SOILL, SOILL-Startup and SOILL-Stepup
Building on SOILL-Startup, SOILL-Stepup (2026-2028) is the second coordination and support action which implements the activities and contribute to the objectives of the SOILL Framework Partnership. SOILL is a Framework Partnership funded under the Mission Soil (Grant Agreement n. 101112782) and coordinated by the European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL). It involves 47 partners from 18 countries, bringing together a wide range of expertise, including academic institutions, ENoLL-certified Living Labs, multiactor organisations, and NGOs.
SOILL – Support Structure for Soil Living Labs – aims to establish and manage a full service structure to coordinate, support, expand, and promote the network of 100 Mission Soil Living Labs (LLs) and Lighthouses (LHs).
The Mission Soil Living Labs are specifically funded under the dedicated topics of the EU Mission "A Sol Deal for Europe" (Mission Soil), thus fully compliant with the Mission criteria. The Mission Soil Living Labs are user-centred, place-based and transdisciplinary research and innovation ecosystems, which involve land managers, scientists and other relevant partners in systemic research and codesign, testing, monitoring and evaluation of solutions, in real-life settings, to improve their effectiveness for soil health and accelerate adoption. These living labs are collaborations between multiple partners that operate at regional or sub-regional level and coordinate experiments on several sites within a regional or sub-regional area (or working landscapes). The Lighthouses are places for demonstration of solutions, training and communication that are exemplary in their performance in terms of soil health improvement. They are local sites (one farm, one forest exploitation, one industrial site, one urban city green area, etc.) that can be included in a living lab area or be situated outside a living lab area.
SOILL-Startup: Leading the way
SOILL is implemented through three different projects, the first one being SOILL-Startup (2024-2025) that played a crucial role in setting the foundations for the entire support structure. SOILL-Startup was funded by the European Union under Horizon Europe programme (GA n. 101145592) and coordinated by ENoLL. It involved close collaboration with 27 international partners across 12 countries. This action focused on collaborating with the initial wave of established Living Labs and Lighthouses, as well as with the stakeholders.
SOILL-Stepup takes the baton
SOILL-Stepup has followed and started in January 2026. It aims to strengthen and expand the SOILL structure, improving and consolidating the services for the Mission Soil LLs and LHs, expanding the network and its services to applicants, as well as to aligned European and Emerging Soil LLs and LHs.The European Soil Living Labs are fully aligned to the Mission Soil criteria but do not receive direct funding from the dedicated Mission Soil topics. The Emerging Soil Living Labs are potential living labs including on-the-ground experiments that have not yet fully aligned to the Mission Soil criteria.
What we do
We contribute to the broader goals of the Mission Soil, EU Green Deal and Sustainable Development Goals by:
- Fostering a network: We're supporting the network of 100 Soil Health Living Labs and Lighthouses across Europe. These hubs will serve as real-world examples, showcasing innovative approaches and accelerating the transition towards healthy soils.
- Providing dedicated support: We go beyond just creating the network. SOILL offers the Living Labs and Lighthouses a comprehensive framework of support, including capacity building, knowledge exchange, promotion, and regular monitoring. This ensures they have the tools and resources to thrive.
- Facilitating collaboration: SOILL acts as a facilitator, fostering collaboration between the Living Labs/Lighthouses, key stakeholders, and various projects contributing to the 2030 goal.
Pitching SOILL