your project will receive a Eureka label.
Your national funding body may carry out a further evaluation (performed by the NPC and technical experts) according to national rules before allocating funds to successful applicants.
The final step is to complete and sign a consortium agreement (CA). We recommend that you seek legal advice when drafting your CA.

Eureka project eligibility criteria (please check Funding conditions and rules per NFB & Contacts for details on national eligibility criteria)

Eureka has limited eligibility criteria for organisations participating in a Network projects consortium:

Your project idea must represent international cooperation in the form of a specific project.
The project must be directed at researching or developing an innovative product, process or service with the goal of commercialisation.
The project must have a civilian purpose.
Your consortium must include at least two independent legal entities from a minimum of two Eureka countries.
No single organisation or country can be responsible for more than 70% of the project budget.

This call for projects has additional criteria for organisations to be eligible to receive funding:

The project must benefit all involved partners.
The project should have an obvious benefit and added value resulting from the technological cooperation between the participants from the different countries (e.g. increased knowledge base, commercial leads, access to R&D infrastructure etc.).
The product or process must be innovative and with the potential to create impact.
The maximum duration of a project may not exceed 36 months.
A signed consortium agreement is required upon approval, before the actual start of the project. It ought to include, amongst others, the ownership and use of know-how and IPR settlements

Funding conditions and rules per NFB & Contacts

Austria

Topics of Interest	Same as in the Eureka call, priority is given to Lightweighting Technologies in the mobility sector.
Timeline -National Application	25 January 2023 – 26 April 2023 12:00 CEST
Budget	1.000.000 EUR
Specific National rules	FFG will finance industrial research and/or experimental development activities of Austrian organizations. Eureka projects can be submitted for funding to the call “Transnational Lightweighting Call for mobility applications” in the Mobility of the Future programme of FFG which provides the Eureka funding scheme illustrated below. Details on the Eureka application and on the national application: https://www.ffg.at/europa/ausschreibungen/eureka_lightweighting_call2023 National project applications must be submitted online via FFG eCall: https://ecall.ffg.at
Eligible costs and funding rates	Eligible costs: https://www.ffg.at/recht-finanzen/kostenleitfaden Funding rates: up to 80% for small companies, up to 70% for medium sized companies, up to 55% for large companies and up to 85% for research institutions.
Additional documents required	The national application must include the Eureka project proposal and a national project proposal.
Contact persons	Johannes Fritzer Expert Thematic Programs Email: johannes.fritzer@ffg.at Tel: +43 57755-5032 Michael Walch Eureka NPC Email: michael.walch@ffg.at Tel: +43 57755-4901

Belgium (Flanders)

Timeline -National Application	The deadline for online submission of the VLAIO application is April 25th 2023 – 12:00 Brussels time.
Budget	1.000.000 EUR
Specific National rules	Applicants in Flanders (Belgium) must submit their regional application online via www.vlaio.be/nl/subsidies-financiering/ontwikkelingsproject, pink button ‘Aanvragen’. For this call only development projects (an innovative idea that can lead to successful business in the short term, but there are still some challenges to overcome in developing this innovation) will be accepted. Flemish companies can apply for funding via subsidies. Flemish or foreign academic partners or research institutes can be funded by VLAIO if their expertise is crucial.
Eligible costs and funding rates	Companies based in Flanders can apply for grant funding via a development project and receive up to 50% of the eligible project costs, to a maximum of 500,000 EUR per project. Staff and other costs can be funded with a 25 to 50% subsidy of the project budget, with a minimum budget equivalent to support of € 25.000. General information: www.vlaio.be/nl/subsidies-financiering/ontwikkelingsproject
Additional documents required	In addition to the centrally submitted Eureka Project Application Form, partners from Flanders need to submit an application to VLAIO, including a project plan and budget. We invite Flemish partners to contact us for a pre-check of their project ideas and get support by our team VLAIO advisors. The deadline for submission the VLAIO application is April 25th 2023 – 12:00 Brussels time.
Contact persons	Lieve Apers lieve.apers@vlaio.be

Belgium (Wallonia)

Timeline -National Application	Applicants in Wallonia (Belgium) must submit their regional application (in French) to SPW Research via the ONTIME portal (https://recherche-technologie.wallonie.be/ontime) before 25st of April 2023 at 12:00 Brussels time.
Budget	Not limited
Specific National rules, eligible costs and funding rates, and additional documents required	Funding is granted in the form of a grant or a recoverable advance with a funding rate ranging from 35 to 100% of the budget of each Walloon partner. The type of funding and percentage depend on the type of partner, the consortium composition at regional and international level and whether your project activities fall into the category of industrial research or experimental development. The research budget of the Walloon partner company(ies) must correspond to at least 40% of the total budget of all Walloon partners. For further information: https://www.wallonie.be/fr/demarches/mener-ou-participer-un-projet-de-recherche-en-collaboration-internationale-eureka It is highly advised that an information meeting between the Walloon project partners and the officers responsible for the programme within SPW Research is held prior to the submission of a proposal.
Contact persons	Fabrice QUERTAIN fabrice.quertain@spw.wallonie.be Julie JASMES julie.jasmes@spw.wallonie.be

