Cirkularitet FFI - fall 2026

Strategic vehicle research and innovation (FFI) is a collaboration between the state and the automotive industry to jointly finance research, innovation and development activities with a focus on making Sweden a leader in the global transition to sustainable road transport.

This the call for proposals is funded by project within the Circularity sub-programme. The aim is to support research and development that helps to minimise the climate and environmental impact of the production, operation and decommissioning of vehicles. The call for proposals covers the entire life cycle of the vehicle: from idea, design and manufacturing to recycling and decommissioning.

The call for proposals is covered by the following:

• Preparatory studies with a project duration of 6 to 9 months and with a maximum of 500,000 SEK in support from Vinnova.
• Full-scale project with project duration up to 4 years.
• Co-financing from publicly or privately owned companies must amount to at least 25 percent of the project's total budget, of which at least 10 percentage points must come from private industry.

With the call for proposals we want to increase expertise and find concrete solutions for challenges linked to circularity, to achieve increased competitiveness and resilience, as well as reduced climate and environmental impact. The challenges include climate and energy, changing product and system requirements, and regulations and standards. Funded project should address one of the following focus areas:

The Product - Design for circularity and reduced environmental impact

Future product development should enable circular flows to achieve maximum use of resources throughout the value chain. This can be achieved through, among other things, new business models, methods and processes for, for example, modularization, traceability, remanufacturing and upgrading.

Human - Competence, cognitive and physical support, work environment and safety

The role of people needs to be strengthened, by focusing on competence, cognitive support, physical support, work environment and safety. These tools are important for resource-efficient and circular products, processes and business models. Work throughout the value chain should be attractive and sustainable.

Production system - Climate-neutral manufacturing, maintenance and decommissioning

The production system needs to become more circular, with production and logistics systems that promote circularity. Circularity in the automotive industry requires a development towards robust and sustainable value chains and ecosystems.

Read more about circularity here

Performance target

Project granted funding is expected to achieve all performance objectives during the project period:

Full-scale project:

• Technologies and processes have been developed, tested or demonstrated with documented results that significantly contribute to the focus of the call.
• Innovative solutions have been developed and documented, with potential contributing to a sustainable transition that is in line with the focus of the call.
• The constellation of actors has been strengthened and increased the conditions for realizing the proposed solution.
• A clear, documented and anchored plan for how the project results will be taken forward and utilized nationally and internationally.

Preliminary studies

• Well-founded project ideas that are in line with the focus of the call, with the possibility of being implemented in a possible upcoming full-scale research and innovation project.
• Increased knowledge and understanding of the context of the proposed solution.
• Strengthened collaboration between actors in the consortium's composition and discussions with potential future collaboration partners.
• Development of the scientific or technical base through, for example, "proof of concept" studies.

FFI's direction

The program has a roadmap that sets the direction towards 2030. FFI's mission is to drive road transport research and innovations for a sustainable society. The long-term vision is for Sweden to lead the global transition to sustainable road transport.

For a more detailed description of the content of the program, see FFI's roadmap

This the call for proposals is aimed at groups that want to develop solutions to minimize the climate and environmental impact from the production, operation and decommissioning of vehicles.

The owner of the end result (product/process/system owner) needs to be actively involved and have a central role in the project to ensure that the solution, if the project is successful, is taken forward to a full-scale project (applies to pre-studies) or implementation (applies to full-scale project).

Foreign actors may be relevant and possibly necessary to include as participants in the project. In order for such actors to be granted funding from Vinnova, their costs in the project need to arise in the actor's branch or establishment in Sweden.

This call for proposals finances research and development that contributes to one or more of the focus areas. Development and innovation projects should aim to develop and validate technology, methods, processes and business models. But also the conditions and strategy for dissemination, scaling up and utilization of the project's results.

The types of project activities approved within the framework of this call for proposals shall be covered by one of the support bases feasibility study, industrial research and experimental development.

Activities covered by the feasibility study basis:

Evaluation and analysis of the potential for a project, for example:

• identify the project's strengths and weaknesses
• identify opportunities and risks
• identify the resources required to complete the project
• assess the prospects for the project to be a success

Activities covered by the industrial support basis research:

• Acquire new knowledge and skills through planned research or critical analysis, for example:
• develop new products, processes or services
• significantly improve existing products, processes or services.
• building prototypes in a laboratory environment or in an environment with simulated interfaces to existing systems and to pilot operations

Activities covered by the experimental development support basis:

Combine, shape and use existing knowledge to develop new or improved products, processes or services, for example:

• concept development
• planning and documentation of new or improved products, processes or services
• prototype design
• demonstration
• pilot work
• testing and validation of new or improved products, processes or services in environments that represent realistic operating conditions

See more information about the grounds for support in section 5 below.

