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Stimulating effects of Future and Emerging Technologies through communication and outreach

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - FETFX (Stimulating effects of Future and Emerging Technologies through communication and outreach)

Berichtszeitraum: 2020-07-01 bis 2021-06-30

The successful transition towards a fully-fledge European Innovation Council requires a profound transformation both on communication and outreach of the Horizon 2020 Future and Emerging Technologies programme.
The strategic objective of the “FETFX - Stimulating effects in Future and Emerging Technologies through communication and outreach” project was to promote FET and EIC Pathfinder Pilot research and innovation among a wide range of actors (researchers and innovation community, policy makers, and general public) a through dedicated community building and multi-stakeholder engagement actions.

During its 30-month duration, FETFX will support the achievement of its four specific objectives:
• SO1. Foster the circulation of FET knowledge, talents and results among relevant multipliers and stakeholder networks;
• SO2. Stimulate the emergence of the FET community and debate around emerging technologies;
• SO3. Communicate about FET programme prestige, impacts and achievements;
• SO4. Stimulate mind-sets on paradigm-changing transformation.

Although the project built upon the efforts and the outcomes of other CSAs project funded under FET programme, participated by some FETFX partners, and, in particular, the FET-Open CSA EFFECT (GA No. 737301), it did not just represent a mere follow up of. In fact, it took advantage of already visible and consolidated communication channels for the enlargement and enrichment of the existing community around the mission-oriented scope of the FET Programme, its topics and long-term impacts in terms of innovation and benefit for society through focused engagement activities addressing all the target groups representing civil society as a whole.

Thanks to its inclusive and creative approach, FETFX stimulated the awareness and the engagement of a broader community around the mission-oriented scope of the FET Programme and the future and emerging technologies capable to renew European growth in terms of innovation and benefit for society, under the fully-fledged European Innovation Council in Horizon Europe (2021-2027).
The work carried out since the beginning of the project, which started on the 1st of January 2019, during the first reporting period reflects the objectives highlighted in the Description of Action. The project goes on through the strong work and the good capabilities of five different work packages: WP1– Management and Coordination, WP 2 – Co-create stories and results, WP 3 – Communicating to Engage, WP4 – Engagement and Outreach, WP5 – Impact and Sustainability.

A first baseline of the most promising topics and FET stories has been created (80 FET projects) and validated with the support of the Advisory Board (40 FET projects). Furthermore, synergies and collaboration among FET CSAs has been established with 17 on-going CSAs. The FETFX communication activities have been based on the implementation of an innovative communication model built around a content-centric and challenge-based approach. Acting as a communications hub across various media, FETFX ensured a wider communication and outreach on the technologies of the future through different media channels, relevant for the transition from FET to the fully fledge EIC (2021-2027). FETFX engagement actions have been identified in different initiatives as: (i) innovation potential (FETFX Pills), (ii) communication potential (journalists in-the-lab), (iii) communication gaps in high-risk research (policy workshop and Recommendation Paper), (iv) engagement of the civil society (FETFX Communication Campaigns, as Innovative Enterprise Week and Future Tech Week), (v) increase FET researchers communication skills (webinars and training sessions,), and (vi) foster the emergence of the FET community around its achievements (FETFX Booklet).

Thanks to the FETFX efforts, the following results have been achieved:

≥ 219 FET projects covered with the FETFX project via its editorial production and outreach activities

≥ 1.031 registered participants at online and offline trainings and events
≥ 2 Schools of journalisms engaged
≥ 17 FET and EIC experts engaged in FETFX activities (e.g. FETFX Booklet; FETFX Advisory Board; Editorial production, etc).

≥ 25 News Releases of which ≥ 6 dedicated to the EIC related evolution
≥ 2 Journalistic articles
≥ 16 video interviews
≥ 16 FET People profiles published, ensuring a gender-balance approach
≥ 15 e-Magazine editions, direct mail out to ≥ 420 e-Magazine registered users, ≥ 210 FET funded projects, ≥ 118 FET NCPs , ≥ 8 Horizon 2020 NCP Networks and ≥ 5.000 recipients from FETFX consortium constituency
≥ 500 distributed Postcards during relevant events (Innovative Enterprise Week; ICT event) and ≥ 250 viewers of FETFX video production

≥ 1.580 reached followers on Twitter
≥ 354 reached followers on LinkedIn
≥ 179 participating projects in both editions 2019 & 2020 of the Future Tech Week, of which 144 unique participating projects
≥ 103 reached subscribers on YouTube and an overall outreach represented by 11.541 views
≥ 90.000 potential audience reached via Twitter with the Future Tech Week – 2019 & 2020 Edition
≥ 700 visits to Future Tech Week @ Research & Innovation Days sessions; 1,128 views of FETFX roundtables & recorded sessions (YouTube & Research & Innovation Days)
The FETFX project achieved the following intangible outcomes:
• Contribution to a comprehensive knowledge about FET and its transition to a fully-fledge European Innovation Council (2021-2027);
• Valorise political vision of high-risk high-gain research and radical breakthrough innovation;
• Stimulate interest in EIC topics;
• Improved collaborations and networking among novel and emerging research and innovation communities;
• Increase and promote awareness of FET and EIC research and innovation achievements and main actors;
• Enhance coordination among FET projects and CSAs in communication purposes;
• Increase the exploitation potential of novel research and innovation practices in-silo breaking collaborations;
• Increase the potential of the market uptake of research outcomes;
• Inform the innovation ecosystem around an emerging technological paradigm;
• Improve readiness and strengthen European Leadership around future and emerging technologies;
• Increase the understanding of EIC and FET research mission as well as its potential impacts on real life;
• Improved range of impact mechanisms on EIC research in a view of Responsible Research and Innovation;
• Enrich science-communication professionals’ knowledge base about the EIC research and innovation;
• Encourage science-based careers;
• Increase public awareness and acceptance;
• Enhance transparency in Commission operations towards EU citizens and tax-payers.
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