Projects

The objective of the project is to improve European RFOs' ability to recognize and work with exploitation potential in proposals and running projects in order to lead them to generation of applicable results. In other words, this project aims to enhance the proposal evaluation and project monitoring procedures and support services of European RFOs working with SMEs. Enhancement of these skills should lead to higher chances that supported projects involving SMEs generate exploitable results and possibly succeed on the market. It should also improve the applicants’ experience of the state aid process. In the long run, it is expected to lead to a greater impact of public R&D funding. In order to achieve these objectives, peer-learning activities are designed to facilitate cooperation and knowledge transfer among the involved innovation funding agencies (TA CR, EUREKA, FICYT and FUNDECYT-PCTEX)

The IMPROVE project (Improving Structural Funds for better delivery of R&D&i policies), brings together partners from 8 regions with different background in terms of geographic area, economic development, innovation performance, more or less centralised administration system and responsibility for the management of the addressed policies, with the aim of improving the effectiveness of Structural Funds Programmes dedicated to build up R&D&I policies and support the implementation of Smart Specialisation Strategies.

IMPROVE is designed to foster the exchange of practices, experiences and knowledge and increase the capacities of partners and stakeholders involved, taking into consideration their profiles and regional interests. To this end it will address common challenges with regards to:

1) Framework, policy mix and instruments for the delivery of R&D&I policies and the implementation of smart specialisation strategies,
2) coordination with other Funds managed at regional/national/European level,
3) transnational coordination,
4) governance and,
5) monitoring and evaluation.

The project will improve 8 policy instruments and ensure its long-term impact involving the managing authorities in the interregional learning process, both as partners and stakeholders.

The following eight partners are involved in its implementation:

1. Foundation FUNDECYT Science and Technology Park of Extremadura, Spain
2. DEV'UP Centre-Val de Loire, France
3. Regional Agency for Technology and Innovation, Italy
4. Municipality of Gabrovo, Bulgaria
5. North-West Regional Development Agency, Romania
6. Tartu Science Park Foundation, Estonia
7. Regional Council of Lapland, Finland
8. Regional Coordination and Development Commission of Centro, Portugal

The main objective of the project is the development of the MAP companies in EUROACE, boosting their competitiveness and innovation in their approach to national and international markets, in a young sector with potential for growth and diversification in this cross-border territory that is presented with advantages. Based on similar soil and climate conditions and rare common biological resources, the economic potential of the crops of some wild species will be jointly identified and the productive processes of others will be improved, while at the same time the development of final products of greater value will be promoted, based on the deepening and articulation between research and companies and the development of networking.

This project will not only analyse the different strategies being developed in both national and international markets, but also the technologies being applied in the MAP sector, sources of information, instruments, tools, competition, the environment in general, trends, markets, barriers, present and future, existing technological offer in the market, events and fairs of interest, programmes, projects, funding channels, etc. All this under an objective analysis and measured under previously established parameters.

The specific objectives of the project will be:

• To identify and characterise the existing wild MAPs in EUROACE's territory and to study their potentialities, including the processes and procedures of their companies, for their introduction into culture and their integration into markets.
• Improve the competences of the sector by valuing the knowledge of the potentialities through collaboration with the companies.
• To obtain a continuous and systematised information system on the current situation and trends in science and technology in the MAP sector in all relevant production and marketing areas.
• Filter, analyse and place this information in an affordable format through technology managers and affordable platforms (PAM Observatory).
• Disseminate information to people of interest on an ongoing basis.
• Create a flow of information in several directions (between actors and regions).

Funded by the POCTEP programme, it is part of the OT1 thematic objective "Promoting research, technological development and innovation", within the axis "Intelligent growth through cross-border cooperation to boost innovation", with the specific objective of improving the participation of the business fabric in innovation processes through better coordination with research centres, as well as carrying out R&D&I activities closer to the market (technological development, proofs of concept, innovation) and capable of being exploited commercially.
Transfer of scientific knowledge to companies (through a science observatory, training actions, articulated research / joint with economic agents).
Favour the development of innovative products and services in the MAP sector through greater articulation between companies and research centres, the implementation of market-oriented R&D&T activities and permanent and qualified access to scientific knowledge.

La Incubadora de Alta Tecnología de Extremadura, especializada en Bioeconomía y Economía Circular, ha sido concebida para impulsar y atraer proyectos empresariales de base tecnológica orientados a obtener nuevos productos/procesos de alto valor añadido mediante técnicas de purificación y procesos biotecnológicos, a partir de los recursos naturales de la región y de los subproductos y residuos de la industria agroalimentaria.

