H&M Foundation — Global Change Award 2027

Enriched Foundation · Found: 2026-03-14 20:01

Annual EUR 200K innovation challenge for fashion industry circular economy. 2026 cycle CLOSED. Next round opens September 2026.

Source: https://hmfoundation.com/gca/

Funding Details

Funder

H&M Foundation

Funding Goal

Support early-stage innovations in the textile and fashion industry with the aim of halving greenhouse gas emissions every decade and reaching net-zero by 2050. The program backs bold ideas across four thematic areas: sustainable materials and processes, responsible production, mindful consumption, and wildcard innovations.

Funding Amount

EUR 200,000 per winner (10 winners per annual cycle, total EUR 2,000,000 per cycle) (up to 200.000 €)

Deadline

2025-11-17 (periodic)

How to Apply

Two entry routes: (1) nomination by a GCA nominator from their networks, or (2) direct application via The Mills Fabrica application page. Nomination/application period for 2025/2026 cycle was September 1 – November 17, 2025. Screening conducted December 2025 – March 2026. Winners announced June 2026. Changemaker Programme starts May 2026.

Target Region

Global — open to applicants worldwide

Contact

H&M Foundation, Mäster Samuelsgatan 46A, 111 57 Stockholm, Sweden

Last Checked

2026-05-07 01:04

Application Checklist

Eligibility

• Applications must be at early stage — idea has not yet been fully validated or scaled
• No explicit legal form requirement; startups, research teams, and social enterprises are eligible

Project Scope

• Innovation must address greenhouse gas emissions in the textile/fashion industry

Required Documents

• Nomination by an approved GCA nominator or direct submission via The Mills Fabrica

Constraints

• Grants cannot be used for lobbying or political campaign activities
• Winners must participate in the one-year Changemaker Programme

Summary

The Global Change Award (GCA) is an annual innovation challenge run by the H&M Foundation, a philanthropic foundation based in Stockholm, Sweden. The programme's mission is to accelerate early-stage innovations that support the textile and fashion industry in halving its greenhouse gas emissions every decade, with the aim of reaching net-zero by 2050. The programme targets four thematic areas: (1) sustainable materials and processes — reimagining fibres, low-energy materials, next-generation fibres, and improved dyeing, finishing, and manufacturing processes; (2) responsible production — smarter design, prediction modelling, energy efficiency, on-demand production, and zero-waste systems; (3) mindful consumption — extending garment lifecycles, reshaping demand, enabling circular business models and recycling; and (4) wildcards — bold cross-cutting ideas that can spark system transformation. Eligible activities include the development and piloting of disruptive innovations at early stage across any segment of the textile value chain, from raw materials to end-of-life. The programme explicitly targets teams at the point where funding is scarce, networks are limited, and ideas need validation to attract further capital. Winners proceed to a one-year Changemaker Programme offering textile industry knowledge, tools, connections, and holistic mindset training. Geographic scope is global — applications are accepted from teams worldwide with no regional restrictions stated. The programme is open to innovators in any country and of any organisational form. Eligible applicants include early-stage innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, and organisations developing textile industry innovations. There is no stated requirement for specific legal form. Nominations are made by approved GCA nominators or by direct submission through The Mills Fabrica platform. Each annual cycle selects ten winners, each receiving EUR 200,000 and access to the Changemaker Programme. No co-funding requirement is stated. The annual cycle runs from nominations in September through winner announcement in June of the following year, with the award ceremony at the GCA Summit typically held in October.

Historical Context

The Global Change Award was launched in 2015. Since inception, 56 innovations have received support totalling a combined EUR 10 million in grants. Annual event with summit and award ceremony held in Stockholm. The 2024 summit was held in Mumbai. The 2025/2026 Top 20 finalists were announced in March 2026.

Why it was added

grant-scan-2026-03-14-corporate

Sources

• https://hmfoundation.com/gca/
• https://hmfoundation.com/gca/about-global-change-award/

Similar Programs

← Back to list