What costs can we finance?

Our funding is subject to rules about state aid. The rules govern what kinds of costs we can finance. These are called eligible costs.

In this the call for proposals, these types of costs are eligible:

• Salary costs: Gross salary paid, employer contributions and other salary costs.
• Equipment, land and buildings: Costs for instruments, equipment and rent for premises other than regular business premises.
• Consulting and licensing costs: Costs for consulting services, knowledge and patents purchased or licensed from an external party. These costs may not exceed 20 percent of an organization's budget.
  In case of special needs, for example if the project requires specialist expertise, we can accept a higher percentage. You must then justify this in your proposal, and the justification will be taken into account in our assessment.
• Other direct costs: Costs for, for example, materials, supplies and travel that are necessary to carry out the project.
• Indirect costs (overhead): Costs that are linked to the project but do not arise directly, such as premises and cleaning. Indirect costs may not exceed 30 percent of salary costs. Universities, university colleges, research organizations and government agencies may have higher permitted levels, depending on activities.

For more detailed information about which costs we can finance, see Instructions for eligible costs

Which eligibility requirements apply to costs we finance?

In order for your costs to be eligible for support, the following applies, among other things:

• They must be factual, reasonable and necessary for the activities in the project.
• They must be booked correctly and under a separate project code in the accounting. You may not cover project costs with other public funding or own funds intended for other project.
• You may not claim someone else's expenses as your own.

For more detailed information on which eligibility requirements, limitations and exceptions apply, see our general terms and conditions.

The rules about state aid govern how large a proportion of the costs we can finance. This is determined individually for each organisation. We therefore differentiate between how large a funding project can get, and how much a participant organisation can get.

Of the total budget of the entire FFI program, Vinnova grants a maximum of 50 percent funding. This is also a guideline for the sub-programs, which is addressed in the assessment criterion Actors.

How big funding can the project get?

For each individual project, co-financing from publicly or privately owned companies shall amount to at least 25 percent of the project's total budget, of which at least 10 percentage points shall come from private industry. The maximum funding for feasibility studies is SEK 500,000.

How much funding can a participant organisation get?

How much funding a participant organisation can receive depends mainly on:

• the organisation's size and activities
• which activities the organisation will carry out in the project.

Descriptions in the following sections about what support we can provide are simplified. For full details, see Support bases and levels for funding

Support to companies for research and development

In this the call for proposals we provide support to industrial research, experimental development and feasibility study.

Industrial research can be simply described as seeking new knowledge through planned research or critical analysis. This is to develop or significantly improve products, processes or services.

Experimental development can be simply described as combining, shaping and using existing knowledge to develop new or improved products, processes or services.

Feasibility study can be simply described as a evaluation that analyzes the following:

• Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and risks in an upcoming research and development project.
• What resources are required to carry out the project.
• How likely it is that the project will succeed.

How much of the costs can we finance?

The organisation's The size and type of activity determines how much of the costs we can finance. This is called the maximum support level.

Maximum aid intensity for industrial research:

• Small business 70%
• Medium-sized company 60%
• Large company 50%

Maximum aid intensity for experimental development:

• Small business 45%
• Medium-sized company 35%
• Large company 25%

Maximum aid intensity for feasibility study:

• Small business 70%
• Medium-sized company 60%
• Large company 50%

Situations where we finance a higher proportion

If the project is covered by any of these bonus bases, we can finance a higher proportion of the costs.

• Actual collaboration: Some level of collaboration between small and larger companies, between companies in two different European countries or between research organisations and companies.
• Dissemination of results: Extensive dissemination through, for example, conferences or open databases.
• Other bonus basis.

Maximum aid intensity for industrial research with bonus basis:

• Small business 80%
• Medium-sized company 75%
• Large company 65%

Maximum aid intensity for experimental development with bonus basis:

• Small business 60%
• Medium-sized company 50%
• Large company 40%

Basis for support feasibility study is not covered by the bonus basis. For help in determining whether a company is small or medium-sized, see How the EU defines small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

To verify the company's status as an SME, a model declaration must be submitted according to the template found here, Model declaration SME

Support to universities, university colleges and other public organisations

We also give support to organisations that do not engage in economic activities. This means that the organisation do not offer a service or product on a market. This usually includes universities and university colleges, research institutes and other public organisations.

