Materials Synergy Integration for a Better Europe

Project Information

BET-EU

Grant agreement ID: 692373

DOI

10.3030/692373

Project closed

EC signature date 2 December 2015

Start date 1 January 2016

End date 31 December 2018

Funded under

• Twinning of research institutions

Total cost

€ 999 363,75

EU contribution

€ 999 363,75

Coordinated by

UNINOVA-INSTITUTO DE DESENVOLVIMENTO DE NOVAS TECNOLOGIAS-ASSOCIACAO
Portugal

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - BET-EU (Materials Synergy Integration for a Better Europe)

Reporting period: 2017-04-01 to 2018-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

BET-EU main ambition was to leverage the research, innovation, development and deployment capabilities of Portuguese widening beneficiaries (PT Cluster) in the multidisciplinary area of paper/printed electronics, which involves deeply the fields of nanotechnology and advanced functional materials. Implementing this vision, through BET-EU, the lead Portuguese institutions aimed:
- Create a top environment for international scientific talent attraction in Portugal;
- Create strong multidisciplinary cohesion within PT Cluster;
-Act as Portuguese leader and international key player in nanotechnology and advanced materials, mainly targeting the development of the scientific concept of paper electronics.

The overall conclusion is that the activities performed and actions implemented along the project allowed the PT cluster to advance on the three components listed above. Most of the objectives, benchmarks and indicators were achieved. According to the initially defined objectives the following outputs were achieved:

- A Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) and a Science & Technology Roadmap (STR) at PT cluster were defined together with a project sustainability plan
- Partnerships stablished with world-leading institutions in Europe (industry and scientific ones)
- Joint proposals to several funding schemes were accomplished
- It was established industry driven initiatives and start-ups at PT cluster
- Industry driven initiative towards the establishment of a pilot line in paper electronics was launched
- A start-up in paper electronics and biosensors was created
- Organization, in collaboration with other initiatives (such EIT Raw Materials) workshops and summer schools concerning advanced materials and sustainability.
- Organization of popularisation actions both at national and international level, evolving high schools and civil society on nanotechnology and advanced materials
- Industry oriented brokerage events were organized
- Strategic partnerships were established with science and technology dissemination players.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

BET-EU partners and especially the ones connected to the PT cluster, have worked close to RTO, Academies and industries, at national and European levels,.
They have promoted creativity and innovation, as a way to leverage impact of the project gains concerning the acquisition of expertise from the PT RTO and academies, to push them to the forefront activities, not only in the country but at European level.
BET-EU contributed to enhance the scientific cooperation between the national cluster research organizations (UNINOVA and CENIMAT/I3N) and the international leading organizations (UCAM, FhG-IKTS and VTT), concerning:
(i) Several experts visit to PT cluster institutions coming from the leading institutions
(ii)Secondment opportunities at the leading institutions for PT cluster researchers and students
(iii) consolidation of the current Strategic Research Agenda
(iv) development of the capacity building activities for UNINOVA and I3N’s researchers
(v) strengthen synergies with internationally-recognized Centres of Excellence in the Advanced Functional Materials and Paper Electronics technology and applications
(vi) enhancement of the visibility of Portuguese research institutions, by increasing the engagement of industrial communities and other stakeholders into the Portuguese paper electronics cluster.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Via BET-EU the institutions involved could align their strategy, aiming to promote science engagement beyond the ones initially established as well as in promoting new projects aiming to better exploit the existing competences in Portugal. To this action we can highlight the ones under exploration which are:
a) Science network: this has been done via reference European programmes such as Marie Curie as well European network via exploitation of common PhD formation of students involving Portuguese and non-Portuguese institutions;
b) Projects up TRL 3: exploiting ideas in programmes such FET or ERC from which we have already obtained some success;
c) Projects from TRL 3 to 5: good association with key partners via the ones established by BET-EU. The idea is to explore the areas of expertise at I3N and Uninova/CEMOP and to share them with others as a way to promote new partnerships;
d) Projects above TRL5: exploiting directly towards industry based proof of concepts. Here, we have to highlight the establishment of the collaborative laboratory AlmaScience, bringing together key players from Research and Industry, to establish the formation of an industry oriented applied research in the field of paper electronics and their exploitation in 5 key areas: Paper manufacturing and modification; smart systems, developments and integration; smart diagnostic platforms and biosensors; Architecture and manufacturing of Electronic systems on paper; Materials and devices for electronic and energy building blocks integration;
e) Improve the visibility of the institutions involved, translated in an enhancement of high impact factor publication or involvement in the definition of policies connected to the key area of the paper electronics,
f) More invited and plenary talks given by team members at international conferences thanks to enhance of our visibility as well thanks to the partners of BET-EU that do promote in their network the excellence done at I3N and Uninova/CEMOP;
g) Acquiring new competences to further exploit either as publishable scientific work, or to promote and disseminate knowledge inside and outside the Portuguese institutions involved.
h) Establishing new competences that facilitate partnerships within the industrial companies, aiming to better exploit the ad value connected to paper electronics. This is an area of success where good bridges have been already established with the key paper company (Navigator), and end-users of the technology such as Imprensa Nacional casa da Moeda. Other contacts are underway.
i) Improve the connections to the region. Here the Almada Municipality has been involved in supporting the expansion of the CENIMAT/I3N and CEMOP/Uninova infrastructure to support the establishment in the region of a multidisciplinary hup connected to the area of paper electronics and to the advanced functional materials field.

BET-EU - Actions