Danube-INCO.NET — Advancing Research and Innovation in the Danube Region

The FTI pilot is the only fully-bottom-up measure in Horizon 2020 promoting close-to-the-market innovation activities that is open to all types of participants.  FTI aims to reduce the time from idea to market and to increase the participation in Horizon 2020 of industry, SMEs and first-time industry applicants.

FTI also aims to nurture trans-disciplinary and cross-sector approaches. All kinds of innovation actors can work together to develop sustainable innovations addressing societal needs or areas under 'Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies' and, at the same time, create viable business opportunities. This is why FTI projects must be business-driven and clearly demonstrate a realistic potential for quick deployment and market take-up of innovations.

On offer is a maximum EU contribution of €3M per proposal with time-to-grant of around 6 months. 

Proposals for funding must be submitted by consortia comprising between three and five legal entities established in at least three different EU Member States or countries associated to Horizon 2020.  Within each consortium there must either be an allocation of at least 60% of the budget to industry participants or the consortium must include a minimum of two industry participants in a consortium of three or four partners, or three industry participants in a consortium of five partners.

Launched on 6^th January 2015, proposals can be submitted at any time during the two-year pilot with ranking following three cut-off dates in 2016: March 15, June 1 and October 25 (17:00 Brussels time).

SMEs and first-time industry applicants are particularly invited to submit proposals.

More information about the FTI pilot can be found on the Horizon 2020 website

Projects selected for funding

• 3r cut-off statistics: EU invests nearly €31 million for quicker market access of 15 innovative projects (09/03/2016)
• 2nd cut-off statistics: EU gives € 32.7 million to bring innovative ideas to the market quicker(07/12/2015)
• 1st cut-off statistics: Commission speeds up access to market of 16 innovative projects with €36 million (27/08/2015)