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Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

The POLREC AWARDS 2025 aim to recognize and celebrate excellence in advancing polymer recycling within Europe and globally. This opportunity targets Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) that have made significant contributions in innovation, training, or international expansion within the polymer recycling sector. - Explicit identification of target recipient type and size: SMEs. - MUST state if grant is SECTOR-SPECIFIC. - Geographic scope and any location requirements: European SMEs. - Key filtering criteria for initial grant screening: Must be a European SME, active in polymer recycling, and not in financial difficulty. - Grant frequency and program context: This is the 2025 edition of the POLREC Awards, part of the EU-funded POLREC project under the SMP COSME programme (Grant No. 101074434).

Financial Structure

The total budget allocated for the POLREC Awards 2025 is €20,000.
Three winners will be selected, one for each award category. Each winner will receive a prize of €6,000.
An additional prize of €2,000 will be awarded to the winner whose public pitch is voted most impactful by the audience at the final event.
The currency for all awards is EUR.
The prizes are provided as lump sums; there are no specific eligible or ineligible cost categories, as this is an award/prize, not a cost-reimbursement grant.
Travel and accommodation costs for attending the K Fair event in Düsseldorf are to be covered by the winners, with the award prize being designed to help offset these expenses.
There are no matching fund requirements or co-financing obligations.

Eligibility Requirements

Organization Type

Must be a legal entity.
Must be a Small or Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) in accordance with the European Union's official definition (EU recommendation 2003/361).
SME Definition: Enterprises with staff headcount less than 250 AND either turnover less than or equal to €50 million OR balance sheet total less than or equal to €43 million.
Micro: Less than 10 staff, and turnover or balance sheet total less than or equal to €2 million.
Small: Less than 50 staff, and turnover or balance sheet total less than or equal to €10 million.
Medium: Less than 250 staff, and turnover or balance sheet total less than or equal to €50 million (turnover) or €43 million (balance sheet total).
Note: If an SME is part of a larger group, the figures for the entire group may be taken into account for determining SME status.

Geographic Location

Must be a European SME.

Financial Standing

Must not be under liquidation or in financial difficulty.
Must not be excluded from EU funding by national or EU law.
Must not be non-compliant with tax or social security obligations in the country of establishment.
Must not be involved in insolvency proceedings or similar legal situations.

Submission Limits

Can submit only one application for a single POLREC Awards category. If an SME submits applications in multiple categories, the POLREC consortium will require the applicant to select one category for consideration.

Previous Funding

Can have benefited from other POLREC financial support, provided the total funding received from POLREC does not exceed €60,000 per SME. Applicants who have already received up to €52,000 from previous POLREC Open Calls are still eligible to apply, as long as the combined total will not exceed the €60,000 maximum.

Participation Requirement

Award winners must attend the K Fair 2025 in Düsseldorf, Germany, in person on October 10, 2025, to receive their award during the POLREC Final Event. Travel and accommodation costs must be covered by the winners, although the award prize is designed to help cover these expenses.

Application Process

Application Period

Call opens: July 21, 2025 at 09:00 CET.
Call closes: September 25, 2025 at 17:00 CET.

Submission Method

Applications must be sent via email to [email protected].
The contact person for submissions is INZIRILLO Anaïs from Polymeris.

Required Materials

Applicants must use the specific templates provided for each Award category.
Templates are available in sections 3.1, 3.2, or 3.3 of the Guide For Applicants and in the Task Description.
All applications must be submitted in PDF format.

Evaluation Process

Each application will undergo evaluation by two members of the POLREC consortium.
The evaluation will be conducted based on the selection criteria detailed in the Guide For Applicants.

Award Ceremony & Public Pitch

The three selected winners will be invited to present their solutions publicly on October 10, 2025, during the POLREC Final Event, which is part of the K Show in Dusseldorf.
Following these presentations, the audience will participate in a vote to determine the most impactful pitch, which will receive an additional €2,000 prize.

Important Resources

A comprehensive Guide For Applicants with all necessary details is available (link provided in original document).

Evaluation Criteria

General Evaluation

Each application will be evaluated by two members of the POLREC consortium.
The specific selection criteria are detailed in the Guide For Applicants (not provided in this document).

Award Categories and Focus (Implicit Criteria)

Innovation Award: Evaluates outstanding innovations that significantly contribute to advancing polymer recycling. This includes breakthrough technologies, processes, or products addressing key challenges in polymer waste recovery and reuse.
Training & Upskilling Award: Assesses outstanding and impactful training and upskilling activities in polymer recycling. Focuses on the development and impact of training content in polymer waste recovery and reuse.
Internationalisation Award: Recognizes successful strategies for expanding polymer recycling-related activities beyond the EU. Criteria include effective implementation of exports, partnerships, mutual learning, technology transfer, or market entry that supports global deployment and co-development of recycling solutions.

Additional Prize Evaluation (Public Vote)

The three category winners will be invited to present their solution publicly during the POLREC Final Event on October 10, 2025.
The audience (all registered participants of the POLREC final event) will vote for the most impactful pitch among the three success stories presented.
The pitch receiving the highest number of public votes will be awarded an additional €2,000 prize.

Compliance & Special Requirements

Legal and Financial Compliance

Applicants must adhere to the European Union's definitions and criteria for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).
Organizations must not be in financial difficulty, under liquidation, or subject to exclusion from EU funding due to legal reasons.
Applicants must be compliant with tax and social security obligations in their country of establishment.
Involvement in insolvency proceedings or similar legal situations is a disqualifying factor.

Mandatory Event Participation

It is a compulsory requirement for all award winners to attend the K Fair 2025 in Düsseldorf, Germany, in person on October 10, 2025, to accept their award during the POLREC Final Event.

Strategic Alignment

This grant opportunity is highly specific to the field of polymer recycling. Applicants' projects or initiatives must directly contribute to advancing polymer recycling efforts in Europe and globally, aligning with the categories of Innovation, Training & Upskilling, or Internationalisation.

Visibility and Networking

Winning this award offers significant strategic benefits beyond the financial prize, including enhanced visibility for the awarded SMEs within the European polymer recycling sector and internationally.
It provides valuable networking opportunities with European SMEs, stakeholders, and international partners at the POLREC Final Event, fostering potential EU-level or international-level collaborations.

Innovation and Sustainability Focus

The awards prioritize initiatives that demonstrate pioneering solutions, impactful training, or successful international expansion, all contributing to a more sustainable and circular economy through advanced polymer recycling.

Grant Details