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Call for Project Proposals: EPICENTRE Acceleration Program

Call for Project Proposals: EPICENTRE Acceleration Program

Deadline: 5 December 2023

Are you a SME or Startup? EPICENTRE invites you to submit project proposals that address a set of challenges provided by corporates.

EPICENTRE launches a call for proposals to offer SMEs the possibility to join the EPICENTRE Acceleration Program, a 3-phase funnelled program with the aim of fostering the collaboration between SMEs (including start-ups) and Corporates; and the EPICENTRE Academy, providing SMEs with a training program, mentoring and coaching services, competences due diligence and matchmaking events, amongst other initiatives.

The call is addressed to innovative SMEs and aims to enable the emergence of new cross-border and cross-sectoral value chains through fostering collaboration with Corporates within four sectors with strong synergies: Health, Agri-food, Digital-ICT and Fintech; to foster personalized nutrition, healthy and sustainable lifestyles.

The project ‘EmPowering Industrial eCosystems to boost clustEr facilitated greeN and digiTal tRansition in Europe’ – EPICENTRE proposes a holistic approach in accelerating market placement of business solutions brought by innovative SMEs.

These initiatives include financial support. The beneficiary SMEs will receive up to EUR 42.400 for participating in the EPICENTRE Acceleration Program and up to EUR 6.850 for participating in the EPICENTRE Academy.

Objectives

  • To develop new cross-sectoral industrial value chains across the EU, by building upon the innovation potential of SMEs, in a context of collaboration with Corporates and the integration of different innovation actors and with the focus on reindustrialization for growth and job creation, developing a long-term internationally competitive supply (goods and services) based on innovative solutions.
  • To help SMEs generate, take up and better capitalize on all forms of knowledge, creativity, craftsmanship and innovation, fostering their green and digital transformation.
  • To promote the role of clusters, as favourable ecosystems for innovation.

Challenges and Topics

  • Topic 1: Fostering CrossSectoral innovation in Digital and Fintech
    • Digital-Fintech Challenge 1: How to apply digital finance solution (fintech) to cross- sectoral fields (data science, AI, blockchain, machine-learning, cybersecurity)
    • Digital-Fintech Challenge 2: Digital Payment and Digital Identity (block chain, data sharing, digital transformation, gamification)
  • Topic 2: Fostering CrossSectoral innovation in Agrifood
    • Agrifood Challenge 1: Monitoring the health status of food production and shelf-life extension (security)
    • Agrifood Challenge 2: New packaging materials and smart use of resources (sustainability, automation and security)
  • Topic 3: Fostering CrossSectoral innovation in Health
    • Health Challenge 1: Development of new digital solutions in the learning and behavioural sphere that can be used by patients and families (virtual care and new products)
    • Health Challenge 2: New therapeutic solutions derived from natural products and organic extractions (sustainability and new products)

Funding Information

  • The total amount for funding support for SME’s projects is EUR 1.050.000, being EUR 905.000 allocated for the EPICENTRE Acceleration Program and EUR 145.000 allocated for the EPICENTRE Academy. The call for proposals is designed as an Open Innovation Challenge competition. The maximum amount of financial support that an SMEs-project can directly receive is EUR 42.400.

Impacts

  • To improve the resilience of the EU industrial ecosystems by developing value chains interlinkages in the EU single market;
  • Build capacity to increase strategic autonomy in the most critical supplies and technologies of their ecosystems, including upscaling of manufacturing facilities;
  • Reinforce transformation into a greener and more digital economy;
  • Foster up and re-skilling of the workforce whilst attracting talents;
  • Reconnect and boost access to global supply and value chains.

Who can apply?

  • Be legally established in an EU Member States or in countries associated to the SMP (as of today: Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein), or in Ukraine, when established in territories that are under the effective control of the Ukrainian authorities at the submission deadline.
  • Belong to the value chain of the Health, Agri-food, Digital- ICT and Fintech sectors.
  • Be a SME (including startup) according to the EU definition.

For more information, visit EPICENTRE.