1- Europe 2020 agenda
Europe 2020 is an agenda of the improvements the Union wants to work for, by the end of this decade.
It aims to improve Europe’s economy and Europeans’ quality of life, by increasing employment rates, investing in Research, lowering GHG emissions, improving education, etc.
One of Europe 2020’s tools to drive economic growth and create jobs is the investment program H2020 (Horizon 2020). This financial instrument provides nearly €80 billion of funding for innovative projects, in order to give them a better chance to break through and tackle digital and societal challenges.
The main goal of this program is to facilitate the creation of innovative companies, and to empower activities in Europe, in order to develop the European economy and improve the overall quality of life.
It provides support in multiple fields, such as marketing strategies, mentoring, investor readiness training, connecting innovators with economic players and potential customers, even more so for deep-tech and digital start-ups.
2 – Startup Europe challenge ICT 33-2019
Actions under this heading reinforce the Startup Europe and Innovation Radar initiatives and link to the activities of the European Innovation Council in a complementary way by targeting exclusively ICT innovators that are not supported by the EIC.
Startup Europe challenge aims at scaling up innovative businesses across the EU, detecting high potential innovations and supporting innovators in going to market.
Deep-tech will have a particular support connect startups with business partners as well as potential investors and customers, accessing skills and services helping startups soft land in new markets,
The projects and companies supported by this program have to demonstrate sustainability, new jobs creation possibilities and international growth potentials.
The ICT-33-2019 program supports Startup Europe for Growth and Innovation Radar with a €10 million budget for the year 2019. This major program gives an opportunity to a great number of European ICT-based projects to obtain public procurement contracts and reach investment maturity.
Projects have to focus on opening cross-border investments, activities and connections with among the 4-5 startups ecosystems, half of them being located in less developed ecosystems.
Eligible projects are due to be from EU Countries. Non-EU/non-Associated countries listed in Annex A have to make funding available for their participants in Horizon 2020 projects.
This program provides support, mentoring and coaching to SMEs, startups, scaleups, spinoffs ad market-oriented researchers, who are supported by EU funded ICT projects and deliver market-creating innovations that have scale-up potential. Thus, scaling up across border and finding international investors will become easier for the projects involved in this program.
More information about startupEU : www.startupeuropeclub.eu More information about ICT-33-2019 : ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/news/startup-europe-growth-call-proposals-info-day-networking-event