EPICENTRE, a project funded by the European Union throught the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISEMA), has opened a call for funding that aims to support SMEs and Start-ups in the development of innovative cross-sectoral/border value chains in the following areas: ICT, Fintech, Health and Agri-food.
SMEs and Startups will be invited to submit a project proposal to solve a set of challenges focused on the development of new or improved solutions that increase the digitalisation, resilience, sustainability and greening of the EU industrial ecosystems enabling the strengthening of the industrial value chains and the creation of new ones, creating interlinkages, increasing the SMEs capabilities, fostering cross-sectoral and cross-regional collaborations.
In particular, Topic 1: “Fostering Cross-Sectoral innovation in Digital and Fintech” present the challenge on how to apply digital finance solution (fintech) to cross- sectoral fields (data science, AI, blockchain, machine-learning, cybersecurity).
The EPICENTRE Acceleration Program consists in a program of accompaniment, acceleration, validation, and transfer to the market for innovative solutions and is a 3-step funnel, divided in Launch, Sustain and Drive.
LAUNCH:
- Objective: value proposition preparation for SMEs projects and Corporates collaboration
- up to 25 projects selected
- €1.400 EPICENTRE Acceleration Program and €850 EPICENTRE Academy
SUSTAIN
- up to 12-13 projects selected
- Objective: getting ready for SMEs projects
- €31.000 EPICENTRE Acceleration Program and €3500 EPICENTRE Academy
DRIVE
- up to 3 projects selected
- Objective: getting ready for market uptake
- €10.000 EPICENTRE Acceleration Program and €2500 EPICENTRE Academy
Each phase looks forward to advancing SMEs projects to achieve at least TRL 8, in collaboration with Corporates and by enhancing their hard and soft skills and competences, with an innovation and entrepreneurship approach.
For more information on the objectives of the call, the procedural requirements for the applications and the details of the different phases, please follow this link.
Deadline for submission: 29 May 2023 17:00 CET.