Pilot initiatives on Technology Infrastructures (CSA)

Expected Outcome:The projects funded under this topic will have the following expected outcomes:

• Provide evidence and understanding of the European landscape of Technology Infrastructures, including existing facilities and their services;
• Develop a sound understanding of the specific needs of industrial users for Technology Infrastructures;
• Improve availability of Technology Infrastructures facilities and strengthen the provision of services for enterprises across the EU, in particular SMEs and start-ups, with increased opportunities for testing, up-scaling and deployment of new technologies;
• Make Technology Infrastructures in Europe stronger and more resilient with improved, strategic service offer, better adapted to user needs;
• Strengthen the innovation and technology development capacity of the European industry;
• Contribute to the validation of a European approach to Technology Infrastructures, test different strategies and instruments, and their feasibility, to address availability and service gaps at EU level, as well as learn from their implementation experience.

Scope:Proposals should identify a specific technology area or industrial ecosystem in which they will implement the activities proposed for a pilot initiative. This should take into account the selection criteria for pilot actions developed in the final report of the Commission Expert Group on Technology Infrastructures[1] and could cover the priority areas proposed in this report.

The proposals should cover different strategic steps needed to lead to and achieve the expected outcomes, depending on the starting point for the proposed area, building on earlier analysis and consultations.[2]

The proposed actions should lead to a comprehensive understanding of the landscape of Technology Infrastructures, provide evidence of their benefits and added value in the area covered by the proposal, and of any specific needs to improve their availability, accessibility and impact. The actions should also identify possible barriers to addressing the identified needs.

The activities should in particular build on or carry out a detailed mapping of the available Technology Infrastructures in Europe in the pilot area covered by the proposal, and the analysis of main types of services offered and used. The actions should result in an in-depth understanding of user needs for Technology Infrastructures in relevant industrial ecosystems as well as identify the potential gaps in Technology Infrastructures services or mismatch between supply and demand, both in terms of the types of facilities and services offered and their availability across the entire EU. This analysis should consider both the current state of play and a forward-looking perspective, as well as needs of large companies, SMEs and start-ups.

The proposed actions should include development of a strategy, roadmap or agenda with identified measures that would help overcome the existing gaps and barriers. In particular, the actions should identify measures needed to improve infrastructures service provision to industry, including their outreach strategies and pricing policies, facilitate access to these services and increase their visibility, especially across regions and countries, as well as identify potential investment priorities.

Such a strategy could include for example the specifications for new or upgrade of existing TIs, development and deployment of new TI services, developing EU-level networks or ecosystems of TIs with integrated service offers, including both technology and non-technology services (e.g. technical assistance and training services for companies in the technologies and services offered by the TIs, support to standardisation, financing, market analysis or addressing regulatory issues).

The pilot projects should develop proposals for implementation modalities of the proposed strategy, roadmap or agenda, including the part of the infrastructure operators/owners as well as suggested actions and/or support measures at the EU, national, regional level, potentially leading to the establishment of an appropriate coordination mechanism. As a basis, a mapping of already available support measures at EU and national/regional levels should be carried out, as well as identification of relevant actors needed to implement the strategy, roadmap or agenda, and the necessary financial resources, as relevant.

Successful proposals will demonstrate the relevance of the technology areas or industrial ecosystems they choose to cover for EU competitiveness and strategic autonomy as well as the need for action in these areas. They will involve all relevant stakeholders including in particular industrial partners, including SMEs and large enterprises, organisations hosting Technology Infrastructures and other infrastructures offering relevant services for industry, as well as technology, market and legal experts as needed.

Projects should build on or seek collaboration with relevant existing projects and develop synergies with other relevant European, national or regional initiatives, funding programmes and platforms.

[1] Link to the report of the Commission Expert Group on Technology Infrastructures will be provided in due time.

[2] See the report from the above-mentioned Expert Group.