D5.3 Promotion of market opening actions V2 revespresso.espresso-project.eu/wp-content/uploads/... · and startups. 6.1.!The European Single Market1 Cities and communities around

ESPRESSO systEmic Standardisation apPRoach to Empower Smart citieS and cOmmunities Co-funded by

GA 691720 the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme of the European Union

D5.4 – Report on market opening actions V2 File: D5.3 Promotion of market opening actions_V2_rev Page: 1 of 26

DELIVERABLE

D5.4 – Report on market opening actions V2

Project Acronym: ESPRESSO

Grant Agreement number: 691720

Project Title: systEmic Standardisation apPRoach to Empower Smart citieS and cOmmunities

Revision: 5

Authors: Mario Conci (HIT)

Project co-funded by the the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme of the European Union

Dissemination Level P Public X C Confidential, only for members of the consortium and the Commission Services




1. Revision history and statement of originality

1.1. Revision history

Rev Date Author Organization Description

1 16/12/2016 Mario Conci HIT First draft

2 19/12/2016 Richard Woodling OS Minor revisions

3 07/03/2017 Mario Conci HIT Changes after review

4 06/04/2017 Mario Conci HIT Changes after review (2nd round)

5 18/04/2017 Irene Facchin TRILOGIS Quality Check

1.2. Statement of originality This deliverable contains original unpublished work except where clearly indicated otherwise. Acknowledgement of previously published material and of the work of others has been made through appropriate citation, quotation or both.




2. List of references

Number Full Reference

1 The EU Single Market, EC (2015)

http://ec.europa.eu/growth/single-market/

2 New off-the-shelf Financial Instruments

http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-16-2448_en.htm

3 Access to Microfinance for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises: the ATM for SMEs project

http://www.interregeurope.eu/atmforsmes/

4 Startup Europe Club: The meeting point for startups in Europe

http://startupeuropeclub.eu/

5 URBAN US: venture fund for Startup

http://urban.us/aboutus/

6 Eurostars-2 cut-off 5

https://www.eurostars-eureka.eu/content/72-m%E2%82%AC-funding-103-sme-driven-innovation-projects-eurostars-2-cut-5

7 KIC InnoEnergy Reopens 2016 Call for Innovation Proposal

https://cip.kic-innoenergy.com/home.html

8 EU CALL: Smart Cities and Communities lighthouse projects

http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/scc-1-2016-2017.html

9 EU CALL: Demonstrating innovative nature-based solutions in cities

http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/scc-02-2016-2017.html

10 Call H2020 ICT-32-2017 Startup Europe for Growth and Innovation Radar

https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal4/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/ict-32-2017.html

11 The European Energy Efficiency Fund - a financing solution for energy efficiency in the public sector

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/eeef-a-financing-solution-for-energy-efficiency-in-the-public-sector-registration-26558117043

12 CIVITAS brokerage event

http://civitas.eu/content/civitas-brokerage-event-present-your-project-idea




13 Smart Cities Info Day 2016

https://ec.europa.eu/inea/en/news-events/events/2016-information-day-horizon-2020-smart-cities-and-communities

14 SMEs aim higher with Eurostars: cross-border collaboration of national public funding to innovate and reach new markets

https://www.eurostars-eureka.eu/content/smes-aim-higher-eurostars-cross-border-collaboration-national-public-funding-innovate-and

15 Accelerating urban transition: tapping the full potential of smart city and community pilots

http://www.smartcities-infosystem.eu/newsroom/news/accelerating-urban-transition-tapping-full-potential-smart-city-and-community-pilots-%E2%80%93

16 TECHITALY

http://www.techitaly.eu/

17 Clusters 4.0: Shaping Smart Industries

http://www.clustercollaboration.eu/news/registration-open-european-cluster-conference-2016

18 Financing & Business Models for Smart Cities Investments

http://www.reinsights.eu/financing-business-models/

19 Investment plan for Europe: EIB Group and Bpifrance sign two agreements to support sustainable industry and innovative SMEs

http://www.eif.org/what_we_do/guarantees/news/2016/efsi_innovfin_bpifrance.htm?cid=em_ASPmail_NLOct16_na_en_na




