The EC funded EFPF project has allocated 2.5 Million Euros to provide Financial Support to third parties to undertake up to 20 sub-projects. We are inviting manufacturing companies, digital solution providers, software developers and researchers to apply for sub-projects related to the development, prototyping, integration and validation of innovative solutions using the EFPF platform and federated services.
Total call budget: 2.5 million Euros
Funding per sub-project (circa 20 in total): 50K – 150K Euros
Expected duration of sub-project: 6 months – 12 months
Important dates: Call Launch: 19-10-2020 Call Deadline: 19-02-2021
Sub-project types:
1. Development of new applications
2. Testing/Validation of EFPF solutions
3. Extending the EFPF federation with new platforms and services
Sub-Project Types
The open call will support three types of sub-projects:
- Sub-projects for the development of digital manufacturing applications and services for the EFPF platform
Sub-projects that develop new tools or solutions, either using EFPF's own Software Development Kit (SDK) or by combining/extending the functionalities of existing EFPF solutions. In this type of sub-project the main categories are the:
- Development of high-quality end-to-end solutions by extending EFPF services in order to provide added value to the platform
- Development of solutions to address current and urgent issues in manufacturing domains in connection with the general trends in society
- Development of bespoke solutions for EFPF Partner pilot domains of Aerospace, Furniture Manufacturing and Smart Waste Management (Circular Economy)
- Development of new services and applications that can enhance EFPF platform functionality and reach in different Industry4.0 domains
Aim: To create new solutions for the enhancement of EFPF platform, to provide new services to project pilots and to give the opportunity to sub-project participants to build high quality solutions by leveraging existing functionalities and capabilities of the EFPF platform.
Target Audience: SMEs focused on ICT technologies, research institutes and start-up developers
Bid type: Single Applicant only.
Funding Amount: ≤150,000 Euros
Experiment Duration: 9 or12 months
2. Sub-projects for validation and/or testing of EFPF platform and services in digital manufacturing domains
Focus on the application, validation and/or testing of the solutions developed for the European Factory Platform (EFPF) in real digital manufacturing and/or supply chain scenarios, including:
- Validation and/or testing of core concepts and functionalities of EFPF platform such as the interoperability, integration and data harmonization of the Data Spine, or platform security, blockchain…etc functionalities (Functional Validation)
- Validation and/or testing of individual components and tools offered through the EFPF platform such as matchmaking; product catalogues; data analytics; factory connectors…etc. in new manufacturing (or other) domains (Scenario Validation)
Aim: To apply, test and validate EFPF services in other use cases or domains, the results of which will ensure the quality of EFPF solutions enabling their promotion to a broader community of end-users.
Target Audience: SME technology providers or software developers and/or larger companies from either the manufacturing or supply chain domains would be ideal candidates.
Bid type: Single Applicant and/or Small Consortia of a maximum of two partners (e.g. a manufacturing/supply chain company and a technology provider)
Funding Amount: ≤100,000 Euros
Sub-project Duration: 6 or 9 months
3. Sub-projects to improve the EFPF ecosystem by connecting multiple stakeholders through innovative solutions
Focus on the:
- Integration of third-party applications/services with the EFPF platform. The sub-project must provide a validation scenario to demonstrate seamless access and use of the third-party system/application by platform services and users.
- Integration or connection of third-party platforms with the EFPF platform. The respective user communities should be able to be seamlessly integrated or connected into the EFPF federation.
Aim: To extend EFPF platform functionality by integrating already existing solutions, services or platforms.
Target Audience: SMEs that provide solutions that can be integrated to EFPF platform and platform providers.
Bid type: Single applicant only.
Funding Amount: ≤150,000 Euros
Experiment Duration: 9 or 12 months
Why you should get involved:
- You will receive between €50-150K funding and support to develop new services/products
- You will own what you produce and will be able to exploit outcomes across your business
- You will have the opportunity to develop new, working relationships with businesses in the Industry4.0 domain
- You will have access to a new sales channel through the EFPF Marketplace
Want to apply for funding?
You are encouraged to apply if you are an:
- EU SMEs (including micro-SMEs)
- EU technology provider and/or software developer (including start-ups)
- EU manufacturing and logistics companies (any size)
- EU Entrepreneurs, sole-traders and start-up developers
- EU Research Institutes and Universities
Your legal business must be based in a European Union Member State, Associated Country or the UK and be eligible for Horizon 2020 programme.