About MANUFACTergy
The EU-funded project MANUFACTergy is launching a cascade funding scheme designed to support manufacturing SMEs in the furniture and construction sectors in their transition toward more sustainable, energy-efficient and digitally advanced production processes.
Two-stage support: from diagnosis to implementation
The funding scheme is structured into two open calls. The 1st Open Call – FACTORY CHECK-IN focuses on the preparatory phase, where SMEs assess their current energy and resource consumption, identify inefficiencies and develop a concrete roadmap for innovation. The main deliverable of this phase is the DESIGN STUDY, a customized, implementation-oriented plan describing what technologies and processes the SME should adopt and how to implement them.
Funding and maximum support per SME
Total call budget: €370,000
Maximum grant per project: up to €10,000 (lump sum)
The programme aims to fund up to 37 projects.
FACTORY CHECK-IN call objectives and expected results:
The overall goal of the FACTORY CHECK-IN open call is to help SMEs prepare for innovation by financing expert consultancy services delivered in collaboration with a Solution Provider (energy expert, digital provider, research organization, etc.). Activities must lead to concrete implementation-oriented outcomes; projects that result only in descriptive reports without an actionable plan will not be considered sufficient.
Examples of eligible activities include developing a transition roadmap, assessing energy/resource use, identifying losses and waste streams, defining monitoring systems and KPIs, and producing a detailed plan for adopting energy-efficient and digital technologies.
Who can apply?
Eligible applicants must be SMEs under EU definition (less than 250 employees and turnover ≤ €50M or balance sheet ≤ €43M), established in an EU Member State or another country eligible under the Single Market Programme.
SMEs must be active manufacturers in the targeted furniture or construction-related value chains and must apply in partnership with an independent Solution Provider, preferably listed in the MANUFACTergy Solution Providers Registry* (registration open until 17 April 2026).
*Application to the MANUFACTergy SOLUTION PROVIDERS REGISTRY is open until 17th of April 2026, on the GO Furniture NETWORKING PLATFORM: https://inevent.uk/en/SmartTransylvania/FurnitureGoInternational/form.php.
For more information about the MANUFACTergy SOLUTION PROVIDERS REGISTRY, consult the general guidelines, section 14.
Official timeline
The call follows a single-stage procedure:
- Call opening: 10 February 2026, 10:00 CET
- Call deadline: 17 April 2026, 17:00 CET (Brussels time)
- Evaluation results: May 2026
- Sub-Grant Agreement signing: within 4 weeks after results announcement
- Expected project start: 1 June 2026
- Project duration: 4–6 months
Applications must be submitted online through the dedicated EUSurvey platform, before the official deadline.
All official information related to the FACTORY CHECK-IN open call, details on the Solution Providers Registry, and national contact points can be found on EU Funding and Tenders Portal or in the official FACTORY CHECK-IN Project Guide (Guide for Applicants). For questions and support, applicants can contact the helpdesk at info@hygia.ro.
For official updates, announcements, and news regarding the call, follow GO Furniture Meta-Cluster LinkedIn account: https://www.linkedin.com/company/go-furniture-meta-cluster/
Project’s partners:
- HYGIA SA, representing GO Furniture Meta-Cluster, Romania;
- Arredo – Cluster Legno, Arredo e Sistema Casa FVG (Arredo), Italy;
- Klastr Českých Nábytnářů (KCN), Czech Republic;
- Interior Cluster Sweden (ICS), Sweden;
- Bulgarian Furniture Cluster (BFC), Bulgaria;
- Smartech Cluster (Smartech), Spain;
- Smart Innovation Norway (SIN), Norway;
- Transylvania Energy Cluster (TREC), Romania.