3. Table of Acronyms

Acronym Description

SMACSTAK Smart City Stakeholders Network

EC European Commission

SME Small Medium Enterprise

ISO International Organization for Standardization

SCC Smart Cities and Communities

EIP European Innovation Partnership




4. Executive Abstract

D5.3 reflects the activities fulfilled in T5.3 and reports on the actions undertaken in order to increase awareness of business opportunities brought by linked to the usage and introduction of standards in the Smart City domain. Main target of this task are the members of SmaCStak and other stakeholders including academics, SMEs and cities that may benefit from information material about how to increase their business and marketing potential thanks to new opportunities related to standardization.

Particularly this second version of D5.3 has been focused on the collection of funding opportunities mainly offered to support SME and startup in the field of smart cities. For this purpose, a Newsletter “Tips for market” has been developed and has occurred monthly since June 2016. The basic idea has been to provide those stakeholders with tips for market including funding opportunities, success stories and market events. The newsletter is composed of the following sections:

• Highlights

• Funding opportunities

• Events & other

The current deliverable collects the abstracts of each newsletter and will follow the same structure. D5.3 is to be intended as an incremental document collecting every six months all those opportunities promoted within the SmaCStak via social channels and the tips for market newsletter. An example of the newsletter is attached to this report. The newsletters are collected on the ESPRESSO website in the Communication section: http://espresso-project.eu/.




5. Table of Contents

1. Revision history and statement of originality ............................................................................................... 2

1.1. Revision history .......................................................................................................................................... 2

1.2. Statement of originality .............................................................................................................................. 2

2. List of references ........................................................................................................................................... 3

3. Table of Acronyms ......................................................................................................................................... 5

4. Executive Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... 6

5. Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................................... 7

6. Highlights ....................................................................................................................................................... 8

6.1. The European Single Market ...................................................................................................................... 8

6.2. New off-‐the-‐shelf Financial Instruments .................................................................................................... 8

6.3. Access to Microfinance for Small and Medium-‐sized Enterprises: the ATM for SMEs project .................. 9

6.4. Startup Europe Club: The meeting point for startups in Europe .............................................................. 10

6.5. URBAN US: venture fund for Startup ....................................................................................................... 11

7. Funding Opportunities ................................................................................................................................ 13

8. Events and Other ......................................................................................................................................... 18

9. Next Steps ................................................................................................................................................... 23

10. Tips for Market -‐ Example ......................................................................................................................... 24




6. Highlights

The newsletter opens with the section “Highlights”. It presents contents that are of particular importance for the SmaCStak community and particularly for SMEs and startups.

6.1. The European Single Market1 Cities and communities around the world are facing difficult challenges. The increasing urban population is placing a big pressure on city infrastructures, many of which require enormous redesign and capital expenditure. In order to promote the widespread adoption of scalable solutions from leading technologies that could mitigate these issues, the EC is promoting the use of standards for Smart Cities. A result of standardization is the Single Market [1], which refers to the EU as one territory without any internal borders or other regulatory obstacles to the free movement of goods and services. The adoption of standards by European Smart Cities will help stimulate competition and trade among each other, improve efficiency, raise quality, and cut prices. For instance, a fully functional Digital Single Market would promote innovation, contribute €415 billion to the EU economy each year and create hundreds of thousands of new jobs.

6.2. New off-the-shelf Financial Instruments2 The European Commission launched two new "off-the-shelf" financial instruments [2] for ESI Funds investments, to ease access to funding for young businesses and urban development project promoters. New characteristic of the new instruments is to help managing authorities to deliver faster and safer funds to the final recipients combining public and private resources. The new instruments are:

• A co-investment facility to provide funding to start-ups and SMEs. This support will enable them to develop their business models and attract additional funding through a collective investment scheme managed by one main financial intermediary. Total investment combining public and private resources can amount to up to €15 million per SME. In the 2007-2013 period, SAS JEREMIE in the French region of Languedoc-Roussillon was an example of such a co-investment facility, using (ERDF) resources to attract private capital and invest in high-tech SMEs in the region.

