Impact Innovation: Increased resource efficiency and resilience, stage 1

A call for proposals within the Net Zero industry

With this call for proposals Net Zero Industry wants to contribute to a resource-efficient and resilient society where Swedish industry enables efficient resource utilization both within and outside Sweden's borders. In order to change to a resource-efficient, circular and long-term sustainable use of resources, both improvements to existing solutions and the development of innovative solutions are needed. In addition, a systems perspective is required and that the entire life cycle is taken into account.

Our call for proposals is divided into two stages. This offer relates to the first stage Feasibility Studies. The project that are granted are expected to have a project duration of up to 6 months. Vinnova funding amounts to a maximum of SEK 1,000,000 per project. Maximum aid intensity amounts to 80 percent of the project's total eligible costs.

Beviljade Genomförbarhetsstudier will be given the opportunity to submit a proposal for stage 2 for Development and innovation projects. These have a preliminary project duration of approximately 24 months and a funding of a maximum of SEK 5 million per project.

In project at least three project parties must participate. At least one of the project parties must consist of need owners, potential customers or users of the innovative solution and at least one solution owner.

With this the call for proposals Net Zero Industry wants to contribute to a resource-efficient and resilient society where Swedish industry enables efficient resource utilization.

The effects from research and innovation projects granted in the call for proposals are expected to contribute to Net Zero Industry's mission:

• Reduce the footprint of the Swedish manufacturing industry until 2035 compared to 2024 with:
  - 75 percent reduced greenhouse gas emissions per revenue during the lifetime of the product or service.
  - 75 percent reduced greenhouse gas emissions from resources such as energy and materials used in manufacturing processes per produced department, regardless of disruptions in the manufacturing system.
• Increase the resilience of the Swedish manufacturing industry, including robust supply chains.
• The call for proposals wants to mobilize new extended collaborations that together formulate brave, radical solution ideas with great potential for a resource-efficient and resilient Swedish manufacturing industry that shows the way globally towards production and consumption within the planet's borders.

In order to enable a sustainable transformation of the Swedish manufacturing industry, innovative solutions are needed in the form of new or improved resource-efficient techniques, processes and services which, taken together, have potential to contribute to significantly better use of materials and other resources.

By reducing the need for disturbance-sensitive inputs and working for increased circularity, the conditions for resilient supply chains are strengthened.

Prerequisites for the implementation of innovative solutions and conversion to a sustainable use of materials and resources are affected by various systemic obstacles and challenges. We therefore want the projects to be based on a system approach according to the five system perspectives below. Project that are financed must therefore be based on a system understanding as described below and clearly include at least two of the five current system dimensions in the implementation.

1. Technology, products, processes and services
2. Business models, investments and procurement
3. Policy and regulations
4. Behaviour, culture and values
5. Infrastructure

Read more about how we work with system innovation

System innovation requires collaboration between different types of actors, such as industry, public actors and civil society.

Development of circular value chains with large as well as small innovative companies is important. We also see cooperation across national borders as part of driving change.

This call for proposals applies to a Feasibility Study, stage 1, ahead of a later larger research and innovation project, stage 2. The goal of stage 1 is to create conditions for the possibly future follow-up project. The project financed within the framework of the call for proposals are expected in stage 2 to contribute to all of the below resultsand impact goals.

Performance targets for stage 2

• Innovative solutions that contribute to sustainable resource use through significantly increased resource efficiency and resilience throughout the entire life cycle, from design to reuse/recycling including the supply chain and the use phase.
• In-depth system understanding and development of improved system prerequisites for implementation of the developed solution based on at least two of the five system perspectives specified above
• Plan for how new solutions are to be developed and utilized nationally or internationally.
• Strong constellations of actors with the prerequisites to realize the solution.

