Fast Track for Innovation

The Fast Track to Innovation (FTI) pilot is testing a new approach to give the development of innovations the last push needed before their introduction to the market. It is the only fully bottom-up measure in Horizon 2020 promoting close-to-market innovation activities and open to all types of participants.

Proposals must relate to any field under the specific objective "Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies" and/or to any of the specific objectives under the priority "Societal challenges".

Consortia must involve participants from industry. A maximum of 5 legal entities can participate in a project. Universities, research and technology organisations and further innovation actors may also participate. Actors that can play a key role in the commercialisation process are encouraged to take part, such as cluster organisations, end-users, industrial associations, incubators, investors, or the public Sector.

HORIZON 2020 DEDICATED SME INSTRUMENT

Boosting the potential of small businesses for eco-innovation and a sustainable supply of raw materials

Cut-off dates:

18/03/2015

27/06/2015

17/09/2015

This topic is targeted at all types of eco-innovative SMEs in all areas addressing the climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials challenge, focusing on SMEs showing a strong ambition to develop, grow and internationalise. All kinds of promising ideas, products, processes, services and business models, notably across sectors and disciplines, for commercialisation both in a business-to-business (B2B) and a business-to-customer (B2C) context, are eligible.

The SME instrument consists of three separate phases and a coaching and mentoring service for beneficiaries. Participants can apply to phase 1 with a view to applying to phase 2 at a later date, or directly to phase 2.