The challenge of decarbonization

In recent years there has been a growing awareness of the climate change emergency and an increasing commitment to act quickly and impactfully to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, mitigate climate change and invest in measures to adapt to unavoidable changes. The European Green Deal has determined a European ambition for 2030-2040-2050, as well as targets for the Member States.

The current climate crisis is the result of excessive GHG emissions. This climate crisis is also unfolding against a more general backdrop of environmental crisis (biodiversity, pollution, overexploitation of natural resources, etc.). Decarbonisation is seen as one of the central solutions to the climate issue, and it needs to be contextualised within a more systemic socio-ecological framework.

To meet its global and European commitments, and to fully seize the opportunities offered by the transition to a sustainable society and economy, Belgium needs to bring about a transformation towards a low-carbon economy and a fair ecological transition. This transition will demand far-reaching transformations in the way we produce, consume and operate.

It is in this specific context that the Helios Foundation, in partnership with the King Baudouin Foundation, is launching a call for proposals aiming to support and finance ambitious, realistic and impactful initiatives that target systemic changes and offer concrete solutions to promote the decarbonisation of production, consumption or functioning/organisation in Belgium.  

This call for projects is open to any initiative that results in transformation in resource extraction and management, production, transport, consumption, recycling and waste management, or the organisation of society, leading to a significant reduction in GHG emissions. The call is also open to any applied research project that is close to implementation. The call is open both to solutions for direct emissions reduction and to applied research for innovations designed to facilitate and accelerate decarbonisation.

The total support budget requested must be between 2 million (minimum) and 3 million (maximum) euros. This funding will be for a maximum of 5 years, with an evaluation after 2 years to validate the continuation of funding. In the case of private organisations such as start-ups, scale-ups, VSEs, etc., this financial support excludes any equity investment by the Helios Foundation.

Project proposals will be assessed in two phases: (i) on the basis of a three pages letter of intent based on the attached outline, to select only the most promising proposals that meet the criteria below, and (ii) only for projects selected in the first phase, a 15 pages detailed proposal to allow for an assessment of the proposal's quality and its potential contribution to decarbonisation by experts in the field.

Please read carefully all the information regarding financial support, selection criteria, the selection process, key dates, etc., in the text of the call to download below.

About the Helios Foundation: 

The Helios Foundation’s mission is to tackle two of the most pressing challenges facing Belgium: the transition to a carbon-neutral economy and improving mental well-being in the workplace. Driven by the desire to make a measurable impact through innovation and integrity, it invests in pioneering solutions and forges strategic alliances with research institutions, businesses and civil society. The Helios Foundation works tirelessly to build a sustainable future and better mental health for Belgium.