A new European opportunity has opened up for small and medium-sized manufacturing companies: the second open call for proposals under the MANTRA project offers up to 50,000 euros in funding and expert assistance to companies seeking to transition to greener, more digital, and more efficient operations. The program can also serve as a good entry point for industrial companies in Baranya County to move toward automation, energy efficiency, data-driven operations, and circular economy solutions.
For manufacturing companies today, the question is no longer whether technological renewal is necessary, but rather how quickly and securely they can integrate new solutions into their operations. Energy prices, labor market challenges, supply chain uncertainties, customer expectations, and sustainability requirements are all forcing industrial companies to adapt. The MANTRA project can offer practical assistance in this regard, and it is now supporting the transformation of European manufacturing SMEs through a new open call for proposals.
According to information from the Pécs-Baranya Chamber of Commerce and Industry, under this program, selected businesses can receive financial and technical support to test new solutions, introduce advanced technologies, and strengthen their competitiveness. The amount of support can be up to 50,000 euros per company, and the application deadline is September 30, 2026.
MANTRA is not simply a grant program, but a European transformation initiative. Its goal is to bring traditional manufacturing SMEs closer to the technologies and expertise that can help them measurably improve their operations. The program is implemented under Horizon Europe and supports the green and digital transition of manufacturing SMEs through the application of advanced technologies and social innovation.
This opportunity may be of particular interest to Baranya, where one of the key issues in economic development is how local industrial enterprises can transition to a higher-value-added, more modern, and more stable business model. For companies in the county operating in the machinery, metal, food, plastics, textile, and other manufacturing sectors, digitalization and sustainability are now direct factors in competitiveness. Those who produce more efficiently, measure more accurately, use less energy, organize their processes better, and respond more quickly to customer needs can also secure a stronger position within supply chains.
The MANTRA call for proposals specifically supports these areas. The program is open to business transformation projects that promote green, digital, and social transitions through the adoption of advanced technologies. These may include, among other things, feasibility studies, prototype development, pilot tests, demonstration projects, consulting services, and specialized external services that support a specific technological or operational transformation roadmap.
One of the program’s strengths is that the support goes beyond just financial assistance. MANTRA’s community platform also offers a partner-matching process, expert support, mentoring, and training opportunities. This is important because, for many SMEs, it is not a lack of willingness to innovate that is the problem, but rather a lack of the capacity and professional expertise needed to decide which technologies are worth investing in, what steps to take in what order, and how to make the development commercially sustainable.
For a manufacturing company in Baranya County, this could be a very practical issue. For example, a small metalworking business could test an automated quality control solution, a food industry player could develop a process to reduce energy consumption or waste, a plastics company could explore a circular raw material usage model, and a machinery manufacturer could test a data-driven maintenance or production planning system. The supported areas include AI and big data, advanced manufacturing technology, digital solutions, and robotics.
This call for proposals is specifically aimed at manufacturing SMEs. Individual applicants may apply; a consortium is not required. Beneficiaries must be SMEs operating in an EU member state and must be active in specific manufacturing sectors. Eligible sectors include, among others, the food industry, the metal industry, the plastics industry, the ceramics industry, and the textile industry.
The financial structure of the grant is also favorable: according to the public call for proposals, selected businesses can receive a lump-sum grant of up to 50,000 euros; the total budget for the second call is 1.25 million euros, which allows for support for up to 25 SMEs. The duration of the funded projects is 12 months, consisting of a six-month consulting and preparation phase and a six-month implementation phase.
MANTRA may be a particularly good opportunity for businesses that already feel they need to switch technologies but do not yet have a finalized development plan or a network of international innovation partners. The program can help companies, step by step, assess their own readiness for digital and green transitions, find the right technology partners, and then test solutions that could later serve as the foundation for larger investments.
From the perspective of Baranya’s economy, such initiatives are important because, in addition to large-scale industrial investments, the revitalization of local small and medium-sized enterprises also determines the region’s competitiveness. The county’s manufacturing companies can forge stronger ties with domestic and international supply chains if they are able to meet modern standards for technology, quality, sustainability, and data management. A €50,000 pilot or technology test does not necessarily mean a complete plant overhaul, but it can set in motion a process that may later lead to larger-scale developments, new markets, and more stable business operations.
Another important message of the program is that the green transition and digitalization are not separate paths. In modern manufacturing, the two are becoming increasingly intertwined: data collection can help reduce energy consumption, automation can improve material efficiency, digital production tracking can lead to less waste, and circular economy solutions can open the door to new business models. The MANTRA call for proposals supports businesses precisely with this approach in mind.
The submission deadline is September 30, 2026, so the summer months may be a good time for companies in Baranya County to assess what development challenges they are seeking to address, what kind of technology partner they would need, and what business results they expect from a pilot project. To ensure a successful application, it is not enough to speak in general terms about digitalization or sustainability: applicants must present a specific business challenge, a measurable goal, and a feasible path to transformation.
The MANTRA call for proposals could therefore be a good opportunity for manufacturing SMEs in Baranya County that not only want to keep pace with industrial changes but also wish to actively shape their own future. The combination of funding, expert support, and assistance in finding European partners offers an entry point that can help local businesses embark on a path toward more modern, efficient, and sustainable operations.
Sources:
Pécs-Baranya Chamber of Commerce and Industry: Up to 50,000 euros for manufacturing SMEs for development, June 22, 2026.
MANTRA Project Official Website: About the MANTRA Project
MANTRA Project Official Website: MANTRA Open Call – Supporting Manufacturing SMEs in Digital and Green Transformation
Cascade Funding Hub: MANTRA 2nd Open Call for Manufacturing SMEs
