Innovative Advanced Materials (IAMs) for robust, fast curing sealants and coatings for manufacturing and final assembly (IA) (Innovative Advanced Materials for Europe partnership)
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See in 5 min if you're eligible for Innovative Advanced Materials (IAMs) for robust, fast curing sealants and coatings for manufacturing and final assembly (IA) (Innovative Advanced Materials for Europe partnership) offering max €48.0M funding💰 Funding Details
Funding Overview – HORIZON-CL4-2025-05-MATERIALS-43-two-stage
What the Grant Funds
* Scope: Development and pilot-scale demonstration of Innovative Advanced Materials (IAMs) for robust, ultra-fast curing sealants, coatings and/or functionalised surfaces that increase product life, recyclability and safety while cutting energy consumption and overall Cost of Ownership.
* Activities Eligible for Funding
* Multidisciplinary R&I covering formulation, synthesis, digital modelling, characterisation, prototyping, pilot production and end-of-life solutions.
* Validation of ‘Safe & Sustainable by Design (SSbD)’ principles and generation of FAIR data for IAMs.
* Demonstration in at least two industrial use-cases (e.g. e-mobility, renewable energy, construction, aerospace, maritime, rail, electronics).
* Development of accelerated testing protocols & predictive models for service life / degradation.
* Integration of automation, digitisation and AI/DT technologies to speed up curing, application and quality control.
* LCA/LCC studies, standardisation inputs, dissemination, exploitation & IP management.
Key Funding Details
* Programme / Cluster: Horizon Europe – Cluster 4 “Digital, Industry & Space”.
* Type of Action: HORIZON-IA (Innovation Action) – Lump-Sum Grant (Model Grant Agreement: HORIZON-AG-LS).
* Maximum EU Contribution per Project: €48 million (100 % of the lump-sum budget accepted at GA signature).
* TRL at Start / End: Typically TRL 4-5 → TRL 7-8 by project end (pilot line or industrially relevant environment).
* Project Duration: 36–48 months is standard but not mandatory.
* Consortium Size: No formal minimum, but past IA statistics indicate 8-20 partners from ≥3 eligible countries are competitive.
* Geographical Eligibility: Legal entities established in EU Member States or Horizon-Associated Countries; international partners possible without funding.
* Two-Stage Deadlines:
* Stage 1 short proposal: 23 Sep 2025, 17:00 CET.
* Stage 2 full proposal (on invitation): 14 Apr 2026, 17:00 CET.
* Budget Allocation Rule: One fixed lump sum per project; costs are pre-agreed, reporting focuses on achievement of work-package-level deliverables/Milestones.
Compliance & Cross-Cutting Requirements
* SSbD & Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability alignment.
* Open Science & Data Management Plan (DMP) making research outputs FAIR.
* Gender Equality Plans (GEP) for all public bodies, research organisations & higher-education institutions in the consortium.
* Ethics, security, dual-use and Do-No-Significant-Harm (DNSH) assessments.
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🇪🇺 Strategic Advantages
EU-Wide Advantages & Opportunities for the IAMs Grant (HORIZON-CL4-2025-05-MATERIALS-43)
Single Market Access
• 450+ million consumers & >23 million enterprises: Successful IAM-based coatings/sealants that are SSbD-compliant can be rolled out EU-wide without customs barriers, instantly enlarging the addressable market for beneficiaries and their downstream clients (e.g. automotive, construction, energy).
• CE-marking leverage: Once regulatory conformity is achieved in one Member State, mutual recognition enables marketing across the entire Economic Area, accelerating time-to-revenue.
Cross-Border Collaboration
• Mandatory multi-country consortium = built-in market entry partners. Partners from e.g. DE (chemicals), SE (battery industry), IT (HVAC), NL (maritime coatings) can co-develop pilot lines and simultaneously act as first adopters in their home markets.
• Knowledge exchange platforms (e.g. EIT Manufacturing, AMI4EU, EMCC): Projects can plug into existing networks for open pilot lines, testing facilities and standardisation committees, reducing duplication and speeding validation.
