Application Deadline: 16 Nov 2026, at 11:00 AM CET
The Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovation (SPRIND) has launched a new initiative: the ‘Engineering Microbial Consortia’ Challenge. Funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN) as part of Germany’s National Circular Economy Strategy, the programme supports interdisciplinary teams developing biomanufacturing processes for sustainable chemicals and materials using microbial consortia. The goal is robust, consistent production under changing conditions, with AI/ML models making quantitative predictions to guide engineering decisions and process control.
Funding: Up to €4.3 million per team across three competitive stages over up to 38 months, plus fully funded shared services, including data development and independent robustness assessments.
Eligibility: Universities, research institutions, startups, and established companies based in Europe (EU, EFTA, UK; international collaborations with European leadership are welcome).
Informational Webinars: 12 Oct 2026 16-17:30 CEST, and 3 Nov 2026 16-17:30 CET. To register see here.
For more information see the One-Page Summary. For full details regarding the call for submissions and participation guidelines, please visit: www.sprind.org/engineering-microbial-consortia
