Programme Category
Programme Name
Programme Description
Horizon Europe is the European Union (EU) funding programme for the period 2021 – 2027, which targets the sectors of research and innovation. The programme’s budget is around € 95.5 billion, of which € 5.4 billion is from NextGenerationEU to stimulate recovery and strengthen the EU’s resilience in the future, and € 4.5 billion is additional aid.
Identifier Code
Call
Summary
Excellence Hubs are part of the European Excellence Initiative and complement the science-oriented schemes Teaming, Twinning, ERA Chairs and the European Excellence Initiative for Universities by a dedicated innovation component. Excellence Hubs will focus on innovation by allowing innovation ecosystems in Widening countries and beyond, to team up and create better linkages between academia, business, government and society.
Detailed Call Description
It will foster a real placed based innovation culture in Widening countries based on a strategic agenda aligned with regional or national smart specialisation strategies. Unlike Teaming projects that are centred around a single beneficiary, Excellence Hubs are networks of place-based innovation ecosystems in Widening countries involving larger communities of actors in a regional context based on the quadruple helix principle.
Excellence Hubs should improve access to excellence for R&I actors in Widening countries and elaborate joint R&I strategies that are aligned with national, regional (notably RIS3) and/or European strategies or policy priorities (e.g. Green Deal, Digital transition). These strategies will be underpinned by concrete actions plans and an investment strategy that reaches out beyond the project’s lifetime and will leverage national, regional and European funds as well as private (venture) capital. Investment plans may include pertinent R&I infrastructures as well as demonstrators and pilots.
Projects should be established around the following core components:
- Cross-border joint R&I strategy aligned with regional smart specialisation strategies and/or European policy priorities such as the green and digital transition.
- R&I project consolidating academia business linkages and providing evidence for strategy building and investment.
- Action and investment plans for implementation of the strategy.
- Conceptual design and pre-planning for pilots and demonstrators (if applicable) in line with the strategy.
- Accompanying measures e.g. to raise visibility, citizen engagement, technology transfer, entrepreneurship training, staff exchange, mutual learning etc.
Projects are expected to contribute to the following outcomes:
- Excellent and sustainable place-based innovation ecosystems in Widening countries and beyond in relevant domains of cutting-edge science and innovation.
- Long term joint R&I strategies underpinned by concrete action plans of European relevance.
- Common investment plans for R&I including infrastructures leveraging national, regional and European funds as well as private capital in a synergetic manner.
- R&I pilot projects alongside a joint strategy and in line with regional and national strategies, notably regional innovation strategies for smart specialisation (RIS3).
- New competencies and skills for researchers, entrepreneurs and professionals in R&I intensive domains.
- Strengthened linkages between science and business.
- Poles of attraction for talents in catching up regions and countries.
- Improved knowledge transfer and development of entrepreneurial skills.
- Uptake of innovative technologies.
- New business opportunities especially for SMEs and new employment.
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
100%
EU contribution: between €3,000,000 and € 5,000,000 million
Thematic Categories
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
Eligibility for Participation
- Central Government
- Educational Institutions
- Large Enterprises
- NGOs
- Non Profit Organisations
- Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
- Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
- State-owned Enterprises
Eligibility For Participation Notes
In order to achieve the expected outcomes, participation as coordinators to the call is limited to legal entities established in Widening countries.
Consortia must include at least two different place-based R&I ecosystems in at least two different countries eligible to host the co-ordinator under the Widening part of Horizon Europe. Each ecosystem needs to include four different categories of actors i.e. a) academic institutions (universities and/or non-university research centres or labs), b) business entities (active established firms with relevant revenues), c) public authorities or authorised agencies and d) societal actors (civil society organisations, associations, citizens, end users, media, cultural actors etc.).
This quadruple helix approach needs to be presented in the proposal either by one or more umbrella organisations (e.g. clusters) or representative individual entities representing each of the four categories. Ecosystems with a large number of members are to be preferably represented by a limited number of key players (at least two, thereof one research and one business partner) whereas proposed activities are open for participation of other members, too. Such member needs to confirm their engagement in the project by letters of endorsement. At least one of the business entities needs to be an established firm (no start-up) with significant and proven operational income to be verifiable by balance sheets or business reports of at least two consecutive years. In addition, consultants and start-ups may participate if duly justified.
Call Opening Date
Call Closing Date
National Contact Point(s)
Research and Innovation Foundation
29a Andrea Michalakopoulou, 1075 Nicosia
P.O.Box 23422, 1683 Nicosia
Phone Number: +357 22205000
Email Address: support@research.org.cy
Website: https://www.research.org.cy/en/
Contact Persons:
Ms Constantina Makri
Scientific Officer
Contact Phone: +357 22 205 054
Contact Email: cmakri@research.org.cy
Ms Katerina Karakasidou
Scientific Officer
Contact Phone: +357 22 205 036
Contact Email: kkarakasidou@research.org.cy
Mr. Marinos Photiades
Scientific Officer
Contact phone: +357 22205048
Contact email: mphotiades@research.org.cy
Dr Kalypso Sepou
Head of European Programmes Department
Contact Phone: +357 22 205066
Contact Email: kalypso@research.org.cy
(Publish Date: 05/11/2021-for internal use only)
EU Contact Point
Research and Innovation
https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation_en