M-ERA.NET – International Funding for Materials Research and Innovation

Updated on 15 July 2026

M-ERA.NET is an international funding network supporting transnational research and innovation projects in materials science and materials engineering. It brings together national and regional funding organisations from Europe and partner countries to launch regular joint calls for collaborative research and development (R&D) projects.

The programme is open to companies, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), universities and research organisations that wish to develop innovative materials and advanced materials technologies together with international partners.

M-ERA.NET promotes the development of sustainable materials, resource-efficient manufacturing processes and technological innovation. In doing so, it contributes to Europe's competitiveness while supporting the objectives of the European Green Deal and the transition towards a sustainable and resilient industry.

How does M-ERA.NET work?

M-ERA.NET is jointly operated by national and regional funding organisations that coordinate and fund the programme through regular joint calls.

International consortia collaborate on research and innovation projects, while each consortium partner receives funding from the responsible national or regional funding organisation in accordance with the applicable national funding rules.

The European Commission supports M-ERA.NET as part of the European research and innovation policy framework and the European Research Area (ERA).

Research areas

M-ERA.NET calls cover a broad range of materials research topics, including:

• Materials for energy technologies
• Batteries and energy storage
• Materials for electronics and photonics
• Materials for healthcare and medical technologies
• Sustainable materials and the circular economy
• Additive manufacturing and advanced manufacturing technologies
• Surface engineering and coating technologies
• Digitalisation in materials development
• Artificial intelligence for materials research 

The specific research topics are defined in each annual call.

Who can apply?

Depending on the applicable national funding regulations, eligible applicants typically include:

• Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
• Large companies
• Universities  
• Research organisations
• Non-university research institutes 

Projects are carried out by international consortia, usually involving partners from at least two or three participating countries.

Funding and financing

Funding is provided by the respective national or regional funding organisations participating in the call.

Funding rates, eligible costs and maximum funding amounts depend on the applicable national funding rules.

Projects typically have a duration of two to three years.

Why participate in M-ERA.NET?

M-ERA.NET offers numerous benefits for companies and research organisations.

✔ International research collaboration: Build long-term partnerships with leading research organisations and innovative companies across Europe.

✔ Access to cutting-edge research: Collaborate on the development of advanced materials and next-generation technologies.

✔ Support for sustainable innovation: Develop solutions that contribute to sustainability, resource efficiency and the circular economy.

✔ Strengthening competitiveness: Innovative materials and manufacturing technologies help organisations remain competitive in global markets.

✔ International networking: Collaborate with partners from numerous European and international countries.

How does the application process work?

M-ERA.NET publishes regular joint calls for proposals. You can find current calls for proposals, submission deadlines and further information on the European Commission’s M-ERA.NET page.

The application procedure is generally two-stage.

Stage 1

Submission of a pre-proposal by the international consortium.

Stage 2

Successful applicants are invited to submit a full proposal, followed by the required national funding applications to the respective funding organisations.

Application deadlines and eligibility conditions are published in each call.

BayFOR advisory services

The Bavarian Research Alliance (BayFOR) supports companies, universities and research organisations in Bavaria throughout the preparation of successful M-ERA.NET proposals.

Our advisory services include:

• assessing your project idea;
• identifying suitable funding opportunities;
• supporting international partner searches;
• advising on proposal preparation;
• accompanying applicants throughout the application process. 

Contact BayFOR's EU funding experts to prepare your M-ERA.NET project with us.