The Circular Innovation Challenge 2026 is seeking innovative businesses in Southern Africa with solutions that are beyond the ideation stage and ready to move into testing, implementation or scaling.

The challenge is focused on circular solutions that:

• Reduce waste.
• Keep materials in use.
• Regenerate nature.
• Create social and economic value.
• Support jobs and wellbeing.

Solutions are expected to contribute to a transition from a linear to a circular economy.

WHO CAN APPLY?

The MENA Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme is designed to empower and upskill scientists, researchers and students working on agricultural challenges relevant to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

The programme is aimed at researchers and innovators who have developed research-, science- or nature-based solutions and want to take their work toward proof of concept, while gaining the business and entrepreneurial capabilities needed to commercialise, scale and secure future funding.

Type of Funding Available

Grant funding

Funding is provided by the participating Funding Partner Organisations (FPOs) according to their respective national or regional funding rules. There is therefore no single universal grant amount per applicant.

Programme

Water4All European Partnership

Pillar

Pillar B – Research and Innovation Development

Total Call Budget

Approximately €34.22 million

The Entrepreneurs for Resilience (E4R) 2027 programme is the 10th edition of the Swiss Re Foundation's programme supporting entrepreneurial solutions that strengthen the resilience of vulnerable communities.

This edition focuses specifically on scaling access to affordable, quality primary healthcare for underserved populations in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

The Scaling Circular Solutions Programme is designed for growth-stage circular economy businesses and organisations that have moved beyond the idea or early-development phase and are ready to expand their solutions and impact.

The programme is intended to help participants address practical growth barriers, strengthen their business model, improve investment readiness, build new partnerships and accelerate their scaling journey.

The Novo Nordisk Foundation Challenge Programme 2027 is seeking leading researchers to form interdisciplinary research consortia capable of addressing a major global health challenge: the development of next-generation antimicrobial resistance (AMR) diagnostics for lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs).

The Carbon to Sea Initiative has launched two 2026 Open Calls designed to advance the scientific, technical and practical understanding of Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement (OAE) as a potential carbon dioxide removal and climate mitigation approach.

Funding Available

Innovators with the most promising solutions may receive award funding from a total pool of up to USD 350,000.

The award is subject to the applicable QuickFire Challenge terms and conditions and execution of an award agreement.

Overview

Funding Available

• Indicative topic budget: EUR 20 million
• Indicative EU contribution: EUR 20 million for the project
• Indicative number of projects: 1
• End Technology Readiness Level: TRL 8. 

The EUR 20 million is the indicative EU contribution, not necessarily a guaranteed amount that every application can request. The work programme states that proposals may request a different amount where justified.