DIGI-B-CUBE funding scheme #SMEsAgainstCOVID
The COVID-19 pandemic represents an unprecedented challenge for healthcare systems and societies worldwide. There is an urgent need for novel diagnostics solutions, integrated detection systems and biosensing technologies that would, in a rapid, specific and efficient way, support the identification and tracking of infection chains and acquired immunity. Biological and biomedical imaging technologies are also essential for addressing many research questions, such as those related to SARS-CoV-2 infections, from basic research at the molecular and cellular level to medical applications and diagnostics. In addition, Biobanking processes are crucial in the race towards a COVID-19 vaccine and development of treatment options.
There is an urgent need to support Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) capable of delivering innovation projects addressing the broad range of COVID-19 related challenges.
Through DIGI-B-CUBE project, we are announcing our funding support for SMEs to fight against COVID-19 through cross-sectoral collaborative projects. DIGI-B-CUBE offers direct financial support up to €60,000 per SME from relevant sectors including healthcare, medicine, biotech, biopharma, IT, robotics, automation, electronics, and nanotech. DIGI-B-CUBE supports digital innovations and solutions for the reconfiguration of the Medical Diagnostics and related value chains (depicted in the diagram below) towards a Health Economy 4.0 with a special focus on Biobanking, Bioimaging, Biosensing and related industries.
Details of the DIGI-B-CUBE open call
Project Name: Digital Enterprise Innovations for Bioimaging, Biosensing and Biobanking Industries (DIGI-B-CUBE)
Open Call Title DIGI-B-CUBE Open Call for Proposals for Innovation Projects (DIGI-B-CUBE-IA-2020-2021)
Open Call Publication Date: 22 April 2020
Deadlines:
Voucher Type |
1st Deadline |
2nd Deadline |
Prototyping Voucher |
29 July 2020 at 17:00 (CET) |
03 February 2021 at 17:00 (CET) |
Customised Solution Innovation Voucher |
29 July 2020 at 17:00 (CET) |
03 February 2021 at 17:00 (CET) |
Continuous Open Call |
||
Co-working Disruption Lab Voucher |
From 28 October 2020 to 27 October 2021, 17:00 (CET) |
Expected Duration of Participation:
Voucher Type |
Project Runtime |
Prototyping Voucher |
1 to 3 months |
Customised Solution Innovation Voucher |
2 to 6 months |
Co-working Disruption Lab Voucher |
0.5 to 2 months |
Maximum Funding Request per Proposal:
Voucher Type |
Max. funding per SME |
Max. funding per project |
Prototyping Voucher |
€20 000 |
€60 000 |
Customised Solution Innovation Voucher |
€50 000 |
€150 000 |
Co-working Disruption Lab Voucher |
€10 000 |
€10 000 |
Purpose of the Vouchers and Respective Applicant Group:
Voucher Type |
Purpose |
Applicant Group |
Prototyping Voucher |
Support to prototype or conceptualise a solution (proof of concept, feasibility study) for a digitalization challenge in the Medical Diagnostics and related value chains. |
Consortium consisting of minimum 2 SMEs and maximum 3 organizations; From at least 2 different sectors (Example: An SME from healthcare/medicine/biotech/biopharma + An SME from IT and related sectors) |
Customised Solution Innovation Voucher |
Support to jointly develop a novel product/service based on an existing proven concept that addresses a digitalization challenge in the Medical Diagnostics and related value chains. |
Consortium consisting of minimum 2 SMEs; From at least 2 different sectors (Example: An SME from healthcare/medicine/biotech/biopharma + An SME from IT and related sectors) |
Co-working Disruption Lab Voucher |
Support to further advance a successfully completed customised solution innovation voucher project in an incubator / accelerator / co-working space of the DIGI-B-CUBE clusters’ network (or) in labs, technical and innovation facilities of other relevant SMEs. |
One SME from a completed Customized Solution Innovation Voucher project consortium + a host organisation (host does not receive direct funding from this voucher) |
Evaluation Process:
The evaluation process takes max. 4 weeks starting from the respective cut-off date/deadline. The applicant/s will receive an e-mail about the outcome of the assessment directly after the assessment is finalised.
