The 2025-EM-1.1.1-EKFI call for proposals - officially titled „Support for Energy Research and Development Projects” - is more than just a funding opportunity. It’s a chance to do something no one else has done yet. The program seeks breakthrough technologies that offer real, working solutions to real-world problems in an energy sector undergoing radical transformation. And what’s on the table? A total budget of 13 billion HUF, ready to be claimed by the best ideas.
So what’s this all about?
The focus is on genuine innovation. Not tweaks. Not minor optimization. We’re talking about solutions that are new even to industry professionals, fresh for the market, and bold in execution. The call covers several thematic areas, just to name a few: if you’re working on a technology that reuses industrial waste heat in new ways, or you're improving the cost-efficiency of geothermal reinjection, or developing building energy systems that go beyond traditional BIM-based approaches, then this program could be exactly what you're looking for.
What matters isn’t which category you fall into, it’s that what you’re doing is truly novel, and doesn’t yet exist on the market.
Who is this call for?
It’s open to individual applicants, from micro and small businesses all the way to large enterprises. If you're thinking in terms of a consortium, it can include a maximum of three members. Note, however, that universities, research institutes, and other non-profit R&D entities cannot be formal members of the consortium, though they can be involved as suppliers or R&D service providers.
To apply, your business must have at least two closed financial years, a positive equity balance, and be working with a technology that is already at TRL 3 and can be advanced by at least one level during the project period.
How much funding are we talking about?
You can apply for a non-refundable grant of between 100 million HUF and 600 million HUF. Access to funding is phased: you can request a 40% advance payment at the start, followed by another 40% after completing the first milestone. The remaining 20% or more will be reimbursed after project completion, based on actual eligible expenses.
Bonus commitments = Bonus points
Committing to generate revenue from your innovation is optional, but highly rewarded. If you’re confident that your product or service will lead to real income, that commitment can earn you significant extra points and boost your chances of winning the grant.
Likewise, filing for a patent, especially at an international level, whether it’s the EPO, USPTO, JPO, or KIPO, adds real value in the eyes of the evaluators.
None of this is mandatory - but it is strongly recommended.
Deadlines and submission
Applications must be submitted no later than October 21, 2025, at 4:00 PM. But don’t wait until the last minute: if the available budget is exhausted, the call will be suspended early, and your proposal might never be seen.
The project implementation period must fall within 24 to 48 months.
Are you ready?
Ask yourself: „What is it that we already know, that no one else has thought of yet?”
If the answer is a new technology, a bold method, or even a stubbornly refined idea that you believe in then don’t hesitate. Don’t just talk about it. Apply.
For more information or advice, please fill out our contact form.