Announcement date of Request for Proposal (RFP): 30th of June 2025 Closing date of RFP: 14th of November 2025 

• For Vinnova, before 2 p.m. Central European Time 

• For DST, before 5 p.m. Indian Standard Time Announcement of results (estimated): April 2026 Project start (estimated): May 2026 Important Note: 

• To avoid delays, please submit your proposal well in advance of the deadline. No extensions or clarifications will be entertained after the deadline. • In India: Project start date will be considered as the date of execution of the agreement.

Eligible Indian Applicants 

• The Indian Project Coordinator (IPC) must be a commercial (for profit) company under the Indian Companies Act 1956/2013, which operates in and is headquartered in India. 

• At least 51% stake of the IPC Company must be owned by Indian citizen over the total duration of the project.

• The IPC should have the required expertise and team capacity to manage the proposed project. 

• Applicants already possess basic infrastructures/test beds and developed basic Proof of Concept (PoC). 

• Sole proprietors and partnership firms are not eligible for support under this programme. 

• Companies headquartered and owned outside India and their subsidiaries in India, or vice versa, are not eligible to receive funding from DST under this programme.

• IPC should lead the project from the Indian side and when suitable bring in other Industry Partners or Academic/R&D Institutions as Consortium Partner. Eligible Swedish Applicants 

• The Swedish Project Coordinator (SPC) must be a commercial company. The SPC is responsible for the application submission in Sweden and towards Vinnova. 

• The SPC shall be a company operating and registered in Sweden. Sole proprietors and Limited partnership firms are not eligible for support under this programme. 

• The Project Leader must be employed at the SPC. 

• Swedish research performing institutions (universities, colleges, and research institutes) as well as test beds, public organisations, and other companies with operations in Sweden are encouraged to take part in the project as a Project Partner in the Consortium where relevant.

The collaborative projects should be innovative and focused on creating possibilities for future new technologies, services or processes that will eventually lead to commercialisation. 

This RFP 2025 is open to applied joint Indo-Swedish R&D projects focusing on technological development and innovative solutions related to the green transition in the steel and cement industries for example within one or several of the following sub-themes: 

• AI as an Enabler: AI applications to facilitate and drive innovation and efficiency in green transition initiatives. Can be crosscutting in all subthemes. Including advanced software solutions designed to measure, evaluate and manage activities aimed at reducing emissions. 

• Optimization of Production Processes: Innovative solutions that improve the efficiency and sustainability of production processes in the steel and cement industries. 

• Alternative Materials: Development of new materials that serve as sustainable alternatives and substitutes for traditional steel and cement. 

• Tools for Societal Impact Measurement: Tools and methods to assess the environmental and societal impact of the green industrial transition. Please note that combinations of the suggested sub-themes above are also invited. 

Funds will be provided in accordance with the national laws, rules, regulations, and procedures established by each funding organisation, and/or each jurisdiction/country. 

Funding for R&D Participants in India

Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, through TDB will fund the Indian side of the jointly recommended projects with the under-mentioned details: 

• Total project funding as “Grant” for Indian applicants is up to 50% with a limit of maximum of ₹150.00 Lakhs per project. 

• Indian industry may receive up to 50% of their part of the eligible cost on “Reimbursement Basis”, for cost(s) already incurred on a proportionate basis during the project implementation period after sanction of grant to the project. 

• Indian R&D organisation/Academic institution budget share of the project can range up to 50% or decided by the Project Evaluation Committee and may receive up to 100% of their costs on advance basis. Under normal circumstances, the total funding support provided to academic institutions/ R&D organisation shall not exceed the funding to the Indian Project Coordinator (IPC). 

• DST funding support for the project (includes industry support and academia/R&D organization) must be matched equally (1:1) by Indian Industry. The exact amount of funding will be approved by the Indian Project Evaluation Committee based on merit and the contribution of industry, R&D organisation, and academic partners respectively. 

• Funding from other public sector sources will be considered when awarding the grant, and applicants will be asked to declare funding from other sources in the application. 

Funding for R&D Participants in Sweden 

• Vinnova will provide funding to Swedish organisations up to 2.5 million Swedish Krona per project as Grant. 

• Grants are only given to Swedish legal entities or organisations with branch or place of business in Sweden. The maximum aid intensity is up to: o 50% of eligible costs for companies, except for 

▪ large companies conducting experimental development, which may receive 40% 

▪ start-ups, which may receive 70%, o 100% of eligible costs for research organisations, o 80% of eligible costs for public sector and other non-economic organisations The project activities approved shall be covered by industrial research, experimental development or aid for start-ups in the State aid rules (the General Block Exemption Regulation, GBER). 

Swedish and Indian companies seeking a partner for joint projects can contact Vinnova and TDB, respectively. To facilitate the matchmaking, applicants should complete the Expression of Interest (EoI) form to identify potential partners in the respective countries. 

Swedish and Indian actors looking for partner organisations for joint projects can also reach out to each other in the LinkedIn-group Sweden India Innovation Initiative.

The following types of projects will be considered for programme funding: 

Indo-Swedish, company-lead, R&D projects, focused on co-development of new technologies, services or processes. 

Note: the participants shall agree in advance on the Intellectual Property Rights and on the commercialisation strategy of possible future products or processes in a Project Agreement. 

1. Projects must be innovative and market-driven, leading to the proposed development of a new technology, new solution or process or new/improved services, leading to future possible commercialisation. 

2. Proposals must demonstrate the joint India-Sweden project teams’ experience and capacity to manage the proposed project in their respective countries, and jointly with the counterpart project team. 

APPLICATION AND CALL GUIDELINES

Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India

Dr. Nagaboopathy Mohan

Programs Coordinator

International Cooperation

Email: dst-icd@gov.in

Please contact for call related queries:

Technology Development Board (TDB), GOI
Dr. Somnath Paul

Project Manager

Phone: +91 8013730408

Tel: +91 11 2651184, Exten:-22040

Email: somnath.paul@tdb.gov.in

Sweden’s Innovation Agency (Vinnova)

Ms. Jennika Gill Noltorp

Country Manager India

Phone: +46 (0)8 473 30 45

Email: jennika.gillnoltorp@vinnova.se

Vinnova’s IT support

Contact regarding Vinnova’s e-services portal

Phone: +46 (0)8 473 32 99

Email: helpdesk@vinnova.se

Important note: 

please do not leave your submission to the last minute.
If any technical difficulties arise or if you identify any errors in your submission, we will not be able to grant an extension to the above deadlines. It is your responsibility to ensure you follow the competition guidance rules and in doing so allow enough time to complete all the requirements described in this document.