© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 Eurostars-2 EUROSTARS WEBINAR HELPING SMES TO INNOVATE Presentation: Niki Naska Communication Manage at EUREKA Q&A: Filipa Gomes Senior Project Officer
© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 EUREKA is… 2 Intergovernmental network Leading platform for international cooperation Supporting market-oriented R&D projects Facilitating access to finance
© EUREKA Secretariat More than €37 billion invested 3 €37+ billion projects SMEs Universities Research centres Large companies
© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 More than 40 EUREKA countries 4 Full membersAssociated countriesNational information pointsInternational cooperation
© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 EUREKA instruments 5 Network Projects Short Term Innovative Projects Significant advance in their specific sector Clusters Projects Medium Term Innovative Projects Driven by Industry (Large companies and SMEs) Umbrellas Support and advise on developing project ideas through international partnerships in their specific field Eurostars Project Short Term Innovative Projects Driven by R&D Performing SMEs
© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 Eurostars is… 6
© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 Eurostars countries 7 Austria Bulgaria Belgium Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Ireland Israel Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Malta The Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Romania Slovak Republic Slovenia South Korea Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey United Kingdom 34 countries
© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 Eurostars under Horizon
© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 Eurostars in numbers 9 total costs of applications funded €1.1 billion number of participants 2600 number of approved projects 783 total costs of applications €4.9 billion number of applicants number of applications % success rate Projects submittedProjects funded 47 countries involved 472M estimated public funding Cut-off 1–10
© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 SMEs in the driving seat 10 72% 12% 9% 6% SME is always the project leader R&D-performing SMEs and SMEs University Research institute Large company © EUREKA Secretariat 2015
Market oriented 11
© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 Bottom-up 12
© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 A typical Eurostars project 13 average project cost €1.4 million average duration 29 months 2–3 countries 3–4 participants Data for Cut-off 1–10
© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 Impact 14
© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 Impact 15
© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 Real reasons to participate 16 You want to do something that is too big to do alone You need access to someone else’s science/ technology Requires collaboration across the value chain You have a solution for someone else Access skills you do not have Access new markets Share risks
© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 Eurostars process 17 © EUREKA Secretariat 2015
Easy application 18
© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 Content of the application 19 Project Pitch: Overview of your project Business case: Why ? (how will it get to market, competition, IPR,…) Project description: What is it about? Work packages: How, by whom,.. ? Participants: Who are you? How is structured your consortium? Project annexes
© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 Application: TO DO LIST 20 1.Check if your organization is eligible to receive funding Speak to your NPC about all available options! 2.Complete all sections of the application form 3.Ensure that each organization has the correct status 4.Ensure that all contact details are correct 5.Upload annexes 6.Double-check content – proof reading is the cheapest way of making your application better 7.Check your application form is complete 8.Check your application is eligible 9.Submit !!!
© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 Evaluation 21
© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 Eligibility 22
© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 Evaluation criteria 23
© EUREKA Secretariat st step: Assessment by independent experts 24
© EUREKA Secretariat nd step: Scoring and ranking by independent panel 25 Only projects rated above the quality thresholds are recommended for funding The funding of projects is following the ranking list until national budget exhaustion The funding of partners is based on the national funding rules
© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 Decentralized funding 26
© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 Timing 27 Time-to-contract is within 4 to 7 months
© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 Monitoring progress 28
© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 Eurostars, SME, & Fast-Track… 29 Similar, complementary … but different Industrial innovation Bottom up (mostly) Target group Consortium make-up Time to grant Success rates One size does not fit all - giving applicants a choice
© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 Eurostars, SME, & Fast-Track… 30 Eurostars-2 R&D SMEs SME Instr. P2 Innovative SMEs FTI Innovative Companies Target GroupConsortium make-up (min.) Eurostars-2 2 international partners SME Instr. P2 1 applicant FTI 3-5 partners
© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 Eurostars, SME, & Fast-Track… 31 Eurostars 2 <7 months SME Instr. P2 6 months FTI 6 months Time to grant Eurostars 2 >25% (~75%) SME Instr. P % (~42%) FTI 5% Success rate
© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 Eurostars, SME, & Fast-Track… 32 Eurostars is about Fast decision weeks from application to result Immediate and detailed feedback on success and failure Bottom up in technology, market and funding decision Great for start-ups Local contacts with specialist knowledge
© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 Factors for Success - Planning 33 Be available >Allow time for necessary preparation (partner search, project proposal, consortium agreement…) Build up a « win-win » cooperation >Show complementarities and added value of trans-national partnership during and after the project Show partnership’s ability to meet its commitments >Demonstrate each party’s management, scientific and technical skills as well as its available financial resources for the project In austerity, tax payers money is a scarce resource >Demonstrate the fact that you have good financial health and have considered all of your options. >If you are too risky, you might not be able to access support.
© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 Factors for Success 34 Set clear, measurable and verifiable objectives >Define success indicators for technological performance as well as the commercial and financial targets to achieve Demonstrate clearly why the projects should be financed >Highlight the risks and the strategic character of the project in terms of expected commercial and financial impact on a European scale >Is it value for money? Be technologically ambitious while remaining realistic >Define a methodical approach in line with partnership, budget and time limit set for the completion of the project and the marketing of its results
© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 Factors for Success 35 Point out the innovative nature of the proposal submitted >Present new industrial applications and their impact on the industry sector and relevant markets Describing the technology is the easy bit there is more… >Who are you? Describe the benefits of this partnership, the added value that each organisation brings? >Focus on the project methodology (objectives, means, results) >Appropriate and realistic cost breakdown >Analyse the risks. How will you mitigate against them?
© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 Factors for Success 36 Don’t forget your market (it sounds strange, but people do) >Product plans, exploitation plans, commercialisation strategy. >Analysis and comparison with state of the art. >Barriers to market entry? >Competitive advantages? >Realistic market share? Will you actually make ROI? >Or how to protect it – Good IPR analysis/strategies are rare Fill in the project application carefully and ensure it is clear >Promote the key elements the evaluators are looking for and ask an objective party to read it >Proof read it – this is the cheapest way of making it better. Don’t allow yourself to be surprised by anything >Do your homework >Speak to your National Project Coordinator (NPC)
© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 Any Questions?
© EUREKA Secretariat 2015 Niki Naska Good luck!