At the recent Innovation & Research Workshop of WoodPoP’s Technical Working Group ‘Innovation & Research’, several funding opportunities under the Horizon Europe 2025 Work Programme were spotlighted as highly relevant for the forestry and wood-based sectors. These calls fall under Pillar II “Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness”, which supports projects addressing major societal challenges and advancing industrial technologies through a top-down approach. All types of organisations—public or private—are eligible to apply, provided they are part of a consortium of at least three legal entities from three different EU Member States or associated countries. Grant funding is available at a rate of 100% for non-profit organisations, while other participants may receive between 70% and 100%, depending on the type of action.

For a detailed overview of the highlighted calls and strategic recommendations, access the full presentation on Horizon Europe. The overview includes for the respective parts of the work programme 2025, calls focusing on a wide range of thematic areas; in Cluster 5 “Climate, Energy and Mobility”, relevant sectorial calls focus on innovative robotics and automated solutions for less disruptive renovation and construction, low carbon and climate resilient building pathways, low embodied carbon construction products and circularity for climate-neutral buildings, and smarter buildings integrated into efficient and flexible energy systems. Within Cluster 6 “Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment”, these include Extended Producer Responsibility schemes, bio-based solutions for post-conflict reconstruction, digital twins for resilient forestry and rural development, innovative forest ecosystem restoration through living labs and lighthouses, and circular systemic solutions in cities and regions. Through the New European Bauhaus Facility, additional calls address regenerative design, bio-fabricated materials, adaptability and disassembly in renovation, and the re-assembly of reclaimed construction products through reversed supply chains.