CBE JU: €170.7 million available for bioeconomy and innovation solutions

It is now possible to apply for the new 2026 calls for proposals relating to solutions bio-based circular and sustainable in the context of Circular Bio-Based Europe Joint Undertaking, the European partnership that aims to bring together different actors in the bio-based industries to solve the sector's technological, regulatory and market challenges, while promoting innovation and the diffusion of these solutions on the market.

In order to support the development and expansion of competitive circular industries based on bio-resources, resources have been made available EUR 170.7 million, divided into 13 thematic areas.

The open calls are as follows:

Innovation actions – flagship (IA-flagship):

HORIZON-JU-CBE-2026-IAFlag-01: Enhancing the competitiveness of biorefineries through biotechnology. Total budget: EUR 20 million;
HORIZON-JU-CBE-2026-IAFlag-02: Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) Bio-based Alternatives for Fertilizers and/or Plant Protection Products. Total budget: EUR 20 million;
HORIZON-JU-CBE-2026-IAFlag-03: SSbD offers bio-based solutions for home and/or personal care. Total budget: EUR 20 million;
HORIZON-JU-CBE-2026-IAFlag-04: Diversification of nutritional food ingredient sources for greater EU resilience and strategic autonomy. Total budget: EUR 20 million.

Innovation actions (IA)

HORIZON-JU-CBE-2026-IA-01: Biotechnological pathways for the valorization of residual biomass. Total budget: EUR 14 million.
HORIZON-JU-CBE-2026-IA-02: Bio-based additives as alternatives to unlock and increase recyclability and/or biodegradability. Total budget: EUR 14 million.
HORIZON-JU-CBE-2026-IA-03: Chemicals and/or materials of biological origin derived from wood residues. Total budget: EUR 14 million;
HORIZON-JU-CBE-2026-IA-04: High-performance thermosets designed according to the principles of the circular economy and bio-based. Total budget of EUR 14 million.
HORIZON-JU-CBE-2026-IA-05: Films and coatings for circular packaging. Total budget: EUR 14 million.

Research and Innovation Actions (RIA):

HORIZON-JU-CBE-2026-RIA-01: Addressing separation and purification challenges in biorefineries. Total budget: EUR 6,5 million;
HORIZON-JU-CBE-2026-RIA-02: Bio-based SSbD polymers from alternative sources. With a total budget of EUR 6,5 million.
HORIZON-JU-CBE-2026-RIA-03: Innovative and sustainable bio-based textile fibers. Total budget: EUR 6,5 million.

Coordination and Support Action (CSA):

HORIZON-JU-CBE-2026-CSA-01: Supporting industry in the transition to sustainable and circular bio-based products and processes. Total budget: EUR 1,2 million.

The deadline is set for the September 22, 2026.

For more information: info@iniziativa.cc

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Success Cases

Management control

Development of the Investment Plan and the economic-financial plan for the opening of Mignon brand sales points of the company business in the main Italian cities and railway stations

Sector: Bars and other establishments
Turnover: €3.918.453
Date: 2018

San Michele SRL Nursing Home

The company has acquired additional diagnostic equipment to expand the services offered.

Contract: ZES Credit - Article 16 of Legislative Decree 19.09.2023 n. 124
Project cost: €850.920,00
Contribution: €340.367,00

A.Abete Srl

Iniziativa, as financial advisor, assisted A.Abete in the subscription of the Campania Bond.

Sector: Aerospace
Deal: Minibond
Date: 2024
Value: 3.500.000,00

Megarideas

Contract: Campania startUp 2020
Project cost: €289.377,00
Non-refundable contribution: €202.563,90
Date: July 2022

Business Process Reengineering

Business Process Reengineering intervention aimed at perfecting the business model, optimizing the governance and Internal Audit structure and improving processes with a view to upgrading the company information system and controlling performance

Sector: Home care and social care
Turnover: €103.882.395,00
Date: 2022-2024/XNUMX/XNUMX

Beste SpA

Iniziativa acted as financial advisor assisting Beste in the sale of the majority shares in favor of Hind – Industrial Holding

Sector: Fashion & Apparel
Deal: M&A - sell side
Date: 2023 - 2024
Value:ND

MISENO

Multipurpose Ital-GovSatCom application Services for Emerging user Needs and Objectives

Contract: Innovation Agreements for the Space Economy
Project cost: €8.987.370,13
Non-repayable contribution: €4.192.681,20
Date: June 2020

CA.MPANIA

MEASUREMENT CHARACTERIZATION OF POLYMERS: NON-INVASIVE ANALYSIS

Contract: Campania startUp 2020
Project cost: €78.862,00
Contribution: €67.032,70
Date: June 2023

Model 231 from 2001

Support for the preparation of the company's Organization, Management and Control Model, drawn up pursuant to Legislative Decree 231 of 2001.

Sector: Wholesale trade of street sweeping machines
Turnover: €27.197.845
Date: 2023

TRACE

SMEs TRAnsition for a European Circular tourism Ecosystem

Program: SMP-COSME
Project cost: €1.251.596,12
Contribution: €1.198.436,50
Date: January 2023

Giffoni Innovation Hub

CDP Venture Capital, Opes Lcef Trust, and Sefea Impact invest in Giffoni Innovation Hub; Iniziativa is a financial and strategic advisor.

Sector: Academic & Educational Services
Deal: Venture Capital
Date: 2022
Value: 2.000.000,00

Metropolitan City of Rome Capital

Support in the development of school sports facilities through PPP projects. Key activities include drafting regulations, creating internal guidelines to manage the incoming initiatives, and providing technical and financial assistance in their evaluation, as well as training staff on PPP regulations.

