4 key enabling technology sectors
Advanced materials;
Advanced manufacturing;
Industry 4.0/digital technologies;
Environmental technologies.
Overall objective is to boost cross-sectoral innovation among groups of SMEs using one or more of our key enabling technologies to develop sustainable products, processes, or services for our four offshore sectors.
4 offshore markets
Offshore wind and other marine renewable energies;
Offshore and marine aquaculture;
Offshore oil & gas;
Waterborne transport.
Targeted SMEs
Funding
Winning project ideas will be funded with up to 60,000€.
Business Support Services
Winning SMEs will benefit from exclusive Business Support Services to ease new market access.
What are the Business Support Services for SMEs?
#1 Business & Tech Academy
Webinar on GreenOffshoreTech’s accelerator program, webinar on initial business plan making; webinar on tech support through cluster’s own tech academies; B2B to mature project idea.
#2 Brokerage & B2B matchmaking events
Face-to-face or virtual events to connect with potential users/customers and technology partners within the cluster/regional ecosystem.
#3 Access to
Finance
Webinar & individual Support on funding opportunities.
#4 One-to-One Mentoring and Coaching
Individual coaching according to the needs of each SME.
#5 Branding
Group & individual Training on branding.
#6 Internationalisation
Group & individual Support on internationalisation.
#7 Investor pitching
Group & individual Investor pitching training.
#8 Investor rounds
Two live Investor Pitching Events.
Project proposals must address at least one of the following four topics. In the topic, the project proposal must address at least one of the fields.
Topic 1: Advanced Materials
We are looking for projects in the following fields:
- Development and production of advanced materials and structures designed to function in the exposed offshore environment;
- Of particular interest are materials that are either eco-designed, corrosion resistant, light weight, cost-effective or durable. Solutions suitable include materials for offshore multi-use platforms, renewable energy sources infrastructure for e.g., wind energy, wave energy and marine aquaculture as well as vessels.
Topic 2: Advanced Manufacturing & Digitalisation (IoT, AI, Big Data)
We are looking for projects in the following fields:
- Digitalisation and data technologies for working in offshore environments;
- Inspection, monitoring, testing integrity;
- Robotic and digital solutions with a focus on improving operational and personnel health and safety;
- Satellite technologies for offshore applications and their supply chains;
- Innovative technologies supporting greater resilience of passenger, supply and emergency transport services.
Topic 3: Environmental Technologies (Circular economy, Waste Prevention, Reuse, Recycling, Recovery)
We are looking for projects in the following fields:
- Reduction of waste and environmental impact through prevention, reuse, recycling and recovery.
- Innovative technologies supporting circular economy throughout the value chain, from design to decommissioning.
- Innovative technologies supporting energy efficiency and water efficiency throughout the value chain.
- Innovative technologies that provide solutions for and mitigate against the impacts of climate change and greenhouse gas emissions, including carbon capture and storage (CCS).
Topic 4: Green Shipping and New Energy Carriers (Hydrogen, Methanol, Ammonia, Lithium-ion Cell, LNG)
We are looking for projects in the following fields:
- Decarbonisation and modernisation (incl. retrofitting) of waterborne transport products, services, and fleets.
- Innovative technologies to support transportation and storage of renewable energies.
- Development of green shipyards and harbour infrastructure (for production, repairs, maintenance, and decommissioning.
Timeline
F.A.Q.
What is the aim of this Open Call?
The aim of the 2nd Open Call for Proposals is to support and fund 54 SME-driven Innovation Projects. The total GreenOffshoreTech budget to fund SME-driven Innovation Projects is €3 million. In addition to the financial support, each selected SME-driven Innovation Project will be supported by tailored Business Support Services and an Open Space for Innovation.
What is the total amount of direct financial support for SMEs in this Call?
The total amount of direct financial support for SMEs in this Call is 1,56 Million of euros.
What is the submission deadline?
The submission deadline is 24th March, 2023, Friday, until 17:00 (Brussels time).
How do I apply?
