EmPowering Industrial eCosystems
to boost clustEr facilitated greeN
and digiTal tRansition in Europe
Are you a SME or Startup?
We invite you to submit project proposals
that address a set of challenges
provided by corporates.
Are you a SME or Startup?
We invite you to
submit project proposals
that address a set of challenges
provided by corporates.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
EPICENTRE is a project funded by the Single Market Programme (SMP), call Joint Cluster Initiatives (Euroclusters) for Europe’s recovery, from the European Comission.
EPICENTRE aims to:
1. Create new cross-sectoral value chains from Digital and Fintech to Health and Agri-food.
2. Deliver a strong combination of support instruments and tools for scaling up innovation, matchmaking and demonstrating innovative market-oriented applications developed by outstanding SMEs that respond to the challenge of a more digitized and green European Industry.
3. Select and engage 50 innovative concepts with high market and growth potential in a dynamic and challenging business support program aimed at facilitating the adoption of new processes and technologies by SMEs, and comprising 3-phases: LAUNCH-SUSTAIN-DRIVE.
4. Provide an end-to-end business support services program to support the SMEs.
5. Deliver a “Go International Programme” for EPICENTRE clusters.
6. Take a comprehensive strategy to effectively carry out communication and dissemination activities.
PROJECT DATA
STARTING DATE
September 2022
DURATION
36 months
TOTAL BUDGET
1.400.000 €
BUDGET FOR SMEs
1.050.000 €
CALL FOR PROPOSALS
EPICENTRE aims to support SMEs and Start-ups in the development of innovative solutions in collaborations with Corporates that make a significant impact in the sectors and value chains they belong to.
EPICENTRE envisions to create new cross-sectoral/border value chains by establishing a SMEs – Clusters – Mid-Caps and Corporates in the following areas: ICT, Fintech, Health and Agri-food. It is a program of accompaniment, acceleration, validation, and transfer to the market innovative solutions between SMEs and Mid-Cap and Big Companies (corporates) in 2 calls for proposals.
The EPICENTRE Acceleration Program is a 3-step funnel acceleration programme divided in the LAUNCH, SUSTAIN and DRIVE phase.
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.
The figure below summarises the EPICENTRE support program:
SECOND CALL
OPEN DATE
4th October 2023
DEADLINE DATE & HOUR
5th December 2023
(at 17h CET)
RESULT PUBLICATION
January 2024
SMEs and Startups will be invited to submit a project proposal to solve a set of challenges provided by the Corporates from the Health, Agrifood and Digital-Fintech sectors. The applications selected, will enter the EPICENTRE Acceleration program and enrol in the EPICENTRE Academy.
Innovation challenges in Europe are 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 with corporates and Midcaps, scaling-up early-stage businesses.
The application is now closed, thank you for your interest.
INNOVATION ACTION LINES
The EPICENTRE project has identified two challenges per topic or Innovation Action Lines:
Topic 1: Fostering Cross-Sectoral innovation in Digital and Fintech
(EPICENTRE-DIG-FIN)
Digital-Fintech Challenge 1
How to apply digital finance solution (fintech) to cross- sectoral fields (data science, AI, blockchain, machine-learning, cybersecurity)
SUB CHALLENGES
- New ways to apply biometrics in application security
- New types of secure authentication for digital channel transactions
- New mechanisms to detect fraudulent transactions
- Multichannel support bots to interact in contact centers or applications
- Tools for end user to detect call and message spoofing to prevent fraud
- Training and gaming tools to improve cyber fraud prevention
- Strengthening the strategy in order to be prepared to the new financial impact
- Cost reduction and enhanced performance of PV systems
- Open Solutions ready to market
Digital-Fintech Challenge 2
Digital Payment and Digital Identity (block chain, data sharing, digital transformation, gamification)
SUB CHALLENGES
- How to manage Identity in a Digital world
- Blockchain solution for secure management of medical data related Digital Identity and security
- Open solutions to improve security
Topic 2: Fostering Cross-Sectoral innovation in Agrifood
(EPICENTRE-AGF)
Agrifood Challenge 1
Monitoring the health status of food production and shelf life extension (security)
SUB CHALLENGES
- Detection of foreign bodies in bottling lines
- a DLT to trace biomasses in the wood value chain Fire prevention: an early warning and alert system based on AI
