Where can I find the application form ?
The link to apply on the platform demarche.numerique.gouv.fr is available on the page dedicated to the call for expressions of interest on the Ecolab Greentech Innovation website : https://greentechinnovation.fr/en/the-call-for-expressions-of-interest-greentech-innovation/
There are three different links due to regulatory requirements:
– A link to the application form for startups and SMEs based in France (which do have a SIRET number)
– A special link to the application form for startups and SMEs based in France that do not have a SIRET number, primarily from overseas territories
– A link to the application form for startups and SMEs based in the European Union (outside France) with a choice of language between English or French
Can I modify my application after it has been submitted?
The application file may be modified throughout the application period.
Once the file has been submitted and the closing date has passed, it can no longer be modified. Applicant companies are invited to keep a copy of their application in case they are invited for an interview.
To ensure equal treatment of all applicants, no additional information submitted after the deadline will be taken into account.
What arrangements are made to ensure the confidentiality of applications?
Application files are only consulted by Ecolab, the ministry’s senior management, and members of the selection panel. All are subject to confidentiality obligations, and panel members who are not part of the ministry sign a declaration to this effect.
Are all European companies eligible?
All companies that are domiciled in the European Union are eligible for the CEI, as long as they fulfil all other requirements. Note that there are two separate application tracks for French companies and European companies (excluding France) for material reasons only (plateform configuration).
In what format should I submit my application? Can it be submitted as multiple files? Are there any file size limits?
The complete application file for the 2026 “Greentech Innovation” Call for Expressions of Interest consists of the following elements:
1. The application form on the platform demarche.numerique.gouv.fr, completed in full.
2. Two mandatory attachments:
– The latest certified balance sheet and income statement (unless the company was created too recently).
– An image file of the company logo (this logo may be used by Ecolab for communication purposes relating to the Call for Expressions of Interest if the solution is selected as a winner).
3. 3 sets of additional attachments that may be submitted if the company wishes:
– Any attachments describing the environmental impact of the solution
– Any attachments describing the development status of the solution (current situation)
– Any attachments describing the prospects for the solution’s development and deployment (projection)
In order to ensure the ergonomic use of the application submission platform and, more importantly, responsible digital practices, companies are asked to limit the size of attachments to a total of 200 MB (compress large files, reduce image quality where possible, zip the folder containing attachments, etc.).
Video files can only be provided via a URL link inserted in a response field on the application form; videos attached as files are not accepted. The completed application form and attachments must be provided in LibreOffice (odf/odt, calc, etc.), Microsoft (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), or Adobe (pdf) format.
Which are the selection criteria?
Solutions are analyzed according to the following non-hierarchical criteria:
- Maturity of the solution
- Adequacy of the solution in terms of public policies on ecological transition and their priorities
- Potential contribution of the solution to ecological transition
- Eco-design approach of the solution
- Innovative nature of the solution
- Economic and value creation potential of the solution
- Suitability of the solution for the market
- The company’s capacity to develop the solution
The content of the application file is designed to address all these issues. It may therefore seem a little long to fill out, but it guarantees the quality of the selection process carried out by the juries and the “Greentech Innovation” award.
How can I be sure that my project is in line with public policies of the ecological transition? Is there a list available with all relevant topics? How can I find out about the various public policies? Are there official links?
Your project must fall within one of the following sectors:
- Sustainable food and farming
- Sustainable buildings and cities
- Decarbonising industry
- Water, biodiversity and biomimicry
- Circular economy
- Renewable and low-carbon energy
- Maritime innovation and marine ecosystems
- Sustainable mobility
- Prevention of anthropogenic risks
- Environmental health – One health
- Green IT (Reduced environmental footprint of IT) *
- Sustainable finance & CSR
* “The key sector ‘eco-responsible digital’ concerns innovations that aim to reduce the ecological footprint of information and communication technologies themselves. Innovations that incorporate digital solutions must be linked to another of the key sectors.”
Solutions that do not fall within one of the 12 key sectors of the ecological transition outlined in the Call for Expressions of Interest will not be considered.
Solutions relating to the ecological transition public policy priorities listed in A.2. “Purpose of the Call for Expressions of Interest (CEI)” in the CEI rules are particularly welcome.
This list is not exhaustive, and projects that fall within one of the thematic areas without being linked to one of these priorities are eligible.
