Top 10 Equity-Free Grants in Europe in 2025: A Comprehensive Guide
Equity-free grants are a lifeline for startups and SMEs, providing funding without diluting ownership.
In 2025, Europe offers a wide range of equity-free grants to support innovation, sustainability, and growth.
Below is a curated list of the top 10 equity-free grants in Europe for 2025, complete with details on funding amounts, conditions, topics, requirements, and links to their official websites.
1. EIC Accelerator
2. EIC Pathfinder
3. EIC Transition
4. EIT Urban Mobility Financial Support for Startups
5. Horizon Europe – Digital Europe Programme
Equity-free grants are a lifeline for startups and SMEs, providing funding without diluting ownership.
In 2025, Europe offers a wide range of equity-free grants to support innovation, sustainability, and growth.
Below is a curated list of the top 10 equity-free grants in Europe for 2025, complete with details on funding amounts, conditions, topics, requirements, and links to their official websites.
1. EIC Accelerator
- Funding Amount: Up to €2.5 million in grants and €10 million in equity investments.
- Conditions: Open to startups and SMEs with innovative products or services that can create new markets or disrupt existing ones.
- Topics: Strategic technologies like generative AI, space tech, and future mobility.
- Requirements: Applicants must submit a short proposal, followed by a full proposal and a face-to-face interview with the EIC Jury.
- Website: EIC Accelerator
2. EIC Pathfinder
- Funding Amount: Up to €4 million.
- Conditions: Funds visionary, multi-disciplinary research projects with the potential for breakthrough technologies.
- Topics: Emerging technologies like autonomous construction robots and climate-resilient crops.
- Requirements: Applicants must demonstrate the potential for high-impact research and innovation.
- Website: EIC Pathfinder
3. EIC Transition
- Funding Amount: Up to €2.5 million.
- Conditions: Supports turning research results into innovation opportunities, following up on EIC Pathfinder or Horizon Europe results.
- Topics: Projects that transition research into market-ready innovations.
- Requirements: Applicants must have a strong research foundation and a clear path to commercialization.
- Website: EIC Transition
4. EIT Urban Mobility Financial Support for Startups
- Funding Amount: Up to €2 million per company.
- Conditions: Focuses on innovative urban mobility solutions.
- Topics: Sustainable cities, clean energy, and climate action.
- Requirements: Open to startups from RIS countries and others.
- Website: EIT Urban Mobility
5. Horizon Europe – Digital Europe Programme
- Funding Amount: Varies by project.
- Conditions: Accelerates the digital transformation of Europe, supporting projects in AI, cybersecurity, and advanced digital skills.
- Topics: Digital innovation and transformation.
- Requirements: Open to SMEs and startups.
- Website: Digital Europe Programme
Dreaming of startup success but too scared to get started?
Join the Fe/male Switch women-first startup game and turn that dream into your reality. With tailored guidance, support networks, and a plethora of resources, we'll nurture your ascent to the startup stratosphere! Don't just stand out—soar high! And we have PlayPals!
Join now.
6. Horizon Europe – Innovation Fund
7. EmpoWomen
8. CBE JU (Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking)
9. Norec Grant «Exchange Cooperation»
10. Forte Project Grants
Conclusion
These 10 equity-free grants provide invaluable support to startups and SMEs across Europe, enabling them to innovate, scale, and make a meaningful impact.
For more details, visit their websites and explore the wealth of opportunities they offer.
- Funding Amount: Varies by project.
- Conditions: Supports the deployment of innovative net-zero technologies.
- Topics: Climate-neutral solutions and sustainable technologies.
- Requirements: Open to startups and SMEs working on climate-neutral solutions.
- Website: Innovation Fund
7. EmpoWomen
- Funding Amount: €45,000 per startup.
- Conditions: A 2-year program funded by the European Union, aiming to tackle the underrepresentation of women in the deep-tech sector.
- Topics: Deep-tech innovations.
- Requirements: Open to women-led startups in emerging European countries.
- Website: EmpoWomen
8. CBE JU (Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking)
- Funding Amount: €165 million across 13 topics.
- Conditions: Advances competitive circular bio-based industries in Europe.
- Topics: Urban-industrial symbiosis, bio-based drop-ins, and circular-by-design fibre-based packaging.
- Requirements: Open to projects that align with CBE JU’s strategic priorities.
- Website: CBE JU
9. Norec Grant «Exchange Cooperation»
- Funding Amount: NOK 40 million.
- Conditions: Supports global partnerships for sustainable development by funding collaborative work exchanges.
- Topics: Climate, climate adaptation, and food security.
- Requirements: Open to civil society organisations, public institutions, and private sector companies.
- Website: Norec Grant
10. Forte Project Grants
- Funding Amount: Up to SEK 5 million for three-year projects.
- Conditions: Contributes to increasing knowledge in health, working life, and welfare.
- Topics: High scientific quality research with good potential to benefit society.
- Requirements: Applicants must have obtained a doctoral degree.
- Website: Forte Project Grants
Conclusion
These 10 equity-free grants provide invaluable support to startups and SMEs across Europe, enabling them to innovate, scale, and make a meaningful impact.
For more details, visit their websites and explore the wealth of opportunities they offer.
