Periodic Reporting for period 2 - INNO4COV-19 (Boosting Innovation for COVID-19 Diagnostic, Prevention and Surveillance.)
Período documentado: 2021-10-01 hasta 2022-11-30
The novel corona virus causing COVID-19 overwhelmed Europe and the world in just a few weeks’ time. Small and Medium-sized Entrerprises (SMEs) are put at very high risk by the slowdown or shutdown of economic life in their countries – exactly those companies who ensure the development of innovative solutions urgently required for counteracting the impacts of COVID-19 and for helping to control possible future outbreaks alike. In view of this situation, accelerated uptake of innovative technologies to tackle COVID-19 is most needed. The mission of INNO4COV-19 is to create a lab-to-fab platform and a collaboration resource where companies and reference laboratories will find the tools for developing and implementing innovative technologies - from idea assessment to market exploitation. Moreover, the project is committed to supporting the commercialization of more than 30 new products for combatting COVID-19 over the next 2 years.
Presence of leading applied research EU institutions in the Consortium will help to obtain a huge impact and to find and attract innovators across Europe to offer new solutions for COVID-19 pandemic and other potential future outbreaks. Europe needs to reinforce its technological leadership and rebuild an industrial sector capable to protect our citizen’s safety and well-being, and INNO4COV-19 will help in catalyzing the change.
Presence of leading applied research EU institutions in the Consortium will help to obtain a huge impact and to find and attract innovators across Europe to offer new solutions for COVID-19 pandemic and other potential future outbreaks. Europe needs to reinforce its technological leadership and rebuild an industrial sector capable to protect our citizen’s safety and well-being, and INNO4COV-19 will help in catalyzing the change.
The mission of INNO4COV-19 is to create a lab-to-fab platform and a collaboration resource where companies and reference laboratories will find the tools for developing and implementing innovative technologies - from idea assessment to market exploitation. The Inno4cov-19 lab-to-fab platform is composed of 4 subplatforms (SP) in 4 different technological areas. Each SP include the offer of a vast range of services from technical to regulatory and business development support, and was build up using the same backbone process to promote the harmonization of services among the different areas, so that we deliver a unique catalogue of services.
INNO4COVID-19 was also committed to support the route to market of 30 new products for combatting COVID-19. This timely introduction of solutions to solve some of the challenges we were facing during the worst times of the pandemic was a major focus of our consortia. Having this in mind, during the first year of the project the consortium was engaged in launching and managing the Open Call. From these activities we have gathered some best practices and we can deliver an “Open Call Tool Kit” as guidelines for cascade funding. The third party projects have become the benchmark of INNO4COV-19, playing a major role in further developing the lab-to-fab platform in order to make sure that all the capacity building in each technology SP is aligned with the real needs and expectations of potential users. Besides the testing of the lab-to-fab platform, the second year of the project was also dedicated to the monitoring and support (especially regarding regulatory and business issues) of the third party projects. The continuous and direct support given to the third party projects is done through a central figure - the Project Delivery Manager (PDM), following a “reply-to-a-need” model. The PDM followed the development of the third parties’ technologies development during the whole duration of the Inno4cov-19 project, which sometimes went beyond the third party projects.
Finally, once the services were defined and all the goals of the project were being reached-out, the consortia started to focus on the sustainability plan and performed crucial activities to optimize the project impact and sustainability beyond its timeframe.
INNO4COVID-19 was also committed to support the route to market of 30 new products for combatting COVID-19. This timely introduction of solutions to solve some of the challenges we were facing during the worst times of the pandemic was a major focus of our consortia. Having this in mind, during the first year of the project the consortium was engaged in launching and managing the Open Call. From these activities we have gathered some best practices and we can deliver an “Open Call Tool Kit” as guidelines for cascade funding. The third party projects have become the benchmark of INNO4COV-19, playing a major role in further developing the lab-to-fab platform in order to make sure that all the capacity building in each technology SP is aligned with the real needs and expectations of potential users. Besides the testing of the lab-to-fab platform, the second year of the project was also dedicated to the monitoring and support (especially regarding regulatory and business issues) of the third party projects. The continuous and direct support given to the third party projects is done through a central figure - the Project Delivery Manager (PDM), following a “reply-to-a-need” model. The PDM followed the development of the third parties’ technologies development during the whole duration of the Inno4cov-19 project, which sometimes went beyond the third party projects.
Finally, once the services were defined and all the goals of the project were being reached-out, the consortia started to focus on the sustainability plan and performed crucial activities to optimize the project impact and sustainability beyond its timeframe.
INNO4COVID-19 is supporting in total 35 new technologies that will not only tackle COVID-19 pandemic issues, but also prepare us for future pandemic outbreaks. All of these technologies are innovative and go beyond the state of the art in their fields.
Beyond the technologies supported, we are building a lab-to-fab platform and a collaboration resource where companies and reference laboratories will find the tools for developing and implementing innovative technologies - from idea assessment to market exploitation.This platform will offer services within 4 different domains (subplatforms): (i) innovative diagnostic and screening systems (Subplatform 1); (ii) environmental surveillance systems and data analytics as a sentinel for viral (re)emergence and spread in communities (Subplatform 2); (iii) low-cost sensors and wearables, as well as telemedicine and telepresence solutions (Subplatform 3); (iv) and protective equipment for people and safer public (Subplatform 4). And it will range from general services to very specific and tailored services.
With this action we aim to foster SME’s growth and the whole “KET-COV-19” ecosystem. Also to facilitate the establishment of a fully functional innovation platform by pan-European supporting developers in the last steps of the value chain. This accelerates the translation of innovation to the market.
Thus, INNO4COV19 contributes to the European, as well as global, capacity in the management of COVID-19 pandemic. This increases preparedness and prompt response to COVID-19 outbreaks.
Beyond the technologies supported, we are building a lab-to-fab platform and a collaboration resource where companies and reference laboratories will find the tools for developing and implementing innovative technologies - from idea assessment to market exploitation.This platform will offer services within 4 different domains (subplatforms): (i) innovative diagnostic and screening systems (Subplatform 1); (ii) environmental surveillance systems and data analytics as a sentinel for viral (re)emergence and spread in communities (Subplatform 2); (iii) low-cost sensors and wearables, as well as telemedicine and telepresence solutions (Subplatform 3); (iv) and protective equipment for people and safer public (Subplatform 4). And it will range from general services to very specific and tailored services.
With this action we aim to foster SME’s growth and the whole “KET-COV-19” ecosystem. Also to facilitate the establishment of a fully functional innovation platform by pan-European supporting developers in the last steps of the value chain. This accelerates the translation of innovation to the market.
Thus, INNO4COV19 contributes to the European, as well as global, capacity in the management of COVID-19 pandemic. This increases preparedness and prompt response to COVID-19 outbreaks.