• Urban development funds will support sustainable urban projects, in public transport, energy efficiency or the regeneration of urban areas, for example. Projects must be financially viable and part of an Integrated Sustainable Urban Development strategy. Total investment combining public and private resources can amount to up to €20 million per project.

1 http://ec.europa.eu/growth/single-‐market/ 2 http://europa.eu/rapid/press-‐release_IP-‐16-‐2448_en.htm




The support will take the form of a loan fund managed by a financial intermediary, with ESI Funds resources and a contribution of at least 30% from private capital. Such an Urban Development Fund has been developed in Pomorskie, Poland, in the 2007-2013 period. Financial instruments, compared to grants, attract more private and public resources to complement the initial public funding and can be reinvested over several cycles. The ESI Funds framework for 2014-2020 provides more flexibility, clarity and possibilities to use financial instruments.

The scope for the use of these instruments has been widened to investment areas ranging from SME support, energy and resource efficiency, digital technologies, sustainable transport, research and development, and innovation. The new framework also brought these new standardised, "off-the-shelf" financial instruments, for which the terms and conditions are pre-defined, and designed for a swift rollout. Over €20 billion from the ESI Funds are planned to be used through financial instruments throughout 2014-2020. The Commission has been providing assistance to Managing Authorities and other stakeholders, especially through the launch, in January 2015, of the online platform "FI-compass", in partnership with the European Investment Bank. This platform provides practical know-how and learning tools on financial instruments.

6.3. Access to Microfinance for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises: the ATM for SMEs project3 The lack of access to credit and financial exclusion can be a serious obstacle to business creation in many European regions. Microfinancing of SMEs and support to social entrepreneurship is an already tested and proven tool, which can contribute to a high level of quality and sustainable employment, reducing disparities and poverty and thus contributing to the realization of the « Inclusive growth » priority of the Europe 2020 strategy. There is a wide variety of microfinance programs across Europe, however, there are significant differences in how these microfinance initiatives reach their target groups. Therefore, the “ATM for SMEs” project [3] is aiming at improving the access to microfinance in the participating regions by sharing and exchanging the local knowledge on innovative solutions.

The "ATM for SME"s consortium is led by Fejér Enterprise Agency (HU), and is characterized by a balanced proportion of managing authorities and microfinance institutions, and a European-level advisory partner. The intensive interregional policy exchange and learning process, planned in the framework of the project, allows the gathering of evidence on the feasibility of these good practices, and capitalising on the experience accumulated in the participating regions.

The influence of the project can be demonstrated by the generation of new projects – tackling at enterprise development or improving the access to local 3 http://www.interregeurope.eu/atmforsmes/




microfinance programs – and improved management of the policy instruments by adopting new approaches in the way calls are organized and assessment methodologies are developed. The project indicators show that the successful implementation of the project will influence 626 million EUR of Structural Funds related policies and 0,6 million EUR of other policies.

6.4. Startup Europe Club: The meeting point for startups in Europe4 Startup Europe Club [4] is a single point for startups to access to all the information they need to grow and thrive: find investment and support, attend events, search for open calls, find out about legal rules and connect with other startup players. It also encompasses the Startup Europe Map: the best way to map and connect all startup players across Europe. In this sense, the main goal of Startup Europe Club is to link startup around the world. The main objectives of Startup Europe are to:

• Connect people such as startups, investors, accelerators, female entrepreneurs, corporate networks, and universities. The Startup Europe Map, a map which connects all startup players in the European ecosystems, is part of this.

• Connect local startup ecosystems by way of our 5 Projects (Digistart, ePlus Ecosystem, Startup Scaleup, Twist Digital and WELCOME) which are based in cities all over Europe. Regional initiatives such as Startup Europe Week or Startup Europe Regions Network are also supported.

• Help startups soft-land in other markets such as Silicon Valley, India, Africa and The United Arab Emirates.

Startup Europe Club promotes the instruments that the European Union provides for strengthening the business environment for startups such as the HORIZON 2020 Programme, the Startup Europe Initiative, Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs and FIWARE Accelerator Programme.