Canada

Timeline -National Application	The Canadian application process for this call for proposals has three phases: 1. Registration phase: Canadian applicants must register by 31 March 2023 using the REGISTER button on the NRC IRAP webpage for this Call for proposals. A link can be provided by Eric.Holdrinet@cnrc-nrc.gc.ca. NRC IRAP will review registrations and contact applicants if more information is required. Qualifying applicants will be invited to submit the Eureka proposal in collaboration with their project partners. The NRC IRAP Canadian Annex form as well as a Template/guidance document for the draft international project consortium agreement will be provided along with the invitation to submit the Eureka proposal. 2. Eureka proposal phase. 3. National funding proposal phase: Only Canadian participants selected following the Eureka proposal phase will be invited to submit an NRC IRAP funding application. The submission deadline will be communicated at that time.
Budget	2 million CAD
Specific National rules	See the NRC IRAP webpage for this Call for proposals. A link can be provided by Eric.Holdrinet@cnrc-nrc.gc.ca.
Eligible costs and funding rates	The National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance program (NRC IRAP) is the funding body for Canada. It provides advisory services and funding assistance to eligible Canadian SMEs for eligible project costs. · NRC IRAP may cover up to 50% of project costs for SMEs. · The maximum funding amount is $500,000 (CAD) per Canadian participant per project. Funding is a non-repayable contribution against approved work completed and invoiced.
Additional documents required	At the Eureka proposal phase (see above), the Canadian application package consists of : – The Eureka project application form – An NRC IRAP Canadian Annex form – A draft international project consortium agreement At the National funding proposal phase, Canadian applicants will work with their NRC IRAP representative to prepare an NRC IRAP funding proposal and contribution agreement.
Contact persons	Eric Holdrinet Eric.Holdrinet@cnrc-nrc.gc.ca or IRAP.International.PARI@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca Tel : +1.514.882.9384

France

Timeline -National Application	3 May 2023 – 18:00 CEST
Budget	Not limited
Specific National rules	Eligibility: Companies up to 2000 FTE Academic partners as additional partners and subcontractor or self-funded All funding will be conditional on the submission of a signed consortium agreement. A draft consortium agreement must be submitted with the national funding application for review before signature.
Eligible costs and funding rates	Details of funding will depend on both the company’s profile and project. Two kinds of funding are possible: repayable advance and innovation loan. The maximum of funding is 3M€ per company per project, within own equity. Contact us so we can discuss the funding depending on your project.
Additional documents required	State of the art document Draft of a consortium agreement
Contact persons	Nolwenn Simonot international.innoproject@bpifrance.fr

Luxembourg

Timeline -National Application	25 January 2023 – 25 April 2023
Budget	Funding of maximum 700.000 € per project with a total budget of 4.5 million €
Specific National rules	Applicants must submit the national application via the myguichet platform. Both, industrial research and experimental development activities will be financed by the Ministry of the Economy. National eligibility criteria can be found here: https://www.luxinnovation.lu/innovate-in-luxembourg/funding/research-development-projects/ Applicants should get in contact with Luxinnovation at least 1 months before the call deadline.
Eligible costs and funding rates	Eligible costs are personnel costs (directly related to R&D activities), utilisation costs, material costs and certain special costs. More information can be found here: https://www.luxinnovation.lu/innovate-in-luxembourg/funding/research-development-projects/ Funding rates: – Small companies between 60%-80% of eligible costs – Medium companies between 50%-75% of eligible costs – Large companies between 40%-65% of eligible costs
Additional documents required	Luxemburgish applicants are encouraged to get in contact with Luxinnovation as early as possible in order to prepare the national application and prepare the necessary documents. A draft collaboration agreement must be attached to the application.
Contact persons	Elisabeth Frisch – Luxinnovation elisabeth.frisch@luxinnovation.lu +352621 517 594

South Korea

Timeline -National Application	25 January 2023 – 28 April 2023 18:00 KST (CEST+7H)
Budget	1.000.000 EUR
Specific National rules	KIAT will finance industrial research and/or technological development activities of Korean companies, University and research organization. But the Korean consortium must be lead by private company. Korean company should be in operation more than one year after the establishment, and the company is required to have ‘corporate R&D center certification’ issued by the Korean Government (Korea Industrial Technology Association). Eureka projects can be submitted for funding to the International technology cooperation program of the KIAT which provides the Eureka funding scheme illustrated below. – Rules, procedures, and other national criteria: link National project applications must be submitted online via the KIAT call: https://kiat.or.kr
Eligible costs and funding rates	Funding type and amount: Grant, up to 500M KRW (approximately 370,000Euro)/year, project period should be up to 3 years. Funding ratio: up to 67% for SMEs, 50% for Mid-tier companies, 33% of large companies and 100% for universities & research organisations
Additional documents required	The national application must include the Eureka project proposal and a national project proposal. (Please refer to the national call text for the additional document)
Contact persons	Joosuk (Jason) Kang National Project Coordinator Email: kangjs@kiat.or.kr Tel: +32 493-37-95-11 Heylim Kim Researcher Email: limkim@kiat.or.kr Tel : +82 2 6009 4103