- Monitoring key welfare indicators, improving livestock farming standards
- Product quality and safety
- Active packaging and shelf-life extension
- Automatic detection and tracking during production
- Alternative raw materials as feed
- Portable Wine analyser based on FT-IR spectroscopy to help monitor the stages of winemaking
- Advanced monitoring indoor pollution systems, energy saving with all applications, recycling materials
- Food service traceability “end-to-end” in our supply chain
- Development of new systems for cold chain
- Shelf life extension of fruits and vegetables for cardboard packaging, and how to apply this technology in an industrial scale solving the regulatory concerns
Agrifood Challenge 2
New packaging materials and smart use of resources (sustainability, automation and security)
SUB CHALLENGES
- The connectivity between machines and the cloud, and the automation of the machines for better use of resources
- Alternatives to shrink plastic
- CO2 capture systems
- Alternative methodologies for water descaling
- Robotization of packing lines and sustainability
- Increasing circular economy projects
- Sustainability measures into the distribution service
- Indoor pollution monitoring, AI applications, energy metering and energy saving, recycling of raw materials exhausted
- New products made from hardware scrap
- Digital solutions for lowering CO2 emissions simultaneously focusing on agriculture productivity growth
- Sustainable packaging
- Clean label
- Finding new packaging materials that replace the use of single use plastic for food trays
- Enhance wine traceability system that uniquely identifies each bottle, records its information at every stage, certifies data, and enhances warehouse inventory control with a focus on individual stock management
Topic 3: Fostering Cross-Sectoral innovation in Health
(EPICENTRE-HEA)
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)
SUB CHALLENGES
- Mobile solutions for patients monitoring
- virtual reality solution for physical rehabilitation of patients
- artificial intelligence algorithm for the recognition of specific pathologies
- AI to support monitoring of cognitive diseases
- Healthcare, patient monitoring technology
- Develop/identify innovative solution for the baby development which are relevant for the consumer target
- Gamification and digital solution for kids Heath monitoring
- Personalized training and education courses and empowering education
- Hardware peripherals for the gaming sector
- Digital therapy and software development
- New advanced Digital Twin solutions in the following domains: Health, Utilities, Cultural Heritage and Environment & Territory. As follows, some examples: telemedicine, remote maintenance, remote sensing etc.
- AI to support monitoring of cognitive deseases
- Development of a platform that includes an app to provide nutritional support to the oncology patient and a back-office for the healthcare professional who follows up the patient, with the aim of carrying out a proof of concept
- Use cases of Artificial Intelligence for the diagnosis of rare diseases
Health Challenge 2
New therapeutic solutions derived from natural products and organic extractions (sustainability and new products)
SUB CHALLENGES
- Plant based food products
- Ameliorating natural drug technique, regenerative medicine
- New proteins
- Solutions that leverage usage of natural ingredients, fermentation technology to produce high-quality active supplement ingredients and develop novel applications for use in the supplement industry
FIRST CALL
EPICENTRE received an impressive response in its first call, with 78 applications received from 90 SMEs and Startups from countries all over Europe (like France, Romania, Estonia, Sweden, Denmark, Malta, Luxembourg or Latvia). We have selected these projects:
- 6 out of 19 selected from Spain
- 6 out of 17 selected from Italy
- 4 out of 11 selected from Lithuania
- 3 out of 6 selected from Greece
- 1 out of 4 selected from Germany
- 1 out of 3 selected from Cyprus
- 1 out of 2 selected from Netherlands
- 1 out of 2 selected from Poland
- 1 selected from Austria
- 1 selected from Hungary
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)
11 selected projects from the following european countries:
- SPAIN:
- DentalFEM: Mathematical modelling for optimized implantology procedures
- Health Mirror: Advanced Health Monitoring System
- HealthQuest : Gamified Virtual space to improve kids Health monitoring
- ITALY:
- FIDELIO MEDICAL
- SUPERHERO
- The Explainable and Generative AI empowering radiologists in early detection of breast cancer.