4 http://startupeuropeclub.eu/




Figure 1. Screenshot of the Startup Europe Club portal.

6.5. URBAN US: venture fund for Startup Urban Us [5] is the venture fund for startups that make cities better. By investing up to $250,000 alongside other funds or angels, Urban Us connects startups with a specialized network of founders, investors, companies, cities, and advisors. Beyond fundraising support, Urban Us helps startups to develop their first products, find their customers, and develop their first channels.

Urban Us works mostly online, so founders can continue working wherever they are and ensures to add the most relevant people to the network no matter where they live. The teams work together until startups reach their growth stage. Founder usually become the most sought after advisors for earlier stage startups.

Urban Us supports startups in the following sectors:

• Mobility & Logistics - A large portion of city life involves moving people and things within and between cities.

• Built Environment - Cities are also defined by their built environment, including real estate and physical infrastructure from roads to storm water systems.

• Resources - Food, water, energy, waste, air, capital, and Internet connectivity are essential to city life.

• Local Government - Local governments are increasingly challenged with the need to provide more services more efficiently, with fewer resources.




They do not support startups in sectors like healthcare, education, and economic development.




7. Funding Opportunities

Second section of the newsletter is called “Funding Opportunities”, where funding schema of relevance for the implementation of solutions and pilots in SCC field are collected. Whenever possible the focus is on opportunities for SMEs and Startups.

Eurostars-2 cut-off 5

Eurostars-2 cut-off 5

Link Link to the websource

Deadline 15 September 2016

Abstract

The Eurostars-2 programme supports close to market innovative projects led by research and development (R&D) performing SMEs. Since 2014, Eurostars-2 has supported close to 500 projects worth 679 M€. Key for the programme's success is the international collaboration, helping participants gain access to growth and global markets. Eurostars is open to projects in all technology areas and market fields, as long as they have a civilian purpose

Technical

Main eligibility criteria:

• Research-performing SMEs can apply for funding under Eurostars. Other SMEs, research institutes, universities and large enterprises may also participate but the project leader must be an R&D-performing SME from a Eurostars country.

• Eurostars is open to all projects in all technology areas and market fields, but projects must have a civilian purpose.

• The consortium must include at least two partners independent from each other and established in at least two different Eurostars countries. Organisations from any other country may participate (as a third country), but only if two Eurostars countries are already in the project. Subcontractors are not considered as project partners.

• The project must be completed in 36 months or less. The Eurostars project market introduction of the project results should be within 24 months of the completion of the project.

Eurostars adopts a decentralized funding procedure. As such, participants do not receive funding directly from the EUREKA Secretariat or the EU. All funding to participants in approved projects is managed by their respective funding body, according to national funding rules and procedures.

Applications can only be submitted using the online tool.




KIC InnoEnergy Reopens 2016 Call for Innovation Proposal


Opening 01/06/2016

Deadline 11/10/2016

Description

Simple announcement of the Call. The Call seeks European businesses, start-ups, SMEs or larger, who already have innovative sustainable energy projects at the research and development stage, but who need help in getting their product to market. The Call is looking for applications relating to innovations in KIC InnoEnergy’s eight “Thematic Fields”:

• Clean coal and gas technologies

• Energy storage

• Energy efficiency

• Energy from chemical fuels

• Renewable energies

• Smart and efficient buildings and cities

• Smart electric grid

• Sustainable nuclear and renewable convergence

EU CALL: Smart Cities and Communities lighthouse projects

SCC-1-2016-2017


Opening 04 October 2016

Deadline 14 February 2017

Budget (2017) Euro 69,500,000

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of between EUR 12 to 18 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately.

Abstract

To demonstrate solutions at district scale integrating smart buildings, smart grids (electricity, district heating, telecom, water, etc.), energy storage, electric vehicles and smart charging infrastructures, using the latest generation ICT platforms (and infrastructure) based on open specifications. This should in turn help to manage a successful transformation towards intelligent, user-driven and demand-oriented city infrastructures and services.

This should be accompanied by energy efficiency measures and the use of very high shares of renewables at the level of districts.




