EIT RawMaterials Strategic Projects for Circular Economy

Enriched EU · Found: 2026-03-11 11:22

EIT RawMaterials funds strategic projects to boost extraction, processing, recycling, and diversification of raw material supply chains. Supported projects include Pack2Earth (plastic pollution), FibreCoat (textile innovation), and circular facilities with grants up to EUR 32 million from the EU Innovation Fund.

Source: https://eitrawmaterials.eu/newsroom/success-stories/strategic-projects-backed-eit-rawmaterials

Funding Details

Funder

EIT RawMaterials

Funding Goal

Strengthen Europe's critical raw materials resilience by funding strategic projects across extraction, processing, recycling, and supply chain diversification under the EU Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA).

Funding Amount

Project-specific contributions vary widely: from €18,000 (Keliber) to over €10 million (ProHiPerSi). Combined support for some partners exceeds €7–8 million. Snippet references up to €32 million from EU Innovation Fund for select projects. (18.000 € – 10.000.000 €)

How to Apply

EIT RawMaterials runs periodic open calls (e.g., KAVA Call 13, RIS Projects). Strategic project designation under the CRMA is a separate EU-level process. Applicants to EIT RM programs apply through their Knowledge & Innovation and Finance & Fundraising portals. Live calls listed at eitrawmaterials.eu.

Target Region

Europe (EU-focused, with emphasis on EU raw materials supply chain)

Contact

Contact page: https://eitrawmaterials.eu/about-us/contact-us. LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/eit-raw-materials/

Last Checked

2026-03-11 16:22

Application Checklist

Eligibility

• Applicant must operate in the critical raw materials sector (mining, processing, recycling, or advanced materials)
• Projects must be technically feasible, economically sustainable, and aligned with EU supply chain security goals
• EIT RawMaterials partnership or membership is typically required to access innovation and accelerator funding streams

Project Scope

• Project must contribute to EU resilience in critical raw materials (lithium, rare earths, cobalt, copper, silicon, etc.)

Required Documents

• Submit applications via EIT RawMaterials live calls portal; check eitrawmaterials.eu for active calls (e.g., KAVA Call 13, RIS Projects)

Constraints

• Strategic CRMA project designation requires European Commission approval — not a standard open grant competition
• Industrial-scale or near-commercial projects preferred; program is not designed for research-only or NGO-led activities

Summary

EIT RawMaterials (European Institute of Innovation & Technology for Raw Materials) supports strategic industrial projects aimed at securing Europe's supply of critical raw materials. The European Commission has approved 47 strategic projects under the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), many of which received direct support from EIT RawMaterials through grants, innovation projects, accelerator programs, and direct investment. These projects span lithium mining, rare earth processing, battery material recycling, e-waste recovery, and carbon material production. EIT RawMaterials provides support at multiple stages: early-stage innovation projects, accelerator programs for startups, and strategic co-investment for scaling industrial operations. Individual project contributions range from small amounts (e.g., €18,000 for Keliber) to over €8 million for rare earth initiatives like Caremag. The program operates in close alignment with EU industrial policy, targeting companies that contribute to Europe's green and digital transitions. Eligible applicants are primarily industrial companies, established firms, and startups in the raw materials sector — not non-profit organizations. The focus is on hard industries: mining, metallurgy, recycling of critical metals (lithium, cobalt, permanent magnets, copper), and advanced materials. The program does not target environmental NGOs, marine conservation, or plastic waste collection value chains. This page is a success story overview rather than an open funding call. EIT RawMaterials does maintain active calls (e.g., KAVA Call 13, Call for RIS Projects) accessible via their website, but strategic project designation under the CRMA is driven by European Commission approval processes, not open NGO grant competitions.

Historical Context

The 47 CRMA strategic projects represent the first batch approved under the Critical Raw Materials Act. EIT RawMaterials has been active since at least 2016, with several partners involved in 20+ projects over nearly a decade. This success story was published September 24, 2025.

Why it was added

Recycling technology innovation funding

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