Xecs call for projects

Timeframe

Launch event and call opening: 28 September 2021 at the Xecs Launch Event

Pre-brokerage: 23-25 November at EFECS 2021

ECS brokerage event: 18-19 January 2022

Project Outlines submission deadline: 25 February 2022

Full Project Proposal submission deadline: 27 May 2022

Scope

Electronic components and systems (ECS), and micro- and nanoelectronics based systems and applications, are now the cornerstone of economic and societal development. To keep ahead in global markets, a solid understanding of rapidly changing needs, together with the establishment of innovation and exploitation ecosystems involving all relevant stakeholders, is essential.

With a focus on impact through applications, Xecs projects bring together partners from all along the ECS value chain into R&D and innovation ecosystems. By forming these project ecosystems using complementary partners, all aspects of expertise required to meet and exceed the stated project goals can be brought together into a single project.

Guided by the ECS Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda prepared by experts gathered by the three Industry Associations AENEAS, ARTEMIS-IA and EPoSS, Xecs launches calls for projects addressing the full value chain of ECS and will benefit from the wide dynamic innovation ecosystem stimulated by these industry associations.

More on the technological challenges here.

Call for projects phases

Your participation in Xecs calls for projects follows four phases:

Phase 1 - Project idea development

The development of potential ideas for projects is a continuous process that can begin with the Xecs Launch Event and be stimulated by the networking activities at EFECS and at the ECS brokerage event. A useful service for looking at ideas or finding partners for your ideas is the ECS Collaboration Tool. This is open to all and available 24/7 online.

Phase 2 - Consortium Building

This Xecs call for projects was launched on 28 September, followed by the opening of the Project Zone, where you can further develop your project ideas and either invite partners to your project, or join projects led by others. You can meet potential collaborators through the ECS Collaboration Tool or attend the events we organise to specifically promote networking and idea sharing. These include the EFECS conference in November, and the ECS Brokerage Event in January.

Phase 3 - Project submission and evaluation

Your Xecs project is submitted through the Project Zone in two stages: a Project Outline and a Full Project Proposal. The Xecs office is available throughout this process to support you and answer any questions you may have.

Project Outlines are evaluated by technical experts and national funding bodies, and successful projects are invited to submit a Full Project Proposal. All projects receive extensive feedback to help create the best possible Full Project Proposal, or for those not invited, inform a possible future project submission.

The Full Project Proposals then go through a second evaluation cycle and funding decisions are made, generally subject to the completion of individual country national funding processes.

Phase 4 - Project management

Once funding is confirmed, your project will be initiated at a “kick off” meeting. The Xecs office will work with you on a reporting and review process throughout the three years of your project. As in all the other phases, the emphasis will be on giving you the maximum support possible (technical and otherwise), to ensure a successful “high impact” outcome for all project partners.

Funding information

Xecs financial support will be provided according to national funding procedures.

To prepare a successful proposal, project participants need to be aware that there may be significant differences in funding procedures depending on national rules. Therefore, it is important to make sure that your project proposal fits within national public authorities' priorities and funding rules before submitting it to Xecs.

Find your national contacts here.

Contact the Xecs office (xecs@aeneas-office.org) if you have any questions.

Eligibility

To apply, you must fulfill the following criteria:

• Your project is industry driven, technically innovative and application oriented.
• Your project aims to develop an innovative product(s), process(es) or service(s).
• Your project reflects market demand, market pull and market expectations at least two years after completion of the project.
• In all projects, the consortium must include at least two partners from a minimum of two Eureka countries, covering at least an essential section of the complete ECS value chain.

Project consortia can be composed of large companies, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), research institutes, universities and user organisations (profit or non-profit).

How to apply

1. Contact your national funding body
   Each project partner should get in touch with their national funding body/public authority’s contact person well in advance of any Project Outline submission to find out the deadline, the information to be gathered and/or the forms to be completed. Find your national funding information here.
2. Submit a Project Outline in the Project Zone
   The Project Outline gives a short overview of your project, mainly to describe the project goals, innovation, targeted business impact and consortium. Project Outlines that are positively evaluated are invited to the second stage of the call process.
3. Submit a Full Project Proposal in the Project Zone 
   The Full Project Proposal describes the project plan and how the project will be executed and managed. Approved Full Project Proposals will receive a label.

Create an account in the Project Zone and you are immediately able to initiate a project. You can also access the ECS Collaboration Tool to find partners and create consortia or to search for expertise or ideas.

Project consortia must take into account that your project will be reviewed in two ways. Technical experts will assess the project as a whole to determine that, if successful, there will be a significant advancement in the state-of-the-art and that, while ambitious, the project has a good chance of reaching its goals. At the same time, the individual national funding bodies will be looking for return on investment, societal and/ or economic, for the partner(s) in their specific country. Both criteria must be addressed in the project submission.

Events

We offer opportunities to find potential project partners and build your consortium at the EFECS pre-brokerage event, which will be held online 23-25 November 2021. To present your project ideas, pitch slots are available and pitch posters can be presented in the exhibition area.

To further reinforce your consortium, an online ECS online brokerage event will be held on 18-19 January 2022, which will provide further opportunities for networking and consortium building, together with additional guidance on how to submit your project.

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