El proyecto es desarrollado por un consorcio formado por el Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas de Extremadura (CICYTEX), como promotor de la infraestructura y prestador de servicios científico - tecnológicos a las empresas incubadas, junto a FUNDECYT-PCTEX y Extremadura AVANTE, como prestadoras de servicios avanzados de acompañamiento a las empresas incubadas.

Ubicada en el Instituto del Corcho, la Madera y el Carbón Vegetal (IPROCOR-CICYTEX), en el polígono industrial “El Prado” de la ciudad de Mérida, esta infraestructura aspira a convertirse en un espacio de incubación pionero en Extremadura, dotado con instalaciones de I+D+i y planta piloto pre industrial, que permita combinar acciones de incubación de empresas de base tecnológica, mejora de competitividad, transferencia de conocimiento y tecnología e internacionalización.

Para conseguirlo, una red de empresas, centros de conocimiento, entidades financieras y otras entidades ampliará la plataforma de servicios de la incubadora, actuando como tractores de las iniciativas incubadas. Además, se promoverán y ensayarán fórmulas de colaboración público–privadas que mejoren la eficiencia del modelo de atracción, incubación y aceleración de iniciativas emprendedoras basadas en la investigación y el desarrollo en Bioeconomía y Economía Circular.

El proyecto es financiado con el apoyo del Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER), a través de la Fundación INCYDE, según el acuerdo de colaboración firmado entre ésta y la Cámara de Comercio de España dentro del Programa Operativo Plurirregional de España FEDER 2014-2020.

La dotación financiera para todo el proyecto asciende a 1.473.208 €, con una ayuda del Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) de 1.178.566,40 €. Por su parte, el presupuesto de FUNDECYT-PCTEX es de 40.000 €, con una ayuda del FEDER de 32.000 €.

GREENIN is a peer learning project, financed by the European Union`s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, led by FUNDECYT-PCTEX and implemented in collaboration with European innovation support institutions in Portugal and Hungary. It aims at developing and sharing an effective mechanism for reviewing and identifying the state of the art of policies, methodologies, experiences and good practices on Green Public Procurement for Innovation (GPPI), to implement effective GPPI initiatives in European territories.

GREENIN objective
GREENIN project aim is to set up a desired scenario in green public procurement for innovation (GPPI) , aligned with smart specialisation strategies, to increase knowledge exchange with policy makers and interested stakeholders, favouring SMEs participation. The GREENIN project intends to open a dialogue on how GPPI efforts and impact can be reinforced through a joint learning process of the three partners and to elaborate a suitable Design Options Paper (GREENIN DOP), creating a desired scenario for all those involved and interested in the policy topic in the future.

Activities
The methodology of the project will consist of:

1. Identification, analysis and selection of policies, methodologies, experiences and good practices on GPPI
2. Guided discussions and work sessions with Local Working Groups to identify common applicable approaches for GPPI
3. Joint drafting of the GREENIN DOP for the definition of a desired scenario for GPPI
4. Regional pilot applications to facilitate dialogue and networking activities between procurers and SMEs

Duration
12 months: from September 2018 to September 2019

Partnership
The GREENIN project brings together European partners from three different countries: Spain, Portugal and Hungary working in territorial cooperation and smart specialisation strategies (RIS3), where green sector is present. The GREENIN project partners are:

• FUNDECYT PCTEX - FUNDACION FUNDECYT PARQUE CIENTIFICO Y TECNOLOGICO DE EXTREMADURA (Foundation FUNDECYT Science and Technological Park of Extremadura), Lead Patner, Spain - www.fundecyt-pctex.es.
  FUNDECYT PCTEX is a non-profit organisation that aims to contributing to the social and economic exploitation of science and technology in the Extremadura region. It supports and promotes scientific and technological development and a better use of research and innovation outcomes. FUNDECYT-PCTEX hosts more than 80 innovative companies in its facilities and supports regional entrepreneurs and SMEs.
• LNEG - Laborat�rio Nacional de Energia e Geologia (National Laboratory of Energy and Geology), Partner, Portugal - www.lneg.pt
  LNEG is the Portuguese organization of research, demonstration and technological development, responsible of the technology and R&D results integration in the business world. As an institution of the Ministry of Economy, it works as a consultant for public policy on energy, geology, environment, sustainability, standardization, quality and certification.
• IFKA - Iparfejlesztesi Kozhasznu Nonprofit Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag (Public Benefit Non-Profit Ltd. for the Development of Industry), Partner, Hungary - www.ifka.hu
  IFKA is a state-appointed innovation management and technology-transfer institute and promotes knowledge transfer to industrial actors, collaborating through tenders and international cooperation projects in the development of science and technology-driven sectoral strategies in Hungary.