- GREECE:
- FluxHealth: Digital Care Plan Automation
- Intelligent Monitoring for Adverse Event Detection in Hospital Wards
- LITHUANIA:
- Digital training platform designed for faster learning, specialized for people with specific needs and disabilities – ADHD and dyslexia
- NETHERLANDS:
- MOvement trainer for UnSupervised Exercises
- CYPRUS:
- Family Habits
Selected projects
Applications received
Health Challenge 2: New therapeutic solutions derived from natural products and organic extractions (sustainability and new products)
2 selected projects from the following european countries:
- LITHUANIA:
- Design of novel probiotic lozenges for human airways to restore the microbiota and regenerate the respiratory epithelium
- Plant based whole-cut meat analogue development using mechanical elongation automation technology
Selected projects
Applications received
Agrifood Challenge 1: Monitoring the health status of food production and shelf life extension (security)
6 selected projects from the following european countries:
- ITALY:
- GardenStuff develop products for urban gardening focusing into agri-tech sector; we achieved a compact AIoT multi-sensor able to analyze micro-environment and manage the cultivation, enhancing micro and urban gardens toward a new frontier of green integration
- TRACEABILITY IN THE AGRIFOOD CHAIN
- SPAIN:
- VITUM Industry 4.0 Challenge 1
- GREECE:
- AEROGREEN
- HUNGARY:
- IoT Smart Viticulture Management system for better environmental sustainability
- GERMANY:
- Secure Traceability for Enhanced Food Quality Using Blockchain Technology
Selected projects
Applications received
Agrifood Challenge 2: New packaging materials and smart use of resources (sustainability, automation and security)
3 selected projects from the following european countries:
- ITALY:
- FOODOC
- SPAIN:
- Sustainable Packaging Innovations for a Greener Future
- LITHUANIA:
- Increase crop yield efficiency and agriculture land utilization by implementing smart Photovoltaics modules and digital solutions
Selected projects
Applications received
Digital-Fintech Challenge 1: How to apply digital finance solution (fintech) to cross-sectoral fields (data science, AI, blockchain, machine-learning, cybersecurity)
2 selected projects from the following european countries:
- SPAIN:
- Fraud detection using AutoML and fingerprinting
- AUSTRIA:
- Embracing existing FinTech Methods for Modern Assessments in Corporate Venture Building
Selected projects
Applications received
Digital-Fintech Challenge 2: Digital Payment and Digital Identity (block chain, data sharing, digital transformation, gamification)
1 selected projects from the following european countries:
- POLAND:
- QID: Decentralised Consumer Identification
Selected projects
Applications received
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
The call for proposals is designed as an Open Innovation Challenge competition.
The funding support applying for each Beneficiary SMEs-project are the followings:
Total amount for funding support for SME’s projects
Allocated for the EPICENTRE Acceleration Program
Allocated for the EPICENTRE Academy
Maximum amounts of financial support that an SMEs-project can directly receive
EPICENTRE Acceleration ProgramAmount per project (EUR) |
EPICENTRE
|
Total per phaseAmount per project (EUR) |
|
LAUNCH PHASE1st call: 25 SMEs-projects selected |
1.400 |
850 |
2.250 |
SUSTAIN PHASE1st call: 12 SMEs-projects selected |
31.000 |
3.500 |
34.500 |
DRIVE PHASE1st call: 3 SMEs-projects selected |
10.000 |
2.500 |
12.500 |
Total funding support
|
42.400 |
6.850 |
49.250 |
HOW IT WORKS
EPICENTRE Acceleration Program is a 3-step funnel acceleration programme divided in the LAUNCH, SUSTAIN and DRIVE phase.
Within the program, the beneficiary SME’s projects will receiving training via the EPICENTRE Academy.
LAUNCH Phase
All 50 selected proposals will enter in the Phase 1: LAUNCH of the Accelerator Program (25 proposals on the first cut-off and 25 proposal on the second cut-off). This phase runs during the first 4 months after the selection of proposals. Projects will be requested to attend the EPICENTRE Bootcamp provided by Worsley Acceleration Services. In this bootcamp, SMEs will be guided on how to work with Corporates, receiving additional coaching support to prepare a video pitch presenting their value proposition. SME’s will also have the chance to participate in networking activities. At the end of the LAUNCH phase, the EPICENTRE corporate board will evaluate and select a group of the best 12 projects on the first cut-off and 13 projects on the second cut-off to enter into the SUSTAIN phase.
The main outcome of the LAUNCH phase is the submission of the “Video pitch with value offer to the Corporates” (D1). This video must be delivered within 3 months from the formal start of the project. Upon completion and approval of the “Video pitch with value offer to the Corporates” (D1) all 50 selected projects will receive EUR 1.400 financial support.
