The following text does not reflect the entire content of the announcement, but contains individual extracts from the guideline.
The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) intends to support the implementation of the National Bioeconomy Strategy1 in an international context by funding collaborative R&D projects which involve foreign partners. The aim of the National Bioeconomy Strategy published by the Federal Government in January 2020 is to support the transformation of the largely fossil resources-based economy into a sustainable bio- based economy that focuses on natural material cycles. In this context, research is regarded as the key to identifying and exploiting the potential of bioeconomy. The BMBF's corresponding research funding policy focuses on six building blocks of which the first, “Biological knowledge as the key to the bioeconomy”, has particular relevance for these funding regulations.
The new Bioeconomy Strategy provides substantial support towards the use of various biotechnological processes in industry. Companies are already increasingly introducing sustainable processes and products in order to remain competitive. Implementing the bioeconomy should, however, not interfere with efforts to secure global nutrition. Already today, competition for natural resources (land and water) and the use of agricultural products for different purposes (nutrition, industrial material, energy) is increasing in many countries. In addition, there is an increasing global demand for food and feed, timber and various types of agricultural products which directly or indirectly affects global land use, the climate, biodiversity and major ecosystem services.
Object of funding
Funding will be provided for research, development and innovation projects (R&D&I projects) which have been selected in a competitive procedure.
Funding will be provided for German partners in international consortia (see section 3 Funding recipients). As various different funding programmes and instruments are available in the European context, participation by applicants from EU Member States is not the focus of this activity and is therefore excluded. Projects with Russian partners are not eligible for funding.
Each foreign partner must confirm its financial commitment in a binding, signed letter. These financial commitments must be uploaded in addition to the project outlines via the web portal www.bioeconomy-international.de.
Funding is provided within the context of the National Bioeconomy Strategy of 15 January 2020 and its guidelines and strategic objectives. The strategy formulates implementation objectives with defined building blocks for research funding in order to achieve its strategic objectives.
International outlines will be submitted for the selected projects to accompany the BMBF's national activities in support of the bioeconomy and help achieve the funding objectives of the National Bioeconomy Strategy. The collaborative projects should relate to at least one of the building blocks for research funding mentioned in the strategy:
1) Biological knowledge as the key to the bioeconomy (microorganisms, algae, fungi, bacteria, plants, insects, etc.);
2) Converging technologies and cross-disciplinary cooperation (digitalization, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, automation, miniaturization, etc.);
3) Limits and potential of the bioeconomy;
4) Transfer into application (value creation networks, etc.);
5) Bioeconomy and society (interactions, conflicting interests, etc.);
6) Global research cooperation.
The call focusses on the topics of the "Biological knowledge as the key to the bioeconomy" building block. These topics include among others:
a) Activities for the understanding and modelling of biological systems;
b) Project outlines for researching and establishing novel production organisms for primary and industrial production;
c) Research approaches for the development or further development of innovative biotechnological processes for bio-based production systems; and
d) Research activities geared towards the sustainable production of biogenic resources.
Deadline for proposal submission
The deadline for proposal submission is December 14th 2022, 1 p.m. CET.
