A pilot service offered by NearUS, the Horizon 2020 initiative supporting the creation of ENRICH - European Network of Research and Innovation Centres and Hubs – in the USA.

Call opened: October 5, 2017 | Call closes: December 5^th, 2017 – 23h59 CET

NearUS, through partner - the International Business Innovation Association (InBIA, www.inbia.org) -  organizes two-week Boot Camps which start in Boston, and provides participants with perspectives on their market in other US regions as well. Those Boot Camps are available for 10 R2M defined individuals. All Boot Camp participants will start and end the program in Boston and engage in unique networking receptions which engage the local Boston innovation ecosystem’s experts, as well as an introductory course in “Conducting Business in the US”. In between, participants will be hosted by a Soft Landing sites in the US which offer programming/services themed to the various industry sectors each entrepreneur’s pursuit is within.

In preparation for the Boot Camps, a two-day pre-departure workshop will be held in Brussels to prepare the participants to make the most of their two weeks in the US.

Established start-ups from EU Member States or Associated Countries[1] universities or public/private labs are highly recommended to apply. Individuals who are thinking of starting a company can apply, but must meet the requirements outlined below.

NearUS is looking for competitively selected EU R&I actors that are in the early stages of commercializing EU research and/or are pre-revenue start-ups Pre-revenue technology companies spun out of universities or public/private labs are recommended to apply. NearUS will further accept researchers who are interested in founding a company, but must meet the following requirements also required of the established start-ups:

• The company or interested founder must be able to develop the technology/product; must be a recognized expert in this technology/industry
• The company or interested founder must at least have a patent pending/intellectual property secured on the product at the heart of the intended business model and expansion in the US
• This product/technology must have either technology development and/or business opportunities in the US

This call will fund 10 participants for the R2M Boot Camp and selected participants must attend pre-departure workshops in Brussels. The costs for the venue, materials, guest speakers, meals during Boot Camp, and transportation in the US Associated Hubs cities are covered by grants provided to NearUS selected participants. Participants will however have to cover the costs for flights to and from the United States, travel to and from Brussels, travel from Boston to the US Associated Hubs, and their accommodations, as well as other costs not mentioned above (e.g. ESTA/VISA application costs, health insurance, etc.) by themselves.

Please find more information on the call, eligibility criteria, evaluation procedure and other call related details, here.

Contact Person

Andrea Wesser-Brawner

Tel: +1 407 3533 469, Ref. NearUS initative

E-Mail: awesser [at] inbia.org