Info Day for Cluster 4 (Digital, Industry & Space) in Horizon Europe held by EKT

On Tuesday 21 February 2023, the new calls under the 2023-2024 Work Programme and the funding opportunities in the fields of Digital Technologies, Industry and Space of Horizon Europe were prsesented in the "National Info Day for Horizon Europe: Digital, Industry, Space", organised by the National Documentation Centre (EKT), National Contact Point for Horizon Europe and with a coordinating role in the consortium Enterprise Europe Network Hellas.

The event was held in collaboration with the General Secretariat for Research and Innovation (GSRI) and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Content and Technology Communications Networks (DG CNECT), the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD) and the Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS).

It was attended by more than 200 representatives of research institutions, small and medium-sized enterprises, startups, spinoffs and academic organisations, as well as other stakeholders from the business and academic world who wish to participate in consortia to submit proposals in first calls of 2023 in Digital Technologies, Industry and Space (Cluster 4) of the ‘Horizon Europe’ programme.

Attendees were welcomed by Dr Nena Malliou, Head of the RDI Indicators & Actions Department at EKT, who referred to Greece's high level of participation in the ‘Digital Technologies, Industry and Space’ cluster of Horizon Europe. She stated that in the two-year period 2021-2022, Greek institutions participated in 40% of the approved proposals in Cluster 4 of Horizon Europe, while the country is ranked 6th in absorption of European funds in the specific cluster. Also, Dr. N. Malliou pointed out the role of EKT in collecting data and extracting indicators that assess and substantiate Greece's research and business activity.

Then, the representatives of the European Commission made their presentations. Dr Nicholas Deliyanakis from the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation was the first to present the Destinations in the field of Industry and the strategies for each destination, and gave basic advice on the submission of proposals.

Dr Evangelia Markidou and Ramon Sanmartin Sola, from the Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technologies, presented the open calls for funding in the fields of artificial intelligence, robotics and metaverse, the conditions for successful submission, the destinations as well as the synergies between the Digital Technologies cluster and other clusters of Horizon Europe.

Then, Mats Ljungqvist, from the Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space, talked about the European Commission's vision in the field of Space, referred to emerging cutting-edge technologies and presented the EU initiative to support entrepreneurship by leveraging space technologies, Cassini.

The Greek participation in Cluster 4 per institution, direction and the variety of collaborations, which extend to remote countries, was presented by Vasillis Gongolidis, National Representative for Cluster 4 in Horizon Europe, from the General Secretariat for Research and Innovation.

Dr Niki Kousi, Managing Director EIT Manufacturing CLC SE, presented EIT Manufacturing's open calls and cutting-edge technologies resulting from projects with a higher degree of readiness than the usual Horizon Europe projects. EIT Manufacturing CLC SE is the first CLC among all KICs (Knowledge Innovation Communities) based in Greece and will support the participation of enterprises and organisations in Innovation projects that aim to create products and services very close to the market to improve the industry and its processes. EIT Manufacturing also gives startups the chance to participate in a variety of acceleration business programmes and students to take part in training programmes.

Then, examples of successful proposals in Horizon Europe Cluster 4 were presented. Professor Georgios Chrysolouris and Assistant Professor Panagiotis Stavropoulos, from the Laboratory of Production Systems & Automation of the University of Patras, presented their own experience in projects funded by Horizon Europe Cluster 4, concerning the integration of digital technologies in the industrial sector. During their talk, they gave applicants useful advice based on their own experience in proposal submission.

The presentations continued with the National Contact Points for Horizon Europe at the EKT. Angelos Angelidis referred to the potential for business development and networking through the Enterprise Europe Network and the Digital Innovation Hub ‘SmartAttica’ that support small and medium-sized enterprises, Varvara Vasilaki referred to the twin transition, the connection between circular economy and digital technologies and the opportunities offered for funding, while Marios Roidis presented the most important emerging trends of the metaverse.

The discussion was moderated by George Megas, NCP Coordinator & Cluster 4 lead NCP at EKT.

Throughout the online event, the audience were able to ask questions to the speakers, which were answered after the end of each section.

The programme and the presentations of the speakers are available here, while the full video of the event can be found on EKT's YouTube channel here.

For any questions, interested parties can contact EKT’s George Megas, coordinator of the NCPs for Cluster 4 at megas@ekt.gr.

• National Contact Points for Cluster 4 at EKT
• Digital Technologies: George Megas | megas@ekt.gr, Angelos Angelidis | aangelidis@ekt.gr, Marios Roidis | mroidis@ekt.gr
• Industry: Varvara Vasilaki | vasilaki@ekt.gr, George Megas| megas@ekt.gr
• Space: George Megas | megas@ekt.gr

Watch the video

EKT -National Contact Point for Horizon Europe

With combined value-added services, EKT supports the Greek research and business community to excel and grow internationally.

EKT is National Contact Point for Horizon Europe, in Pillar 1 of the programme for the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Thematic Group (MSCA), in Pillar 2 for clusters 1 ‘Health’ and 4 ‘Digital, Industry and Space’, as well as for ‘Mission on Cancer’. In this context, EKT provides organisations, business, academic and research institutions with advisory and brokerage services. These services range from the identification of funding opportunities focusing on the individual characteristics and strengths of each organisation to the drafting, pre-evaluation and submission of proposals.

EKT supports organisations, enterprises, academic and research institutions all the way: from identifying funding opportunities to drafting and submitting proposals, implementing projects and exploiting research results. In addition, it contributes to the recording and analysis of Greece's participation in European research and innovation programmes. EKT is a key member of the network of National Contact Points in Horizon Europe for Health (HNN3.0), Digital (Ideal-ist), Industry (NCP4Industry) and MSCA (MSCA-NET). Finally, it is the Greek organisation participating in the European project ‘ECHoS - Establishing of Cancer Mission Hubs: Networks and Synergies’. Within the framework of the project, it collaborates with a network of 57 partners aiming at the establishment of national hubs for the Mission on Cancer.

Digital Innovation Hub, member of the Enterprise Europe Network

EKT is a member of Smart Attica, one of the four Greek Digital Innovation Hubs that provides Greek SMEs with Artificial Intelligence services. In addition, EKT executives actively participate in the DIH Expert Group of the European Commission.

Since 2008, EKT has played a coordinating role in the Enterprise Europe Network Hellas consortium, the Greek hub of the world's largest business support network. The Enterprise Europe Network supports the sustainability, green and digital transition, resilience, growth and outward-looking development of every innovative SME.