Innovation Grant for Automotive Industry and Transportation

The RESIST II grant programme is a European initiative funded under the Single Market Programme – Euroclusters call, aimed at strengthening the resilience, sustainability and innovation capacity of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in the mobility, transport and automotive sectors.

The programme supports SMEs working on:

• digital transformation;
• energy efficiency;
• carbon footprint reduction;
• strengthening supply chain resilience;
• reducing dependence on critical raw materials.

Under the Product Innovation Open Call, the programme will support projects focused on developing new or significantly improved products and services. The initiative is designed to help companies adapt to ongoing environmental, digital and market transitions across the European Union.

Supported projects are expected to deliver measurable industrial and environmental results within a relatively short implementation period of up to nine months.

Within the RESIST II grant programme, applications may be submitted by Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) operating in the mobility, transport and automotive sectors.

Applications may be submitted by:

• individual SMEs;
• consortia of multiple SMEs cooperating on joint innovation projects.

Collaborative projects may involve up to three SMEs. Universities, research centres and technology providers may also participate as subcontractors, although direct funding is reserved exclusively for SMEs.

To be eligible, applicants must:

• comply with the SME definition established under Recommendation 2003/361/EC;
• qualify as autonomous, partner or linked enterprises under EU rules;
• employ fewer than 250 persons;
• have an annual turnover not exceeding €50 million or a balance sheet total not exceeding €43 million;
• be established in an EU Member State or an SMP-associated country.

Applicants must also operate within the Mobility, Transport and Automotive (MTA) ecosystem, including sectors such as:

• automotive;
• rail;
• waterborne transport;
• cycling mobility;
• logistics and transport support services.

Start-ups and micro-enterprises may also be eligible if they comply with the SME definition and operate in the sectors targeted by the call.

Applicants must not:

• be bankrupt or under liquidation;
• qualify as an “enterprise in difficulty” under Regulation (EU) No 651/2014;
• have convictions related to fraud or financial irregularities;
• be subject to EU funding exclusion or double-funding restrictions.

Applicants are fully responsible for ensuring compliance with all eligibility requirements before submitting a proposal.

The RESIST II grant programme provides a total budget of EUR 800,000, which will be distributed across two Open Call cut-off rounds.

The programme is expected to support:

• around 15–20 projects;
• approximately 25–30 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Funding is provided as lump-sum financing and will be paid in several instalments:

• 20% at the start of the project as pre-financing;
• 40% after approval of the mid-term report;
• 30% after approval of the final report;
• the remaining 10% after participation in the showcase event.

The level of support depends on the project type:

• EUR 20,000 for individual projects;
• EUR 30,000 for consortium projects.

A 10% co-private financing contribution is expected from beneficiary SMEs. Companies may also participate in several RESIST II open calls, provided that the total financial support received does not exceed EUR 60,000.

Within the first cut-off of the RESIST II Product Innovation Open Call, applications will remain open from 13 May until 13 July 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time.

The programme roadmap includes several consecutive stages:

• Step 1 — Application phase
  The open call launch and official application process will run from May to July 2026.
• Step 2 — Evaluation
  From July to September 2026, applications will be evaluated by independent experts and project partners.
• Step 3 — Selection and contract signature
  In September 2026, applicants will receive the selection results and project contracts will be signed.
• Step 4 — Project implementation
  Supported projects will begin implementation in October 2026 and may run for up to 9 months.

Applications for the RESIST II grant programme must be submitted exclusively online through the official submission platform. Applications submitted by other means or after the deadline will not be considered.

The application process includes several key steps:

1. Reviewing eligibility conditions
   SMEs should verify that their innovation project aligns with the objectives and scope of the programme.
2. Preparing project information
   Applicants are required to provide:
   • a general project description;
   • partner information;
   • project objectives and relevance;
   • planned activities;
   • expected results and impact;
   • key performance indicators (KPIs);
   • implementation timeline;
   • project budget summary.
3. Completing the RESIST II Resilience Check
   Applicants must complete a self-assessment tool focused on sustainability, resilience and resource efficiency aspects.
4. Declaration of honour
   Companies must confirm the accuracy of the submitted information and compliance with RESIST II rules and conditions.
5. Submitting the proposal through the platform
   Once all documentation is prepared, applicants must submit the proposal via the official submission platform before the deadline.