Can I get help to identify the relevant sector before submitting my application? Can I choose several sectors? What happens if I make a selection error? Does Ecolab reassign projects to the correct sector?
Applicant companies must choose a single one of the 12 ecological transition themes to which their solution relates, even if it appears to fall under several themes.
The choice of theme determines which jury will be responsible for reviewing the application. We therefore ask companies to pay particular attention to this. However, Ecolab may reassign the solution after the first selection stage, if necessary.
What are the expectations regarding the description of environmental potential? Do I need supporting figures to apply?
The solution must contribute to the effective implementation of public transition policies. Assessing its environmental impact is therefore an important part of the application.
Information is therefore requested to enable an assessment of:
– the main positive environmental impact expected from the solution, both now and over the next 3 to 5 years
– the positive and negative impacts (including any rebound effects) of the solution in terms of climate change mitigation, climate change adaptation, pollution control (prevention and control), resource management (particularly water and marine resources), protection and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems, and transition to a circular economy (waste, etc.)
– where appropriate, the eco-design approaches used for the solution (choice of recycled materials, short supply chains, frugal digital design, etc.)
Is the legal status a criterion? Is a non-trading company eligible? Can an association apply?
As the CEI is intended solely for start-ups and SMEs, the legal status of the organization concerned is an eligibility criterion. Only companies that are registered in a commercial register are eligible. We therefore ask companies to submit their number in the national commercial registers as well as their intra-community VAT number.
Non-trading companies or associations are not suitable structures for economic activities that involve risk-taking. In the event of non-payment, the members of the association would have to repay the debts incurred out of their personal funds. Furthermore, there would be no access to commercial courts in order to deal with payment defaults and limit the risk for the people involved in the project.
What are the requirements in terms of share ownership? Can an SME be owned by an SME? Is an independent subsidiary that is part of a company with more than 250 employees eligible?
The European definition of an SME is as follows: a company with fewer than 250 employees and a turnover not exceeding €50 million. Companies are considered independent if no more than 25% of their capital or voting rights are held by one company or jointly by several companies that do not meet the definition of an SME.
The application file therefore requests the following information: breakdown of the company’s capital (if owned by a holding company or a cascade of holding companies, specify the shareholding structure of the latter); current number of employees; registration number, etc.
Can a group of SMEs respond?
No, only single SMEs can apply to the CEI.
Do I have to be “made in Europe”?
Applicant companies must be domiciled in a member country of the European Union. Production can take place outside of the EU. However, the location of all or part of the production in the EU is taken into account when examining the applications.
Can I be selected if my project is similar to that of an SME already labelled by the Greentech Innovation programme?
We want to ensure a diverse range of Greentech solutions, so we favour variety over duplication. However, companies in the same sector might be complimentary or share common traits. The challenge for you will be to demonstrate the innovative nature of the proposed project and to argue what you can bring to the table that is different.
Can a solution that was previously submitted during a previous call for expressions of interest and was rejected at that time be resubmitted?
Any company that has not been selected in a previous “Greentech Innovation” call for expressions of interest for any reason, including the maturity of the solution (at least reaching the minimum viable product level), is welcome to reapply. The company is invited to describe, in a section of the application form, any developments it has made since its previous application.
Are there any examples of projects that could be selected?
The projects that have so far been selected are available on a dedicated page on our website.
However, these projects are all unique in their way in no way guarantee the eligibility of your application.
Can I only apply with already existing projects? Are projects eligible before launch? What degree of maturity is expected?
The candidate solution must have reached at least the “minimum viable product” (MVP) stage. Solutions in the ideation phase cannot be selected. The CEI requires that a minimum viable product, delivered and functional, be presented.
Can a company that has just been created apply? Is there a turnover requirement?
Newly-created companies can apply if they are registered in the commercial register and have a minimum viable product.
Turnover must not exceed €50 million to meet the definition of an SME, but there are no minimum turnover requirements.
What is an MVP? Is a TRL 5/6 demonstrator appropriate? Can the MVP be a mock-up?
Candidate solutions must have reached at least the “minimum viable product” stage.
For the purposes of this CEI, a “minimum viable product” is a minimalist but deliverable and functional version of a process, product, or service (or combination thereof). It must at least partially meet the initial ambition of the product and the theoretical objective of the finished product. It must demonstrate technical stability and announce an upcoming version that will address its shortcomings and add new features. It must be suitable for testing in real-world situations through technical and user testing. It may or may not already be on the market. The demonstration of the minimum viable product can be based on criteria such as: solution deployment date, number of customer tests performed, number of customers using the solution, user quality feedback, etc.
