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 We are pleased to announce that the European Association of Innovation Consultants (EAIC) is a partner of the SMARTSPEND project’s high-level online conference and matchmaking event on “Access to Risk Finance for Clean Energy Technologies” that will be held on 25-27 May, 2021.
This conference will showcase the EU’s funding and financing offers for clean energy demonstration projects and will allow private financing providers to present their involvement in new energy technologies. It will also provide matchmaking opportunities to clean energy technology developers, investors and funding experts. Who should attend the conference?
The conference’s 4 main sessions include the following topics, amongst others:
For more information and registration, visit this link.
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 In its 10th edition, the EU Prize for Women Innovators celebrates the women entrepreneurs behind game-changing innovations. In doing so, the EU seeks to raise awareness of the need for more female innovators, and create role models for women and girls everywhere.
The prize is awarded to the most talented women entrepreneurs from across the EU and countries associated to Horizon Europe, who have founded a successful company and brought innovation to the market. The prize is managed by the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency, and the winners are chosen by an independent expert jury.  The European Innovation Council (EIC) is a key novelty of Horizon Europe and is a European innovation initiative with a budget of approximately €10 billion for the period 2021-2027. The EIC is the result of lessons and achievements from its pilot phase during the period 2018-2021. It combines research on emerging technologies with an accelerator programme and a dedicated equity fund, the European Innovation Council Fund, to scale up innovative start-ups and small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs). Around €3 billion of the EIC’s budget will go towards the EIC Fund. In the infographic below, prepared by EAIC member, Lira, we detail the EIC's funding opportunities (Accelerator, Transition and Pathfinder), taking into account the different deadlines and challenge topics. 
 Are you looking to submit a project proposal to the EIC Accelerator? In the infographic below, prepared by EAIC member, Lira, we explain how and when to submit your proposal, detailing the process from A to Z.
Read our Position Paper on the EIC Accelerator, which summarizes the most important changes, their expected impacts and ideas for improving the programme.  Meet our newest member, Accelopment, based in Germany and Switzerland. Accelopment is specialised in proposal writing and project management for Horizon Europe, EIC Pathfinders, MSCA Doctoral Networks, Heath, Energy, Eurostars, as well as other EU and national funding programmes. Among its other activities and services, Accelopment offers grant advice, writing, preparation and finance support, strategic grant planning and the communication, dissemination and exploitation of projects. Its team has over 25 years of experience assisting clients from all over Europe, but also in other parts of the world such as North America and Iceland. Welcome to the European Association of Innovation Consultants! We are pleased to have you join us with your new, innovative ideas, expertise, and professionalism.  This week, we are pleased to welcome Exeq and Lira, our newest members:
Exeq, Poland Exeq assists clients in obtaining public and private funding for research, development and innovation projects and technologies in every stage of development. Its team of consultants has in-depth knowledge of potential sources of funding in Poland and throughout Europe, with a clear focus of expertise: science and technology related funding, as well as the knowledge and competence of domain experts upon which Exeq relies. It has clients active in the areas of ICT, computer science, medicine, biotechnology, energy and environment. Lira, Ireland, England, Croatia, Italy Founded in 2018, Lira is redefining the way high potential start-ups and scaleups raise funding through a combination of grants, equity and debt financing. Lira’s team of experts is specialised in the following sectors: Fintech, Aerospace, Medtech, Greentech, AI, Manufacturing, Biotech and Agritech. We look forward to getting acquainted with them in our monthly meeting today and are glad to have them join us. Great start from the European Commission – it is time for cooperation between Member States to enable Europe-wide industry participation.  The European Association of Innovation Consultants (EAIC) welcomes the recovery and resilience facility which will allow faster recovery from the pandemic and renew Europe for better competitiveness. However, we suggest acting in a more coordinated way between Member States to ensure the funds allocated will be properly and efficiently spent. As experts around Europe on innovation funding, EAIC offers its support in advising how to improve national innovation policies to maximise industrial investments, find best partners and balance competence gaps between Member States and Regions.  We are pleased to announce that the European Association of Innovation Consultants (EAIC) is a partner of the Science|Business public annual conference “R&I in recovery: what can Horizon Europe deliver?” to be held on February 22-23, 2021.
