Press article Issue 2

Submitted by Russo Gennaro on 01 June 2020

Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the COVID-19 emergency did not stop the activities of the EACP-EUROSME project, which marks significant steps forward. Work activities continued in smart working mode through webinars in which the involved clusters stimulated the SMEs in the six interested European regions towards major developments and investment issues at European level. 650 SMEs were involved, 100+ of which with actively participation, as well as about 50 clusters and 6 European regions. A path that will lead by September 30, the confirmed end date of the project, to the development of technological innovation projects for a total value of 20 million euros, ready to be financed by public or private entities, contributing to the objectives of the European Commission of growth, jobs and investments in Europe.

There are 12 projects that are attracting the interest of SMEs from different European regions in highest-ranked strategic thematic areas: “Aircraft of the future” (hybrid propulsion and super/hypersonic business jet); Industry 4.0 (Manufacturing digitalization, Advanced aviation maintenance and Circular economy competitivity); Observation Technologies (Nanosatellites, Strategic infrastructures surveillance by remote sensing and Precision agriculture with satellites data); UAV (Cargo UAV, Drone Flight Termination System e Urban air mobility).

To date, three Confidentiality Agreements have been signed, and four financing proposals have been submitted to European Commission calls for a total value of € 19 million: (i) S4W - Sustainable Silent Supersonic Aviation for a Smaller World, (ii) ABOVE - Enhanced Urban Air Mobility Services, (iii) CONSCIOUS - Cross-cluster collaboration for promoting circular economy and competitiveness of European SMEs in the aerospace, automotive and construction sectors, (iv) INNOWINGS - New Cross-Sectoral Industrial Value Chains for Drones in Agrifood, Logistics and Energy.

The mapping of the Innovation Hubs and research centers was also started, with a view to aggregating them to the individual projects proposed and under definition by SMEs with the support of the clusters.

To support the project activities, the use of a new digital platform to facilitate the association between projects, SMEs and funding opportunities has been launched. The basic element to foster this association is the use of European taxonomies in aeronautical (ACARE, Advisory Council for Aeronautics Research in Europe), space (ESA, European Space Agency) and defence (WEAG, Western European Armaments Group).

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