Skip to main content
European Commission logo print header

Programme Category

Programma

Article available in the following languages:

EN

Support for the enhancement of the impact of PILOT projects

 

This action should support the development and work of a EPPN with a clear added value to current H2020 pilot activities. The coordination action shall aim in particular to actively identify best practise on maximising the impact of new and existing pilot line activities in Europe. The initiative, which is expected to last 3 years, will require close collaboration with relevant regional and national public bodies, industrial associations, technology centres, private investors and organisations. Sustainability of the networking activity beyond the duration of EU funding support should be considered.

EPPN activities may include:

  • Mapping of EU, regional and national projects and pilot installations and their services, market opportunities and the potential users of these facilities.
  • Mapping of EU, regional and national opportunities for supporting access to pilot facilities by SMEs/Start-ups and upscaling of new businesses and identification of any barriers, such as training, safety, standards or regulatory.
  • Alignment with relevant EU, national, regional activities, such as National/Regional Access Programmes and EU Vanguard initiative including identification and adoption of best practise business models, IP management and marketing.
  • Cooperation with regional-national brokerage events bringing pilot facilities, local companies and capital providers together, including dedicated training workshops for potential new pilot facilities and their users (funding for event organisation is not envisaged in the current topic).

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU between EUR 0.5 and 1 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

No more than one action will be funded.

To optimally support pilot production, there is a need for a ""European Pilot Production Network"" (EPPN) that would act as a coordination platform in the area of nanotechnologies and advanced materials upscaling and pilot actions. EPPN would exploit synergies and maximise impact of the various investments, innovation programmes and financing from H2020, regional and private sources, ensuring cooperation with the Member States and Associated Countries and regions, as well as other stakeholders.

The establishment and operation of the EPPN is expected to have impacts at three levels:

At Pilot line level:

Networking of individual pilot facilities to establish complete pilot ecosystems for key industrial value chains enabled by nanotechnologies and advanced materials; established and demonstrated examples of best practise business models, IPR management and marketing approaches.

At end-user level:

Promoting knowledge of EU, regional and national support opportunities, facilitating in particular SME access to pilot facilities. Successfully bringing pilot facilities, local companies and capital providers together, leading to the creation of new or scaling up of existing businesses.

At policy level:

Practical policy recommendations resulting from interactions with relevant regional and national public bodies, advancing the work of the NANOfutures Integrated Research and Innovation Roadmap (2013-2025) and the Multi-KETs Pilot Lines Final Report; Practical examples and recommendations directed to the relevant EU and National initiatives, for addressing horizontal barriers, in particular on funding and financing, but also including training, safety, standards, and regulatory issues.