Innovation Fund IF26: the first call dedicated to SMEs, with submission until the end of March 2027

In December 2026 the European Commission will publish five IF26 calls under the Innovation Fund. They include two new calls: one dedicated to SMEs with small-scale projects and one for the maritime sector. For the SME call, the timetable presented by DG Climate Action has two deadlines: the end of March 2027 and September 2027. The exact budgets and conditions have not been announced yet.

The SME call is of interest to companies in Romania that are preparing investments in low-emission technologies: so far, the small-scale projects component has been little used, even though the general call was oversubscribed six times over.

In brief

• Programme: Innovation Fund, IF26 calls: Net-Zero Technologies (NZT), the SME call, the maritime call, plus the auctions for industrial heat and hydrogen
• Authority: European Commission – DG Climate Action, with the executive agency CINEA
• Beneficiaries: companies with decarbonisation projects located in the EU, Iceland, Norway or Liechtenstein; the new call targets SME-led projects
• Intensity: the Innovation Fund covers up to 60% of relevant costs, calculated according to the methodology of each call
• Small-scale projects: capital expenditure (CAPEX) below €20 million, in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/856
• Submission period (SME call): publication in December 2026; first deadline at the end of March 2027, second in September 2027
• Budget: not yet announced
• Status: announced, not yet launched; the call documents have not been published

Which calls open in December 2026?

On the official calls page, the Commission announces that five calls open in December 2026: the regular Net-Zero Technologies call, two new calls (for SMEs and for the maritime sector) and two auctions, one for industrial heat and one for hydrogen. We have written about the heat auction separately, on the IF26 Heat Auction programme page.

For comparison, the similar call in the previous round, IF25 NZT, had an allocated budget of €2.9 billion. It closed on 23 April 2026 with 358 applications from 27 countries, which requested a total of €17.5 billion, six times the budget. The IF25 results were expected to be announced in October 2026.

Why a separate call for SMEs?

In its presentation at the consultation of 19 June 2026, the Commission notes that, although the NZT calls are oversubscribed, the small-scale projects component has been little used:

• IF23: €30 million was awarded out of a budget of €200 million (15%);
• IF24: €47 million was awarded out of €100 million (47%).

For the SME call, the Commission presented several simplifications under consideration. These are still proposals, not final rules:

• fewer annexes and less information required at submission;
• the criteria on greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions, cost efficiency and replicability become pass/fail criteria, without scoring;
• a simplified GHG calculator;
• simplified reporting and monitoring;
• two submission deadlines, so that applicants can apply when their project is ready.

How and by when do you apply?

The timetable presented by DG Climate Action at the June consultation looks like this:

• First deadline: call published in December 2026, submission by the end of March 2027, evaluation April–June 2027, funding contracts signed July–December 2027;
• Second deadline: publication in April 2027, submission by September 2027, evaluation October–December 2027, contracts signed January–June 2028.

The exact dates, with day and time, will only be set in the official call documents, published on the Commission's Funding & Tenders portal. Information days (info days) for the IF26 calls are also scheduled for December 2026.

What is known about the maritime call?

The maritime call will also be published in December 2026, together with the NZT call. At the consultation, representatives of the sector asked for support for vessels, alternative fuels, ports and refuelling infrastructure. The budget, the eligible project types and the conditions have not been announced yet. For Romania, the call may interest operators in the ports of Constanța and on the Danube, as well as shipowners.

What this means for your business

Our recommendation: if you have an innovative industrial or energy project with CAPEX below €20 million and want to apply at the first deadline, start preparing now. Between the December publication and the deadline at the end of March there will be only about three to four months.

• Financial maturity was the hardest part of the application for SMEs (51% of respondents to the Slido poll in the SME session of the 19 June consultation). Prepare your co-financing evidence in good time: letters from banks or investors, and your own contribution.
• Calculating avoided emissions was the second difficulty (23%). Even if it becomes a pass/fail criterion, it must be properly documented.
• The degree of innovation remains essential: the Innovation Fund does not finance ordinary technologies, but new solutions or their first commercial implementation.
• SME status is checked under EU rules, including for partner and linked enterprises. Companies belonging to large groups may lose the status without realising it.

For smaller or less innovative investments, national and regional programmes may be a better fit. You can quickly check the options with the eligibility check.

Frequently asked questions

Can companies from Romania apply to the Innovation Fund SME call?

Yes, if the project is located in the EU, Iceland, Norway or Liechtenstein, as the Innovation Fund requires. The exact eligibility conditions for the SME call will be set in the call documents, which will be published in December 2026.

How much does the Innovation Fund grant cover?

Up to 60% of relevant costs, calculated according to the methodology of each call. The budget of the SME call and the maximum amount per project have not been announced yet.

What is a small-scale project?

Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/856 defines small-scale projects as those with capital expenditure below €20 million. For them, the regulation allows a simplified submission procedure and adapted selection procedures.

When is the first deadline for the SME call?

According to the timetable presented by the Commission, the call is published in December 2026 and the first submission deadline is at the end of March 2027. The second deadline is in September 2027. The exact date and time will be confirmed in the call documents.

What happens if the project is not mature enough?

Promising projects that are not yet grant-ready, or those rejected for lack of budget, can receive Project Development Assistance from the European Investment Bank.

Official sources

• European Commission – Innovation Fund, calls for proposals
• Public consultation on the IF26 calls, 19 June 2026
• DG CLIMA presentation – conclusions and IF26 call timetable
• DG CLIMA presentation – session on small-scale projects and SMEs
• European Commission – submission results for the IF25 NZT call
• CINEA – Innovation Fund, grants

Information checked on 27 September 2026. Conditions may be amended by the managing authority — check the guide in force before submitting.