Project description
A smarter supply chain for SMEs
Liquidity is the life blood of all SMEs but getting funding is one of their biggest issues. Nevertheless, there remains a gap between the financing available to SMEs and the finance they could productively use. The EU-funded Zero1 project is addressing this issue with a unique suite of machine learning (ML) algorithms accessed through a simple online cloud-based platform. Its aim is to shrink the SME funding gap by allowing supplier SMEs to gain funding as soon as they receive an order from their buyer at an affordable interest rate. The most reliable suppliers get the best terms for borrowing, buyers receive a data fee and private investors get a good net return.
Objective
The issue of slow or late payments from buyers can spell disaster for many SME suppliers. Payment terms generally range from 30 to 90 days, with up to 40% of these invoices paid late, creating a serious cashflow problem.
As a result, SMEs need access to short-term financing which is both affordable and quick enough to keep up with incoming orders. Yet, banks are reluctant to loan to SMEs and their credit scoring methods are often unfairly harsh on them. Alternative online financing exists for SMEs, but many of these lenders charge elevated fees or don’t get funding to suppliers when it is most needed: at the start of production.
Our solution: Zero1 is a unique suite of Machine Learning (ML) algorithms accessed through an easy-to-use web- and cloud-based platform. It is designed to finally solve the SME funding gap (currently estimated at 2,3 trillion € worldwide), allowing supplier SMEs to get funding as soon as they receive an order from their buyer, at an affordable interest rate.
We partner with big multi-national buyers, who grant us access to data, such as their historical relationship with a supplier. The suite of ML algorithms is trained to give the supplier a smarter, more holistic credit scoring. The most reliable suppliers automatically get the best terms for borrowing, buyers receive a data fee and private investors get a good net return. The result is a more efficient supply chain, with benefits for all stakeholders and the economy at large.
Zero1 is a project by Beledger, a FinTech start-up based in Madrid. The 4 partners have over 40 years’ combined expertise in finance, agri-food, the supply chain and technology, including big data and AI. During this project, we will first target the agri-food sector, an industry with a malfunctioning, wasteful supply chain and very long payment terms. Zero1 will bring Beledger an EBITDA of 6,75M € in Year 5 of commercialisation and allow us to hire 61 people.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences computer and information sciences databases
- natural sciences computer and information sciences data science big data
- natural sciences computer and information sciences artificial intelligence machine learning
You need to log in or register to use this function
We are sorry... an unexpected error occurred during execution.
You need to be authenticated. Your session might have expired.
Thank you for your feedback. You will soon receive an email to confirm the submission. If you have selected to be notified about the reporting status, you will also be contacted when the reporting status will change.
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
-
H2020-EU.2.3. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme -
H2020-EU.3. - PRIORITY 'Societal challenges
See all projects funded under this programme -
H2020-EU.2.1. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies
See all projects funded under this programme
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-EIC-SMEInst-2018-2020
See all projects funded under this callCoordinator
Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
28006 MADRID
Spain
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.