MNT-ERA.NET: A real tool to fund and stimulate near-to-market Micro and Nano Technologies for a highly competitive European industry Roland Brandenburg MNT-ERA.NET coordinator FFG Austrian Research Promotion Agency Vienna, Austria Moscow 27.1.2010
What is MNT-ERA.NET? a EU (FP6 & FP7) project a large network of national & regional funding programmes for micro and nano technologies (MNT), each represented by a funding agency or ministry combined annual public budget of ~400 M
MNT-ERA.NET History 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 MNT-ERA.NET I MNT-ERA.NET II Phase III FP 6: 5-year Coordination Action 2004-2008 2004: 8 partners 2008: 22 partners FP 7: 2.5-year Coordination Action 2009-2011 80% of MNT ERA-Net I partners + 5 new partners 21 agencies (18 EU MS + 3 AC, incl. 3 regions) 2012-? : NMP ERA-NET - advanced call management (>50 funding organisations from ex-era-nets)
MNT-ERA.NET Consortium (2010) Austria FFG (Coordinator) Belgium/Wallonia DGOEER Cyprus RPF Czech Republic CSNMT Finland Tekes France OSEO France CR Midi-Pyrenees Germany VDI/VDE-IT Germany PTKA Hungary NKTH Nordic Countries Nordic Innovation Centre Poland NCBIR Portugal FCT Romania NCPM Slovakia SAS Slovenia MHEST Spain Innobasque Spain Basque Govt. Sweden Vinnova Switzerland OPET Turkey TÜBITAK + associated partners (calls)
Achievements MNT-ERA.NET I (2004-2008) - expand the MNT ERA-Net network (8 22 partners) - analyse national and regional MNT funding programmes: identify similarities, complementarities, compatibility problems - exchange evaluators between programmes - organise joint transnational calls - facilitate harmonisation of national funding decisions - cooperate with other ERA-NETs, ETPs, EC - raise public awareness
Results: Transnational Calls 2006-2010 MNT-ERA.NET I MNT-ERA.NET II 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 18 partners 19 partners 17 partners 24 partners 20 partners 46 funded projects 30 M funding 29 projects 22 M funding?
2006-2008: Call topics 2006-2009 1 1 1 3 3 3 3 Nanostructured materials Micro and nano manufacturing 11 Micro- and nano electronics Medical devices Microsystems Instrumentation Optical devices Energy devices 5 Microsensors 2009:
Calls 2006-2009: applicants IND RE HE OT SME IND RES HE other >45% industry
Funded projects per country (2006-2009) 75 funded projects total funding 52 M
Success rate of submitted proposals
Funded projects network analysis 75 projects many bilateral cooperations PT BE-WA IE NO PL RO FI TR CZ SK IS DK DE BE-FL ES SE HU Many CHbilateral collaborations! ES-BC FR AT FR-MP SI LU
Calls: what are the benefits for clients? large network of 20 participating countries and regions complement the portfolio of other programmes close relations between funding agencies and clients low administrative barriers especially attractive for SMEs accelerated, synchronised and coherent funding decisions high success rate attractive channel for R&D projects MNT-ERA.NET encourages the participation of newcomers and small consortia.
MNT-ERA.NET II (2009-2011): Targets systematic cooperation with the European RTD community exploit roadmaps & strategy papers published by Technology Platforms best possible integration of national and European strategic priorities establish a systematic multi-annual plan & joint RTD programme well accepted annual transnational calls stimulate the creation of a new highly competitive industry and increased participation of SMEs & newcomers in transnational RTD streamlining of MNT support services mobilisation of resources towards a foreseen ERA-NET PLUS activity bring important European countries outside the EU (such as Russia) closer to the MNT-ERA.NET II network; a partnership is targeted with regular participation in meetings and joint activities sustainable, long-term cooperation even beyond the end of the project
Cooperation with other NMP Initiatives: situation today Cooperation sometimes ERA NET 1 ERA NET 2 ERA NET 3 ERA NET X
MNT-ERA.NET Phase III: 2012+ - integration of multiple ex-era-nets in industrial technologies - flexible management of calls under construction
Joint Calls: practical experience Scope Commitment Administration Process Funding Time to contract
Joint Calls: practical experience Scope Commitment Administration Process Funding Time to contract
Joint activities to design first pilot call 2006 Clustering analysis of competences and industrial requirements in member countries/regions no clear common focus of funding programmes (topic, eligible organisations, ) wide spectrum of topics and participants allowed by ERA- NET, but priorities and rules of national/regional funding programmes must be considered
Transnational Calls 2006 + 2007 + 2008 + 2009 MNT-ERA.NET I MNT-ERA.NET II 2 0 0 6 2 0 0 7 2 0 0 8 2 0 0 9 18 19 17 24 Scope: all MNT topics, but national priorities - market oriented R&D projects (max. 3 years) - focus on industry participation - small consortia encouraged (min. 2 parties, min. 2 countries) Scope: 4 topics - market oriented - industry - small consortia
Call topics 2006-2009 2009: 4 areas 2006-2008: fragmented 1 1 3 3 3 11 Nanostructured materials Micro and nano manufacturing Micro- and nano electronics Medical devices Microsystems Instrumentation Optical devices Energy devices Microsensors
Transnational Call 2010 Scope and topics of the call MNT ERA-Net encourages the submission of market oriented proposals addressing micro and nano technologies including production processes and technologies. Particular emphasis is put on the following application fields: Smart sensor systems for Security, Environment and Entertainment (sensor networks, cognitive systems, spintronics, optical systems) Medical and health devices (networked monitoring of health parameters, bio sensors and actuators, bio interfaces, lab on chip) Functionalised interfaces and structures (micro/nano layers and surfaces, micro/nano structured materials, nano particles and powders) Energy for a mobile life (lightweight and energy efficient components, power generation, storage of energy medium, organic photovoltaics) 13 Jan 2010 Launch 12 Apr 2010 Deadline for pre-proposals 5 Jul 2010 Deadline for full proposals + national funding applications
Since 2010: Joint Programming Board (external experts) suggest scope of call
Joint Calls: practical experience Scope Commitment: MoU and trust! (increases over time) Administration & Documents Process Funding Time to contract
Example: call 2009
Joint Calls: practical experience Scope Commitment Administration: central online webtool for submission, evaluation and monitoring of projects (developed since 2007) Process Funding Time to contract
Joint Calls: practical experience Scope Commitment Administration & Documents Process: Funding Time to contract
How are the calls designed? Funding: virtual common pot - national & regional budgets - national & regional criteria Evaluation: 2 stage process Stage 1: 1) pre-proposal check by national programmes national input to MNT-ERA.NET (fundable / non-fundable) 2) common assessment by MNT-ERA.NET ERA-NET list of recommended pre-proposals Stage 2: 1) assessment of full proposals & funding applications by national programmes national results (fundable / non-fundable incl financial standing of companies) 2 ) common assessment by MNT-ERA.NET common ERA-NET list of recommended full proposals
Joint Calls: practical experience Scope Commitment Administration & Documents Process Funding: at national level -implement common list of recommended proposals Time to contract
Joint Calls: practical experience Topics Commitment Administration & Documents Process Funding Time to contract: 100-150 days from deadline to contract
ERA-NET Learning Platform Manual for call implementation Experience Recommendations & guidelines Templates Provided by ERA-LEARN on NETWATCH portal (http://netwatch.jrc.ec.europa.eu) available in Feb 2010! Annual ERA-NET Conference: 23-24 March 2010, Brussels
Contact: www.mnt-era.net roland.brandenburg@ffg.at