HIGHFIVE launches it's first open call for innovation projects

DEADLINE: 31 August 2023

The HIGHFIVE Open Call for Innovation Projects brings together clusters with a background in food processing industry, digital solution (ICT) providers and process technology providers. It strengthens current and develops new cross-sectoral industrial value chains within the food production and processing industries through a combination of direct and indirect innovation actions, as well as support and capacity building measures. More information on the i3 project HIGHFIVE can be found here: https://highfive.ss4af.com/ 

The HIGHFIVE Open Call for Innovation Projects supports the realisation of high-TRL (Technology Readiness Level), large scale, demonstrational and on commercialisation level projects across several European countries. Besides the HIGHFIVE consortium network, associated clusters from the S3-platform on Smart Sensor 4 Agri-food and other networks support the outreach of the open call to SMEs across the participating regions in the European Union.

The HIGHFIVE Open Call for Innovation Projects is launched and supported by the HIGHFIVE Consortium and it is addressed to SMEs, established in one of the HIGHFIVE regions. Submission & evaluation process Projects submitted in this call need to address one or more digital priorities such as the installation of sensors to monitor real time critical control parameters, integration and implementation of sensors in the existing infrastructure, and smart data management and analysis – in order to convert data into information and eventually into action and interoperability between food companies and in the food value chain. All information including the eligibility criteria and activities can be found in the ' Terms and Conditions' document available here: https://highfive.ss4af.com/open-calls/first-open-call.

Main call characteristics:

  • Call dates: Opens June 15th 2023 and closes August 31st 2023 17:00 CET
  • Innovation projects scope: contribute to activities that demonstrate an already developed and tested digital solution, product, process, service, or technology (TRL 6-9) in a real operational food processing environment.
  • Target group: Food processing SMEs, digital solution & technology providing SMEs from the regions covered by the HIGHFIVE consortium (see Annex 2 of the Terms and Conditions).
  • Activities : Implementation of the tested digital solution, product, process, service, or technology in real environment.
  • Financial support : max. € 60.000 per SME, max. € 120.000 per project
  • Project duration: max. 12 months
  • Proposals will be eligible and will enter the evaluation phase only if all the following conditions are met: Applicants must be a SME and declare their SME status in accordance with the SME definition of the European Union as part of the application;
  • Applicants need to be active in one of the following categories: Food production and processing chain (as described in section 2.2 of the Terms and Conditions): Digital solution providers (ICT solutions, sensor producers, system integrators, etc.); Process technology providers (machinery, packaging, etc.);
  • Applicants must be established in one of the HIGHFIVE regions (see Annex 2 of the Terms and Conditions);
  • Applications must address challenges defined by the Twin Transition (see section 2.1 of the Terms and Conditions) and match with one of the four thematic priorities of the HIGHFIVE project (see section 2.3 of the Terms and Conditions);
  • Applications should address in its application the interregional aspect of the HIGHFIVE project (section 2.5 of the Terms and Conditions);
  • Applications must be written in English: applications (partially) written in another language will not be eligible;
  • Applications must not exceed maximum 12 pages according to a pre-defined template available here https://highfive.ss4af.com/open-calls/first-open-call ;
  • Applications must be submitted through the online application tool accessible here https://highfive.ss4af.com/open-calls/first-open-call  by 17:00 CET of the deadlines indicated in section 3.5 of Terms and Conditions of the Open Call.

Further information

The target audience of the HIGHFIVE Open Call for Innovation Projects are SMEs in the Food production and processing chain, Digital solution providers and Process technology providers, that are established in the HIGHFIVE territorial scope (Annex 2 of the Terms and Conditions). In general, HIGHFIVE is looking for highly innovative enterprises, oriented to the European market with visible results in the long term. The HIGHFIVE Open Call for Innovation Projects aims to establish a process that allows SMEs to develop new cross-sectoral industrial solutions within the food production and processing industries and provides the Consortium with the means to effectively support SMEs through the scheme designed for innovation projects for SMEs.

Section Visibility
News/Events Section Resource efficiency Digital
Digital transformation agri-food sector
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