The entire Call for Proposal application, evaluation and contracting process will be managed by the GreenOffshoreTech Proposal Platform which is hosted and managed by the GreenOffshoreTech Consortium member BALance Technology Consulting GmbH in Germany.
Interested applicants should register its company (i.e., organisation name, applicant name, applicant email address) on the above Platform that can be found following this url: https://greenoffshoretech.com/call-for-proposals/, in order to download the complete pack of the Call documents. This registration does not oblige to submit a proposal.
How many steps does the call have?
This is a one-step call.
Who is the target audience for GreenOffshoreTech call?
SMEs working in the area of advanced materials, advanced manufacturing, industry 4.0, digitalisation, IoT or environmental technologies to provide innovative technology solutions in selected Topics targeting following four Offshore sectors: offshore wind and other marine renewable energies, offshore and marine aquaculture, offshore oil & gas, waterborne transport.
SMEs should be a technology provider or technology adopter/user focusing on following Key Enabling Technologies: advanced materials, advanced manufacturing, industry 4.0/digital technologies, environmental technologies.
Is there a limitation in the number of actors participating in an application?
GreenOffshoreTech will fund activities of :
- a single SME
- a group of SMEs submitting a single proposal.
- a single SME or a group of SMEs submitting a single proposal together with other innovation actors (e.g. research centres, universities, large companies).
Important : Only one proposal per SME can be selected for funding.
Who may submit the proposals?
The final proposal must be submitted by a SME or Start-up, in the case of partnership projects is the coordinator of the consortium a SME.
What are the eligibility criteria for applicants?
The GreenOffshoreTech innovation vouchers are open to SMEs meeting the following criteria:
- The applicants must be SMEs (Small and Medium-size Enterprise) according to the EU definition (including start-ups, young companies, Public SMEs).
- Applicants must be legal entities established and based in one of the GreenOffshoreTech Countries in Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Germany, Norway, Iceland, and Scotland or members of one of the GreenOffshoreTech Clusters.
- They must be technology providers or technology adopters/users focusing on the following Key Enabling Technologies: advanced materials, advanced manufacturing, Industry 4.0/digital technologies, environmental technologies/ or adopters/user from the Offshore Sectors: offshore wind or other renewable energies, offshore or marine aquaculture, offshore oil and gas, waterborne transport.
- Start-ups that do not have yet annual turnover or balance sheets are also eligible given that they fulfil the criteria the SME definition at submission time according to the European Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC.
Can more than one SMEs apply?
Yes. According to the rules can apply:
• a group of SMEs;
• a single SME together with other innovation actors (e.g. research centres, universities, large companies);
• a group of SMEs together with other innovation actors (e.g. research centres, universities, large companies).
Can a single SME submit more than one application?
No. Each SME may submit only one proposal and may participate in maximum one project, under GreenOffshoreTech open calls. Multiple submissions are a disqualify factor. In case an SME submit more than one proposal, all proposals that they have submitted will be automatically excluded from the evaluation process.
What is the maximum amount of support for the SME?
The maximum amount of direct funding that an SME may receive is EUR 60,000.
What support offer GreenOffshoreTech acceleration program?
The innovation support for the SMEs will be financial Vouchers and non-financial Business Support Services.
- financial support : a 3-phase programme designed for innovation support to SMEs that aims to mature and validate project ideas for the development of new cross-sectorial and cross-border value chains in the previously selected Topics targeting offshore applications.
- non-financial Business Support Services: aiming to enhance the innovation performance of SMEs and to enable access to markets and further external resources and financing through a business and technical supporting framework with eight Business Support Services:
- #1 Business & Tech Academy,
- #2 Brokerage & B2B matchmaking events,
- #3 Access to Finance,
- #4 One-to-One Mentoring/Coaching,
- #5 Branding,
- #6 Internationalisation;
- #7 Investor pitching, and
- #8 Investor rounds
What support can the SME count on under the program?