Target Group:
SMEs from the following sectors are eligible to apply for DIGI-B-CUBE vouchers:
- healthcare / medicine / biotech / biopharma
- IT and related sectors (robotics, automation, electronics, nanotech etc)
Submission Language: English
Web address for full open call information: https://digibcube.eu/open-calls/
Web address for proposal submissions: https://digibcube.eu/collaborative-platform/
E-mail: info [at] digibcube.eu (info[at]digibcube.eu)
Indicative budget for the call: Total budget €2 700 000. The following budget planned across the deadlines may change based on the number and quality of the applications received.
Voucher Type |
1st Deadline |
2nd Deadline |
Prototyping Voucher |
approx. €360 000 |
approx. €240 000 |
Customised Solution Innovation Voucher |
approx. €1 050 000 |
approx. €700 000 |
Continuous Open Call |
||
Co-working Disruption Lab Voucher |
approx. €150 000 |
Contact (Coordinator):
Dr. Gupta UdathaDirector (Digital & EU)Oslo Cancer ClusterOslo, NorwayEmail: gupta.udatha [at] oslocancercluster.no (gupta.udatha[at]oslocancercluster.no)
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme, under Grant Agreement No 824920. The content of this document represents the view of the author only and is his/her sole responsibility: it cannot be considered to reflect the views of the European Commission and/or the Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME). The European Commission and the Agency do not accept responsibility for the use that may be made of the information it contains.
Replies
DIGI-B-CUBE funding scheme #SMEsAgainstCOVID
DIGI-B-CUBE project is an important funding opportunity for innovative ideas in medical diagnostics and IMAGO-MOL Cluster, as Ambassador, has promoted the scheme in its ecosystem with very encouraging feedback.
Two of our companies will pitch during the DIGI-B-CUBE matchmaking webinar on new solutions for digital health, organized on 14 of May 2020.
North-East Innovative Regional Cluster for Structural and Molecular Imaging Cluster - IMAGO-MOL Cluster is active in the field of digital innovation as it can reconfigure how health treatment is provided and therefore is supporting the development of DIGI-B-CUBE projects.
Vouchers available
The DIGI-B-CUBE open call vouchers are now available! If possible participants are looking for partners, DIGI-B-CUBE offers two webinars on 14 May and 4 June.
Webinar "New solutions for Digital Health" https://digibcube.eu/2020/05/11/new-solutions-for-digital-health/
Webinar "New solutions for Clinical Research, Diagnostics and Treatment" https://digibcube.eu/2020/05/11/new-solutions-for-clinical-research-diagnostics-and-treatment/
DIGI-B-CUBE vouchers available
DIGI-B-CUBE webinars are very useful in promoting the most disruptive solutions for digital health and matchmaking companies which want to increase their competitiveness and visibility by working on collaborative projects.
Related to the webinar "New solutions for Digital Health", IMAGO-MOL Cluster and North East Regional Development Agency, as Ambassadors Network, facilitated the pitches of three companies from our regional ecosystem:
- 2Motiv8 – Biosensing Behavioral Training app for Burnout prevention
Cristina Baghiu, Founder I Atelierul de Idei (Idea Factory)
- Blockchain Biobank
Gabi Dumitriu, owner I Dumitriu Gabriel Constantin Individual Enterprise
- EMIM – medical platform for telemedicine services
Lucian Nita, Project Manager I RomSoft SRL
The pitching experince is very well presented by IMAGO-MOL Cluster founding member, within Romsoft blog https://blog.rms.ro/index.php/2020/05/22/emim-whats-next-the-digi-b-cube-challenge/ .
The consortium needed to apply for DIGI-B-CUBE voucher in order to further develop EMIM – medical platform for telemedicine services has been set up after the webinar and we are currently developing the proposal. Also, we are finding solutions for 2Motiv8 – Biosensing Behavioral Training app for Burnout prevention and Blockchain Biobank.