This support is not covered by state aid rules. We can therefore finance up to 100 percent of such an organization's costs. The support is often called "not state aid."

How is it determined whether a organisation is engaged in economic activities?

A organisation that offers any form of service or product in a market is considered to be engaged in economic activities and cannot be granted this form of support.

It does not matter how the the organisation is financed: whether it is public or private, or whether it has a profit motive. It also does not matter what legal form the business has. For example, whether it is a limited liability company, a trading company, an economic association, a non-profit association or a foundation.

Whether a organisation engages in economic activities is determined by their regular activities, not by the activities in the project.

Some organisations conduct both economic and non-economic activitiesactivities, for example research institutes. In that case, it is important that you know in which of these activities you are applying.

If you are unsure whether a organisation in your project is conducting economic activities, contact call manager. The organisation is, however, responsible for assessing whether it is conducting economic activities.

In order for us to assess your proposal it must meet certain formal eligibility requirementsrequirements. If the requirements are not met, we will reject your proposal immediately.

Eligibility requirements on participants

• All participants organisations must be legal entities. Individuals or sole proprietorships cannot participate. Foreign legal entities can also participate. However, foreign actors that receive funding from us must have a branch or establishment in Sweden, and the costs must be incurred by the branch or establishment.
• The coordinating party must be a Swedish legal entity and conduct activities in Sweden.
• At least two participants must participate in the project. This includes the coordinating party. Different parts of a organisation are the same legal entity and are counted as one participant, for example two departments at a university.

Eligibility requirements on the project

• The project must start no later than November 16, 2026.
• Co-financing from publicly or privately owned companies must amount to at least 25 percent of the project's total budget, of which at least 10 percentage points must come from private industry.

Eligibility requirements on proposal

• Proposal should be written in Swedish or English.
• Proposal should follow the instructions under the heading "How to apply".
• Proposal should contain all requested attachments.

Applications that meet our eligibility requirements criteria will be forwarded to assessment. In the assessment, we look at how big potential your idea is, how realistic it is, who will implement the project, and how the idea contributes to increased gender equality.

What do we assess?

When assessing applications, we look at four main criteria:

• Potential: We analyze what effects and what value we can expect from the project.

• Actors: We assess the participants' competence and ability to implement the project and achieve the desired results and effects.
• Feasibility: We assess how realistic and credible the project plan is, both for implementing the project and for achieving the desired results.
• Gender equality: We assess how well your project integrates gender equality based on the composition of the project team, the project implementation, the project's results and solutions. For more information: Gender equality as a tool for innovative social development

Criteria for full-scale project

Potential (weighted 40 percent)

• The project proposal's potential aims to contribute to sustainable road transport and business benefit/Swedish competitiveness.
• The project proposal's potential to contribute to the call's focus and results goals.
• The project proposal's potential aims to develop innovative solutions, rather than incremental improvements.
• The project proposal's potential in relation to existing knowledge and solutions, nationally and internationally.

Implementation (weighted 30 percent)

• To what extent does the project proposal have a well-thought-out strategy for realizing the potential and disseminating and utilizing results.
• The project proposal is based on thorough external monitoring and state-of-the-art description.
• Appropriateness of the project plan: Reasonable project time and budget for what the project is intended to achieve. Adequate project plan with activities, work packages, milestones, division of responsibilities, specific project goals and plans for how goal achievement will be measured.
• How well any consulting and licensing costs are relevant to the project's aim, reasonable in relation to its scope and justified based on expected benefits.

Actors (weighted 20 percent)

• Active participation and budget from need owner, users/customers, product/process/system owners and actor(s) with the intention of taking forward expected results.
• Composition, competence and ability as well as commitment and co-financing of the actor constellation in relation to project objectives and implementation.
• The project manager's ability and commitment to lead the project.

Gender equality (weighted 10 percent)

• How well equality aspects such as sex or gender perspectives that may be important to take into account have been integrated into the project plan and its implementation.
• The composition of the team with regard to gender distribution, as well as the distribution of power and influence between men and women.

Criteria for feasibility studies

Potential (weighted 50 percent)

• The project proposal's potential to contribute to the call's focus and results goals.

Implementation (weighted 20 percent)

• The project proposal's positioning in relation to the state of knowledge nationally and internationally.
• The appropriateness of the project proposal in terms of a reasonable project time and budget for the work to be carried out.
• How well any consulting and licensing costs are relevant to the project's aim, reasonable in relation to its scope and justified based on expected benefits.

