Maelezo

Overview

The Joint Innovation Facility (JIF) Circularity Call invites joint proposals from African and European businesses seeking to develop, expand and scale commercially viable circular economy solutions.

The call is a collaboration between Project SPARK and SWITCH to Circular Economy in East and Southern Africa (SWITCH-2-CE ESA), combining financial support, technical expertise and business partnerships to accelerate the transition towards a circular economy.

Implemented through the SWITCH-2-CE ESA Financing Facility, with the involvement of GIZ and Expertise France, the initiative is supported by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The call offers non-dilutive grants of €100,000–€200,000 for eligible Africa–EU consortia, focusing on circular business models in plastic packaging, plastic waste, electronics and electronic waste.

Call Objectives and Priorities

The JIF Circularity Call aims to strengthen long-term commercial partnerships between African and European companies while supporting innovative circular business activities.

Projects must focus on one of two priority value chains:

• Plastic packaging and plastic waste
• Electronics and electronic waste (e-waste)

The call supports solutions covering circular design and production, circular use, value recovery and technologies that enable circular business activities.

These may include products designed for durability, repair and reuse; refurbishment and remanufacturing models; recycling and material recovery; and digital tools that facilitate circular economy activities.

Particular interest is given to upstream and midstream approaches that prevent waste, reduce resource consumption and extend product lifetimes.

Proposed projects should demonstrate commercial viability, potential for growth and replication, and measurable improvements beyond existing business practices.

Who Can Apply?

Applications must be submitted by consortia of two or three partners, bringing together African and European organisations.

The consortium must include:

Lead partner: An African for-profit company that has been legally registered and operating for at least three years.

Second partner: An EU-based for-profit company, including an innovative SME, established startup or larger enterprise.

Optional third partner: An applied research organisation, nonprofit organisation, public sector entity or another eligible for-profit company from Africa or the EU.

African partners must be based in one of the following ten eligible countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda or Zambia.

European partners must be based in one of the 27 EU Member States.

Consortia must demonstrate a shared long-term commercial vision, complementary expertise and the capacity to implement and sustain their proposed activities beyond the grant period.

The call particularly encourages gender-responsive and women-led ventures.

Funding and Programme Benefits

The JIF provides €100,000–€200,000 in non-dilutive funding, disbursed through a milestone-based grant structure.

Funding can support the introduction or expansion of circular business activities within existing companies, as well as entry into new markets in Sub-Saharan Africa and the European Union.

Applicants must commit a minimum 50% co-financing contribution, including a minimum cash contribution of 25%.

Any consortium partner receiving funding must also demonstrate revenue generated over the preceding 12 months equivalent to at least 50% of the JIF funding requested by that partner.

In addition to grant funding, selected consortia will benefit from tailored technical assistance to strengthen business models, investment readiness and scaling potential.

The initiative will also facilitate networking and connections with investors, innovation hubs, accelerators, research organisations and potential commercial partners across Africa and Europe.

Expected Outcomes

The call aims to support the development and expansion of commercially viable circular economy businesses while strengthening long-term cooperation between African and European companies.

Selected projects are expected to contribute to more efficient resource use, reduced material consumption and improved circularity in the plastics and electronics value chains.

The initiative also seeks to encourage market expansion, technology transfer and sustainable business partnerships, enabling successful circular solutions to be replicated across additional markets and sectors.

Key Dates

Call opening date: 2 November 2026
Pre-screening application deadline: 29 January 2027
Full grant proposal deadline: 28 February 2027
Funding available: €100,000–€200,000 per selected project
Application procedure: Two-stage process
Submission platform: Good Grants
Eligible African countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia

How to Apply

Interested Africa–EU consortia must apply through the Good Grants platform, following a two-stage application procedure.

Stage 1 – Pre-screening: Applicants submit a short project summary and respond to preliminary questions covering commercial viability, operational capacity, financial management, governance and compliance.

Pre-screening applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Consortia must submit this initial application by 29 January 2027 to allow sufficient time for assessment.

Stage 2 – Full grant proposal: Only consortia that successfully complete the pre-screening stage will be invited to submit a full proposal. The final submission deadline is 28 February 2027.

Applicants should prepare supporting documents demonstrating their legal registration, financial and operational capacity, consortium arrangements and commercial viability. A signed Memorandum of Understanding or Letter of Intent between the lead and second partner is required, alongside additional documentation specified in the eligibility criteria.