The 25 selected proposals will move on to the next phase of the project, the LAUNCH phase.

EPICENTRE closed the first call for the participation of SMEs and Startups on May 29. Until then, the members of the Consortium have been evaluating the potential and adequacy with the defined challenges, of the 80 proposals received. The 25 most valued will move on to the next phase of the project, the LAUNCH phase, which has begun on Wednesday, July 26.

The selected ideas proposed by the more than 90 companies that participated in this first call cover several business challenges previously identified by the participating corporations. Specifically, of the 25 proposals, 9 respond to the challenges of the Agrifood sector, 3 to Digital-Fintech and 13 to the Health sector.

• Agrifood Challenge 1: Monitoring the health status of food production and shelf life extension (security) --> 6 proposals
• Agrifood Challenge 2: New packaging materials and smart use of resources (sustainability, automation and security) -->  3 proposals
• Digital-Fintech Challenge 1: How to apply digital finance solution (fintech) to cross- sectoral fields (data science, AI, blockchain, machine-learning, cybersecurity) -->  2 proposals
• Digital-Fintech Challenge 2: Digital Payment and Digital Identity (block chain, data sharing, digital transformation, gamification) --> 1 proposal
• Health Challenge 1: Development of new digital solutions in the learning and behavioural sphere that can be used by patients and families (virtual care and new products) -->  11 proposals
• Health Challenge 2: New therapeutic solutions derived from natural products and organic extractions (sustainability and new products) -->  2 proposals

The countries of the SMEs and Startups with the most selected proposals have been Italy and Spain (6 companies – proposals selected by each country), Lithuania (4) and Greece (3).

• Austria: 1
• Cyprus: 1
• Germany: 1
• Greece: 3
• Hungary: 1
• Italy: 6
• Lithuania: 4
• Netherlands: 1
• Spain: 6
• Poland: 1

The 25 projects selected correspond to these companies:

• MB Augaliniai gaminiai
• ColorSensign S.L
• Aigea Medical srl
• Ergobyte Informatics S.A.
• Vitum Technilogies SL
• Frizbit Technology, S.L.
• CCO Food Hackers Limited
• VERTLINER PRIVATE COMPANY
• MB "Socialines inovacijos"
• MB Skaitmeninis
• Acceleralia SL
• FOODOC SRL
• SMASP AGILE SL
• Hankamp Rehab
• ENISMARO
• GRECA Finance GmbH
• INDOMINUS ADVANCED SOLUTIONS
• UAB REDIGA
• Qpick Z.O.O
• FIDELIO MEDICAL SRL
• IamHero Srl
• Seacon Europe Ltd
• StelvioTech UG
• Aisthesis Medical
• Soluzioni Tirinnanzi srl

This first phase of launch has begun on Wednesday, July 26th and will last 4 months. The 25 selected SMEs and Startups will become part of the EPICENTRE acceleration program, essential to promote innovation and collaboration between SMEs, startups and companies.

In this sense, the chosen projects will have to attend the EPICENTRE Bootcamp, provided by Worsley Acceleration Services, which will provide essential guidance on how to work effectively with companies, offering additional training support to help SMEs prepare an attractive video that presents their value proposition.  At the end of the phase, the projects will present their "Video pitch with value offer to companies" – at the end of November.

Once the LAUNCH phase is over, all videos will be thoroughly evaluated and the 12 best projects will be selected. Each selected project will receive up to €1,400 in financial support once the presentation of the video and specified milestones has been completed and approved, and €850 for the Academy.