Spain

Timeline -National Application	International application must be registered in CDTI portal by the deadline of this call. Funding application must be registered in CDTI portal one month after the deadline of the call
Budget	No limits
Specific National rules	CDTI will finance industrial research and/or technological development activities of Spanish companies. Universities and research centers could take part as subcontractors. For more information please access: http://www.cdti.es/index.asp?MP=100&MS=802&MN=2 It is mandatory that project activities do not start before submitting the funding applications to CDTI.
Eligible costs and funding rates	Main features of the funding for Spanish partners are: Soft loan up to 85% of eligible costs (Euribor 1 year interest fee) Minimum budget 175.000 euros (no maximum budget). Long recovery period (10 or 15 years) where 24,75% of the eligible costs have not to be repaid. For more information please access: http://www.cdti.es/index.asp?MP=100&MS=802&MN=2
Additional documents required	A full memory (in Spanish) must be attached to the funding application
Contact persons	Óscar Fernández oscar.fernandez@cdti.es

Sweden

Topics of Interest	Same as in the Eureka call, project proposals which include improved sustainability in a life cycle perspective and circular economy approaches are prioritized.
Timeline -National Application	25 January 2023 – 25 April 2023 14:00 CEST
Budget	1.000.000 Euro
Specific National rules	Vinnova’s national call is aimed at companies, universities, research institutes or other relevant actors in Sweden that want to collaborate with organisations in the participating Eureka countries. A participant seeking a grant must be a Swedish legal entity. In this respect, a Swedish legal entity is equated to a foreign organization with a branch or establishment in Sweden.
Eligible costs and funding rates	Swedish participants can apply for grants according to Vinnova’s general terms and conditions for grants. State aid rules apply to organisations that carry out economic activities[1]. The rules on state aid for research, development and innovation are stated in the European Commission’s General Block Exemption Regulation No 651/2014 (GBER). In this call article 25 in GBER applies. In addition, the following funding levels apply: SMEs up to 50% of eligible costs, large companies up to 30% of eligible costs and universities and research institutes up to 100% of eligible costs. The maximum funding (grant) per project is 500.000 Euro. Information on terms and conditions for funding and eligible costs: https://www.vinnova.se/en/apply-for-funding/rules-for-our-funding/terms-and-conditions-for-our-funding/ [1] https://www.vinnova.se/en/apply-for-funding/rules-for-our-funding/state-aid-to-companies/
Additional documents required	Swedish participants that require funding from Vinnova are recommended to get in touch with one of the Vinnova contact persons before submitting the national application. In addition to the centrally submitted online Eureka project application form, Swedish participants of the international project consortium apply on the Vinnova web page https://www.vinnova.se/en/ to the national call that will open on 25 January 2023: https://www.vinnova.se/en/calls-for-proposals/Strategic-innovation-programme-for-lightweight/transnational-eureka-call-within-2023-00615/ Prior to the project start, all Swedish participants, including the assigned Swedish coordinator, must fill in the form “Participant Approval.” All project participants shall enter into a Consortium Agreement. The Consortium Agreement shall include the Participants’ mutual commitments, conditions concerning rights to foreground and background information and other issues of significance to the cooperation. The participants shall have entered into the Consortium Agreement no later than the date when the first Vinnova status report is due. Applicants will also need to submit an abstract (or agree wording based on the proposal submission) that will be published by Vinnova.nish) must be attached to the funding application
Contact persons	Tero Stjernstoft Phone: +46 (0) 8 473 32 96 E-Mail: tero.stjernstoft@vinnova.se Peter Lindberg Phone: +46 (0)8 473 31 93 E-Mail: peter.lindberg@vinnova.se Samer Yacoub Phone: +46 (0) 8 473 31 86 E-Mail: samer.yacoub@vinnova.se

Switzerland

Timeline -National Application	25 January 2023 – 25 April 2023 19:00 CEST
Budget	1’500’000 Euro
Specific National rules	Eureka projects can be submitted for funding to Innosuisse which provides the Eureka funding scheme illustrated below. – Rules, procedures, and other national criteria: Changes as of 2023 at a glance (innosuisse.ch) – Guideline eligible costs: Frequently Asked Questions (innosuisse.ch) National project applications must be submitted online via Innolink: Innosuisse application platforms
Eligible costs and funding rates	Innosuisse covers max. 70% of the total project costs. Contributions cover max. 100% of the research partners direct project costs (+overhead contribution), up to 70 % for start-ups/up to 50 % for SMEs/ up to 25% for large companies. A Swiss or international research institute or university has to be included in the consortium.
Additional documents required	National project application (Innosuisse application platforms) Eureka Smart Simple application (SmartSimple \| eureka)
Contact persons	Colette John-Grant Eureka National Project Coordinator Email: Colette.john@innosuisse.ch Tel: +41 58 466 77 32