The tests performed and the description of user feedback are among the elements to be provided in the application file.
The Greentech Innovation AMI does not use the TRL (Technology Readiness Level) framework. However, if we were to propose a TRL equivalent, the “minimum viable product” would correspond to a TRL of 6.
As the boundaries between the theoretical stages of innovation development can be blurred, and constraints vary from sector to sector, Ecolab and the juries conduct a case-by-case analysis.
A solution that is not sufficiently mature may not be able to benefit effectively from the services offered by Ecolab to support the winning solutions.
Promising solutions that are not yet sufficiently developed are invited to contact Greentech Innovation’s partner incubators and/or to reapply in a subsequent call for proposals.
Do we have to be at the MVP stage or can the products already be on the market?
The “minimum viable product” stage is the minimum stage required to be eligible. The solution may already be on the market. However, it must be an “innovation,” which the application must demonstrate.
How many applications are retained each year?
The 2026 edition of the CEI “Greentech Innovation” is expected to select a total of 25 to 30 winning solutions across the two application streams for France and the EU.
When will the interviews take place?
Hearings by a panel of experts (according to key sector) of companies whose solutions have been pre-selected are expected to take place in April 2026; tentatively scheduled for April 13, 2026, to April 24, 2026.
PROVISIONAL CALENDAR
| Time period | Phase of the 2026 CEI |
| From November 24, 2025, to January 19, 2026 (11:59 p.m.) | Submission of applications |
| From April 13, 2026, to April 24, 2026 (for informational purposes only) | Hearing by a panel of experts (depending on the key sector) for preselected applications |
| Mid-June 2026 (indicative date) | Announcement of the list of winning solutions |
How many companies are invited for interviews?
We invite up to 8 French and European companies per sector, depending on the number of applicants.
Will you provide a reason for the rejection of an application?
We will only provide an explanation for the rejection for companies that have been invited to an interview but have not been selected.
How many applications do you receive each year? How many companies can be selected?
In 2024, we selected 22 winners from 159 applications. In order to provide high-quality support to the selected start-ups, we limit the number of winners to a maximum of 25 for the new intake.
What support will be given to selected companies?
The support package is structured around four axes: visibility, sales and networking, digital support, and public procurement. You can find more information at our website.
Companies have the opportunity to occupy offices in one of the two Greentech living labs located in Saint Mandé (94) and Orléans (45), which also bring them closer to local authorities to stimulate their ability to adapt to the expectations of sustainable public procurement.
This call for expressions of interest does not include any financial support.
The winning companies will receive priority support under the program for a period of one year. They will continue to benefit from the support program as long as their solution meets the eligibility and selection criteria of the “Greentech Innovation” call for expressions of interest.
You have a “Public Procurement” booster. Does the company necessarily have to apply with a product aimed at public buyers?
No, the solutions do not have to be aimed at public procurement. Assistance with access to public procurement is a bonus offered to companies that win the AMI, not a selection criterion for the AMI.
How often does the Greentech Innovation call for expressions of interest take place?
The call for expressions of interest is published once a year, generally opening at the end of the year and closing at the beginning of the following year.
What commitments do companies whose solutions are selected make?
The winning companies undertake to:
- display the Greentech Innovation logo in their communication materials: website, kakemono, publications, etc. (non-exhaustive list)
- respond to requests from Ecolab within the deadlines specified in these requests: in particular, creating and updating annually the directory listing and the follow-up form for companies offering winning solutions, satisfaction questionnaires sent to them
- attend events announcing the list of winning solutions (usually in June) (unless there is a compelling reason, justified and announced as soon as possible)
- be present to exhibit at a stand at the Greentech Meet’Up in the year their winning solution is selected (usually in October) (unless there is a compelling, justified reason, announced as early as possible)
- honor commitments to attend events to which they are invited and which they have accepted
relay Ecolab’s communications as much as possible on any initiative related to Greentech support - notify Ecolab as soon as possible in the event of a significant change to the solution, takeover, or liquidation of the company. In the event of a takeover, communicate the name of the acquiring company.
Withdrawal of the “Greentech Innovation” distinction may be decided unilaterally in the event of non-compliance with these commitments.