Actors (weighted 20 percent)

• Composition, competence and ability as well as commitment of the actor constellation in relation to project goals and implementation.

Gender equality (weighted 10 percent)

• How well equality aspects such as sex or gender perspectives that may be important to take into account have been integrated into the project plan and its implementation.
• The composition of the team with regard to gender distribution, as well as the distribution of power and influence between men and women.

How do we assess?

Once we receive the applications, we review them. We screen out any applications that are incomplete or do not meet our eligibility requirements.

The applications that are correct and complete are distributed among different evaluator and assessed in competition with each other. The evaluators are appointed by us based on their expertise in the field. Each proposal is assessed by at least three evaluator.

Once the evaluators has reviewed the applications, we have an assessment meeting where the evaluators recommends which applications should be granted.

How does it affect an organization's financial status?

Before we decide on funding we also make a comprehensive assessment of the organizational and financial status of those who receive funding.

We use information we receive from credit reports, currently from Dun & Bradstreet.

In our assessment we check this:

• Organisations who are granted funding for salary costs must be registered as an employer with the Swedish Tax Agency. If such registration does not exist when we make a decision, you must be able to show that a notification has been made. We do not approve retroactive registration.
• Organisations must not be insolvent, or undergoing liquidation or corporate restructuring. They must also not have any significant unpaid debts with the Swedish Enforcement Authority.
• The project manager should be employed by a participant, preferably the coordinating party.
• Limited liability companies must not have used up half or more of their share capital.

We can also ask small and medium-sized companies to demonstrate that they have the financial capacity to carry out the project.

Once we have assessed all applications, we will send you a decision either granting or rejecting your proposal. Since applications are assessed competitively, you may be rejected even though you meet all eligibility requirements and criteria.

In the decision, we state how large a proportion of the costs we cover for each organisation.

You cannot appeal our decision, but you are welcome to apply to us again at another time.

What happens if you are granted funding?

If we grant you proposal you must follow our general terms and conditions for funding. The terms include, among other things:

• That you will sign a special document in which you approve your participation and commit to carrying out the project.
• That you report how things are going, your costs and achievements to us during the project period.
• If you are multiple parties in a full-scale project project, you must have a written project agreement that regulates your mutual rights and obligations in the project. All parties must sign the agreement before you submit your first progress report. Since it can take time to develop and negotiate an agreement, we recommend that you start this as soon as possible.
• How the results will be used and that scientific publication will be open access so that the results are made freely available to everyone.

See our general terms and conditions

You also need to follow the special conditions that apply to this the call for proposals:

• Reporting and follow-up shall be carried out in accordance with decisions, templates and special instructions available on FFI's website, ffisweden.se (under the templates and guidance tab).
• The project shall be represented at the seminars or program conferences that Vinnova and FFI will organize and convene specifically during the project period. Costs for participation in such a seminar/program conference are eligible for support. Upon request, the project coordinator shall provide Vinnova and FFI with image and text material for project catalogs, annual reports, and the like.
• Project Agreement
• If the project concerns feasibility studies, the requirement for a project agreement in § 1.4 of the General Terms and Conditions is deleted.
• Indication that the project was financed by the FFI program
• The following replaces § 7.3 of the General Terms and Conditions: In information about the project and in each publication of project results, it must be stated that the work was carried out with support from the Fordonsstrategisk Forskning and Innovation program, FFI.
• Publication on the Knowledge Exchange
• The coordinator must provide information for the project summary, project manager and actor constellation for publication on https://kunskapsformedlingen.se Instructions and templates will be announced in close connection with the decision.

We may also decide to add additional special conditions for individual project. In that case, they will be stated in the decision.

Could you have to pay back funding?

If you have received more money than you are entitled to or if you do not follow our term, you may be liable for repayment.

Your proposal will be read by employees at Vinnova and those evaluator who participate in this the call for proposals. Everyone works under a duty of confidentiality.

The assessment and decision-making process

1. Call for proposals closes
2. Formalities review
3. Applications open for evaluator
4. Assessments submitted
5. Assessment meeting
6. Preparation and formalities review
7. Authority decision

Who participates in the process?

• Programme manager/programme manager responsible for the entire process
• Administrator at Vinnova
• Specially appointed independent evaluator
• Decision maker at Vinnova

Applications submitted to us become public documents. This means that we must disclose them if requested. However, we keep certain types of information confidential if disclosure could be expected to cause financial harm to the individual. This applies to information about business and operational conditions, inventions or research results.

General documents and confidentiality