Lighthouse cities develop and test integrated innovative solutions at large scale (at least district size). These lighthouse cities should become the most advanced cities in Europe and act as exemplars for their region by paving the way for replication of these solutions, adapted to different sizes and local conditions. They are fully committed to implement their Sustainable Energy Actions Plans approved by the Covenant of Mayors initiative. Links with the broader Sustainable and Integrated Urban Development Strategies in the framework of the European Structural and Investment Funds should be sought as well as the funds available for the upscaling and replication of the projects (in particular ESIF). A city can be funded as a lighthouse city only once under Horizon2020

Technical

Each project must:

• Be realised in 3 new lighthouse cities that are situated in different EU Member states or associated countries.

• Involve at least 3 follower cities from at least 3 different EU Member states or associated countries.

Each lighthouse city must:

• Have Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP), positively evaluated by the Covenant of Mayors.

EU CALL: Demonstrating innovative nature-based solutions in cities

SCC-02-2016-2017


Opening 08 November 2016

Deadline 07 March 2017 05 September 2017

Budget (2017)

Euro 44,000,000

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of at least EUR 10 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately.

Abstract

The challenge is to provide a robust, EU-wide evidence base and develop a European reference framework on nature-based solutions for regional and local city authorities, communities, enterprises and other stakeholders about the benefits, co-benefits, cost-effectiveness and economic viability of these solutions. The goal is to enhance on the one hand climate and water resilience in cities and on the other hand to address inclusive urban regeneration in cities and thus promote their large-scale deployment and the creation of a global market. Projects should adopt a 'front-runner' and 'follower' cities approach to facilitate the rapid exploitation, replication and up scaling of the solutions.

Technical

Substantial investments might be necessary for implementing the nature-based solutions. Additional and/or follow-up funding (private or public) should be sought such as European




Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) and/or the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), or other relevant funds such as the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA II).

Resources should be envisaged for clustering with other financed projects in order to optimise collaboration, synergies, interactions and mutual support with other initiatives, specifically:

• “Nature-based solutions for territorial resilience” part of the call for Societal Challenge 5 ' Climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials', namely topics SC5-08-2017, SC5-09-2016 and SC5-10-2016.

Each project shall involve at least 2 'front-runner' cities and 3 'follower' cities from different Member States and/or Associated Countries.

• International cooperation is encouraged: participation of 'follower' cities from non-EU countries would enhance the potential for international replication

Call H2020 ICT-32-2017 Startup Europe for Growth and Innovation Radar

H2020 ICT-32-2017 Startup Europe for Growth and Innovation Radar


Deadline 25 April 2017

Budget (2017)

Euro 10,000,000 (ICT-32-2017 - IA Innovation action)

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of around EUR 1.5 million would allow this area to be addressed appropriately.

Euro 2,000,000 (ICT-32-2017 - CSA Coordination and support action)

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of around 1 million would allow this area to be addressed appropriately.

Abstract

Leveraging the Startup Europe and Innovation Radar initiatives, actions within this topic should on the one hand help established startups and prospective tech entrepreneurs to achieve market success and, on the other, raise broader awareness of high potential innovators in Europe with specific targeted actions for maturing innovation excellence in EU-funded ICT projects. Actions should support the expansion of startups on a pan-European and international level. They should stimulate further tech entrepreneurship and the creation of new high growth businesses and jobs, seeking maximum synergies through European innovation ecosystems. Innovators targeted by the Innovation Radar include startups, SMEs, spinoffs and research teams. Innovators identified, promoted and supported by the Innovation Radar are expected to enriching and benefiting from, the Startup Europe ecosystem.

Technical

The call builds on "Startup Europe" and "Innovation Radar" initiatives.

Main goals for Innovation Actions:

• Reinforcing ICT ecosystems for high growth tech startups by interconnecting and creating new synergies between 3-4 different Startup hubs across Europe per project.

• Facilitating financing and improving the liquidity for European investments in fast growing ICT startups and scale-ups, increasing their chances for a successful exit.