• International cooperation clause with Japan: EU-wide consortium can jointly engage Japanese OEMs, positioning Europe as a global rule-setter for SSbD materials.
EU Policy Alignment
• European Green Deal: IAMs that extend product life, improve recyclability and cut energy use directly support Circular Economy Action Plan and zero-pollution ambitions.
• Net-Zero Industry Act & Critical Raw Materials Act: Substituting hazardous or scarce raw materials aligns with strategic autonomy goals and can qualify projects for accelerated permitting or additional top-up funds.
• Digital Europe & Data Regulation (Data Act, AI Act): The call’s emphasis on FAIR, data-driven design, and interoperable materials databases dovetails with EU data-space initiatives, enabling beneficiaries to monetise data assets EU-wide.
Regulatory Harmonisation
• One SSbD framework, one chemicals regulation (REACH), one Waste Framework Directive: Innovators avoid 27 separate compliance tracks; cost savings are estimated at 15–20 % versus a multi-country approach outside the EU.
• Standardisation leverage: Horizon projects can propose new EN/ISO standards for accelerated ageing tests or digital material passports, positioning beneficiaries as de-facto norm-setters and creating first-mover IP advantages.
Innovation Ecosystem Access
• Pan-EU research infrastructure: Applicants can tap into synchrotrons (ESRF, PETRA III), EU-wide NanoSafety clusters, and the European Open Science Cloud for advanced characterisation at marginal cost.
• Talent pool: Consortium eligibility rules allow recruitment from Erasmus Mundus and Marie Skłodowska-Curie networks, easing access to 70,000+ early-stage researchers and engineers.
• IPR acceleration: Use of the European Patent Office’s Fast-Track programme for Horizon results cuts average grant-to-patent time by 30 %.
Funding Synergies
• Cumulative financing: Results can be de-risked with EIC Transition (up to €2.5 m) or EIT RawMaterials Booster. Post-project scaling can draw on the Innovation Fund or InvestEU guarantees.
• Smart Specialisation (S3): Regional ERDF programmes can co-finance pilot plants (e.g. Digital Innovation Hubs in Basque Country, Flanders), covering up to 50 % of capex not eligible under Horizon.
• CBE-JU & Clean Hydrogen JU: Cross-partnership clauses allow sharing of pilot lines or data lakes, stretching Horizon lump-sum budgets further.
Scale and Impact Potential
• EU public procurement leverage: IAMs that deliver 90 % faster curing times can qualify under Green Public Procurement criteria for construction or rail, opening a €200 bn/year market segment.
• Cluster replication: Results can be replicated across 30+ Industrial Technology Valleys and 36 EIT Manufacturing hubs, ensuring rapid geographical diffusion.
• Carbon-footprint impact: Harmonised LCA methodologies enable pan-EU recognition of CO₂ savings, crucial for inclusion in the EU taxonomy and attracting sustainable finance capital.
Actionable Next Steps for Applicants
1. Map consortium partners against EU industrial ecosystems (Automotive, Construction, Energy Intensive Industries) to maximise uptake pathways.
2. Engage early with CEN/CENELEC Technical Committees (TC 139 – Paints and Varnishes, TC 219 – Cathodic Protection) to position project outputs as draft standards.
3. Reserve budget for FAIR data stewards and connect to the upcoming Advanced Materials Data Space pilot to future-proof compliance.
4. Draft a scalability work-package that links Horizon results to regional ERDF pilot line funding, demonstrating concrete EU-wide roll-out.
5. Include an exploitation plan that quantifies market entry sequence across at least five Member States, leveraging mutual recognition and GPP schemes.
Ready to Apply?
Get a personalized assessment of your eligibility and application strategy
See in 5 min if you're eligible for Innovative Advanced Materials (IAMs) for robust, fast curing sealants and coatings for manufacturing and final assembly (IA) (Innovative Advanced Materials for Europe partnership) offering max €48.0M funding