New Joint Call for Proposals – ERA-NET COFUND Smart Cities and Communities- publication 11 December 2014

The ERA-NET Smart Cities and Commu­nities (ENSCC) was established by the Joint Programming Initiative (JPI) Urban Europe and the Smart Cities Member States Initiative (SC MSI) in order to initiate a transnational joint call for RDI proposals addressing new solutions in the urban field, and demonstrating the feasibility of their implementation. These solutions should aim at optimal energy and resource efficiency, preferably through the integration of technologies (energy, mobility, ICT) across the board, but also via the development and use of new business models and new methodologies in urban governance.

A total amount of joint public funding of approx. 28 M€ will be provided by national and regional funding agencies from twelve European countries, as well as with substantial support from Horizon 2020.

Eligible entities:

The call addresses: researchers, practitioner, innovators, and other stakeholders dedicated to the development of European urban areas. They are required to join forces with municipalities, their relevant business entities (e.g. urban utilities), as well as funders and industrial suppliers of urban services, investment and infrastructure, to suggest transnational projects for research and innovation, which by the very nature and commitment of the relevant partners give an example of demonstration and implementation within the field. This call is open for proposals which bring together partners ranging from strategic research to innovation.

Call topics:

• Smart integrated urban energy and transport systems
• Smart tools and services for integrated urban energy and transport systems
• Smart big data
• Smart governance and smart citizens

Size of consortia/projects duration:

• Min 3 partners from 3 countries participating at the initiative (average size- 5-6 partners)
• Involvement of public stakeholders welcome
• Projects duration- 3 years
• Average size of project budget- 1, 5- 3 mio€

Evaluation procedures:

For this call a two-stage procedure will be adopted. Eligible proposals, both pre-proposals and full proposals, will be evaluated in an open competition in which an independent international expert panel

Time schedule:

1.Opening call (pre proposals) – 11 December 2014– deadline: End of March 2015

2. Invitations for applicants to submit full proposal: May 2015

3. Full proposal deadline: September 2015

4. Funding decisions announced: December 2015/January 2016

5. Start of projects: December 2015 to March 2016

As regional funding agency, Innoviris will finance the Brussels actors (universities, private companies, research centers, associations) participating in the best projects selected by the evaluators. The financial support will follow Innoviris funding eligibility rules.

More information?

The JPI Urban Europe and Innoviris  websites are at your disposal for more information

Your contact point in Brussels:

Beata Bibrowska – International projects Advisor – INNOVIRIS (the Brussels institute for Research and Innovation)

Tel : 02 600 50 22/ Email : bbibrowska@innoviris.be