Short-term impact goals for stage 2

• Sustainable use of resources.
• New or improved products, processes, services or working methods that contribute to the development of a resource-efficient and resilient manufacturing industry.
• Resource efficient and resilient supply chains and value networks thanks to non-toxic and circular resource flows.
• Swedish industry is globally competitive thanks to the export of solutions that contribute to sustainable resource use.
• A fair, inclusive and socially sustainable industry regionally, nationally and globally.

Long-term impact goals for stage 2

Contribute to Net Zero Industry's mission to:

• Reduce the footprint of the Swedish manufacturing industry until 2035 compared to 2024 with:
  - 75 percent reduced greenhouse gas emissions per revenue during the lifetime of the product or service
  - 75 percent reduced greenhouse gas emissions from resources such as energy and materials used in manufacturing processes per produced department, regardless of disruptions in the manufacturing system.
• Increase the resilience of the Swedish manufacturing industry, including robust supply chains.

Focus on climate and gender equality in all our investments

Impact Innovation will contribute to global competitiveness through transformation for sustainable development. Genom Agenda 2030, the countries of the world have agreed on a global agreement and understanding of what characterizes sustainable development. Through our efforts, we contribute to the global commitment to reach the goals.

In Inom Agenda 2030, Vinnova has particularly singled out climate and gender equality as two central sustainability perspectives to which our funded investments should contribute positively. Project financed by Vinnova are therefore expected to take special account of the climate and gender equality aspects.

One aspect that is followed up and assessed is whether both women and men equally share in the contribution, participate in and have influence over the project.

Another aspect involves analyzing and deciding whether there are gender aspects that are relevant to the project's problem area, solutions and utilization.

Our work to contribute to the goals of Agenda 2030

Equal innovation - what it means for you who seek funding from us

Free access to scientific publications and results

Results from research and innovation that are made freely available increase the opportunity for more people to contribute to solutions to societal challenges. This the call for proposals should contribute to making more results freely available to everyone. Therefore, all scientific publication must be open access.

This the call for proposals is aimed at consortia that include companies, universities and university colleges, research institutes, the public sector and other relevant actors who need to develop their idea and who have an interest in collaboratively contributing to the purpose of the call for proposals. Only legal entities can participate in the projects.

Within stage 1 of the call for proposals Feasibility studies are funded which are carried out by at least three project parties, of which at least one must be made up of potential need owners such as potential customers or users of the innovative solution and at least one solution owner such as a manufacturer or supplier of the solution.

The consortium must be adapted to specific needs and users/need owners must be involved in the development work and have a central role in the project. In addition to the formal project parties, it may be relevant to involve other stakeholders to contribute with different system perspectives.

International connectivity is a strength. Foreign actors may be relevant depending on the project's objective. Participant seeking funding must be a Swedish legal entity in Sweden. In this respect, a foreign organization that has a branch or place of business in Sweden is equated with a Swedish legal person. In such cases, only costs that can be attributed to a branch or place of business in Sweden are eligible for support. Actors without a branch or place of business in Sweden are welcome to participate in the projects, but cannot receive funding from Vinnova.

Activities for which funding can be applied for

This offer is the first stage of two and refers to feasibility studies to investigate possibilities and solutions to be able to realize a resource-efficient and resilient Swedish manufacturing industry that contributes to production and consumption within the planet's borders. The projects must address problems or issues that have an industrial interest and are relevant to more than the participants in the applicant actor constellation.

Examples of activities can be in-depth needs analyses, deepening the understanding of structural factors, carrying out simple tests and drawing up a plan for solutions to be developed and tested in an upcoming development and innovation project. In other words, the feasibility study must evaluate and analyze the conditions, for example opportunities and risks, to successfully implement a full-scale development and innovation project.

Read more about the support scheme for feasibility studies here

What is not funded in this call for proposals:

• Project proposals that constitute point efforts without clear spillover effects and where the benefit only accrues to one or a few individual actors.

Our funding is covered by rules on government support. The rules govern both what kind of costs and what proportion of the costs we can finance. This is determined for each organization individually. We therefore distinguish how much funding the project can receive, and how much each participating participant can receive.