Main goals for Coordination and Support Actions:

• Support services for EU funded innovators: "Innovation Radar" initiative. • Establish a European wide network of support centers (nodes) for innovative

researchers. Actions primarily targeted towards technologies developed in EU funded projects in order to turn their research results into marketable products and, preparing such innovators for success in the market place.

Note that CSA shall primarily be targeted towards technologies developed in EU funded ICT projects (from Framework Programme 7, Competitiveness and Innovation Programme and Horizon 2020).




8. Events and Other

The last section of the newsletter is “Events and Other”. It collects any kind of information and opportunities different from what listed in the previous sections. In particular, the focus is more on events, news and tutorial video highlighting general opportunities in the field of smart cities. Whenever possible particular attention has been given to standards and business opportunities particularly for SMEs and Startups.

Title The European Energy Efficiency Fund - a financing solution for energy efficiency in the public sector

Source Link to the websource

Type Webinar

Author Covenant of Mayors

Description

27 July 2016 11:00 - 12:00

The European Energy Efficiency Fund (EEEF) is an innovative financing solution dedicated to mitigating climate change through market based financings in the member states of the European Union. The beneficiaries are municipal, local and regional authorities or public and private entities acting on behalf of those authorities such as utilities, public transport providers, social housing associations and Energy Service Companies (“ESCOs”).

Title CIVITAS brokerage event


Type Brokerage event

Author Civitas

Description

September 9th

Are you developing a project on urban mobility and you want to present it? Participate in the CIVITAS Brokerage event on EU funding opportunities for urban mobility and transport and present your project idea or announce your partner search. Applications have to be submitted before September 9th, 2016.

Title Smart Cities Info Day 2016





Type Event

Author European Commission

Description

September 23rd

The Info Day on Smart Cities and Communities will be an excellent opportunity to get to know more about the topic and to present the calls for project proposals to potential applicants. If you want to join on September 23rd, 2016 and share your experiences of Smart Cities, please note that you must be registered.

Title SMEs aim higher with Eurostars: cross-border collaboration of national public funding to innovate and reach new markets


Type Event

Author Eurostars

Description

12/13 October 2016

This Eurostars Annual event is organised in Amsterdam and Brussels on 12 and 13 October 2016. While the Amsterdam Event (12/10/2016) targets mainly the SMEs and the process, operation and matchmaking activities to participate in the Eurostars programme, the Brussels event (13/10/2016) targets the EU institutions and the political stakeholders.

Title Accelerating urban transition: tapping the full potential of smart city and community pilots


Type Event

Author JPI Urban Europe;

ERA-NET Smart Cities and Communities;

Austrian Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology

Description

16th November 2016 This workshop aims at bringing together people working in public administration, researchers, business, NGOs and civil society to jointly discuss measures to fully exploit the potential of Smart City and Communities pilot and demonstration projects. The aim is to identify bottlenecks at hand, ways forward and concepts to move from demonstration and pilots to larger scale implementation. Experiences from cities and JPI Urban Europe research projects will be shared and used to reflect on good practice examples and critical conditions. The event, co-organised




by JPI Urban Europe, the ERA-NET Smart Cities and Communities and the Austrian Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology, is taking place at the Smart City World Expo in Barcelona on 16 November from 14:30 to 19:00.

Title TECHITALY


Type Conference

Author Embassy of Italy in Belgium and the Italian Trade Agency

Description

29/30 November 2016 A promotional event focused on the latest excellences and innovations of Italian technology in different relevant sectors (industrial innovation, aerospace, global challenges). The initiative is organized in Brussels since 2012 by the Embassy of Italy in Belgium and the Italian Trade Agency, in close cooperation with other relevant Italian partners as the Permanent Representation of Italy to the EU, the National Research Council (CNR), the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Confindustria and the Belgian-Italian Chamber of Commerce.

Title Clusters 4.0: Shaping Smart Industries


Type Conference

Author European Commission

Description

The European Commission’s Directorate General for the Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs and the European Cluster Observatory team are pleased to invite you to register to the European Cluster Conference 2016. The conference will be held in Brussels on December 1st -2nd, 2016 at the Crowne Plaza Brussels, Le Palace Hotel.

