EIC 2018-2020 SME Instrument & Fast Track to Innovation Renewables, Heating and Cooling brokerage event 16.11.2017 Pierre Roubaud Horizon 2020 SME Instrument Unit Head of Sector pierre.roubaud@ec.europa.eu
EASME Executive Agency for SMEs Born in January 2014 from European Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation Implement Commission Work Programme, fully or partly, notably: SMEI and FTI; COSME and EEN LIFE & CIP Eco-Innovation H2020 Energy Efficiency and EU Energy Efficiency Week EMFF https://ec.europa.eu/easme/en
Why supporting SMEs? Europe 2020 fosters smart, inclusive and durable growth SMEs represent 99% of all businesses SMEs have created 85% of new jobs in the past 5 years, although they represent only 66% of total private sector employment SMEs are the backbone of Europe's economy https://ec.europa.eu/growth/smes_fr
European Innovation Council (EIC) Pilot Objective: Strengthen breakthrough innovations and boost the number of high-growth companies Focus on: Radically new, breakthrough products, services, processes or business models That open up new markets with the potential for rapid European and global-scale growth (high risk, need for significant investment) Take shape at the intersection between different technologies, industry sectors and scientific disciplines Total Budget: 2.7 billion
European Innovation Council (EIC) Pilot Closed-to-market, bottom-up approach, breakthrough innovation SME Instrument (SMEI): for single SME alone or in consortium Fast Track to Innovation (FTI): consortia with industry participation Early stage Future Emerging Technologies (FET Open): consortia exploring novel ideas for radically new future technologies Six EIC Horizon Prizes for breakthrough innovations bringing major benefits to society, top-down
SME Instrument (Ph 2) Fast Track to Innovation Yearly budget > 500 Million Bottom-up, close-to-market Open common call 4 cut-offs per year Simple business plan (<30pages) Time-to-grant 6 months Face to face interview Technology readiness > 6 Grant up to 2.5 Million Single SMEs 12 days coaching per project Business support services Yearly budget = 100 Million Bottom-up, close-to-market Open common call 3 cut-offs per year Simple proposal (<30 pages) Time-to-grant 6 months Remote evaluation Technology readiness > 6 Grant up to 3 Million Consortia 3 to 5 members Mandatory Industry involvement 12 days coaching for each SME
SME Instrument in numbers 2690 companies 608 Phase 2 1.1b already distributed 990 m in Phase 2 Success Rates average maximum primo 4% 7% resubmission 6% 11% after Phase 1 11% 17%
SME Instrument is Equity-free funding World-class coaching Business acceleration services
Business Acceleration services Tailor-made for companies' needs 1. Academy 2. Finance partners' events 3. On-line Matchmaking 4. Business partners' events 5. Big events 5. Overseas Trade Fairs 6. Community https://ec.europa.eu/easme/en/business-support
Evaluation process Common aspects to FTI & SMEI At least 4 evaluators per proposal Balancing knowledge of innovation, business & finance No evaluator from the applicant's country Criteria are Impact, Excellence & Implementation Short standardised feedback No negotiation
Hints and tips for both FTI and SMEI Before writing Look carefully how impact, excellence and implementation are defined Make sure that your proposal convince for each criteria Pitch to people with various profile (technology, business, finance) Take advise from NCP, EEN or others, notably incubators if you are a starter company If you work with a consultant choose a success fee rather than a fixed price
Hints and tips for both FTI and SMEI when writing / applying Make sure your proposal covers all aspects of each evaluation criteria. Write to sell/convince evaluators to invest in you. Use realistic figures. Show market size, market share, sales price, Show 3 year projections of sales volumes, turnover, jobs created. Invest in a snappy title and a catchy abstract. Use the full 30 pages delete the hints in the template. Form matters - test your proposal, review the language, respect the templates. Do not wait until the last day to submit
https://sme.easme-web.eu/
http://www.willpower-energy.eu/index.php/en/technology-gb
https://solvoltaics.com/
http://www.openhydro.com/environment/overview
Vanadium zinc batteries are not mature. Starting from a breakthrough technology implemented on a 1kW prototype, we will develop an innovative microgrid management platform with cheap and safe storage module of 40kWh based on organic anthraquinone disuphonate. http://www.greenenergystorage.eu/en/technology/