Focus on SMEs. Dedicated European Support measures and "Hints and Tips" in light of the outcomes of the first Call for Proposals of the SME Instrument

1. The SME
Instrument
in HORIZON 2020
Natascia Lai
Executive Agency for SMEs
(EASME)

2. Horizon 2020
Horizon 2020 is the biggest EU Research and Innovation programme ever with nearly €80billion of funding available over 7 years (2014 - 2020)
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3. SME support in Horizon 2020
•20% of H2020 budget (about €9.3 billion) to be allocated to SMEs across the "Societal challenges" and "Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies"
•The dedicated SME Instrument (about €3 billion), following a predominately bottom- up logic, will address the needs of innovating SMEs
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4. The SME Instrument 3-stage support
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5. Phase 1 - Concept & Feasibility Assessment
o€50 000 in EU funding
oFeasibility study
o10-page application
o6 months in duration
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Idea to concept

6. Phase 2 – Demonstration activities
oBetween €0.5 million and €2.5 million in EU funding
oThe SME will further develop its proposal through innovation activities, such as demonstration, testing, piloting, scaling up, and miniaturisation
o30-page application including business plan
o1-2 years in duration
o70% funding (exceptions possible)
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Concept to market-maturity

7. Phase 3 – Market launch
oNo stand-alone phase!
oNo direct funding
oSMEs will receive extensive support, training, mentorship
oFacilitate access to risk finance
oAdditional support and networking opportunities (EEN)
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Prepare for Market Launch

8. Business coaching
•Coaches will drive the performance of the organisation
•Coaches suggested by EEN, and selected by the SME
•Voluntary business coaching:
oPhase 1: 3 days
oPhase 2: 12 days
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9. The Horizon 2020 Participant Portal
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Online application submission system

10. The application template
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Phase 1 : max 10 pages
Phase 2 : max 30 pages

11. The evaluation process
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Consensus report
(automatic - median
of individual scores)
4 experts / proposal

12. Evaluation criteria
•Economic impact
•Excellence in innovation
•Quality and efficiency of the implementation
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13. The application: key elements
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Excellence
•Objectives
•Relation to the work programme
•Concept and approach
•Ambition Impact
•Expected Impacts
•Users/Market
•Company
•Dissemination and exploitation of results
•Intellectual property, knowledge protection and regulatory issues Implementation
•Work plan – work package and deliverable
•Management structure and procedures
•Consortium as a whole (if applicable)
•Resources to be committed

14. Themes for 2014-2015
In 2014 and 2015 the SME Instrument will sponsor SMEs operating within 13 themes:
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•High risk ICT innovation
•Nanotech, or other advanced tech for manufacturing and materials
•Space research and development
•Diagnostics devices and biomarkers
•Sustainable food production and processing
•Blue growth
•Low carbon energy systems
•Greener and more integrated transport
•Eco-innovation and sustainable raw material supply
•Urban critical infrastructure
•Biotechnology-based industrial processes
•Mobile e-government applications (2015 only)
•SME business model innovation (2015 only)

15. Technology Readiness Level (TRL)
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•TRL 1 – basic principles observed
•TRL 2 – technology concept formulated
•TRL 3 – experimental proof of concept
•TRL 4 – technology validated in lab
•TRL 5 – technology validated in relevant environment
•TRL 6 – technology demonstrated in relevant environment (industrially relevant environment in the case of key enabling technologies)
•TRL 7 – system prototype demonstration in operational environment
•TRL 8 – system complete and qualified
•TRL 9 – actual system proven in operational environment (competitive manufacturing in the case of key enabling technologies; or in space)
Minimum TRL for SME Instrument proposals: 6

16. Timeline
•Open call: Submissions can be submitted any time, and will be immediately evaluated
•4 cut-off dates per year (March, June, September, December) for ranking and finance decisions
•Budget: total is roughly € 3 billion.
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17. Thank you!
For more information go to:
http://ec.europa.eu/easme/sme/
@H2020SME
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