The Ports 4.0 fund has announced the approval, by the Committee for the Distribution of the Interport Compensation Fund, of two new calls in its three modalities: Ideas, Commercial Projects and Pre-commercial Projects, which will have a budget of 18 million euros.
The estimated date for the launch of the call for Ideas and Commercial Projects is autumn 2023, while the call for Pre-commercial Projects will be launched in 2024.
These are a great opportunity for all projects related to port activity that are committed to innovation. Therefore, from La Lonja de la Innovación, we recommend all startups and companies to take advantage of the opportunity and participate in the call.
What does the Ports 4.0. fund consist of?
With the advent of the 4th industrial revolution, economic sectors began to undergo transformation processes with the use of the latest technologies. This also reached the logistics and transportation sector, especially ports, as they are key elements in the logistics chain.
Therefore, the Ports 4.0 Fund was born as a model of corporate open innovation of the Spanish port system with the interest to attract, support and facilitate the application of talent and entrepreneurship to the Spanish logistics-port sector. This fund is articulated through a public aid plan aimed at boosting entrepreneurship for innovation in the sector and thus promote the creation or consolidation of emerging companies, startups, spin-offs or new business lines of existing companies that develop innovative solutions in the Spanish logistics-port sector and to enhance and facilitate the adaptation of this to the 4.0 economy.
These grants are aimed at solutions, whether products, services or processes, innovative and market-oriented and that bring benefits to the logistics-port community in any part of its value chain. The endowment for this year's grants remains the same as in previous calls: €750,000 for Ideas, including €105,000 for intra-entrepreneurship; €6,000,000 for Commercial Projects, and €11,250,000 for Pre-Commercial Projects.
Two new calls for proposals: requirements and other information
In order for a Project or Idea to be eligible for the grants offered in this call, the following requirements must be met:
- Its goal is to achieve a new product, service or process or improve an existing technology with an innovative component that is applicable to the port-logistics sector.
- Promote the achievement of measurable breakthrough solutions in one or more of the following areas of activity:
- Logistics efficiency in the infrastructural, operational or service delivery areas.
- Environmental and energy sustainability
- Safety and security
- Digitization of processes and intelligent platforms
- Any other innovative product, service or process with an impact on the port logistics sector or on the nautical or fishing port sector.
- Having a demonstrable and delimited innovative component in terms of scope, contents and costs, as well as not existing in the market at national and international level.
To find out the rest of the requirements, click here to access the terms and conditions of the call.
Stay tuned to our blog because soon we will expand the information so that you can know all the details of the opening of the call for the modality of Ideas and Commercial Projects, and you do not have any doubts.