As part of its research funding programme Sustainable Renewable Resources (FPNR), the new call ‘Development and Application of Bio-Based Additives’ (Entwicklung und Anwendung biobasierter Additive) of Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft (BMEL – German Federal Ministry for Food and Agriculture) supports individual as well as joint projects which focus on the development of bio-based additives which offer one or (preferably) more of the functional properties and advantages in the following application areas:

• Functional bio-based additives for materials and chemicals to improve mechanical, thermal, optical and electrical properties (improvement of mechanical, thermal, optical and electrical properties, increase in durability, efficiency in application, creation of new functional properties or functional integration, substitution of petrochemical base chemicals with bio-based alternatives etc).
• Functional bio-based additives (materials and polymer applications, lubricants, coatings and surface treatments etc).

In addition, projects which address novel functional properties or applications are also supported. In particular, projects that open up new perspectives through unconventional approaches or demonstrate potential for disruptive innovations are expressly desired. The addressed solutions should aim for at least TRL 3 technology readiness level.

Eligible to apply are individuals and legal entities based in Germany. The target group are specifically researchers from university and non-university institutions as well as industrial researchers.

Funding levels are determined by the type of applicant and the type of research carried out and may vary between 100% and 25%.