Date: 2024-2025/XNUMX/XNUMX

Sustainability Report

Support in the preparation of the corporate sustainability report and definition of the ESG strategy and indicators for monitoring sustainable variables

Sector: Railway, telecommunications and automation
Turnover: €27.506.749
Date: 2023

San Michele SRL Nursing Home

The company has acquired additional diagnostic equipment to expand the services offered.

Contract: Credito Mezzogiorno - Article 1, paragraphs 98 to 108, of Law No. 208 of 28 December 2015, and subsequent amendments
Project cost: €1.570.000,00
Contribution: €392.500,00

NeZAPoB

Nearly Zero Air Pollution Building

Contract: Smart Factory, Agrifood and Life Sciences
Project cost: €1.950.188,75
Non-refundable contribution: €956.868,13
Concessionary Financing: €390.037,75
Date: December 2023

MUNICIPALITY OF LUCCA – PORTA ELISA STADIUM

Technical assistance to the Grantor in the evaluation of a Project Financing proposal relating to a "Recovery with demolition and reconstruction of the "Porta Elisa Municipal Stadium" of Lucca and restoration of the historic grandstand" presented pursuant to Law 147/2013 and subsequently adjusted in compliance to Legislative Decree 38/2021

Sector: Sports Facilities PPP
Date: 2021

Business Process Engineering Startups

Support for the definition of the organizational structure, management and control processes of the commercial funnel and process optimization with a view to upgrading the company information system, design and implementation of the management control system and a KPI dashboard for monitoring the company performance

Sector: Computer programming
Turnover: €60.500,00
Date: 2022

Management control and company organization

Design and implementation support for the organizational model and management control system for monitoring company performance and optimizing the organizational structure.

Sector: Polydiagnostic Center
Date: 2024

Italrom Engineering

Egis acquires 100% of the capital of the ITR group, an engineering company based in Romania and Poland headed by a group of entrepreneurs from Campania. Iniziativa assisted them as a 360° advisor.

Sector: Construction & Engineering
Deal: M&A - sell side
Date: 2023
Value:ND

Training

Design and delivery of training on corporate finance management: "Knowing the present to plan the future" to the top figures of 30 SMEs, in collaboration with the Naples Industrial Union

Sector: Banking
Date: 2022

MUNICIPALITY OF PARMA – TARDINI STADIUM

Technical assistance to the Grantor in the evaluation of a Project Financing proposal relating to the "Renovation of the Ennio Tardini municipal stadium in Parma and its management and management" presented pursuant to Law 147/2013 and subsequently adapted to the Legislative Decree 38/2021

Sector: Sports Facilities PPP
Date: 2021

Corporate training

Planning of the training intervention and provision of training, in support of ANCI CAMPANIA, on the issues of Public Private Partnership to the Municipalities of the Campania Region for the simplification of relations with the Public Administrations and the increase in investment opportunities and valorisation of the municipal heritage

Sector: Association of Local Authorities - capacity building
Date: 2021

Scientific research

Establishment of the Italian Observatory on Public Participations in partnership with the University of Naples Federico II, the University of Rome Tor Vergata and the University of Milan Bicocca with the aim of carrying out studies, research, data analysis, and the development and publication of reports.

Sector: Public-owned companies - performance analysis
Date: 2020

Sandro Ferrone

Iniziativa, acting as financial advisor, assisted Ferrone in the issuance of a €2,5 million minibond under the Basket Bond Lazio program, to support brand development, retail expansion, and digital investments.

Sector: Women's Fashion / Fashion & Retail
Deal: Minibond
Date: 2025
Value: 2.500.000,00

Piedmont Region – Technical Assistance

Specialized technical assistance aimed at supporting the Temporary Structure XST031 – Implementation of the PNRR of the Piedmont Region in its coordination role on cross-cutting issues relating to the PNRR

Sector: Technical Assistance
Date: 2024

Corporate training

Support for the organization and delivery of the training program aimed at strengthening the capacity building of local public administrations in the field of Public Private Partnership (PPP)

Sector: Public Participate - capacity building of local authorities
Date: 2021

Sustainability reports

Support in the preparation of the corporate sustainability report and definition of the ESG strategy and indicators for monitoring sustainable variables

Sector: Knowledge & Technology Intensive Company
Date: 2024

Sabina Public Water

PPP operation (pursuant to Legislative Decree 50/2016) concerning the "Implementation and management of a Smart metering system for the automation of the reading and management processes of Sabina Public Water meters and the implementation of a management of data driven water resource management processes”

Sector: Digitalisation
Date: 2023

FAST TRACKS

Fast radio technologies for uninterrupted train to trackside communications

Program: Horizon - SME Instrument
Project cost: €2.370.625,00
Contribution: €1.659.437,50
Date: July 2017

“NGR-25”

NEXT GREEN REVOLUTION

Contract: Innovation Agreement
Project cost: €9.140.577,74
Contribution to spending: €4.495.275,01
Date: November 2022

€1.9 billion Production investments supported | €435 billion Investments in Research & Innovation subsidized | 200 active customers with hundreds of completed transactions | 100 Project Financing/PPP Operations Supported | €1.9 billion Production investments supported | €435 billion Investments in Research & Innovation subsidized | 200 active customers with hundreds of completed transactions | 100 Project Financing/PPP Operations Supported |