How much funding can the project get?

In stage 1, the maximum project duration is 6 months. The grant can amount to a maximum of SEK 1,000,000 per project and may not exceed 80 percent of the project's total eligible costs.

For stage 2, the grant will amount to a maximum of SEK 5 million per project and have a project duration of approximately 24 months.

How much funding can a participant receive?

How much funding each participating participant can receive mainly depends on:

• which activities the party will carry out in the project
• party size and activities

Funding for organizations that carry out economic activities is covered by rules on state support. The rules govern, among other things, which types of costs and what proportion, aid intensity, of an organization's eligible costs may be covered by funding. In stage 1, we support project activities that are covered by the Feasibility Studies fund.

The level of support depends on the size of the organization and the nature of the project activities carried out. The document "Support levels, definitions and more for funding according to Vinnova's support scheme" clarifies what applies to various large organizations that carry out economic activities.

Funding to certain organizations and other actors that participate in their non-economic activities can be given with up to 100 percent of the organization's total eligible costs for implementing the project. This applies, for example, to research organizations such as universities, university colleges and institutes when they participate in their non-economic activities.

Each participant is responsible for ensuring that funding received does not exceed the aid intensity permitted according to the rules for government support. Please note that the maximum grant share per project is not the same as the maximum permitted support level per participant.

Read more about basis for support and aid intensity here

What costs can we finance?

Our funding may only go to certain types of costs. These are called eligible costs. In this the call for proposals these types of costs are eligible:

• Personnel costs: Salaries, social security contributions and other personnel costs.
• Equipment, land and buildings: Instruments, equipment and rent for premises other than regular business premises.
• Consulting and licensing costs: Consulting services, knowledge and patents purchased or used under license from an external actor.
• Other direct costs: For example materials, stock items and travel necessary to carry out the project.
• Indirect costs, overhead: Costs that are not incurred as an immediate consequence of but can be related to the project, for example regular premises and cleaning.
  
  For more detailed information on which costs we can finance, see our instruction on eligible costs.

What eligibility requirements apply to costs we finance?

For a cost to be eligible, it must be necessary for the activities of the project. Project costs must also be properly accounted for and reported separately from the organization's other costs. An organization may also not take up someone else's costs as its own.

For more detailed information on which eligibility requirements, limitations and exceptions apply, see our instruction on eligible costs.

In order for us to take a position on and assess your proposal it must meet certain basic requirements - so-called formal eligibility requirements. If these eligibility requirements are not met, our evaluator will not handle your proposal.

We will only assess applications that meet the following formal eligibility requirements:

• The project parties are legal entities. Note that sole proprietorships or sole traders are not legal entities. Different workplaces in an organization, for example different departments at a university, count as a participant as it is a legal person.
• The constellation of actors in an implementation project must at the time of application consist of at least three project parties, of which at least one potential needs owner and at least one solution owner.
• Proposal is written in Swedish or English.
• The project manager is employed by one of the project parties. Se Vinnovas general terms and conditions for role description at Vinnova's general terms and conditions for funding.
• Funding is not granted to organizations that are insolvent or that are undergoing liquidation or company restructuring, or that have unpaid debts or payment notices with the Swedish Enforcement Agency.
• If the organization is a limited company, half or more of the share capital must not be used up.
• We take credit information on all applicant who are not public actors, and funding is not granted to organizations with the lowest credit rating C.
• An organization seeking funding for personnel costs must be registered as an employer with the Tax Agency at the latest when the grant decision is made.
• Proposal must strictly follow the instructions that follow from section 9.

What do we assess?

The project proposals must be in line with aim of the call for proposals and are assessed based on the following criteria:

Potential, weighted 50 percent

That is, the importance of the results and effects if the project is successful.

• The project's potential to contribute to the call's resultsand impact goals. See section 2 for further information.
• The novelty value of the project and the expected solution in relation to existing solutions.
• How well a systems perspective has been integrated into the project.