Important conditions:

• all application documents must be prepared in English;
• proposals are accepted only through the designated platform;
• late submissions will not be evaluated.

Within the RESIST II grant programme, all applications will undergo a structured evaluation process designed to ensure transparency, fairness and equal treatment of applicants.

The evaluation procedure includes several stages:

• admissibility and eligibility checks;
• technical evaluation by independent experts;
• final validation by the RESIST II consortium.

Only applications meeting the formal eligibility requirements will proceed to the technical assessment stage. Each proposal will be evaluated by at least three independent experts. Before participating, evaluators must sign a declaration confirming the absence of conflicts of interest.

Applications will be assessed according to four main criteria:

• level of innovation of the project;
• environmental and material impact;
• feasibility and quality of the work plan;
• applicant capacity and market relevance.

Particular attention will be given to:

• the maturity and technical feasibility of the solution;
• the potential to reduce CO₂ emissions and improve resource efficiency;
• the practical deployment potential of the innovation;
• collaborative and geographically diverse proposals.

The scoring system uses a scale from 0 to 5 points for each criterion, including half-points where appropriate. To be considered for funding, proposals must achieve at least 60% of the total score.

Final rankings will be established based on the total weighted score. In the event of tied scores, priority will be given according to:

1. feasibility and work plan;
2. environmental and material impact;
3. level of innovation;
4. geographical diversity.

All applicants will be officially informed about the evaluation results. Applicants may submit a formal complaint within 7 calendar days after receiving the notification of results if they believe the procedure was not properly conducted.

To participate in the RESIST II grant programme, applicants must submit a complete application package through the official online submission platform.

The mandatory checklist includes:

• Project Proposal
  The main application document describing:
  • the proposed innovation project;
  • project objectives and expected results;
  • implementation plan;
  • relevance to the call objectives;
  • budget summary.
• Resilience Check (Self-Assessment)
  A diagnostic self-assessment tool focused on:
  • sustainability;
  • resource efficiency;
  • supply chain resilience;
  • the development potential of the innovation project.
• Declaration of Honour
  A formal declaration signed by the applicant confirming:
  • the accuracy of the submitted information;
  • compliance with eligibility requirements;
  • adherence to programme funding rules.

Applicants must also indicate:

• whether they receive or applied for funding from other cascade funding schemes;
• whether they participate in other funding mechanisms;
• which activities are concerned, in order to ensure compliance with the principle of absence of double funding.

Important notes:

• all documents must be submitted in English;
• incomplete or late applications may not be considered;
• the RESIST II consortium may request additional information or clarifications during the evaluation process.

The call is divided into two cut-off periods, allowing companies that are not ready to apply in 2026 to participate in a second application round planned for 2027.

Within the RESIST II grant programme, beneficiaries must comply with several legal and administrative requirements related to project implementation, reporting and data protection.

Key obligations for beneficiaries include:

• signing a Funding Agreement covering provisions on conflict of interest, confidentiality, security and proper project implementation;
• submitting mid-term and final reports, including technical and financial justification of project costs;
• participating in dissemination and visibility activities while acknowledging EU support in communication materials;
• ensuring compliance with the no double funding principle regarding other EU funding programmes;
• retaining project documentation for at least 5 years after the final payment for possible audits.

All information provided by applicants will be treated as confidential and used solely for the purposes of evaluation, call management, monitoring and reporting.

Personal data will be processed in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR) and applicable data protection legislation.

Applicants have the right to:

• access their personal data;
• request correction or deletion of data;
• restrict or object to data processing in accordance with applicable legislation.

By submitting an application, applicants acknowledge and agree to the processing of their personal data within the framework of the RESIST II programme.