“It is our pleasure to support Science|Business in bringing industry together with policy-makers and the research community," said Pekka Koponen, President of the EAIC, "More innovation is needed for European recovery, and members of the European Association of Innovation Consultants are happy to join to increase industrial innovation, applied research, international co-operation and professional project management.” This virtual conference will address some of the following questions, among many others:
During this event, Margrethe Vestager (Executive Vice President of the EC), Mariya Gabriel (Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Youth, Education and Culture) and Martin Kern (EIT Director) will deliver speeches, along with many other key R&I figures. Other partners of the event include the EIT, Sanofi, the ATTRACT project, the TRESCA project and the EIB. About Science|Business The Science|Business Network is one of universities, companies, and research and policy organisations, and acts as a forum for driving innovation forward. Reaching Europe's most influential innovators and policymakers, Science|Business' expertise and knowledge of European policy making contributes to making a difference. Read more about the conference here. Read more about Science|Business here.  For this third edition of the European Research and Innovation Days, the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation has announced that the event will be held virtually on 23 and 24 June 2021. As seen throughout the past year, cooperation in research and innovation is essential for Europe’s recovery; the annual flagship event, which coincides with Horizon Europe’s launch, will have a special focus on new initiatives to strengthen the European Research Area. With the aim to foster collaboration and encourage the debate among policymakers, researchers, entrepreneurs and the general public, the European R&I Days also intend to pave the way to a greener and more digital future. Last year’s edition gathered over 35 000 registered participants from 188 countries. We expect this year's edition to be instrumental in facing the challenges of tomorrow. Read more here.   We are thrilled to announce that 3 new members have joined our team. We look forward to getting to know them better in our upcoming General Assembly, scheduled next week.
iplus | F, France & Spain iplus | F offers services related to public financing, European public R&D funding, tax deductions and innovation strategy. Its team of economists, engineers, physicists, and experts in innovation and finance has vast experience at both national and international levels. KiNNO, Greece KiNNO offers knowledge and innovation support services that aim to strengthen the innovation capacity of SMEs, private firms and Research & Technology Organisations (RTOs) and also supports industry players, investors, business actors and public bodies seeking to exploit new technologies, systems and ideas, bridging the gap between research and innovation. OECON, Greece & Bulgaria OECON, established in 2003, is specialised in providing Business Development Consulting Services that concern a wide range of activities, from Export Management and International Business Relations to National Funding programmes. At EAIC, we are excited about this new collaboration and we are pleased to know that they share our vision of innovation. Are you interested in joining our team of Innovation Consultants? Check out our membership application form.  To mark the beginning of this new year, we are celebrating the arrival of 2 new members:
DORUCON, Germany DORCUN offers services related to economic and technical topics, supports H2020 application processes, as well as tech funding and innovation consulting. Its team is composed of technical and innovation enthusiasts: physicians, engineers and business economists. Project Management Solution (PMS), Romania PMS provides professional information and consultancy about financing opportunities from Romanian and European sources, through complete management solutions. Its mission is to bring added-value to clients' projects and activities to obtain visible changes in the economic environment in the region. We are pleased to have them on board - welcome to EAIC! View our full list of members here.  We are pleased to announce that 7 members have joined us this month! We would like to introduce you to
Like all EAIC members, they have committed to our Code of Conduct, which aims to promote best practices, mutual respect and basic competition rules among EU Innovation Consultants. We currently count over 178 Manifesto signatures and 49 members from over 19 European countries. Looking forward Now that 2021 EU budget negotiations have progressed, we are hopeful that R&I funding programmes will be launched in a timely manner, and we particularly look forward to the launch of Horizon Europe. The next couple of weeks will be decisive for the EU’s long-term budget 2021-2027 and recovery package, which we will be monitoring closely. Despite the uncertainty we face, 2020 has us convinced, more than ever, of the importance of R&I, particularly in addressing the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and in the EU’s socio-economic recovery.  This month, a new member has joined us: IDConsortium.
