NWO Collaborative business models for a circular economy

NWO Collaborative business models for a circular economy is sponsored by Dutch Research Council (NWO). This NWO-KIC call focuses on innovation programs aligned with the Knowledge and Innovation Agenda for the Circular Economy.

KIC Collaborative business models for a circular economy | NWO 20-05-2026: budget form has been replaced With this Call for Proposals, we invite interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary consortia to investigate how collaborative business models can reconfigure value creation, risk sharing and financing in such a way that systemic barriers in the transition from linear to circular production systems are overcome.

Three aspects are central to this: The creation of resilient business models and organisational forms for collaboration within circular production chains, networks and ecosystems. The balance of risks and (non-)financial values that this collaboration delivers. Financing models for collaborative business cases.

All three aspects are closely intertwined. Research proposals should address them in a comprehensive way, but may choose to focus on one or two aspects. Business and financing models can be tested in different scenarios: in a linear economic system, during the transition phase, and in a fully circular system.

Applications are submitted by a main applicant and one or more co-applicants. An application is prepared by a consortium, which includes other participants in addition to the applicants. Four categories of participants in a consortium are distinguished: All participants in the consortium must play an active role in formulating the research questions and in the design and implementation of the project.

For this Call for proposals, NWO organises a matchmaking event on 27 January 2026 at Cultuur- en Congrescentrum Antropia (next to Driebergen-Zeist station). The submission of a declaration of intent is mandatory for this Call for proposals in order to be eligible to submit a full proposal. By means of this declaration of intent you indicate that you intend to submit an application for this Call for proposals.

The deadline for submitting declarations of intent is 24 March 2026, before 14:00:00 CET . The deadline for submitting full proposals is 26 May 2026, before 14:00:00 CEST .

Proposals will be assessed by the following four criteria: Problem definition and analysis (20%) Envisaged impact and route to impact (20%) Quality of the consortium (30%) Quality of the research (30%) The application procedure consists of the following steps: submission of a declaration of intent; submission of the proposal; admissibility of the proposal; pre-advice assessment committee; assessment committee meeting; Responsible research data management is an essential component of good research practice.

Prepare a data management plan after the grant is awarded and before the project starts. Applications must be submitted through the Isaac application and reporting system. If you do not have an Isaac account yet, then please create one at least one workday in advance.

More information about writing a proposal and which forms you need to use can be found in Isaac. Please download and use the forms in Isaac. Below you will find examples of the required forms.

The following conditions for submission will be assessed by NWO: the main applicant and co-applicant(s) meet the conditions stated in Section 3. 1; the main applicant has submitted a declaration of intent on the NWO website of the funding instrument before the set deadline; the applying consortium contains two or more co-funders; the application complies with the DORA guidelines as described in Section 4.

1; the application is submitted via the main applicant’s ISAAC account; the application is received before the deadline; the application is written in English; the proposed project has a duration of at most 6 years; all of the required annexes and forms are, after a possible request to make additions or changes, have been completed and submitted completely and according to the instructions and in accordance with the terms of this Call for proposals; the budget in the application has been prepared according to the terms of this Call for proposals (using the format made available which includes the most recent rates); • the required co-financing has been correctly and fully committed through co-financing statements (see sections 3.

1. 2 and 3. 5.

6). These documents are compulsory attachments to the application form: Declarations co-funding from co-funders (see paragraph 3. 1.

2 and 3. 5. 6 of the Call for proposals).

A declaration needs to be filled in and signed by every co-funder (both in-cash and in-kind); Form ‘Statements and signature’. The following attachment is compulsory if applicable: Letter guaranteeing the continuity of project supervision (see paragraph 3.

1 of the Call for proposals); Downloads for your application KIC Collaborative business models for a circular economy | call for proposals KIC Collaborative business models for a circular economy | application form KIC Collaborative business models for a circular economy | declaration co-funding KIC Collaborative business models for a circular economy | declaration research organisations KIC Collaborative business models for a circular economy | statement appointment and project supervision KIC Collaborative business models for a circular economy | budget form KIC Collaborative business models for a circular economy | form statements and signature Online manual grant application system ISAAC ISAAC offers applicants for research funding the possibility to track their application in the assessment process.

The funding process explained NWO has a fixed procedure for handling all applications. Learn more about how the application procedure is set up – from the moment you apply until a decision is reached. Do you already have an account in Isaac?

Have you submitted the declaration of intent? Have you completed the application form? Has the statement been signed by the main applicant?

You can read all the details about the application for funding in the call for proposals. If you have any questions, please contact the contact person. Public administration & political science Computers and the humanities Music, theatre, performing arts and media