Within the EPICENTRE Academy, all EPICENTRE 50 selected projects for the LAUNCH phase will attend the dedicated bootcamp. They will be trained on the methodology to be followed during the acceleration program as well as on the Pitch Deck preparation for the Corporates. The bootcamp will be held online, in English language, and its open to SMEs belonging to the EU member states. Projects will receive up to 16 hours of mentoring support to apply the bootcamp learnings.
All the participant selected SMEs will have the opportunity to review and validate their work with the expert coaches assigned to identify additional factors (and/or strengths and weaknesses) to improve.
SUSTAIN Phase
All the 25 selected projects (12 projects on the first cut-off and 13 projects on the second cut-off) from the LAUNCH phase will enter the phase 2: SUSTAIN. This phase runs during the following 11 months after the project’s selection.
Projects will be requested to fine-tuning their technical requirements and to develop a minimum viable product which serves to (i) verify some key functional aspects of the intended solution, (ii) demonstrate the technical feasibility of the proposed solution under a representative operational environment, (iii) provides technical solutions for all critical functionalities, but usually does not have all the functionalities of a final product.
During this phase, SMEs will receive a full package of Business Support Services, including training activities, mentoring and coaching sessions.
At the end of the SUSTAIN phase, the EPICENTRE Gala will be held. SMEs-projects will have to pitch their projects in front of an audience of different innovation actors. The corporate board will evaluate and select the best 3 projects from each group (6 projects in total) that are ready to make a test- bed with corporates, will pass on to the next phase.
The main outcome of the SUSTAIN phase is the submission of the “Strategic and Technical development Plan of the prototype” (D2) and the “Prototype ready to test with Corporates” (D3).
These outcomes must be delivered within 3 months from entering the SUSTAIN phase for D2 and 9 months for D3. Upon completion and approval of the deliverables (D1 and D2) all 25 selected projects will receive EUR 31.000 financial support.
Within the EPICENTRE Academy, the 25 top ranked selected projects for the SUSTAIN phase will be entitled to receive a customized business support package in the form of mentoring and coaching services. Up to 32 hours of mentoring and coaching will be provided to each project. Some sessions could be provided in groups, as training on critical topics is envisioned to be provided.
The one-to-one customized support from these European experts will help bring EPICENTRE SMEs’ projects to the prototype phase, maximizing the success ratio when implementing the strategic plans on collaborating with corporates.
The EPICENTRE Gala will be held at the end of the EPICENTRE SUSTAIN phase. The 25 top-ranked projects will have the opportunity to present their project results to the Corporates and audience and to exchange and interact with the participating Corporates and other European stakeholders.
The event will be held in Barcelona, all the 25 top-ranked SMEs-projects are invited to attend the event. The language will be English.
DRIVE Phase
The 6 selected projects will enter in the Phase 3: DRIVE of the Accelerator Program (3 projects per cut-off), developing test-beds with Corporates acting as “intrapreneurs in residence”. This phase runs during 5 months after the selection of proposals. Projects will be supported to continue evolving their products/ services in a real corporate environment and to explore opportunities for long-term partnerships with big industrial players and other collaborative business models. Additionally, a number of ad-hoc training and mentoring services will be provided. At the end of the DRIVE phase, SME’s projects will have the chance to participate in an Investment Forum, presenting their products and solutions to private investors.
The main outcome of the DRIVE phase is the submission of the “Product Market Fit Assessment” (D4) document. This document should describe in detail how the technology will be materialized into a new and successful marketable solution.
Upon completion and approval of the deliverable, all 6 selected projects will receive EUR 10.000 financial support.
Within the EPICENTRE Academy, the top 6-ranked projects selected for the DRIVE phase will go through a due diligence to identify missing competences (soft/hard) to be enhanced. For this purpose, SMEs will receive tailor-made business support services for this purpose, up to 4 session of 2 hours. The format will be online and in English language.
All EPICENTRE selected projects (6 top-ranked projects) will receive focused training workshops aiming at preparing their innovative projects to raise additional external finance beyond EPICENTRE.
Up to 8-hours training will be provided to assist the selected projects to increase their understanding and communication skills concerning the process of raising external financing from private investors and early-stage VC/corporate funds.
WHO CAN APPLY?
To be eligible to apply for EPICENTRE Call for Proposals, your company must meet the following requirements:
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.