- TOP 54 ranked projects will receive a lump sum of €5,000 per project for developing a sound initial business plan that justify the feasibility of the project idea and will receive the basic pool of Business Support Services (#1, #2, #3 )
- TOP 26 ranked projects of Phase 1 will receive in addition a lump sum of €45,000 per project for developing a prototype to validate the project idea, including its design description and will receive an advanced pool of Business Support Services (#4 to #8 ).
- TOP 12 ranked projects of Phase 2 will receive in addition a lump sum of €10,000 per project for activities related to promotion and exploitation of the project results.
Can the SME apply only for one Phase of the acceleration program?
No. Application should apply for all 3 phases of the acceleration program.
How many main topics must the proposal address?
It is mandatory to address one topic, however, the proposal can cover several of the topics and several fields listed.
What is a TRL level?
TRL means Technology Readiness Level and it’s a method for estimating the maturity a technology solution during the acquisition phase of a program.
What are the expected TRLs for activities to be funded?
The expected TRLs at start of the project should lie between TRL 4-6 (TRL-In) and at project end should lie between 5-8 (TRL-Out); means TRL-In should be at least TRL 4 and TRL-Out at least TRL5.
What are the specific activities under TRL 4,TRL 5, TRL6, TRL 7 and TRL 8?
- TRL 4 – technology validated in lab
- TRL 5 – technology validated in relevant environment (industrially relevant environment in the case of key enabling technologies)
- TRL 6 – technology demonstrated in relevant environment (industrially relevant environment in the case of key enabling technologies)
- TRL 7 – system prototype demonstration in operational environment
- TRL 8 – system complete and qualified
What is the maximum GreenOffshoreTech contribution?
The maximum possible financial support for any SME in all calls is limited to €60.000,00 but is dependent of the phase of accelerator program.
What is a Lump-sum?
A Lump-sum is a fixed amount of money which can be used by beneficiaries for several purposes related to the achievement of the project objectives. Successful applicants shall receive the requested financial contribution in the form a lump sum. The lump sums are per project (not per SME). A group of SMEs in a single project needs to share the lump sum amount.
What are the eligible costs?
The costs must be related to the activities planned for the different phases: Initial Business Plan for PHASE 1, Design and Prototype of a new product, service or process for PHASE 2, activities related to promotion and exploitation for PHASE 3.
Is it allowed to subcontract?
Subcontracting is permitted but should not exceed 50% of the planned activities in each PHASE (in terms of content). At proposal stage, the SME shall describe in detail any planned subcontracting work.
Subcontracting refers to the situation where the SME outsources part of the planned activities to other innovation actors (e.g., research centres, universities, large companies, other SMEs not being applicant). The SME will retail full liability for the performance of the subcontractor.
How will confidentiality be ensured?
The GreenOffshoreTech Consortium will sign with the applicants a project agreement where the Confidentially and proper Data Management will be guaranteed.
What is the expected time-to-inform and time-to-grant?
| Evaluation of Proposals | March 27 – April 30,2023 |
| Contracting with selected SME Innovation Projects | May 2023 |
Who will evaluate my proposal?
The GreenOffshoreTech Consortium and external experts will execute a trustworthy evaluation process. Each admissible and eligible proposal will be evaluated by a Review Panel consisting of representatives of the GreenOffshoreTech consortium and external evaluators with experience in advanced materials, advanced manufacturing, Industry 4.0, digital technologies, environmental technologies including circular economy or business development.
Can the application be submitted in any language?
No, only English applications will be accepted.
Is this voucher under de minimis-rules?
No, the De-minimis funding cap does not apply to funding received in GreenOffshoreTech.
Therefore, if your organization already reached it limit under the EU De-minimis rules, it can still receive funding from GreenOffshoreTech.
Who can I contact when I have technical issues to submit the applications?
In case, you might experience any IT issues while submitting your application on the GreenOffshoreTech Proposal Platform please contact our IT-Help Desk (it-helpdesk@bal.eu).
Phone support will be offered if the problem cannot be solved by mail that will be maintained for proposers during the opening of the Call.