The fifth edition of the European Cluster Conference will focus on the theme “Clusters 4.0: Shaping Smart Industries”, where you will have the opportunity to hear and discuss about the most recent trends and priorities for cluster policies and cluster organisations supporting industrial modernisation. More information on the conference foci is included in the agenda and on the registration portal.

Title Financing & Business Models for Smart Cities Investments


Type Conference




Description

Copenhagen, May 10-12, 2017

The purpose of this conference and workshops is to provide decision makers, project managers, policy advisers, renewable energy specialists and others with more insights into both existing and innovative financing mechanisms that they could apply for innovations in their cities and regions.

Title Investment plan for Europe: EIB Group and Bpifrance sign two agreements to support sustainable industry and innovative SMEs


Type News

Author European Investment Bank

Description

Bpifrance and the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group are strengthening their commitment to the Investment Plan for Europe with two new agreements: support for technological industrialisation via the creation of the first European investment platform and financing of innovative SMEs and midcaps with the renewal of the InnovFin SMEG agreement. The signing ceremony took place at the premises of Netatmo, a company specialising in connected devices and a beneficiary of the first InnovFin agreement. Two financial agreements worth more than EUR 1bn were signed by EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle and Nicolas Dufourcq, CEO of Bpifrance, with a view to boosting equity investments in the industry of the future and increasing the volume of loans to innovative French small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and midcaps. These two operations have been made possible by a guarantee from the EU budget put in place as part of the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), a component of the Investment Plan for Europe (also known as the Juncker Plan). These two agreements strengthen Bpifrance and the EIB Group's action in these two key segments of the innovation economy which entail higher risk exposure.

EIB industrial SPV (special purpose vehicle) fund

As part of the Investments for the Future Programme, in early 2015 the Government and Bpifrance created the industrial SPV (special-purpose vehicle) fund to invest in technology industrialisation projects that are growth and job creation drivers. This industrial SPV fund complements venture capital and development capital tools by concentrating its efforts on the industrialisation phase of a technology. By making astute minority investments in SPVs together with one or more partners, the industrial SPV fund acts as a tool to help create the industrial positions of tomorrow and new industrial jobs. With EUR 700m at its disposal to create the sustainable industry of the future, the fund has already invested EUR 160m in five projects in sectors as diverse as renewable energies, biotechnology and green chemicals. The EIB industrial SPV fund – with capital of EUR 100m – was created to bolster the activities of the industrial SPV fund by expanding its reach and raising its status. To this end, it is the very first “investment platform” (a structured investment agreement enabling investor resources to be pooled and several projects to be financed) supported by the EFSI.

Doubling of innovation and seed capital loan volumes

In view of the success of the initial programme signed in May 2015, Bpifrance and the European Investment Fund (EIF) are renewing the InnovFin SMEG agreement, doubling the size of the




innovative company financing envelope to a total of EUR 420m over two years. Two tools are covered:

• The Innovation Loan (IL), with capital of EUR 320m and 50% guaranteed by the EIF, will facilitate the industrial and market launches of innovations from SMEs and small midcaps (up to 499 employees) for amounts of up to EUR 5m;

• The Seed Capital Loan (SCL), with lending capacity of EUR 100m and 40% guaranteed by the EIF, will make it possible to strengthen the financial structure of start-ups soliciting funds from informed investors and to assist with their development by granting additional financing of up to EUR 1.5m.

Since they offer the most favorable financing terms, the IL and SCL programmes have made it possible to support almost 850 companies in 17 months, demonstrating the strategic success of these tools.




9. Next Steps

The “Tips for Market” newsletter has been the main tool to share updates and create awareness on business opportunities for startups and SMEs. It has been delivered to the SmaCStak on approximately a monthly frequency starting from July 2016.

In the coming months, the “Tips for market” will be integrated into the ESPRESSO Newsletter in collaboration with WP7 leader (University of Kaiserslautern). This will allow us to focus on specific opportunities and be able to provide more details. We will keep on scouting new opportunities, but we will also provide an in-depth analysis of still relevant topics and opportunities already listed in the previous newsletters.

We will keep the focus on opportunities addressing startup and SMEs. New contents related to country-specific opportunities will be also collected with the support from the consortium.




