Estonian Knowledge and Competence Centre (ETKK)
ETKK is a non-profit organisation that builds and coordinates multi-actor research and innovation consortia addressing some of the most pressing challenges of our time: societal resilience, circular economy, climate adaptation, food systems, and rural development.
We bring together universities, businesses, public authorities, and civil society organisations across Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania into consortia that can credibly compete for European research funding. Our role is to convene, coordinate, and ensure that every project we lead has the right partners, the right structure, and the right focus.
Our founding consortium includes TalTech and the Estonian University of Life Sciences, the Estonian Farmers' Central Union, Prolog, Get Help Network OÜ, and research partners in all three Baltic states.
For 2027, ETKK is preparing applications to Horizon Europe and related programmes on biomass flows, diversified crop value chains, urban food systems, rural resilience, AI for climate adaptation, and Baltic circular economy innovation — with a combined call value of at least €31.5M.
We are always looking for partners who share our goals. If your organisation works on these topics, we would welcome a conversation.
Nordic and Baltic solutions on Food security
Seeking partners
Need partners from 2 Nordic countries
Research on food system resilience in the Nordic-Baltic region — crisis preparedness, critical infrastructure interdependencies, and consumer behaviour toward locally produced food. Three themes: (1) transnational preparedness and crisis response, (2) resilience of critical food infrastructure, (3) consumer behaviour and increased use of regional food.
Excellence Hubs
Seeking partners
- LV Municipal Association
- EE Municipal Association
- LV Farmers' Parliament
Excellence Hubs allow innovation ecosystems in Widening countries and beyond, to team up and create better linkages between academia, business, government and society. This will foster a place-based innovation culture in Widening countries based on a strategic agenda aligned with regional or national smart specialisation strategies, and clearly identified expectations for economic and societal impacts.
Researching and applying the potential of Artificial Intelligence to foster climate resilience at the regional and local levels
Seeking partners
- Climate data expertise (someone who works with Copernicus, DestinE, or climate datasets)
- A training/dissemination partner
- An SSH partner for the bias/representativeness requirement
The call is about deploying AI to help regions and local authorities adapt to climate change.
Increasing the circularity of bio-based sector: upcycling and recycling
Seeking partners
The 2027 CIRCBIO-09 is about industrial upcycling and recycling. To be competitive, we need:
- Bio-based materials company
- A recycling technology partner
The topic is an IA focused on bio-based sector upcycling. It is thematically adjacent to NOBABIO, but it is not a direct sequel. The 2026 version (CIRCBIO-09) was the NOBABIO submission. The 2027 version is a different topic — focused on industrial upcycling and recycling, not on biomass flow mapping. Your consortium's fit is moderate: the market research and farmer partners are relevant, but you would need a bio-based materials or recycling technology partner to be competitive. Recommendation: Monitor, but do not prioritize over CIRCBIO-07.
Improving biomass flows for a sustainable and circular bioeconomy
Seeking partners
- Private Forest Union - Biomass from forestry — the call's core feedstock (Erametsaliit) or A biomass technology provider (pellet, biochar, or bioenergy).
- Local authorities - EE Municipal Association - Bio-waste is a municipal responsibility (Linnade ja valdade liit)
- Waste management partner
This is the natural sequel to the NOBABIO submission — but with a crucial difference. Where NOBABIO was a RIA (research), CIRCBIO-07 is an IA (Innovation Action). That shifts the expectation from "research into how biomass flows could work" to "deploy a working solution that improves biomass flows." Our consortium and the platform are exactly what an IA is designed for.
Empowering local urban food systems entrepreneurship and innovation
Seeking partners
- An urban food ecosystem partner — a food hub, urban farming network, or food innovation center that can credibly lead the food-focused part of the proposal.
- A food entrepreneur partner or network.
- Also needed: an urban planning partner (University of Tartu, or a municipal planning department
Building and scaling urban food innovation ecosystems — hubs, incubators, accelerators, mentorship programs — that connect fragmented ecosystems across Member States. Deployment, not research.
Enhancing farmer's profitability and resilience through innovations for diversified crops and value chains
Seeking partners
- An organic farming partner (an organic farm association, certification body, or organic producer network).
- 2–3 SMEs who could receive the sub-grants.
What it funds: Innovations, business models, and cooperation models supporting farmers transitioning to diversified cropping systems. Includes impact assessment, exploitation pathways, practical support and dissemination, multi-actor approach, FSTP up to €60K per third party, and required organic farming angle. Must collaborate with FARM2FORK-03.
Strengthening rural communities' resilience to shocks
Seeking partners
- Local authorities - EE Municipal Association, The pilot municipalities?
- A civil protection authority (Estonian Rescue Board, or equivalent)
- An SSH research partner (University of Tartu has strong SSH departments — a natural addition)
Research on how rural communities can anticipate, prepare for, and recover from shocks — infrastructure failures, economic crises, health crises, and environmental disasters. Proposals must measure resilience with indicators, foster inclusive governance (engaging women, youth, vulnerable groups), mobilise local resources, and support all levels of government in understanding rural vulnerabilities. Must contribute to rural-proofing the JRC Resilience Dashboards.