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FAPESP and NWO launch call on sustainable biorefineries Versão em português
The initiative aims to stimulate the transition from fossil raw materials to circular alternatives based on biomass within the chemical industry.
The São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) and the Dutch Research Council (NWO) have announced the launch of a joint call for proposals to support bilateral research and innovation projects focused on the development of integrated biorefineries for a circular future.
The initiative aims to foster research that enables the sustainable conversion of bio-based feedstocks into chemical building blocks for industrial use through energy-efficient processes, with no waste generation, zero CO₂ emissions, and no negative impacts on the environment or society.
The call must include a participation of private companies operating in Brazil or in the Netherlands, which must be part of the research consortia.
Projects should integrate expertise from fields such as chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, chemical engineering, and environmental sciences, with support from the social sciences and humanities, including economics, sociology, and law. Interdisciplinary collaboration is considered essential to assess not only technological and economic feasibility but also social and environmental impacts across the entire value chain.
Proposals must address one of the two priority themes of the call: bio-based feedstocks or conversion processes. In addition, a comprehensive sustainability assessment is required, going beyond carbon footprint considerations to include social acceptability, impacts on local communities, food security, job creation, regulation, governance, and integration into international value chains. The use of tools such as Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) is strongly recommended.
To support the formation of competitive international consortia, FAPESP and NWO will organize matchmaking activities and information sessions ahead of the proposal submission deadline. The first activity is expected to take place online between March and April 2026. Participation is optional but strongly encouraged.
Proposals must follow the rules of the Thematic Research Project funding modality, with a maximum duration of five years. The total budget for the call is €3.84 million, and up to nine projects will be selected, distributed across two categories:
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Small-scale projects: up to six projects, with total funding of up to €290,000 per proposal (up to €145,000 funded by FAPESP and €145,000 by NWO);
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Large-scale projects: up to three projects, with total funding of up to €700,000 per proposal (up to €350,000 funded by FAPESP and €350,000 by NWO).
Each project must include co-funding of at least 30% of the total budget, provided by companies or other partner entities as financial and/or in-kind contributions.
FAPESP will fund the costs of the teams based in the state of São Paulo, in accordance with the rules of the Thematic Research Project modality, while NWO will support the teams based in the Netherlands, according to the rules of the international call.
The guidelines for researchers in the state of São Paulo are available at: fapesp.br/17977.
The full call is available in English on the NWO website.