In the face of the climate crisis, cooperation and open innovation are essential to promote an effective ecological transition. It is with this perspective that ADEME, in partnership with Fondation Macif, France Tiers Lieux, and IGN, launches the third edition of its Call for Commons (CFC): “Mobilizing Commons for Ecological Transition.” This initiative aims to pool resources and develop open commons, accessible to all, to accelerate ecological and societal progress.
This CFC is based on a simple principle: supporting open “commons” projects, meaning resources (digital or material) that are freely reusable and developed in cooperation. These can include software, databases, standards, methods, or even products or services, as long as they are governed by open licenses.
This model reduces the inherent risks of innovation: economic pressure is distributed among actors, and if a project fails, it remains reusable by others thanks to data transparency, protocols, and results. This logic of “regenerative innovation” aligns with ADEME’s strategy to enhance the impact and dissemination of ecological solutions in the long term.
Five Targeted Challenges for 2025
The 2025 edition of the CFC is organized around five major challenges, reflecting strategic sectoral priorities:
- Food & Forests
- Building, Habitat & Urban Planning
- Mobility & Logistics
- Material Recycling
- Environmental Assessment for Digital Eco-design
Projects must align with one of these themes, while meeting four criteria: being collaborative, freely accessible under an open license, documented, and oriented towards the general interest.
Cross-Supports, Public and Private
ADEME partners with several organizations to enrich the support ecosystem. Fondation Macif contributes to challenges related to mobility and habitat, with specific targeting of projects eligible for sponsorship. IGN, through its GeoCommons Factory, provides technical expertise. Finally, France Tiers Lieux contributes to the animation of project leader communities.
Funding Conditions
Selected projects receive financial support of up to €80,000 per project (with a maximum aid rate of 70%). Project duration is limited to 18 months, and expenses must comply with the funding rules of ADEME or Fondation Macif.
Only digital commons are eligible for ADEME support. Non-digital projects (in mobility or habitat) will be supported by Fondation Macif, according to its criteria.
An expert advisory team on commons, commissioned by ADEME, will support the development of commons: assistance in choosing a license, support for governance, economic model definition, community contribution animation...
A Platform for Interaction and Convergence
The "Innovating for Transition" platform allows project leaders to submit their applications, identify similar initiatives, engage in dialogue via the Tchap conversational tool, and potentially merge proposals to create synergies.
Who Can Apply?
All commons projects are eligible, regardless of their maturity stage. The CFC is open to a wide variety of actors with a legal structure: companies, associations, local authorities, research or higher education institutions…
Schedule
- May 5, 2025: Application opening
- June 20, 2025, at 6 PM: First application deadline
- July 10, 2025: Selection committee for the first deadline.
- September 30, 2025, at 6 PM: Second application deadline
- November 6, 2025, at 6 PM: Selection committee for the second deadline.
For more information on application procedures and to discover projects already submitted: https://www.innoverpourlatransitionecologique.fr/fr/challenges/appel-a-communs-1