10. Tips for Market - Example

ESPRESSO NEWSLETTER 11/2016

TIPS FOR MARKET

Through our “Tips for market” newsletter, we aim to recommend and promote the latest Smart Cities and Communities funding opportunities and market highlights.

HIGHLIGHTS

Access to Microfinance for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises: the ATM for SMEs project.

The lack of access to credit and financial exclusion can be a serious obstacle to business creation in many European regions. Microfinancing of SMEs and support to social entrepreneurship is an already tested and proven tool which can contribute to a high level of quality and sustainable employment, reducing disparities and poverty; and thus contributing to the realization of the « Inclusive growth » priority of the Europe 2020 strategy. There is a wide variety of microfinance programs across Europe, however, there are significant differences in how these microfinance initiatives reach their target groups. Therefore, the “ATM for SMEs” project is aiming at improving the access to microfinance in the participating regions by sharing and exchanging the local knowledge on innovative solutions.

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FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

The Co-Investment fund for Startups and SMEs The European Commission launched two new "off-the-shelf" financial instruments for ESI Funds investments, to ease access to funding for young businesses and urban development project promoters. Characteristic of the new




instruments is to help managing authorities to deliver faster and safer funds to the final recipients combining public and private resources. Specifically, the Co-investment facilitysupports start-ups and SMEs to develop their business models and attract additional funding through a collective investment scheme managed by one main financial intermediary. Total investment combining public and private resources can amount to up to €15 million per SME. Example of this co-investment facility is SAS JEREMIE in the French region of Languedoc-Roussillon, that between 2007 and 2013, attracted private capital and invested in high-tech SMEs in the region by using European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) resources.

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URBAN US: venture fund for Startup Urban Us is the venture fund for startups that make cities better. By investing up to $250,000 alongside other funds or angels, Urban Us connects startups with a specialized network of founders, investors, companies, cities, and advisors. Beyond fundraising support, Urban Us helps startups to develop their first products, find their customers, and develop their first channels.

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EVENTS & OTHER

Workshop: Accelerating urban transition: tapping the full potential of smart city and community pilots This workshop aims at bringing together people working in public administration, researchers, business, NGOs and civil society to jointly discuss measures to fully exploit the potential of Smart City and Communities pilot and demonstration projects. The aim is to identify bottlenecks at hand, ways forward and concepts to move from demonstration and pilots to larger scale implementation. Experiences from cities and JPI Urban Europe research projects will be shared and used to reflect on good practice examples and critical conditions. The event, co-organised by JPI Urban Europe, the ERA-NET Smart Cities and Communities and the Austrian Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology, is taking place at the Smart City World Expo in Barcelona on 16 November from 14:30 t 19:00.

Info and Registration

TECHITALY - 29/30 november 2016 A promotional event focused on the latest excellences and innovations of Italian technology in different relevant sectors (industrial innovation, aerospace, global challenges). The initiative is organized in Brussels since 2012 by the Embassy of Italy in Belgium and the Italian Trade Agency, in close cooperation with other relevant Italian partners as the Permanent Representation of Italy to the EU, the National Research Council (CNR), the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Confindustria and the Belgian-Italian Chamber of Commerce.




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“Clusters 4.0: Shaping Smart Industries: REGISTRATION OPEN!

The European Commission’s Directorate General for the Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs and the European Cluster Observatory team are pleased to invite you to register to the European Cluster Conference 2016. The conference will be held in Brussels on December 1st -2nd, 2016 at the Crowne Plaza Brussels, Le Palace Hotel.

The fifth edition of the European Cluster Conference will focus on the theme “Clusters 4.0: Shaping Smart Industries”, where you will have the opportunity to hear and discuss about the most recent trends and priorities for cluster policies and cluster organisations supporting industrial modernisation. More information on the conference foci is included in the agenda and on the registration portal.

Info and Registration

IP in Horizon 2020 This video, provided by the European IPR Helpdesk, sheds light on the importance of smart IP management in Horizon 2020 and how the IPR Helpdesk can support SMEs involved in

Horizon 2020 projects.

Documents

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