IDConsortium was founded in Spain, in 2009 with the aim of helping researchers and businesses to internationalise and showcase their R&D by joining international consortiums to pursue different lines of research, development, and innovation. IDConsortium provides strategic advice in the following areas: Industrial Biotechnology, Advanced production systems in Agriculture, Livestock and Aquaculture based on Industry 4.0., and Innovative systems while promoting active, healthy, and sustainable aging. We are delighted to have IDConsortium's expertise as a part of our team of European Innovation Consultants. Press Release "New Association kicks off to boost European research and innovation investments"6/11/2020  The most relevant European companies in innovation consultancy join efforts to boost the competitiveness in the research and innovation ecosystem. On Thursday, 5 November, 2020, the European Association of Innovation Consultants (EAIC) was launched. Created at the initiative of the French Association of Innovation Consultants (ACI) as an informal gathering in a working group back in September 2019, the creation of the EAIC was formalised yesterday by its 42 members active across Europe. A board of 8 members as well as a president was elected.
 Author: Rodrigo Sanz, Manager European Funds at Euro-Funding
Climate change and environmental degradation are the existential threats facing Europe and the rest of the world today. To overcome these challenges, Europe needs a new growth strategy to transform the Union into a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy. The European Union will therefore respond to these challenges through the Green Deal call, based on sustainable growth that aims to end net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 so that economic growth is decoupled from resource use.  The European Commission’s DG for Research and Innovation (DG RTD) has launched a Manifesto for EU COVID-19 Research, which aims to maximise the accessibility of COVID-19 research results that benefit from EU funding. Today, EWGIC has signed this manifesto and commits to sharing research results related to COVID-19 prevention, testing and treatment. By signing this manifesto, EWGIC and its members commit to
This initiative is in line with the Coronavirus Global Response, launched by Ursula von der Leyen, President of the EC, as well as with the Solidarity Call to Action, established by the World Health Organisation. Read the full Manifesto here. More information here.   Author: Marie Latour, Head of Office, Zabala Brussels
This week, the EU research ministers have agreed on the final details of Horizon Europe: To begin with, they agree on a linear cut across its programmes to reflect the outcome of the July budget summit (from €94.4 billion to €80.9 billion in 2018 prices) this represents a decrease of more than 14% from the European Commission's (EC) original proposal. In current prices, this is equivalent to a budget of €90.9 billion, of which €5.4 billion comes from the Next Generation EU budget, as part of the recovery plan.  Yesterday, the European Commission published the results of a stakeholder consultation in the report “A Robust Innovation Ecosystem for the Future of Europe.”
The report summarises the outcomes of 8 workshops held between October 2019 and February 2020, attended by approximately 350 participants. Resulting in a conference “A Robust Innovation Ecosystem for the Future of Europe” held in Brussels on the 18th of February, 2020, the report was produced by the Directorate General for Research and Innovation, European Innovation Council (EIC) Task Force and the Unit of Innovation Ecosystems. It gathers the insights from various stakeholders, including investors, companies, start-up communities, universities, local, regional and national authorities linked to innovation policy. Recommendations from the report will be considered by policy makers shaping EU innovation ecosystems. In view of enabling the development of Horizon Europe, and in addition to collecting and analysis the feedback from the consultation phase, the report aims to
Online questionnaire results on challenges identified in the innovation ecosystem can be found in the report. These challenges are grouped in 3 major pillars: connectedness of stakeholders, competence and talent, and capital. To provide an overview of the challenges and main action lines for Horizon Europe’s implementation, throughout the report, stakeholders’ feedback is analysed, structured, and summarised into many interesting insights on the European innovation ecosystem. Read more here.  One year has passed since fifteen European Innovation Consultants united during the R&I days in Brussels on the 24th of September 2019, launching what has now become the European Working Group of Innovation Consultants (EWGIC). At EWGIC, we are proud to say that over the course of the past year, although life has changed drastically with the current global health crisis, we have stayed busy and grown, accomplishing several milestones, some of which we would like to recap here:
In addition, EWGIC currently counts
We would also like to take this opportunity to thank our members and all those that have supported and contributed to our work with innovative ideas and professional insight. This year has been challenging but we are excited about the future and looking forward to launching new initiatives. Is your company a consulting firm active in Innovation funding somewhere in Europe?
