A new opportunity for supporting rural innovation, smart villages and digital transformation in rural areas has emerged to support artificial intelligence projects.
The EUREKA Clusters CELTIC-NEXT, EUROGIA, ITEA 3, and PENTA-EURIPIDES² and a number of EUREKA Public Authorities have just launched a Call to support innovative projects on Artificial Intelligence. This call for projects is launched with the aim to boost the productivity and competitiveness of European industries through the adoption and use of AI systems and services. The submission deadline is the 15 June 2020.
Proposals should primarily target taking artificial intelligence technologies beyond the State-of-the-Art in whichever targeted application domains are addressed. Innovative projects targeting Communications, Electronic Components and Systems, and Software that enable AI applications are also welcomed in the Call. The topics suggested in this document should be considered as indicative and not exclusive. New ideas are always welcome.
The Call is looking for projects that will form innovative ecosystems, with artificial intelligence at their core, that will enable advances in the State-of-the-Art and result in opportunities for commercial and/or societal impact in the application areas addressed. The intent is to bring together partners from across the broad artificial intelligence adopters community of all types (Large Enterprise, SME’s, Research & Technology Organisations and Universities) into collaborative teams that will be able to demonstrate a high impact in the chosen application area at the end of the project.
“Mid-size” projects with eligible costs in the range of 2-10MEuro are expected, though projects outside this range may also be submitted for evaluation. As always, it is essential that project partners hold in depth meetings with the representatives of the Public Authorities in the countries from which they wish to gain support, to understand detailed eligibility requirements.
This EUREKA Cluster AI Call is explicitly supported by the 15 EUREKA countries, namely, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Turkey, Spain, Sweden, South Korea.
How to get the funding for supporting artificial intelligence and rural innovation
At the dedicated website eureka-clusters-ai.eu, you can find the submission template, eligibility criteria and funding details per country. There is also a brokerage service available, including Project Idea Tool and Partner search, for you to find potential partners and share ideas.
Submissions will be based on a single-step process. Project Proposals will be entered via a single common submission system and portal. It is essential for each partner to contact their supporting Public Authority at the earliest opportunity to verify eligibility. Funding rates/Rules of participation are subject to National policy.
Proposals must meet the following criteria:
- The consortium should include at least two companies from different EUREKA participating countries. The participation of research institutes/universities is welcome according to each country’s funding regulations.
- The project partners must express their willingness to cooperate, on a win-win/fair basis in the development of a new product, industrial process Industry standard or service.
- The product, process or service must be innovative and there must be a technological risk involved.
- The project should benefit all involved partners in a well-balanced consortium. SME’s are explicitly encouraged to participate in the proposals.
- The project should generate an obvious advantage and added value resulting from the technologic cooperation between the participants (new technologies, standardisation, prototyping, field trials, new or improves products, increased knowledge, access to R&D infrastructure etc.).
- Economic and Societal benefits to be obtained (where relevant) must be highlighted in the project proposal.
- A project consortium or cooperation agreement (PCA) must be signed between the project partners as soon as possible after the project starts. PCA templates are available for use if required.
Any organisation whose collaborative industrial research and innovation project is consistent with the above criteria can apply to the Call and funding could be provided by each funding agency afterwards in accordance with their national participation procedures, and subject to budgetary availability.
Each participating funding body may apply additional eligibility criteria based on their national regulations. Applicants are strongly advised to contact their funding body, prior to submitting their application, to discuss their project idea and check the national eligibility criteria which would apply to their participation in the project.
Partners from other EUREKA countries or countries outside of EUREKA can also participate, but funding must be secured within these countries.
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