Nordic Innovation: Call for Proposals – Nordic Secondary Critical Raw Materials Value Chains
Enriched government · Found: 2026-05-06 13:18
Nordic Innovation call for proposals for Nordic secondary critical raw materials value chains. Focus on recycled/secondary materials.
Funding Details
- Funder
- Nordic Innovation
- Funding Goal
- Support industry-driven projects that develop concrete, end-to-end value chains to bring secondary critical raw materials (CRMs) from waste streams and industrial side streams into industrial use. Projects must advance specific material streams (such as batteries, electronic waste, construction waste, industrial side streams) towards pilot implementation, investment, or market uptake. Activities include verification of material streams, testing of sorting/separation processes, small-scale processing, validation of industrial use, techno-economic assessment, and regulatory barrier mapping.
- Funding Amount
- Total fund: NOK 10,000,000; per-project range NOK 2,000,000 – 5,000,000; 50% co-funding required from project participants (minimum 10% per partner)
- Deadline
- 2026-09-23 (Fixed)
- How to Apply
- Apply at funding.nordforsk.org/#call/4605/main. Application portal opened 15 January 2026. Attach: activity plan (Gantt chart), CVs for main project participants, signed letters of intent from all consortium members. Funding decision: November 2026. Project start: Q4 2026. Max project duration: 36 months.
- Target Region
- Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden)
- Contact
- Nordic Innovation, contact via nordicinnovation.org/programs/call-proposals-nordic-secondary-critical-raw-materials-value-chains#contacts
- Last Checked
- 2026-05-07 00:28
Application Checklist
Eligibility
Project Scope
Required Documents
Constraints
Summary
This is a competitive call for proposals from Nordic Innovation, the Nordic Council of Ministers' agency for innovation, as part of its 'Innovative Solutions for 2030' programme. The call targets the development of industry-driven value chains for secondary critical raw materials (CRMs) embedded in waste streams and industrial side streams across the Nordic region. It is motivated by the EU Critical Raw Materials Act and the Nordic region's strategic interest in reducing import dependency and strengthening resource security. Thematically, the call focuses on secondary CRMs — that is, materials recovered from waste and industrial side streams rather than primary extraction. Relevant material streams include batteries, electronic waste (e-waste), construction waste, and industrial by-products. The call does not support pure research, mapping studies, or advocacy — projects must lead to concrete pilot implementation, investment, market uptake, or readiness for EU follow-on funding. Eligible activities include: verification of feedstock material streams (volume and quality); testing of sorting and separation processes; small-scale processing or pilot testing; validation of industrial use and demand; techno-economic feasibility analysis; and mapping of regulatory barriers. Projects must involve the full value chain from a defined feedstock through to an identified end-use market. Geographic scope is explicitly Nordic — projects must form a consortium of at least three partners from at least three different Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden). Strong industrial involvement is mandatory. Research institutions and public sector actors may participate but cannot lead without industrial co-leadership. The total fund is NOK 10 million, with individual projects ranging from NOK 2–5 million. A minimum 50% co-funding contribution is required from project participants (minimum 10% per partner). Funding decision is expected November 2026 with project start in Q4 2026 and a maximum 36-month duration. The application deadline is September 23, 2026.
Historical Context
Part of Nordic Innovation's 'Innovative Solutions for 2030' programme, which aims to accelerate green transition solutions. Related to the EU Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), which sets targets for increased recycling and domestic CRM supply. Nordic region has an estimated 900,000 tonnes of CRMs embedded in waste and industrial side streams.
Why it was added
discovered from funder #328: Nordic Innovation