Would you like to contribute to making the voice of Innovation Consulting better heard and recognised by our European Innovation funding institutions? If you are not yet an EWGIC member, join us! We are looking to expand our membership further across Europe! Read more about EWGIC here. We are pleased to announce our latest member from Spain: Vector Horizonte has just joined us, following our monthly call this September. Welcome to EWGIC! Is your company active in the field of European research and innovation projects? Are you looking to join a forum in which best practices, mutual respect, and basic competition rules are promoted? If so, head over to our Code of Conduct and sign our Manifesto. Membership applications are reviewed on a monthly basis and registration is free!
 This week EWGIC released its position paper on EIC Accelerator under Horizon Europe in view of the ongoing Horizon Europe negotiations. Created in 2014 under the “SME instrument” name, the EIC Accelerator has become the largest and most competitive public funding scheme for deeptech startups in Europe.
 The European Commission (EC) is launching a survey on Horizon Europe’s first Strategic Plan, which will guide the work programmes and topics for the next four years. All stakeholders with an interest in EU research and innovation are invited to participate in this consultation, which will end on 18 September 2020.
In view of Horizon Europe's launch in 2021, this Strategic Plan is being developed through a co-design process, for which over 9000 people have contributed, making it the largest consultation ever led by the EC. The survey’s results will be discussed in the virtual European Research and Innovation Days on 22-24 September 2020, and we look forward to hearing your feedback there. Find out more here.  On September 22-24, the European Commission invites stakeholders to debate and shape the future research and innovation landscape through a virtual event.
During this annual flagship event and through interactive sessions, participants will provide input on the EU’s research and innovation policy. Participants include policymakers, researchers, entrepreneurs, and citizens, who will debate the role of funding and research and innovation policies in the EU’s recovery. As a response to the global pandemic, the EU must now enable a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient transition. This 3-day event will be the occasion to contribute to policy co-designing, thought-provoking panels and participate in matchmaking opportunities. At EWGIC, we expect this event to be instrumental in the coordination of excellent science and beneficial for Europe’s recovery, as we also look forward to Horizon Europe’s launch event. Visit this link for more information and to view the full programme.  Following our monthly calls of June and July, our total number of members has increased!
We are delighted to announce 4 new members on board. Are YOU interested in contributing to our work and joining our team? Check out our Membership Form here.  The Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF) 2021-2027 is undergoing intense negotiations within the European Institutions. Horizon Europe’s budget has been decreased by 5 billion euros, straying away from the European Commission’s initial ambitious plan. The European Council and Parliament (EP) have just a few months left to complete their negotiations.
EWGIC, the European Working Group of Innovation Consultants, welcomes the European Council’s agreement on the MFF and the Next Generation EU budgets, but regrets the treatment of European research and innovation funding especially related to Horizon Europe. EWGIC supports Parliament’s stance that the Council’s budget deal needs to be transformed to a more future-oriented approach. We are now calling the European Parliament to ensure Horizon Europe will get back at least to the original proposal that the EC made in 2018 of 83.5 B€ (2018 prices). So that R&I can actually contribute to our continent's recovery and allow for the development of added-value products and solutions developed in Europe. |
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