Actors, is weighted 25 percent

That is, who the project parties and other actors are and how the cooperation between them is organized to implement the project.

• Composition, competence, ability and commitment in relation to project goals and implementation.
• The project manager's competence, credibility and commitment to lead the project.
• The composition of the project team, especially regarding key personnel. This with regard to gender distribution, including commitment and distribution of power and influence, as well as the project's ambition and plan to remedy any imbalances.

Feasibility, weighted 25 percent

That is, how the project has been designed to reach its resultsand impact goals.

• The realism, credibility and expediency of the project plan and budget.
• Approach and organization and involvement of project parties and relevant actors.

How do we judge?

The assessment of applications takes place in competition between received applications.

The applications that meet the formal requirements according to chapter 6 will be evaluated against the assessment criteria in section 7 by specially appointed external evaluator appointed by Vinnova. In the assessment, the greatest weight will be given to the criterion Potential which is weighted with 50 percent, while the criteria Actors and Feasibility are weighted with 25 percent each.

The assessment results in a recommendation to Vinnova which is the basis for Vinnova's decision regarding funding.

Vinnova's decision to grant or reject a proposal cannot be appealed.

Term for granted funding

For granted funding our general terms and conditions for fundingapply.
Current term can be found on our website, along with help to understand and comply with the terms

Supplementary special conditions can be decided for individual project.

If you do not follow our term you may be liable for a refund. This also applies if you have been granted funding incorrectly or with an amount that is too high.

When we have assessed all applications, we will send a decision in which we either grant or reject your proposal. In the decision, we state how much funding each party in the project is granted. Our decision cannot be appealed.

What if you are granted funding?

If we grant your proposal you must follow our general terms and conditions for funding.

The terms include this:

• That you must sign a special document in which you agree to carry out the project.
• That you must report your costs and results to us regularly during the project.

See our general terms and conditions and get help understanding and fulfilling them

You also need to follow the special conditions that apply to this the call for proposals:

• The project must be represented by at least one participant at the conferences and other activities organized within Net Zero Industry.
• The project must maintain a continuous dialogue with Net Zero Industry's program office and project support throughout the duration of the project.
• In information about the project and in every publication of project results, it must be stated that: the work was carried out within Net Zero Industry, a joint effort by Vinnova, Formas and the Energy Agency.

We can also decide to add supplementary special conditions for individual project. In that case, they appear in the decision.

Can you have to pay back funding?

If you do not follow our term you may be liable for a refund. This also applies if you have been granted funding incorrectly or with too high an amount.

To apply for funding you fill in a proposal in our e-service. Proposal contains questions about the project, other project parties and budget.

You also attach these attachments to proposal:

• Project description according to template, maximum 7 pages with 12-point text
• CV for all key people in the project according to CV template max 1 page per person
• Effect logic, maximum 1 page. The purpose of the impact logic is to visualize in a simple way an overall picture of how the project is expected to contribute to the call for results and long-term impact goals. An example template can be found on the announcement page.

Start proposal in good time

Keep in mind that it takes time to make a proposal. Filling out templates can take several days, as it is based on analyzes you will be doing. Therefore, start in good time. You can start filling in information and continue at a later time. When proposal is ready, you mark it as done.

You can unlock proposal and make changes at any time, right up until the last application date. If you unlock proposal, you must then mark it as ready for it to be registered when the call for proposals closes.

Updated version 2024-05-08

Removed in section 5:

Indirect costs may constitute a maximum of 30 percent of personnel costs

Added in Section 6:

Funding is not granted to organizations that are insolvent or that are undergoing liquidation or company restructuring, or that have unpaid debts or payment notices with the Swedish Enforcement Agency.

If the organization is a limited company, half or more of the share capital must not be used up.

We take credit information on all applicant who are not public actors, and funding is not granted to organizations with the lowest credit rating C.

An organization seeking funding for personnel costs must be registered as an employer with the Tax Agency at the latest when the grant decision is made.